We were impressed with Sam. He is a sharp, thoughtful young professional with impeccable academic credentials. To say we were pleased with the work and advice Sam provided would be an understatement. Our son was a challenging student to work with. He had very high SAT and AP scores but his GPA reflected a student who wasn’t particularly engaged. In his junior year, he decided Southern Methodist University (SMU) would be his first choice. The college counselors at his high school thought SMU would be a reach for him due to the difference between his grades and his test scores. They didn’t particularly encourage him to apply, and they suggested a number of weaker schools. I always felt conversations with his school counselors were rushed with formulaic advice. Sam, by way of contrast, was extremely attentive. His guidance was thoughtful. There was never a question in my mind that my son’s best interests were Sam’s top priority.
My son ultimately applied as an early-decision applicant to SMU, choosing to follow Sam’s guidance over the guidance offered by his school counselors. The school counselors suggested his essay was inappropriate because he discussed a summer working for a US Congressman running for the US Senate. The school counselors felt the essay didn’t say enough about him. Sam believed the essay, which focused on the political process in the United States and his feeling with respect to how it was failing its citizens, said more about him than any typical college essay.
My son was not only accepted at SMU, he was offered a $44,000 Cornerstone Scholarship for academic excellence and leadership. In the acceptance letter, SMU specifically referenced how impressed it was with his essay and what he took away from his internship experience. Had he not worked with Sam, I suspect he would not be at SMU today and certainly would not have been awarded a prestigious scholarship. I would certainly work with Sam again and have recommended him to close friends. In today’s environment, I don’t believe you can gain the type of insight and guidance Sam provides if you rely entirely in-house school college placement offices.— Parent (Florida), Son Admitted to Southern Methodist University (SMU)
“When I began preparing my law school application materials, I was thrilled to find that you had expanded to graduate school admissions as well. Your comments and suggestions on my law school application, resume, and personal statement were invaluable, and they helped me tell my story to law schools across the country. This week I heard back from several law schools and again was admitted to my top choice, Stetson University College of Law where I will be starting law school in the fall. I cannot thank you enough for all of your help and support. You are the first person I think of when I need advice on important decisions and I am very grateful that you have always been there for me. I look forward to returning back to North Palm Beach after graduation next month and catching up with you in person over the summer."— Jacyln (Florida), Admitted to Stetson University College of Law
“Sam did an incredible job guiding me through the admissions process. From sharing award program ideas I should apply for to editing my resume, to helping me think through what my essay and short answer topics should be. I could not have done it without him”— Margaret (Connecticut) Admitted to American University
“In short, by hiring Sam, you will help your child gain admission to colleges/universities that otherwise would be out of reach, and remove all of the stress that comes down on involved parents who want to give their child the best possible education, but are not sure where to begin.”— Parent (Massachusetts), Daughter Admitted to every college applied to
“I did not know what we were missing until we began working with Sam. His value was helping us to develop and execute a unique extracurricular project that gave our son the “edge” that he needed to be competitive in today’s highly selective admissions process and gain admission to Stanford.”— Parent (California), Son Admitted to Stanford University
“Sam began working with my oldest daughter when she was in 10th grade, now she is attending college in the U.S. and he is working with my two younger daughters 8th and 9th grade respectively…I could not be happier with his help and the impact he has had on the way my daughters approach their schoolwork and prepare for applying for college.”— Parent (England), Daughter Admitted to Elon University
“Ryan and I really appreciate the unbelievable responsiveness and professionalism you portrayed during the college admission process. I believe that your guidance, professionalism and accessibility have given Ryan the opportunity to attend some of the best schools in the country. Your skill and experience in project management exemplifies excellence and has been a great lesson for my son. He was notified this week that NYU Abu Dhabi is interested in him attending and they have selected him to participate in a fully paid candidate weekend prior to admission."— Parent (South Carolina), Son Admitted to New York University Abu Dhabi
“With college counseling, Sam knows all the tricks of the trade to place your child in the best possible position to gain admission to their desired college or university. For those parents who are not sure where to begin, or what to do in general, Sam Silverman is the answer. With his individualized advice and customized planning techniques, your child will have the best chance of seeing their collegiate dreams come true.”— Parent (Florida), Daughter Admitted to Georgetown University
