Donna Barron-Willey, College Counselor
In a college counseling career spanning more than two decades, Donna’s students have been accepted to more than 150 domestic and international colleges, including Cornell, Brown, Georgetown, Wash U, Wake Forest, Barnard, NYU, Boston College, Northeastern, Tulane, Carnegie Mellon, Vanderbilt, George Washington, and Berklee College of Music.
Donna got her start as an educator shortly after earning her MBA in Germany, where she held a variety of roles including lecturer, academic advisor, admissions director, study abroad director, and college counselor. After returning to the US, Donna continued to pursue her passion for helping young people find their voices and get off to a great start in life, logging stints as a college advisor with the two largest educational consulting firms in Florida. While she enjoys advising students with a variety of interests and college goals, Donna has deep expertise guiding international students, particularly those who may be less familiar with the U.S. college admissions process, as well as students interested in pursuing music or musical theater in college.
The evaluation of applicants can be a deeply personal one for college admissions committees, especially at the more selective schools that rely on essays and letters of recommendation as part of their admissions process. Successful applicants embrace the opportunity to be introspective, and to thoughtfully consider who they are and what they hope or expect to gain from their college experience. This is where Donna thrives as a college counselor. Her overarching goal in working with a student is to help the family embrace the college admissions process as one of discovery and growth. In pursuit of that goal, Donna works to build deep, authentic trust with students, right from the start, allowing her to create a safe, open environment where students feel comfortable exploring their true passions and sharing personal stories. This rapport fosters the kind of meaningful discussions that lead to unique narratives her students can then share with colleges, whether it’s finding the thread that ties together their academic interests or uncovering a transformative experience that showcases who they are.
As Donna puts it:
The most meaningful compliments I've received are from parents who told me they observed their children grow under my guidance. For me, it's about much more than just college admissions; it's about empowering students to become the best versions of themselves, as individuals as well as applicants.
Donna’s post-college wanderlust left her fluent in German and able to speak some French and Italian (at least enough for her to confidently identify the very best dishes and wine pairings in any fine dining French or Italian restaurant). When she's not helping students craft their stories, you’ll likely find Donna teaching piano, cooking for her family, or seeing Bob Dylan live (which she has done 28 times as of the penning of this bio).
Education & Experience
Northeastern University, B.S.
New England Conservatory of Music Consortium, minor in piano performance
European Business College, MBA
College Admissions Consultant, Director of Educational Consulting, multiple college planning firms
Study Abroad Director, Euro Educational Consultancy (Munich, German)
Admissions Director, Globe Business College (Munich, Germany)
Academic advisor/ lecturer, European University (Munich, Germany)
Professional Organization Memberships
IECA: Independent Educational Consultants Association
NACAC: National Association for College Admission Counseling
SACAC: Southern Association for College Admission Counseling
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