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Hello and Welcome!
My name is Kellie O'Callaghan and it is great to meet you! Thinking about college admissions and standardized testing can be an overwhelming process for students and parents alike, I am here to help guide you through every step of the way. I have been an academic coach and consultant for 15 years now, an educator for 25 years. I started my company in 2007 and love what I do every single day. Working with teenagers brings me great joy!
I believe the most important part of my job is to build confidence in each of my students. It is my favorite thing to do! I suppose if it is true we all have a “life mission,” this is mine: building teen confidence and self-advocacy skills. I want to help teenagers and young adults accept themselves where they are at right now, for who they are, and work together with them to help them build the confidence they need to achieve their goals, get to wherever they want to go next, and reach their fullest potential in life.
My Story
In college, I dreamed of being a college professor and received my MA in Communication. I taught Public Speaking and Debate and coached Northern Illinois Collegiate Debate Team. Then I chose to stay home and raise my young children, homeschooling them until they reached high school. I began teaching, and eventually administering, local homeschool cooperatives, some with as many as 100 families. As my children grew more independent, I decided to go back and teach college and discovered it was no longer my passion, so I started my tutoring business.
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Since 2007, I have been an academic coach and tutor, training students on the SAT/ACT. I love teaching students how to "hack" the tests. I tell my students I have watched more SAT/ACT "tape" than any human ever should - having taken on average 7 tests a year since 2007! Let's just say I know the test very well. I love training students on the tricks, strategies, content, and time management needed to obtain a good score. Out of this work, I discovered some students needed a bit more support in the area of reading comprehension, study skills, time management, and ADD support and those parts of my business developed.
My college admissions work grew out of watching teens try to navigate the college selections process and parents try to figure out how to pay for their child's dreams. Deciding on a future career and college is a big ask at 18. Being able to navigate the application and scholarship process of each unique university is an even bigger one. With so many great colleges to choose from, I was astounded that most students only targeted the same local 10 schools and a few "big name" schools they had heard of. I began assisting students in finding the "right fit" schools not just the most popular ones. I truly enjoy helping students tell their stories to colleges in their essays and applications. I love being the calm during the storm of the chaotic college application season. I love watching my student's sense of accomplishment when they receive admissions and scholarship offers and know all their years of hard work and dedication have paid off.
I have had the privilege of assisting over one hundred students and their families each year. I have come to respect, admire, and learn from each student that sits at my table. I truly get to do rewarding work every single day, I love my job. If we sound like a good fit - please contact me.
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. -Kellie