“Thank you for the brilliant admissions counseling meeting with Kelly. She is only a freshman, but you really inspired her and it shows. I cannot thank you enough."— Parent (Massachusetts), Current Client
“The way you logically approached the situation and laid out a roadmap for success made perfect sense and allowed me to focus my time on activities that really maximized my chances of admission”— Daniel (New York), Admitted to Williams College
“Dear Sam, Fred and I just wanted to send you a heartfelt thank you. You have been an enormously positive influence on Harrison, already. We notice a big change in his attitude. We are really grateful for the time you are spending with him. Thank you so much!! Please feel free to let us know how we can support your efforts.”— Parent (New York) Current Client
“Sam worked closely with my older son to help him differentiate himself among other applicants when it came time to put together his college applications. Sam helped my son present his athletic, academic, and community service accomplishments to my son’s top choices for college. Today my son is currently enrolled in a top undergraduate business school and still connects with Sam to better navigate business school and internship opportunities. Sam uses a pragmatic, “work-smarter” approach to all that he does – an approach that is extremely effective in helping to develop a student’s profile for college admission. It is not only about the amount of time that one spends to prepare for the admissions process, but also the quality and focus of the preparation that counts. Most importantly, Sam is extremely committed to the future of his students and is 110% invested in their application process. He takes the time to understand his client’s interests and to locate and recommend the next steps needed to help his client accomplish his or her goals.”— Parent (Florida), Son Admitted to U. Michigan Ross School of Business
“Your approach – bringing creativity and entrepreneurial shrewdness to the equation – was greatly appreciated. I see my son continuing to build on these skills that will continue to serve him well in the future”— Parent (North Carolina), Son Admitted to New York University (NYU)
“I am a graduating senior this year and a few months ago, I gained admission to my dream school—Harvard College. Working closely with Sam Silverman the past three years helped turn this childhood dream into a reality. Unlike The Benjamin School College Guidance Department, Sam is focused on providing clear and actionable advice to help his students differentiate themselves from the competition and gain admission to top schools. My Benjamin School guidance counselor was working with ~50 other senior students besides me and so it was basically impossible to meet more than a few times senior year and get the individualized attention that I got with Sam starting in my sophomore year. Sam’s advice allowed me to focus on what really mattered in preparing the best application possible and greatly reduced the stress of the process as he was always there to answer questions and remove any guesswork on my part. He also helped me identify scholarships that I could apply for and I received thousands of dollars in scholarship awards as a result. There is no doubt that if I had to do it again, I would work with Sam, and I would highly recommend him to other students who want personal advice and are looking to attend competitive colleges/universities."— Alexandra (Florida), Admitted to Harvard University
“I am still on cloud nine: my daughter Alexandra, was just admitted via the Early Action application program to Harvard College, her top choice. This would not have been possible without the advice and personal guidance of Sam Silverman over the past several years. Not only did Sam get our oldest daughter into Harvard, but he also removed the stress and confusion from the college application process that my husband and I would have gone through otherwise. Sam’s approach to the college application process is strategic, logical, and above all made sense to our family. Sam works with a select clientele who are passionate about providing their children with the best opportunities to attend top colleges and universities. My husband and I could not be happier with our experience working with Sam and are so grateful for his support and guidance toward Alexandra during a crucial time in her life. If we had to do it again, we would work with Sam without a moment’s hesitation. We enthusiastically recommend Sam to any parent who feels that their child’s school’s college guidance department may not appreciate their child’s special needs, talent or desire to gain admission to their “reach” school. Dreams do come true with proper planning, guidance and enthusiasm provided by knowledgeable and experienced college counselors like Sam Silverman.”— Parent (Florida), Daughter Admitted to Harvard University
“I still cannot believe that I got into Dartmouth- - my dream school around the corner…I cannot thank you enough for helping me through crunch time and making sure that I spent my time effectively."— Michael (North Carolina), Admitted to Dartmouth College
