Some things in life can be done by trial and error, like cooking. College is not one of them.

Thoughtful, individualized guidance that helps your child think more deeply, tell a compelling story, and find their place at a college where they'll truly thrive.

$540K+
Annual Scholarships Earned
20
Years as Duke Interviewer
40+
Top Colleges & Universities
1:1
Fully Personalized Guidance
About Stacey

An expert partner who knows how to listen — and how to guide.

In 2016, a friend asked me to help him with his graduate school application essays. Then more friends and family asked me to work with their high schoolers on college essays — and those conversations changed everything. I discovered I had a knack for connecting with students, drawing out their stories, and helping them position their strengths in a way that felt true to who they are.

Watching those students find their voices and grow in confidence is what led me to leave the corporate world and pursue college admissions counseling full-time. Since then, I've guided students to admission at some of the most selective schools in the country — Duke, Cornell, Northwestern, Emory, Case Western, UVA, UT Austin, and Northeastern, to name a few — with more than $540,000 in annual scholarships awarded across my senior classes.

My mission isn't just to get kids into college. It's to help them start lives of impact, authenticity, and boldness — and to write stories they're proud to call their own.

As a parent of three, I started this practice because I wasn't satisfied with what I saw when I was interviewing consultants for my own oldest child. Too many firms had a cookie-cutter approach — fitting students into a mold rather than discovering what made each child remarkable. I knew there was a better way.

My years as a Duke alumni interviewer, my instinct for what makes each student distinctive, and my patient, thoughtful approach to every student are what make the difference. I work with the full range of students — including those who learn differently, those navigating unique personal circumstances, and those with non-traditional academic paths. Most importantly, I help students discover what they care about, pursue it with real depth, and connect the threads of their experiences into a story that matters — for their application and for the life that follows.

I look forward to the opportunity to work with your family.

The LIMinal Approach

Why families trust LIMinal.

Every student gets personal attention, deep thinking, and a strategy built uniquely around them.

Built on the trust families pass along.

Every family in my practice came through a referral or a returning client. There is no marketing budget. The reason is simple: when this work goes well, families want their friends to have it too. That is the only sustainable measure I trust, and it is the standard I hold myself to with every student.

Strategy built around your child, not a template.

School lists begin with rigorous research — fit, finances, programs, culture, outcomes — the same analytical discipline I built across fifteen years at Capital One, General Electric, and DuPont. From there, the strategy is built around the student I actually got to know. The result is applications that read true, in the student's own voice, and produce real outcomes: more than $540,000 in annual scholarships across recent senior classes.

How the work actually feels.

Hours of conversation before any draft. Revision taught as a habit, drawing on Columbia University Teachers College writing pedagogy. The careful, time-intensive work of helping a young person find what they think and how to say it. No shortcuts. No templates. The kind of attention that produces authentic applications — and a young person who carries these skills into college and beyond.

Why I started LIMinal.

I started this practice as a mother of three. When I went looking for a college consultant for my oldest, what I found made me uneasy — too many firms had a cookie-cutter approach, fitting students into a mold rather than discovering what made each child remarkable. I knew there was a better way. LIMinal is the practice I wished I had found, and the practice I now want for every family I work with.

Services

Expert partnership through every stage of the college journey.

Grades 9–12

Student Development

Laying the foundation for a standout application.

  • Candidacy Analysis
  • Course Selection & Academic Planning
  • Extracurricular & Summer Activity Planning
  • Admissions Strategy Development
  • Executive-Function & Time-Management Coaching
  • End-to-End Application Support (when ready)
Rising 12th Graders

End-to-End Application Support

Comprehensive guidance from list to decision.

  • College List Development
  • Application Management & Timelines
  • Letters of Recommendation Strategy
  • Extracurricular List Preparation
  • Essay Writing & Support
  • Interview Preparation
  • Post-Decision Support

More than a checklist.

The services above are what you get. The real difference is how I do them. I invest the hours it takes to truly know each student — their strengths, their stories, the moments that shaped them — and patiently weave those threads into a cohesive picture that shows colleges who they truly are. No templates. No shortcuts. Just the kind of individualized, time-intensive attention that produces authentic applications and real results.

Writing-only packages and hourly rates are also available for any individual service listed above.

Let's Talk

Ready to start the conversation?

Send me a note to learn more about my services or schedule a complimentary introductory call.

info@liminalcollegeconsulting.com
Class of 2026 Successes

Celebrating this year's graduates.

Admitted to a strong mix of nationally ranked research universities, specialized programs, and collegiate communities where the students I work with will truly thrive.

$200,000
in annual scholarships earned by the Class of 2026
Admissions Included
Baylor University
Brandeis University
Case Western Reserve
Drexel University
George Mason University
Hofstra University
James Madison University
NC State University
Northeastern University
Penn State
Pepperdine University
Rensselaer Polytechnic
Texas A&M University
UNC Charlotte
University of Maryland
University of Massachusetts
UT Dallas

Partial list. View all class successes →

College is one chapter — not the whole story.

As all-consuming as admissions can feel, it's a single season in a much longer life. My work is about helping students build the curiosity, character, and confidence to thrive long after the acceptance letter arrives.

Free Community Workshops

Bring a workshop to your group.

I offer complimentary essay writing workshops and college admissions information sessions for schools, faith communities, nonprofits, and other organizations. This work actually began with a friend whose English wasn't his first language, and grew from watching parents at my Korean immigrant church who deeply wanted to guide their kids through the U.S. application process but had no roadmap. Offering free workshops to communities like these is close to my heart.

Request a Workshop