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Tandem by Collegewise

Admissions Counseling Meets Side-by-Side Support

For students with ADHD and learning differences, the traditional path to higher education isn't always built to accommodate their unique strengths or unlock their full potential. Collegewise Tandem provides high-touch college counseling combined with intensive executive functioning coaching to ensure your student stays on track, in control, and ready to thrive—from high school applications through freshman year of college.

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How does a student with learning differences successfully navigate the road to college?

We built Tandem specifically to take the pressure off your shoulders.


College admissions is a massive project management challenge. For students who learn differently, the sheer volume of deadlines, essays, and logistics can become an overwhelming challenge. Often, parents are forced into the role of project manager, leading to tension right when you want to be celebrating your child's final years at home.


Tandem changes the dynamic. We don’t just advise from the sidelines; we work right alongside your student every step of the way. By syncing our strategy with their daily workflow, we remove the friction of the process, manage the deadlines, and let you go back to being the supportive parent.

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Highest & Most Reviewed Consulting Company on Trustpilot

We’ve built our business almost entirely on the generous referrals of families who join us; for us, that's the ultimate benchmark of our success. That personal trust is confirmed by objective public data. On Trustpilot, Collegewise holds a 4.9-star rating from over 500+ reviews, the most in our industry.

  • Lindsey Conger was my counselor and she was the ABSOLUTE BEST OF THE BEST. She was especially helpful with the essay writing process... and also super helpful at keeping me organized and on track... Because of Lindsey, I got into my #1 college that I also dreamed of getting into, and I would not have been able to do it without her. She's the best!
    Jacob Lieberman
    Dec 11, 2025
  • Working with Collegewise and our counselor, Ida Lonnqvist, was an absolute game-changer for our college application process. Ida not only helped us to focus and organize our timeline - but she also made the process enjoyable and FUN for our family! We highly recommend working with her and Collegewise!
    Rebecca Krattiger
    Jan 12, 2026
  • Sarah Turner was my counselor and she was the best!! She was extremely helpful, especially throughout the essay brainstorming process, and supportive of my ideas. She also ensured that I stayed on track and started the application process early. With her help, I got into my top school!
    S.A.
    Jan 12, 2026
  • I am so grateful to have worked with Lynne O'Shaughnessy throughout my college process. She consistently helped me stay calm and confident during such a stressful time. At the same time, she made sure that I stayed organized and on top of every deadline. Her guidance and feedback truly strengthened my applications.
    Victoria
    Jan 10, 2026
  • Working with Liz Albertelly as a college Counselor was a dream come true! She was so positive all the time, extremely helpful, and a joy to meet with. (And I got into my top school!) I would 100% recommend to anybody interested!
    Nora Beach
    Dec 19, 2025
  • We truly could not be happier with our experience at Collegewise. Lynne O'Shaughnessy was our daughter's counselor, and she was exceptional... She brought professionalism, clarity, and structure to a complex and stressful process, while always remaining deeply human and supportive. The outcome was the one we were hoping for.
    Marcela Melero
    Jan 8, 2026
  • Our daughter worked with Sarah and we are extremely pleased with how the process worked... Sarah is extremely knowledgeable, professional, respectful, and patient! She was quick to respond to questions... and the fact that Sarah is very easy to talk to, made the college application process smooth for our daughter and with limited stress.
    SG
    Jan 6, 2026
  • Collegewise really helped me see beyond the haze of college application anxiety... I was able to center my application on my authenticity and communicate to colleges exactly who I am. Super duper big shout out to my #1 cheerleader in this process, Lori Jones! (...) Her research and attention to detail were also impeccable...
    Jana Orief
    Jan 1, 2026
  • Navigating college admissions can be stressful... partnering with Collegewise was the best decision we've made. Having an external counselor allowed us to focus on our role as parents - listening, encouraging and supporting - instead of pilling on the stress... Most importantly, it allowed my daughter to take ownership of the whole process.
    Patricia Amaral
    Dec 27, 2025
  • Our experience with this company has been excellent, mainly because of our phenomenal college counselor, Christopher Logan. Christopher ensured that both our daughters were on track with their applications and catered their approach to the girls’ different personalities, interests and skill sets. (...) We could not be happier with the results...
    Shahbano Bilgrami
    Dec 31, 2025
  • Hanifa Abdul Sabur was incredible! She was thoughtful, and brought an undeniably experienced view of the college admissions landscape to my son's application! I received this service for free through my workplace benefits and would highly recommend others to take advantage of great counselors like her!
    Priya Rajan
    Dec 22, 2025
  • I enrolled my daughter with Collegewise when she was a junior in high school. We have had a fantastic experience working with Collegewise team, especially Melissa Royal... Melissa guided her not only as a counselor, but also as a mentor and friend throughout the college application process. I am extremely grateful and thankful...
    Akash Sahni
    Dec 19, 2025
  • We began working with Collegewise a few months ago. While there was a small hiccup at the start, we were quickly connected with Shannon Frankel, the Customer Success Manager. She put us at ease. Though we were anxious, she was calm, organized, and took the time to truly listen to our concerns. Her support made a big difference...
    Brianna Sabacinski
    Dec 19, 2025
  • From the very first interaction with the staff, it was total professionalism; they really cared about what we were trying to do... Our coach, Sarah Turner, was absolutely the best. We came in knowing nothing about the college process, and Sarah... walked both my son and me through every step. He was accepted to his first-choice school...
    Roxanne Spencer
    Nov 10, 2025
  • I worked with Sarah Turner over the last year for the college admissions process and I can't say enough good things about my experience. She consistently held me accountable for submitting my supplemental essays... and gave me great starting points for finding the perfect institutions for me... With all the stressors of senior year, I can confidently say I was almost never stressed about college.
    Al Pirani
    Dec 17, 2025
  • Liz Albertelly, our college counselor at Collegewise, was excellent. Her kindness, positivity, resourcefulness, availability, and attention to detail really stood out and helped our son thrive during the entire college application process. We are so grateful we had her to guide us.
    Suzanne Moffitt
    Dec 16, 2025
  • While we are pleased with the college outcomes for our kids, we are even more grateful for the time that we were able to share with Sarah Turner and the steady and supportive guidance that she provided them. (...) The end results were always out of our collective control but the process was not. We are forever thankful to Sarah for making sure it was overseen with compassion and kindness.
    Kevin Pirani
    Dec 16, 2025
  • My Collegewise counselor, Ida, was extremely helpful and accommodating to any questions or revisions I went to her for. Thanks to her constructive feedback and comments, by the time my UC application needed to be submitted I truly felt confident in my PIQ essays, activities list, and additional information section!! Thank you Ida!
    ayden aryeh
    Dec 16, 2025
  • Collegewise, and especially our counselor Mary Finn, made the college application process so much more manageable for our family. Mary helped my son shape a powerful personal statement, refine his additional information section, and gave clear, practical pointers on how to write about his activities. Her guidance helped him present his strengths authentically and confidently...
    Lamont &
    Ruthie Cannon
    Dec 1, 2025
  • Collegewise was very helpful in providing feedback and encouragement for my UC application. There is plenty of interaction with counselors, like my counselor Ida Lonnqvist, who provide lots of meaningful comments and suggestions for the application, particularly the PIQs.
    Veronika Shidlovskaia
    Nov 26, 2025

The Tandem Difference: The Power of Two Experts

A Co-Pilot for the Strategy. A Partner for the Work.


What makes Tandem our most intensive partnership is the dual-expert model. Your student isn't just getting a counselor; they are getting a team designed to handle the complex management of the application year. 

 

This combined approach ensures your student is never left trying to bridge the gap between high-level advice and daily execution. While one expert charts the strategic path, the second walks down it right beside your student.

This combined approach ensures your student is never left trying to bridge the gap between high-level advice and daily execution. While one expert charts the strategic path, the second walks down it right beside your student.

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The LD Admissions Counselor

Our specialists bring field-tested expertise in the legal landscape of disability accommodations and the practical realities of navigating college applications with an LD diagnosis. They manage the list building, the narrative, and the strategic positioning of your child’s unique strengths.

 

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The Executive Functioning (EF) Coach

The EF coach focuses on the process of being a student. By working synchronously in-session, they help with task initiation, organization, and time management. They sit with your student to get the actual work done—from sending test scores to live essay editing—ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.

Our Mentorship Roadmap

Support That Doesn't Stop at the Finish Line

Tandem is a long-term commitment to your student's success, following them from high school through their transition into university life.

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Grades 9 & 10: Building the Foundation

Monthly meetings with both a counselor and an EF coach. We focus on academic exploration while using our Success Skills curriculum to build the organizational habits needed for high school and beyond.

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The Application Year (11th and 12th fall): Intensive Execution

Starting in January of Junior year, the cadence picks up significantly. With 15+ counselor sessions and 12+ EF coach sessions during application year, we provide a consistent co-pilot to manage the intense logistics of the application season.

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Freshman Year of College: The Transition

Unlike any other Collegewise program, Tandem continues into the first semester of college. We provide up to 16 weekly support meetings during the crucial Freshman Fall to help your student navigate their new independence, manage their college-level workload, and advocate for their needs.

Why this is so important.

The academic system changes the moment they graduate high school. We ensure your student is ready for the shift.


For a student with ADHD or learning differences, the transition to college isn’t just a change of scenery— it’s a total change of the legal and academic "rules of engagement." In high school, the system is designed to catch them. In college, the legal framework shifts entirely, placing 100% of the responsibility on the student to self-advocate and manage their workload.

The statistics are a wake-up call: Clinical research indicates that fewer than 15% of students with ADHD successfully complete a four-year college degree. It isn't a matter of intelligence; it’s a lack of preparation for an unstructured system that no longer prompts them on what to do, where to go, or how to ask for help.

The True Cost of "Figuring It Out Alone"

When a student goes to college without these executive functioning habits, they often face a "hidden" tuition hike. Data from Complete College America shows that just one extra year at a four-year university costs a family over $22,000 in additional tuition and housing expenses—a number that triples when you factor in delayed entry into the workforce.

Investing in the right support system now ensures they graduate on time, saving your family time, stress, and tens of thousands of dollars.


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Who is Tandem For?

Our Tandem partnership is ideal for students who have a high level of potential but struggle with:

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Task Initiation

Getting started on complex projects, like the personal statement.

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Organization

Managing the dozens of deadlines and portals required for a modern application.

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Time Management

Balancing high-stakes applications with a demanding senior year course load.

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Independence

Students who benefit from a "side-by-side" working model rather than just high-level advice.

Why Families Choose Us

 
98%
of Students Admitted 
to One of Top 5 Choices
 
35,000+
Families Guided
 
 
26+
Years of Experience
 
 
$73,500
Average Scholarship & Grant Aid
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Real Students. Real Outcomes.

We guide students to successful outcomes across the entire spectrum of higher education, from the nation's most selective private universities to top-tier public flagships to excellent liberal arts colleges.

Our goal is always the same: help your student gain admission to a college where they will thrive.

Universities and colleges our students have been accepted include:

Ready to give your student the right team for the road ahead?


Every student's path to college looks a little different. Book a free 30-minute consultation with us to talk about your child's goals, and learn how Tandem can provide the personalized, hands-on support they need to thrive.