Testimonials
Hiring Jill to work with our son was hands down the best decision we made during the college application process. What at first seemed utterly daunting and overwhelming quickly became manageable and organized, even energizing, with Jill’s guidance and positivity. Our son found Jill easy to talk to, encouraging, and flexible. She took the time to get to know him and deeply understand his college goals, and she had a great sense of which schools might be a fit for him. As parents, we found Jill to be accessible and professional, and we very much appreciated her attention to detail. Nothing fell through the cracks. Our son not only always knew what he needed to accomplish between meetings, but he felt accountable to Jill, which enabled our family to get through the process without undue strain at home. She is extremely knowledgeable about every type of school throughout the country and beyond, including the complex UC system, and what admissions directors are looking for (and what they’re not). We cannot recommend Jill highly enough! Jessica, Parent University of Southern California, Iovine Young Academy
Hiring Jill was the best decision we could have made for our child, not only because of the happy results (our child was admitted to two of her top three college choices), but also because of the gentle, sage, and clear-minded way in which Jill guided her (and us!) along the way. Jill was there for our child from beginning to end, from constructing a thoughtful, well-rounded college list tailored specifically to her, to setting a proactive but realistic timeline, to providing resources, to supporting our child as much as she needed through all the ups and downs until decisions were released. Over the past year, we have been repeatedly impressed by Jill’s experience, her integrity, her kind and encouraging straight talk, and her comprehensive understanding of both the application process and the institutions themselves. And this may sound silly, but it’s important: Jill’s warmth and sense of humor lightened the weight of this sometimes terrifyingly stressful year, giving our child the lift and perspective she needed to feel good about herself and therefore give her applications 100%. Although no one can guarantee results, with Jill I am absolutely certain that our child put her best foot forward, in her own unique voice, with agency and with pride. With Jill’s help, our child left nothing on the table. What more could a parent ask for? Now we are already underway with our next kid’s college applications, and we feel lucky to be on this journey with Jill again. We recommend her wholeheartedly and without hesitation. Sarah, Parent Columbia University
Before Jill, our child's college search consisted of a resource book on the coffee table and aimless discussions underscored with consistent anxiety. But then we hired Jill, and her wise advice and thoughtful counsel made it feel like a light had been turned on, making the whole process clear, easy, and dare I say, fun. Nuts and bolts aside (and make no mistake, Jill is an expert with all the nuts and the bolts), Jill is a fun and funny presence who projects an aura of easy calm over the entire process. Her advice is carefully thought (and felt) out and, as a result, our child was able to confidently navigate their way through the entire experience from beginning to end. What we found most impressive is the way Jill can read a student. It’s like she has a sixth sense for suggesting the perfect colleges for their particular demeanor. As a result, our high school senior was admitted Early Decision to a college that feels like it was specifically designed for them. And on top of all that, they were awarded a merit scholarship which may not have happened without Jill’s guidance. We look forward to hiring Jill again when our youngest child embarks on her college hunt because we simply couldn’t imagine a world without her help. Sandy, Parent Hampshire College
Jill has exceptional range as a college counselor and consultant. Based on my family’s experience she can help just about anyone select a school. She inspired my children to complete the process on a schedule, so it did not become overwhelming. Jill also helped them find their own choices and develop confidence in the process. Jill worked with my older daughter during the pandemic when there were no in-person campus visits. Jill helped her select a solid list of colleges based on her interests and achievements. Jill counseled her throughout the process. My daughter was accepted to her first-choice school which she loved from day one. She is heading into senior year, preparing for LSATs and thriving. When my second daughter was ready to apply to college, we reached out to Jill right away. She was a tough case from the start because she was wavering about whether she even wanted to apply to college. She is a visual artist and did not know if a four-year institution would be the right fit. Jill encouraged her to visit a few local schools during junior year. That was enough to get her to come around to applying to local art schools and art schools within universities. Jill convinced her to expand her list to out of state art schools. The process wasn't always easy for her –there were lots of extra "to dos" as a visual artist. I could not have been happier to have Jill advise, especially because it was getting very difficult as a parent. Jill remained patient and receptive throughout the entire process. We could not have done it without Jill. My daughter earned several offers and merit scholarships! She selected an out-of-state art school and is looking forward to attending in the fall. Susanne, Parent University of Wisconsin, Madison School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Working with Jill on my college applications made the entire process seamless. What initially seemed daunting and overwhelming turned into an enjoyable experience. Jill helped me create a portfolio of materials that was both well-organized and genuine to who I am. Her knowledge of countless colleges helped me pinpoint and apply to a balanced list of schools. After falling in love with Colby College, Jill helped me approach my Early Decision application to an otherwise competitive school in the best way possible; she recommended a niche program to spend my first semester abroad in Spain. Together, we worked on an application geared towards this specific program, something I wouldn’t have known about without her expertise. With the schedule she created for me, I finished all my applications before senior year started in September, which put me leaps ahead of my peers and set me up for an enjoyable senior year, free of stressful last-minute deadlines. Lastly, while it may not seem important initially, Jill’s high-spirited and humorous attitude made the process fun. Every student deserves to feel excited about their college application process. Jill helped me feel confident in my abilities as a student and prepared for my college journey. Mara, Student Colby College
Working with Jill Gully was an incredibly positive experience for our family. She provided invaluable guidance throughout the entire college application process, helping to keep our student on schedule and ensuring that every deadline was met. One of the most helpful aspects of Jill's support was her assistance in crafting a thoughtful and well-rounded list of schools that perfectly matched our student's interests, strengths, and goals. Her expertise and personalized approach made what could have been a stressful process much more manageable. We are truly grateful for Jill Gully's dedication and highly recommend her services to any student navigating the college application process. Monica, Parent Northeastern University
We learned of Jill by pure chance. We were visiting Los Angeles and ate breakfast next to one of her clients. He overheard us talking and gave us Jill’s number. Now that we are working with Jill, we can’t recommend her highly enough. Jill is a great communicator. She’s kind and patient. She has a vast knowledge of how the college admissions game is played, making her feedback invaluable. She is a strategist, laying out a detailed plan of what a student needs to do to have the very best chance of admission to one of their top schools. Jill instilled a confidence in our daughter she didn’t have going into the process, even as a straight “A” student. With her hard work and Jill’s guidance, out daughter was accepted to her number one school. Jill truly cared about our daughter. She took the time to connect with her to determine what mattered the most. She made recommendations and gave honest feedback. Jill has no ego or agenda beyond ensuring that work was getting completed and that our daughter had agency in the process. As parents, we didn’t eavesdrop much, but what we did overhear most of the time was laughter. Jill made the process fun. She gained our trust immediately and made us feel calm knowing our daughter was in the best hands. Jill supported her at every step. Finding Jill was a dream! Gretchen & Kenny, Parents Barnard College