Abby Purfeerst
She/Her/Her
Abby Purfeerst

About

Hello! I'm Abby. I have been working as a professional college counselor and tutor since 2015. I received my undergraduate degree from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, where I studied linguistics and French. I then pursued a Master's Certificate in College Counseling from the University of California San Diego. I got my start in the tutoring world through working at Lindamood-Bell Learning Center during college, and I quickly discovered my passion for helping students reach their educational goals. With experience in tutoring anything from reading and comprehension to the SAT and ACT, I enjoy helping students of all ages reach their full potentials. My area of expertise today is all things college prep: general college counseling, college application essay help, general essay writing skills, college application completion, ACT test prep, and SAT test prep. When I'm not busy working with students you can find me curled up with a good book or traveling to warm places. I'd be ha...

Abby helped students get into:
University of MiamiUniversity of Michigan
Harvard UniversityDuke University
Tulane UniversityGeorge Washington University
Boston CollegeBoston University
University of Miami
University of Michigan
Harvard University
Duke University
Tulane University
George Washington University
Boston College
Boston University
Abby helps with…
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Majors & Careers
Extracurriculars
Building a School List
Transfers
College Interviews
Community College
UC Schools
Common App
Highly Selective College Admissions
High School Course Selection
Standardized Tests (SAT/ACT)
College Applications & Essays
Admissions Timeline
School-Specific Supplemental Essays
Academic Tutoring
Academic Advising
Miami
7 years of experience
English | French
Macalester College – BA | B.A. in Linguistics & French
University of California, San Diego – MEd | Master's Certificate - College Counseling
Business
Political Science
Art
Computer Science
Engineering
Transfer Students
International Students
Students with Learning Differences
Next available sessions
According to your time zone (CUT)
Fun Facts
🖐
Describe yourself in five words
upbeat, organized, patient, detail-oriented, thoughtful

🙏
Best piece of advice
Apply for as many scholarships as you can find!

💼
First job
Babysitter

💭
Dream job
Author

📚
Favorite book
All the Light We Cannot See

📓
Favorite subject in school
English

Favorite after-school activities
Basketball

🎵
Favorite artist
Tim McGraw

📺
Favorite TV show
Criminal Minds

🍴
Favorite food
Strawberry cheesecake

🪄
Hobbies
Reading & Traveling

My process

Every school and every student is different, and that means your application process needs to be unique. And with classes, extracurriculars, and test prep going on - it can be hard to keep track of every single part of the admission process and make sure to meet important deadlines. That’s where I come in. Whether you need help polishing application essays, navigating the Common App, choosing which schools will be a good fit, or more, I’m here to help. Your goals are my goals, and I'll work with you to come up with a plan and timeline that works well for you. I also enjoy working with international students and helping them navigate the international admissions process, which includes some additional steps and opportunities. Due to my background through Lindamood-Bell, I have also worked with many students with various learning differences and helped them navigate the college admissions path. What I can help with: ✎ Academic evaluation✎ Academic enrichment & study skills development✎ High school course selection✎ Extracurricular activity research & planning✎ Major and career assessment✎ Summer program & internship opportunity research✎ Resume preparation✎ SAT vs. ACT evaluation & test prep tutoring✎ College list research & college tour planning✎ College application steps & timeline management✎ Letters of recommendation planning✎ College admissions strategies development✎ Common App review & guidance✎ Personal statement topics brainstorming✎ Outlining, reviewing, & perfecting college application essays✎ Guidance & planning for paying for college✎ Continuous guidance on the college admissions processInterested in working with me? Reach out to set up an introductory call, and we can see if we're a good fit!

Packages

Starter Package

5 hours

The 5-hour starter package is great for students looking for a minimal amount of support. The typical starter package student is a senior looking for assistance wrapping up one or two aspects of their college applications. Lessons can include anything from exploring colleges, creating a college list, brainstorming essay topics, reviewing drafts of application essays, navigating the Common App, and more.
$950($190/hr)
Save 16%

Intermediate Package

12 hours

The 12-hour intermediate package is great for students who want an intermediate level of support. The typical intermediate package student is a junior or senior looking for assistance in a few key areas of their college applications. Lessons can include anything from exploring colleges, creating a college list, brainstorming essay topics, reviewing drafts of application essays, navigating the Common App, and more.
$1,380($115/hr)
Save 49%

Complete Package

25 hours

The 25-hour complete package is great for students who want more comprehensive support over several months. The typical complete package student is a freshman or sophomore looking for comprehensive assistance throughout multiple years of high school and applications planning. Lessons can include anything from exploring colleges, creating a college list, brainstorming essay topics, reviewing drafts of application essays, navigating the Common App, and more.
$2,625($105/hr)
Save 53%

Advising hours

College admissions advising

$225.00 / 60 min

Set a focus for each session or get help with any aspect of the admissions process.


Creating the Perfect School List

$150.00 / 90 min

We'll ensure you love each school and have a balance of safety, target, and reach schools.


Personal Statement Brainstorm Session

$85.00 / 60 min

We'll work together to identify a great topic or theme for your Common App personal statement.

Essay review

Full review

$30.00 + 10 cents per word
Estimated return time: 42 hours

Description

A comprehensive review of your essay draft. Recommended if you have a rough or strong draft.

Recent reviews

5.0(4 reviews)

“It was great to meet with Abby. She shows big interest to understand Sofia´ s needs and she has quickly responded with some preliminary information. we still did not find a summer program that attend our needs, but it maybe a very difficult task to find selective, low cost, in engineering, 3wks summer program for an international student. therefore, I believe I won´´´t pursue a paid consultation for the summer program. thanks a lot Abby for your time and advise in this matter. I would like to know more about essay review for Summer applications (how it works and what is the cost to have this support). thanks a lot. best regards"

Cristiane N.
Join a quick meeting
Let’s chat
Any questions? Let’s hop on a quick call to learn more about your needs in the admissions process and how I can approach them
Join a quick meeting
Let’s chat
Any questions? Let’s hop on a quick call to learn more about your needs in the admissions process and how I can approach them
Miami
7 years of experience
English | French
Macalester College – BA | B.A. in Linguistics & French
University of California, San Diego – MEd | Master's Certificate - College Counseling
Business
Political Science
Art
Computer Science
Engineering
Transfer Students
International Students
Students with Learning Differences
Next available sessions
According to your time zone (CUT)
Fun Facts
🖐
Describe yourself in five words
upbeat, organized, patient, detail-oriented, thoughtful

🙏
Best piece of advice
Apply for as many scholarships as you can find!

💼
First job
Babysitter

💭
Dream job
Author

📚
Favorite book
All the Light We Cannot See

📓
Favorite subject in school
English

Favorite after-school activities
Basketball

🎵
Favorite artist
Tim McGraw

📺
Favorite TV show
Criminal Minds

🍴
Favorite food
Strawberry cheesecake

🪄
Hobbies
Reading & Traveling
Tips for success
1. Prepare for your first session
Plan out the questions and topics you'd like to discuss. If you'd like to work together in the long term, discuss expectations for each other.