Zelda Thomas · Academic & College Consulting
With over 2,000 US colleges to choose from, the process can feel overwhelming. I’m here to help.
I work with students from eighth grade through senior year to make the college application process manageable, thoughtful, and even enjoyable. Because college is one of the largest expenses a family will take on, I build every list with affordability, merit aid, and financial fit in mind — helping students find colleges with exceptionally generous aid.
Not every student knows yet what makes them remarkable.
Most college counselors can help with deadlines and lists. Very few have spent their careers, as I have, teaching students at elite high schools how ideas are formed and how to say something that genuinely matters. I am also a writer, a graduate of Sarah Lawrence and Columbia. A forever learner, I love visiting campuses and meeting admissions teams so we stay connected.
Before strategy, I get to know the student. Who they are, who they want to become, and what they have not yet found the words for. My work is to help them present that with such clarity and conviction that the right school cannot say no. Curious, thoughtful, and unmistakably themselves.
Admissions is equal parts art and science. I have visited hundreds of campuses and track the data closely, and because affordability matters, I build lists that are smart financial choices as well as the right academic and social fit.
No anxiety. No noise. Just the work of becoming, and the right school that follows.
What I do
Tailored to the student, every step of the way.
From high-school academic and extracurricular strategy to the final college choice. Everyone needs something a bit different, services are shaped around your student.
01
Academic Planning
Choosing the right courses and shaping a high-school path with intention.
02
Best-Fit College Lists
Identifying institutions where each student will be challenged and engaged.
03
Extracurriculars & Summers
Pursuing experiences that show depth of interest and sustained commitment.
04
Application & Essays
Writing that is precise, reflective, and grounded in experience, never formulaic.
05
Test Planning
When to test, how to prepare, and how to interpret the scores.
06
Final Choice
From the send button to the final decision, every step considered.
About Zelda
A writer first. A teacher always.
A graduate of National Cathedral School in Washington, D.C., Zelda went on to Sarah Lawrence and earned her M.Ed. from Teachers College, Columbia University, where she also completed doctoral coursework. She holds her College Counseling certification from the University of San Diego and has taught high-school English at The Blake School in Minneapolis and Stamford High School in Connecticut.
She has spent summers at Harvard and lived inside Yale and Williams for stretches of time, and she is actively building working relationships with admissions officers across the country. For over twenty years she has been coaching students and editing essays.
Born in Mexico and having lived around the world, she has a rare eye for what makes a student truly stand out, because she knows firsthand what interesting, curious, globally minded people look like.
A global perspective
Families on both sides of the ocean.
I support students applying to colleges and universities in the US and to English-taught programs in the UK, Italy, Spain, France, and the Netherlands. I am trained in the specific requirements of foreign universities and the International Baccalaureate, and I know how to prepare students for what each of these schools genuinely expects.
In their words
What families and students are saying.
Maya really enjoyed working with Zelda. Her essay turned out great, and she was thrilled to be admitted Early Decision to Boston University.
Galit Talby
Parent · Mercer Island, WA
Working with Zelda made the college process feel much less overwhelming. She helped me stay organized, think more clearly about my interests, and present myself in a way that felt authentic.
Paul Chapman
Student · Packard HS, NYC
Zelda brought clarity and calm to what can be a very stressful process. Her thoughtful guidance helped our daughter stay focused, confident, and on track every step of the way.
Lisa Driver
Parent · Stamford, CT
Begin
Let’s find the school where your student will do their best work.
Initial consultations are complimentary.