Lafayette Academy’s college admissions counseling program has limited openings for sophomores and juniors, and a few more spaces for freshmen.

College Admissions Counselor Services:

Pre-Applications Preparation & Support

1. 1. A battery of assessments to identify latent interests and potential college majors.
   2. Advice on extracurricular activities to meaningfully improve student profiles.
   3. Completing a high school resume that’s relevant to target colleges.
   4. Guidance on standardized tests, retakes, and submissions
   5. An extensive college search, culminating in a personalized list of colleges: “likely”, “target”, and “reach” schools.

– most lists include lesser-known, highly regarded schools that are universally loved by their students.

Application “Season”

1. Weekly meetings with our college admissions counselor until you’re done!
2. Brainstorming and editing college essays
3. Help and advice filling out applications
4. Assistance with tasks on Naviance
5. Advice about school visits and mock interview sessions
6. Access to an online college search and application management system
7. College Admissions Counselor also provides some Financial Aid advice
8. Help with the final decision on which college would be the best to attend based on acceptances

To speak to our college admissions counselor (with no obligation), click the “request services” button below and complete the brief form:

No credit card required

Professional Background

Kathy Bressler received her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, and earned her Masters’s Degree in Communications Management from the Annenberg School of Communications at the University of Southern California.  She also completed UC Berkeley Extension’s Certificate Program in College Admissions and Career Planning.

Kathy is the co-owner of Lafayette Academy and has been a college counselor for 14 years.  She belongs to two different consortiums of college counselors in the Bay Area that meet monthly, and she has traveled to approximately 40 states visiting hundreds of colleges.  Pre-pandemic, Kathy attended many yearly conferences and is a member of the following professional organizations:

• NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counseling)
• WACAC (Western Association for College Admission Counseling)
• HECA (Higher Education Consultants Organization)

Personal Information & Experiences

While Kathy raised her four very active daughters in Lamorinda, she was on the Burton Valley PTA Board of Directors, Las Trampas Swim Team Director, Chair of the Youth Committee and a member of the Board of Directors at Temple Isaiah in Lafayette. As a parent and later as a college counselor, Kathy guided her four daughters through significantly different academic experiences and college admissions challenges.

Her oldest daughter, Mallory, graduated from the University of Michigan with a double major in Political Science and Sociology with an emphasis in Education. Mallory managed after-school programs in Boston and NYC, helped manage a few non-profit organizations, and is now running a coaching business for non-profit organizations. She also founded and hosts the “What the Fundraising” podcast.

Kathy’s next daughter, Dana, graduated from UC Santa Barbara as a Business Economics major with an emphasis in accounting.  Dana worked at several companies, including KPMG, Google, and Credit Karma.  Now she is a Product Manager at Airbnb. That’s how they do it these days.

Kathy’s youngest daughters are twins, Hillary and Rebecca. Hillary double majored in Sociology and Political Science at UC Davis and has a popular dog training business in Lamorinda.  Becca was a Cognitive Science major at UC Berkeley and is a producer at Radiolab in NYC. The twins turned 30 in December, so we’re probably older than you.

Kathy’s 1st four College Admissions “clients”