Our Philosophy and Team
OUR ONLY GOAL IS TO HELP STUDENTS MEET THEIR GOALS
We want to find that PERFECT fit for each student, the place that will make them feel at home while they work toward their goals. How do we do that?
We ask our students the right questions and, most importantly, we really listen to find exactly what they need. Early in the process, we help students explore their interests, choose the right classes, and develop unique projects. We make sure everything is broken down in bite-sized pieces, keeping our students (and their families!) from the overwhelm that can so often accompany this process.
WE ARE FLEXIBLE AND RESULTS FOCUSED.
We work with students at all income and achievement levels, from those with Ivy League ambitions to those who struggle in school — and everyone in between.
Our structured yet personalized program demystifies the often-overwhelming college admissions process.
We can help as much or as little as you’d like — with everything from jumpSTART (our DIY offering) to our full-service, absolutely personalized options. We also provide free and discounted services to those who qualify.
We know that guidance and support for the entire family is paramount, and our stellar team is ready to help you and your family navigate this process.
Our team operates as your personal admissions committee — with PhD trained educators, copywriters and professional editors, and experienced admissions and financial officers and directors.
We help you identify target, reach and safety schools and ensure that all of your "controllables" [essay(s), letters of recommendation, and test scores] are true to your voice and your goals.
College Smart Start helps you skillfully navigate the entire college application process, reducing the confusion and overwhelm that too often define it.
We have a novel approach to college admissions, a team-based model that has allowed us to help our students find incredible success. By letting our experts be experts, our approach has been successful for our individual students. It’s also been successful on much larger scales, through the curricula we’ve developed and delivered for whole schools and entire counties.
Most college admission companies pair clients with one advisor who’s meant to be a jack-of-all-trades — developing your passion project, finding schools, helping with the essays. But can one person provide the level of expertise you want and need..? We don’t think so!
At College Smart Start, we take a team approach. We believe that no one person can be an expert in everything, but our collaboration allows us to lean into our areas of expertise in ways that cannot be matched by any one person working alone.
We meet your needs with the just-right specialist for each component, seamlessly pairing you with the people you need, right when you need them.
Our unique, team-based model is streamlined and coordinated. Each piece of your application will be seen, reviewed, and approved by multiple people behind the scenes before you hit send.
This team approach, honed over many years, is the cornerstone of our success — and it will be of yours!
JODI FURMAN
Jodi Furman, our founder and Chief Admissions Officer, has worked as an independent admissions advisor for both college and graduate school (MBA, JD, MD) applicants for three decades. She is the former Director of Operations for one of the nation’s largest test prep firms and has years of experience placing C-Suite executives as an executive recruiter.
Jodi’s goal is to demystify the whole application process. She enjoys working with students of all academic abilities and has helped students gain admission to schools ranging from Ivy League and other highly selective universities to private, state, and international universities. She drills down to determine what students and families want in a school: academic rigor, major, and location. Keeping an eye on finances, Jodi sheds light on both merit and need based aid, if applicable. Most importantly, Jodi is looking for the right FIT for your student.
Jodi holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and an MBA from Columbia Business School in New York, NY. She also holds a certificate from the College Advising Program at Teachers College, Columbia University. In her free time, she enjoys glamping with her family and dogs and watching both hockey and college basketball. As a lifelong Floridian and mom to two Gators, Jodi has an insider’s knowledge and deep insight into the Florida university system.
DR. SARAH ROTHSCHILD
Co-founder Dr. Sarah Rothschild is our Chief Curriculum and Content Officer. She also heads up the editorial team. As the former Director of Graduate Writing and Quality Learning at The University of Maryland Global Campus, she created and managed the tutoring program and writing courses, overseeing over 100 tutors and faculty. She has extensive experience teaching creative writing, history and literature, and was the Lead Faculty, English for the Art Institute of Washington (DC) for thirteen years. She has created and run writing centers at a number of colleges, and she's worked as a professional writer and editor.
An award-winning teacher, Sarah earned a BA from Cornell University (in Comparative Literature); two MAs from Temple University (English and History); and a PhD in English from The Graduate School and University Center, City University of New York.
Sarah lives on a horse farm in Pennsylvania and spends her free time hanging with her family, laughing at her cats and chickens, and watching the sky.
LAURA LEMANSKI
Our CEdO (Chief Educational Officer), Laura Lemanski, is a curriculum designer, instructional coach, and literacy educator with classroom experience in K-12, college, and community settings. As a teacher-researcher, she is focused on integrating research-proven, yet practical strategies to ensure students across disciplines are supported, enhancing teaching centers' equity and access. She creates engaging and inclusive learning opportunities that augment student strengths and make content relevant and meaningful.
As a first generation college student who recently completed her PhD (University of Minnesota, Twin Cities), Laura knows firsthand what it means to navigate the often challenging terrain of the college application process. From brainstorming scholarship essay topics with her seniors to counseling her community college advisees on next steps, Laura’s goal is to help students who think college might be out of reach understand that attending their school of choice is absolutely a possibility.
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CHRISTINE PAULHUS
Christine, our Senior Essay Editor, a highly organized, creative and strategic thinker with an eye for overall clarity and detail. Her goal is to help elevate your writing while retaining your voice.
Christine’s career highlights as a writer and editor include roles at a past presidential administration, Gourmet Magazine, Penguin Putnam Books, and Parade Magazine. She most recently spent over a decade as the content editor for a Fortune 100 firm.
A child of a native of Rome and a Navy commander, Christine spent most of her childhood abroad, where she learned to cook local cuisines and to appreciate history and art. She graduated with a degree in Journalism from Elon University in North Carolina where she was honored as Writer of the Year as a freshman. She resides in sunny Southern California with her family and her yellow lab, Willa.
SANA
As our Lead Student Coordinator, Sana manages all of the small (yet vital!) moving parts of your student’s applications, making sure they’re both on task and on time. With her deep understanding of the college application process, she's an unparalleled resource and support for parents and students.
Her professional experience includes over twenty years as an executive assistant, including over a decade supporting C-level executives at a Fortune 500 media conglomerate.
A native of the Washington D.C. area, Sana recently relocated to Tampa with her family, where they enjoy warmer winters and the beaches. Ironically, most of her spare time is spent in a frigid ice rink cheering on her husband’s and son’s ice hockey teams or watching her daughter compete as a figure skater. Sana attended the University of Maryland-College Park.
OLLIE SCHNITZER
Ollie Schnitzer is an integral part of our work at College Smart Start. They work with students of all intended majors, but their strong science background makes them the perfect advisor for students with STEM interests. As an experienced writer, editor, and teacher of science, Ollie brings intellectual curiosity, enthusiasm, and a creative, out-of-the-box approach to essays, from brainstorming and development through the final polish.
Their deep knowledge of the admissions process — supported by their graduate certificate in college advising from Teachers College, Columbia University — and their exacting eye for detail allows them to help their students discover new fields of interest, develop fascinating and unique projects, and find success.
ELLA FURMAN
Ella Furman, who graduated summa cum laude from UF in Education Sciences, is currently working on her MA from Harvard. Her positions at UF — she was both a Disability Advocate and Student Admissions Officer — gave her behind the scenes experience that is invaluable to her work at College Smart Start.
Ella is one of our college admissions strategists; she helps students engage with their interests through inventive, meaningful passion projects. She has been instrumental in content development and in designing the College Smart Start Foundation and preparing it for launch.
