​Testimonials

"Joan was always there to answer my questions...Thanks to her, I was able to get into my top schools." - Kyra (Student)

Having Joan guide me through the college application process gave me more confidence and success in submitting my applications. She gave me a clear idea of what classes I should take, what grades I needed, and what my top schools were looking for in an applicant. As for essay writing, Joan was extremely helpful with brainstorming topics and giving feedback on my drafts. She also kept me on track to finish my essays early, so I didn't feel stressed during app season. Joan was always there to answer my questions, and in the end, I felt assured that I was presenting the best application possible. Thanks to her, I was able to get into my top schools.

Kyra

"...Joan is extremely knowledgeable..." - Shelby (Student) 

Shelby

I have been working with Joan since eighth grade and have loved every meeting with her since. She is always honest but kind, and is very intelligent. Joan is extremely knowledgeable with the college application process, and I could not have done it without her. I have learned so much from her and continue to ask her for advice on my collegiate path.

"Navigating through the college planning and application process is completely overwhelming.  Joan Thomas makes it easy..." - Susan (Parent)

Bob, Jamison & Susan

All three of our children have gotten into their #1 top college choices, all outstanding schools, and this is a direct result of working with College Mapping.
 
Starting in their freshman year of high school, Joan worked with them to develop a four-year plan for them to follow to achieve their college strategy goals.

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She takes the pressure off of the parents as she meets directly with the student, one-on-one, clearly identifying their goals and next steps.  This builds a strong and trusting relationship between the two of them.
 
When it comes to completing college essays and applications, we were months ahead of the game.  All essays were written over the summer before their senior year.  This not only gave our students great comfort and confidence, but it also alleviated tons of stress.
 
We strongly recommend using CollegeMapping. Joan Thomas is extremely knowledgeable and current on all aspects of college admissions strategies and keeping your student on track to meet them.  We definitely got the results that we were hoping for with all three of our kids and could not be happier!"

"I couldn’t have done it without Joan Thomas and her valuable knowledge of the college preparation process." - Jamison (Student)

​Over the span of my high school career, I worked with Joan Thomas to prepare myself for life after high school. During these years, Joan helped plan my schedule of high school courses, provided recommendations for SAT and ACT preparation and kept me on track to get into a college I was proud of. Additionally, Joan guided me through the college application process with clarity and ease.  After my first year of college at Chapman University, I realized that it was not the school for me. Upon this realization, I contacted Joan once again for help with my transfer application. After working with her on my application, I got into the school that I am at today: The University of Southern California. I could not be happier with this change, and I couldn’t have done it without Joan Thomas and her valuable knowledge of the college preparation process.

​"Joan was a tremendous help as we sought expertise in preparing for the college journey for all three of our kids..." - Julie (Parent)

​Joan was a tremendous help as we sought expertise in preparing for the college journey for all three of our kids. From early in high school, she provided guidance on the right courses and activities to ensure they were qualified for their desired colleges. She remains current on college trends and changes, and serves as the subject matter expert students need. Joan worked with each of our kids as individuals to identify career areas of interest and potential college choices, holding them accountable by providing honest and candid direction on what will be required to succeed. She provided the peace of mind we needed to ensure everything was done correctly and on time, ultimately with all three of our kids successfully moving onto four year colleges.

"We hired Joan because we knew little about the complexity of today's college admissions process..." -  Laura (Parent)

Joan is professional, detailed, organized and experienced. She provided great guidance and feedback. Joan's expertise helped us to choose which classes to take and which colleges were the best fit. Our son is now attending the Marshall School of Business at USC. She is now providing guidance to our younger son who plans to major in engineering.

Brent & Zach

"[Joan] takes a big load off the parents and the students always feel comfortable..." -  Nandita (Parent)

Parth

Our relationship with Joan started eight years ago when she began working with our elder son, Parth, and continues on with Arjun, our younger one. As parents who weren’t familiar with the college admissions process, she was instrumental in guiding us step-by-step, taking into consideration the many nuances associated with it. Joan has extensive knowledge when it comes to college and career preparation. She takes a big load off the parents and the students always feel comfortable communicating with her. Thank You, Joan!  
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"...I cannot imagine having gone through this without her..." -  Ronni (Parent)

​As I write this, my oldest daughter is settling in for her freshman year as a student-athlete at Northwestern University.  As I reflect, I am glad that we had Joan’s guidance. Joan is very good at what she does, and it becomes quickly apparent that she loves what she does too. Her consistent positive energy coupled with her consistent objective and pragmatic approach kept us focused and grounded. She cultivated a great relationship with my daughter that offered support, but also showed her that she needed to be responsible for keeping this process on track. She was extraordinarily helpful at preparing my daughter for interviews with college coaches, recruiting visits, and helping her handle the often tricky simultaneous relationships of multiple recruiting coaches. Also, she was equally helpful at guiding us through the confusing applications and the daunting essays. Joan was always prepared for our meetings and always gave 100%.  Additionally, without fail, she promptly responded to all phone calls and emails. I cannot imagine having gone through this without her. And, importantly, I feel at ease that she will be there as I enter the process again with my twins.

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