After graduating with Honors in psychology and Spanish from Union College, Denise earned her Masters Degree in Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
In her early career as a school psychologist, she coordinated and counseled high school students in their college and transition plans. Denise has experience working with students with ADHD, anxiety and EF difficulties and understands the impact that it has not only on the student but the entire family. Denise has been a substitute teacher and volunteer in the Avon Public Schools, managed the Avon High School and Watkinson Tennis Teams and taught religious school in the Farmington Valley in Connecticut.
She launched Big Fish on Campus, LLC to help families navigate the current challenges of the college admissions process. Denise has worked with families who are applying to the most selective schools.
Denise approaches her job as a professional and also as an experienced parent of two college students: one a Lafayette College and UF Law graduate and the other a graduate in finance and economics from Bentley University. Having been through the process, Denise understands the stress, timelines, decisions, and ever-changing requirements that affect the student and the family.
Denise’s students feel supported not only in planning for their future, but also in navigating the challenges and experiences of everyday life. Whether they need someone to help them manage the stress of studying for an exam or simply to share the successes and frustrations of the day, Denise is there to listen, encourage, and offer thoughtful guidance. Additionally, Denise keeps them on track with deadlines, maintains a very flexible schedule, and responds quickly to texts and emails.
College admissions is “unpredictable,” and students of this generation are already stressed out. They are inundated with taking AP and/or dual enrollment classes, seeking out extracurricular activities and studying for exams while navigating relationships, social media, trying out for their favorite varsity sports team, and dealing with other stressors such as the latest incident in the news. Some students are reluctant to talk about college at all during the years leading up to senior year, while others tell their parents they will only discuss college one day a week.
The more anxious and stressed out your student is, the more it affects his/her/their mental health and yours. “You’re only as happy as your least happy child.”
Some students are reluctant to talk about college at all during the years leading up to senior year. Others tell their parents they will only discuss college one day a week or maybe even one hour a week.
Denise is knowledgeable about many specific college campus offerings. Often, she can connect families with students who attend those colleges to arrange a guided tour and offer help to a student in the college search process. Denise follows social media profiles of colleges and links of interest in higher education. She attends webinars and consults websites regularly.
Denise works virtually with students across the USA and offers in-person or virtual advising for clients in the Farmington Valley area of Connecticut. She lives in Avon with her husband, Jay. The family enjoys splitting time between Connecticut and Boynton Beach, Florida, watching Netflix and playing racquet sports.
We take pride in guiding our students toward acceptance at some of the most prestigious colleges and educational institutions across the country.
