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High Performance Academics

A boutique-style approach to the entire college search and application process

Why I Started

Coaching

As a former high school English teacher and an educator for 30 years, I am passionate about empowering students through the entire college search and application process, while simultaneously mitigating the stress and anxiety for both parents and students!

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About Me​
 

After thirty years in education as a high school English teacher, a curriculum director, and now as a high school administrator for curriculum and instruction, I started High Performance Academics because I saw firsthand how overwhelming and confusing the college process had become for families, and I knew I could help.

I hold a Doctorate in Education from Loyola University Chicago and a Superintendent-level administrative endorsement, but honestly what matters most is what those thirty years taught me. I know how schools work from the inside. I know what great writing looks like and how to help students get there. And I know how to take something that feels impossibly stressful and make it feel manageable, even meaningful.

I work with a small number of students each year on purpose. This is not a volume business. Every student I work with gets my full attention, my honest guidance, and a process that is built entirely around them, their goals, their strengths, and their story.

I love this work. I love watching students find their voice in an essay, discover a school they never considered, and walk into this next chapter with confidence. That is why I do this.

If you are looking for someone who genuinely cares and who has the background to back it up, I would love to connect.

Services

  • Exclusive college application consulting

  • College essay support via Zoom

  • A boutique-style approach to the entire college search and application process

  • 1:1 customized support to meet your needs and budget

  • Coaching available for both undergraduate and graduate school applicants

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Phase I: College Search Package

  • College selection & application process consulting​

  • Includes customized student interest survey

  • College search options with personalized college recommendations

Phase II: College Essay Support and Application Coaching

  • Highly flexible college essay support and coaching

  • Exclusive college application consulting​

  • College essay support via Zoom​

  • 1:1 support to meet your individual needs and budget

Graduate & Transfer Application Support

Graduate Support

The college process does not end with a bachelor's degree. Whether your student is applying to graduate school, a professional program, or transferring to a new institution, the application process is just as competitive and just as personal — and the right guidance makes just as much difference.

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I work with graduate and transfer applicants on an individualized, flexible basis, providing the same level of personalized attention and strategic thinking that I bring to every undergraduate engagement.

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Graduate and transfer support includes:

Program research and list development tailored to the applicant's academic background, career goals, and target field

Personal statement and statement of purpose development — the graduate school essay is a different animal than the undergraduate personal statement, and getting it right requires a clear understanding of what graduate programs are actually looking for

Faculty outreach strategy — many graduate programs respond favorably to applicants who proactively reach out to faculty whose research aligns with their interests. I coach students on how to identify the right contacts, craft a compelling introductory email, and follow up professionally

Interview preparation — including mock interviews, program-specific research, and coaching on how to articulate your background, your goals, and your genuine fit with the program

Application organization and review across all programs on the list

Ongoing support and guidance through every stage of the process

If you are navigating the next step after your undergraduate degree and want someone in your corner who genuinely understands the process, I would love to connect.

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Previous Student Acceptances

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Where Our Students Are Headed

The map above tells the story better than any words can. High Performance Academics students have been accepted to more than 90 colleges and universities across the country and beyond — from flagship public universities to highly selective private colleges, from Ivy League institutions to specialized programs perfectly matched to each student's goals.

Every pin on this map represents a student who found their voice, told their story, and earned their place.

A sampling of schools where our students have been accepted:

Auburn University · American University · Arizona State University · Beloit College · Binghamton University · Boise State University · Boston College · Boston University · Butler University · Carthage College · Case Western Reserve University · Chapman University · Clark University · Clemson University · College of Wooster · Colorado State University · Connecticut College · Cornell University · CU Boulder · Drake University · Elon University · Elmhurst University · Florida Gulf Coast University · Georgia Institute of Technology · Georgetown University · Haverford College · Hampshire College · High Point University · Illinois State University · Indiana University Bloomington · Iowa State University · Ithaca College · Kalamazoo College · Kelley School of Business at Indiana University · Loyola Marymount University · Loyola University Chicago · Macalester College · Marquette University · McGill University · Miami University · Michigan State University · Northeastern University · Northwestern University · Oberlin College · Ohio State University · Penn State University · Purdue University · Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · Rochester Institute of Technology · Rutgers University · Saint Louis University · Saint Louis University Madrid Campus · Santa Fe College · Sarah Lawrence College · Schreyer Honors College at Penn State · Syracuse University · Temple University · Texas A&M University · The University of Alabama · University of Arizona · University of California Los Angeles · University of California San Diego · University of Central Florida · University of Delaware · University of Florida · University of Georgia · University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · University of Iowa · University of Kansas · University of Kentucky · University of Maryland · University of Massachusetts Amherst · University of Miami · University of Michigan · University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine — Direct Admit · University of Missouri · University of Montana · University of Nebraska-Lincoln · University of New Hampshire · University of Pittsburgh · University of Rhode Island · University of South Carolina · University of Tennessee · University of Vermont · UT Austin · Vassar College · Villanova University · Virginia Tech · West Virginia University · Wesleyan University · University of Wisconsin-Madison · Worcester Polytechnic Institute

And this list keeps growing.

Every student's journey is different. Our job is to make sure yours leads exactly where it should.

Success Stories
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"Dr. Jill, you are worth your weight in gold to have made this process so easy on me and my son. (Maybe not easy for him - but easy for my relationship with him.) I told my friends that after the first time talking to you, I just felt really comfortable with you and I felt comfortable working with you and I thought that you and my son would work well together"

Robyn W.

Contact me today for a free 20 min. consult

Request a free copy of "10 Things Every Parent Should Know About College Admissions"

847-309-2777

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©2026 High Performance Academics

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