The best applicants start early. We help students build the profile, curiosity, and skills that selective universities are seeking.
Expert college planning & guidance you can trust
Former admissions officers from top universities help your student stand out, find their fit, and get in.
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Where our students get in
- Princeton
- Stanford
- Yale
- Harvard
- UPenn
- Many other leading institutions
Most get into their first-choice school. All of them arrive ready.
What matters most isn’t the name on the acceptance letter. It’s that your student finds a place where they can excel – confident, prepared, and intellectually curious – ready for what comes next.
When Should You Start College Planning?
Most families begin in 9th or 10th grade – early enough to make strategic decisions that compound over time. But meaningful planning can start at any point in high school. Whether your student is just getting organized or already deep in applications, we meet you exactly where you are. The difference? Starting with a plan instead of scrambling without one.
Most college planning happens too late
Many families think admissions begins junior year. In reality, the strongest applicants are shaped by four years of intentional decisions.
Done right, college planning is about building a strategic profile that opens doors – to elite universities, dream schools, and opportunities your student might not reach on their own.
Selective universities don’t admit resumes. They admit students with authentic intellectual identities.
We help build that identity long before the application is written.
No pressure, just truth.
Strong college outcomes are built over time, not bought at the last minute.
We help students make intentional decisions about:
- Academic strategy + course selection
- Executive function + cognitive development
- Extracurricular depth + passion development
- Testing strategy + timeline
- College list strategy + admissions positioning
The result? Students show up to the admissions process prepared, confident, and clear about what they want from college – not just which one will accept them.
Why Families Choose Novella Prep for College Planning
Our goal isn’t just a better application. It’s a student who finishes the process feeling like they gave it everything – and a family that comes out the other side intact.
- Experienced educators and academic advisors
- Research-driven executive function methodology
- Individualized student development plans
- IECA- and NACAC-credentialed with top-tier admissions experience
- Ethical, honest student-centered guidance
We help students become the kind of person selective universities want to admit – and the kind who thrives once they get there.
Tutoring and Test Prep for High School Students
If your child is in high school (grades 9–12), academic demands become more rigorous and college preparation takes center stage. We have trusted partners who offer specialized tutoring in a wide range of high school subjects and provide comprehensive test preparation programs, including practice tests, strategies, and personalized feedback.
See What Our Clients are Saying
College Planning FAQ
Get answers to frequently asked questions about our college planning program. Have a question that’s not answered here? Request a free consultation for more information.
Novella’s founder, F. Tony Di Giacomo, Ph.D., has 20 years of experience working in admissions, development, teaching, and research, and is a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). Our team of highly trained, 100% credentialed teachers and advisors are IECA– and NACAC-credentialed with top-tier admissions experience from leading institutions.
Our expert staff keeps up with any and all college or academic developments that could affect students, admissions, or other situations. We constantly adapt and improve our methods to whatever changes present themselves, while retaining our core, holistic principles.
Novella Prep’s college planning program provides students with academic strategies, helps them hone their executive functioning skills, and offers guidance on applications. The earlier you get started, the more prepared (and less-stressed) you’ll be.
Yes. Novella Prep’s advisors work closely with students to develop a college plan that works for them. Whether we’re helping you create a college list, identifying academic strategies to strengthen certain areas, or preparing you for admissions, everything is customized to your needs and goals.
Actually, it’s the ideal time to start. Many families mistake college planning for a senior-year application scramble. In reality, the most compelling applicants are shaped by four years of intentional decisions. Starting in 9th or 10th grade gives us the runway to strategically align course selection, build executive functioning habits, and cultivate an authentic passion project. The earlier we begin, the higher the chance of admission—and the lower the senior-year anxiety.
With up to 206 distinct deadlines in the modern college application process, it is easy for families to feel overwhelmed. We step in as the project manager, taking the friction out of the household. Novella Prep maps out a strict timeline for testing, college lists, essays, and submissions, tracking every component so you don’t have to play the role of the nag. Our goal is a stellar application, a confident student, and a family dynamic that remains completely intact through senior year.
Ready to Build Your Student's Plan?
The right college planning guidance changes everything.
Schedule a consultation and let’s start the conversation about what’s possible for your student.
No hard sell. No pressure. Just an honest conversation about where your student is, where they want to go, and how we can help them get there.
Because when college costs six figures and the world is changing this fast, hoping for the best isn’t a strategy.