For the past 30 years, Ms. Sondra has been immersed in the fields of college counseling, teaching, writing, and editing. After working as a technical writer, marketing writer, editor, and published author in high-tech for many years, she established her own educational services company 20 years ago and has been helping students around the Bay Area and across the U.S. ever since.
Contact Me for a Free ConsultationMs. Sondra specializes in comprehensive college counseling services for grades 8-12, guiding her students throughout their high school journey to top colleges in the U.S. and internationally. She also excels in helping students with:
My students work with me 100% of the time and even have my cell number to contact me between meetings. Whether they’re stuck on their essays, need help researching colleges, or are overwhelmed by the whole college application process, I’m there for them.
Although GPA, course rigor, and test scores are important, it’s the unique message that a student conveys throughout his or her application that can determine an “Admit” or “Deny.” I excel at helping students identify and develop their consistent and unique message through focused activities, projects, internships, volunteering, and their essays.
I’ve helped my students gain admittance to a wide range of top schools:
MIT, Stanford, Harvard, Brown, Cornell, UMich, Dartmouth, Columbia, Carnegie Mellon, UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC Irvine, UC Davis, UC San Diego, USC, Duke, NYU, CalTech, Rice, UT Austin, UPenn, Northwestern, Northeastern, Purdue, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Cal Poly, UIUC, Scripps, Chapman, and many many more.
However, the most telling success for my students is attending a college that fits them well and where they can thrive, whether that’s an Ivy or an excellent smaller school where they feel at home.
In addition to my college counseling expertise, my many years as a professional writer, editor, and English teacher enable me to help students craft truly memorable college essays. I’ve so enjoyed working with teens all these years, and my background has given me a specialized set of skills and perspectives to create a strong rapport with my students.
See these testimonials (and more) for yourself on Nextdoor!
"Ms. Sondra: I want to share that I was admitted to CMU through their ED cycle. I want to thank you for all your help with all of my essays, especially with my CMU supplements. I couldn’t have done this without you, and I’m forever grateful."
- Andrew (Carnegie Mellon University), San Jose, CA
October 2024
"Ms. Sondra was already one of my favorite English Teachers. Now I know that she is also an exceptional college counselor. Through my sessions with her, we figured out a list of colleges that I would apply to. Undoubtedly though, I benefited massively from her expertise in personal writing; her feedback really helped me craft an essay that represented myself best. Thanks to her, I am now a student at UC Berkeley!"
- Jack (UC Berkeley), San Jose, CA
August 2024
"Sondra was my College counselor for both my kids. She is passionate and patient and knows how to motivate teenagers. She always encourages them while still being strict on what they should deliver. Both of my kids got in their dream schools. We really appreciated her mentorship. Strongly recommend her to the community."
- Ying, San Jose, CA
October 2020
"Sondra has been one of my writing mentors since my freshman year of high school and I cannot recommend her enough! She helped me develop my skill and confidence as a writer and has been incredibly helpful in reviewing my personal statements/essays for both college and medical school."
- Ishaan (Medical Student at Georgetown University)
October 2018
"Ms. Sondra helped my son with his college essays to get into UWisconsin for CS. She has been helping my daughter with her reading and writing since middle school. The reading/writing skills she learns from Ms. Sondra make her a good learner. It not only helps her English classes, but also social studies, science, and even math! She took the PSAT last year and got 1480 out of 1520. I credit that to Ms. Sondra. More importantly, Ms. Sondra encourages my daughter to explore her interests and helps her figure out what she wants to major in college. I highly appreciated that because teenagers hesitate to ask their parents for advice and my daughter values Ms. Sondra's advice."
- Judy, Saratoga, CA
July 2023
"Ms. Sondra was instrumental in helping me get into UC Berkeley! I was tutored by her for the SAT as they were beginning to transition from the old Exam (2400) to the new format (1600). During her lessons, she was incredibly informative, patient, and helpful. I would recommend her to anyone!"
- Xavier (Speech and Debate Coach), Rancho Cordova, CA
December 2023
"Sondra is a very patient and dedicated teacher who enhanced my children's English proficiency. Their writing skills improved remarkably and got full score on the SAT writing section which helped them gain admission to their dream schools. She also guided them in writing their strong college essays. We highly recommend her classes for anyone who is seeking effective English instruction."
- Fei, Mountain View, CA, Mother of David (Northwestern University) & Cathy (Stanford)
August 2022
My students and their parents have dubbed me “Ms. Sondra.” A bit about my background:
After graduating magna cum laude from the New York SUNY system with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in English, I moved to Silicon Valley to pursue a career in the burgeoning high-tech industry. I worked for many years as a senior technical and marketing writer, educational content writer, and editor in such companies as Cisco, Tymshare/McDonnell Douglas, and Apple, where I received an award of excellence from Addison-Wesley for my authorship of Planning and Managing AppleTalk Networks, with a foreword written by then-CEO John Sculley.
In the early 2000s, I became an independent consultant and launched my tutoring company, SGS Educational Services, focusing on writing and critical reading skills for elementary, middle school, and high school students. Through personal referrals, my business quickly grew to include standardized test prep for PSAT, SAT, ACT, private school entrance exams, and AP English. I've taught private classes and small group classes throughout the SF Bay Area and nationally, and larger classes through Aborn Institute, a prestigious independent educational center in San Jose, CA.
In 2010, after numerous requests to help students with their college applications and essays, I formally included college counseling as part of my services, taking certification classes through UC Berkeley to bolster and hone my counseling skills and learn about the latest counseling tools, trends, and news that affect the college admissions landscape. I limit the number of students I accept for college counseling to provide the personalized attention they deserve.
My expertise in helping students identify their interests and skills, and then distinguishing themselves through unique projects, self-driven activities, and truly compelling essays, is particularly significant! With so many students submitting high GPAs and test scores (and the UCs and Cal State schools not accepting SAT/ACT scores), those stand-out college essays and focused activities take on increased weight in admissions decisions.
My students know that I am more than “just” a college counselor or educator: I’m a passionate mentor and advocate for them, and my goal is to encourage them to achieve their very best!
So many of my students stay in touch with me long after our work together is done. I’m so proud of them as they share their journeys and successes, venturing into professional arenas ranging from computer science to medicine to business to the arts.
This is the best time to lay the foundation for the years ahead! Planning is essential to not only identify the best classes and extracurriculars that match the student’s needs and interests but also to empower and encourage students to have clear plans to meet their goals throughout their high school years.
In the final years of high school, the focus shifts to refining the student’s college profile, finalizing their college list, and crafting strong applications.
This comprehensive, year-round package includes true concierge service. This means that I do NOT limit my counseling to a specific number of hours for meetings, communication, essay development and reviews, or the time that I spend doing customized research for each student. The price will vary according to the year students join.
This comprehensive package includes all of the following counseling services:
Shorter-term college counseling packages as well as hourly counseling are also available. Please contact me for details and pricing. These packages are ideal for students who need specific guidance or have a limited timeframe for assistance.
To get started, I meet with your family to get to know you and your child, learn about your family’s needs, and answer your questions. I then meet with the student to learn more about him or her, assess the student’s needs, and create a strategy for moving forward. This hour-long initial assessment is free.
Please contact me to inquire about fees and custom packages for private tutoring in the following areas: