At the heart of Fine Educational Solutions is Dr. Kathy Griswold Fine, a visionary in the realm of educational psychology and college admission counseling. With a Ph.D. in Teacher Education and Higher Education, concentration in Educational Psychology, Dr. Fine's expertise transcends conventional approaches.

Her unique blend of academic knowledge and strategy based on educational psychology, combined with empathetic guidance, helps young minds navigate the demands of school, college admissions, and life. Dr. Fine is committed to empowering students for the challenges of higher education and beyond.

With a wealth of expertise, experience, proprietary curriculum, and tools, Fine Educational Solutions is committed to seamlessly assisting students through a low-stress college application and admissions process. By acknowledging that the college search and applications process is a momentous milestone in young people’s lives, we embrace the journey in order to promote self-awareness and forward-thinking. 

Our process-based, strategic approach integrates holistic career exploration into the college process and ensures that our students attend colleges where they can excel and achieve their goals. Based on the 8 core principles of individualization, results, education, resources, strategies, ethics, value, and access, we help students gain admittance to colleges and universities they love and where they will thrive.

We work with students to create and implement a strategic plan of action. We use tools and strategies for:

• Creating individualized student timelines to organize the college planning and admissions process
• Organization and meeting deadlines (e.g., Google Docs,  to-do lists, timelines, spreadsheets, etc.)
• Identifying personal, interests, strengths, and values that align with future goals (e.g., Greenwood System Holistic Career Counseling for Counselors)
• Defining individual "Good Fit" colleges through research and building a college list (e.g., FES Custom College Plan Student Portal)
• Making the financial aid/paying for college process transparent by providing clients with a paid subscription to College Aid Pro
• Making a standardized test prep plan (e.g., MindPrint Cognitive Test to determine whether the ACT or SAT is the better fit test & identifying quality test prep tutors)
• Planning and completing a quality, focused, and efficient essay writing process (e.g., brainstorming activities, outlines, etc.) - including supplemental and Honors College essays
• Asking for recommendation letters (i.e., counselor, teachers, others)
• Counseling on Summer programs
• Understanding and maximizing merit-aid opportunities
• Planning campus visits: virtual + in-person
• Understanding and completing the FAFSA and the CSS Profile
• Completing the college applications process in a timely and efficient manner
• Providing resources for scholarship searches
• Comparing and contrasting acceptance choices

SPECIALIZATION 

Since students have unique goals, talents, strengths, values, and learning styles, we are committed to helping our clients identify institutions that offer programs that match their interests and provide the resources and communities needed to achieve their goals.

RESULTS

Parents sleep well at night knowing their students have a college application plan in place and that the plan is being implemented. As we guide students to becoming the masters of their own processes, we assume the majority of accountability allowing the parent-child dynamic to remain positive during a traditionally tense time. The majority of our students are accepted into their first-choice schools and, to date, all of our students have completed their degrees.

EDUCATION

During the college application process, many people will offer advice, opinions, and “facts,” making an already confusing process even more overwhelming. Using objectivity, data, and facts, we educate our clients so they are well-equipped to distinguish fact from fiction and make informed choices.

RESOURCES

Throughout her career, Dr. Kathy Griswold Fine has cultivated and acquired a set of tools specifically crafted to streamline and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the college application process. These tools include a process-oriented approach to essay writing, worksheets that help students recognize and express their preferences for colleges, the  FES Custom College Plan Student Portal) Portal to help students and parents easily research colleges, the Greenwood System Holistic Career Counseling for Counselors designed to guide students toward suitable majors and careers, the MindPrint Cognitive Test to determine whether the ACT or SAT is the better test choice, access to a centralized work location, and a college cost comparison spreadsheet.

STRATEGIES

Understanding the connection between mindset and outcomes, we use strategies to help our clients set and achieve their goals: make a plan and implement it. Assigning essay pre-writing activities with deadlines ensures all application tasks are completed in a logical and timely manner. Coaching students to add deadlines to calendars and sending reminders liberates busy parents.

COMPASSION

In a world where elite colleges reject most applicants and many students have 3.5+ GPAs, we understand the pressure young people face. By facilitating self-awareness and discovery, we are committed to helping our clients appreciate who they are. No student should feel that their value is determined by a GPA, standardized test score, or college name. All students should receive the guidance they need to succeed in college and beyond: to live their best lives!

ETHICS

Our clients know they are a priority. we strive to become trusted consultants, confidantes, partners, teachers, guides, and mentors. As professional members of the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA), we are committed to upholding the HECA Code of Ethics for Individual Counselors, which includes: Act professionally, responsibly, and ethically in all relationships with students, families, high schools, college admission personnel, and colleagues, Recognize the importance of confidentiality in performing their work, and Act with integrity, respect, courtesy, and thoughtfulness in all transactions.

VALUE

Since the average cost of college attendance is $25,487 (public, instate) and $53,217 (private), we help students select schools where they can and do graduate in 4 years. By helping our clients get an idea of what they want to study and to what end, the risk of requiring additional semesters in college is greatly reduced. 

ACCESS

We believe that education is a human right. We pledge to work with first-generation and under-resourced students at no cost.

Students feel more pressure than ever to apply to and get into elite colleges, often based on faulty thinking and erroneous information. Fine Educational Solutions' mission is to help clients understand that because they are unique in their talents, strengths, and learning styles, it is important to choose a college that offers programs that match their interests and provides a campus community that feels comfortable. Throughout the consulting process, we help clients identify a college that is the right fit: an environment in which students can thrive, academically. socially, and emotionally.

Dr. Griswold Fine's ability to use educational psychology to help college-bound students reach their academic and personal potentials sets us apart. Her unique college application process utilizes a process-oriented and knowledge-based approach to help students progress through the process in a logical and informed manner. Further, the Fine Educational Solutions curriculum embeds critical metacognitive skills instruction, such as academic writing, prioritizing, self-regulation, goal setting, accountability, and time management. In an effort to maximize the chances of selecting the most appropriate college setting for students, we use every step of the process to help students present their authentic selves

All packages assume that each student is unique, and brings to the table their own strengths, dreams, and goals. Based on the core belief that there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach, and that selecting a college is one of the most important decisions in a young person's life, all services are tailored to meet the individual student. At the core of the Fine Educational Solutions approach is the relationship; one that fosters authentic, not canned experiences; a relationship based on mutual trust and honesty.

By limiting the number of students we work with at any given time, we give clients the attention they deserve and/or require to feel supported and confident throughout the process.

Note: While packages reflect that not all students are ready to approach the college application process at the same time, if you do not see the package that is right for your student, please reach out.