Nick A.
Expert Admissions Coach with experience in ultra-selective admissions
Studied at University of Houston
Works at Private Independent Counsultant
Admissions Committee Experience
Available Monday at 3:00 PM UTC
Questions? Start chatting with this coach before you get started.
Nick’s College Qualifications
Coaches professionally
100+ people coached for College
Open to working with clients outside the U.S.
Dr. Nick J. Accrocco has been in college and university admissions for 20 years. After his time at Vanderbilt University as both an undergraduate and graduate student, he would go on to obtain an Ed.D from the University of Houston. He proudly calls Houston, Texas his adopted home. His admissions experiences include Vanderbilt University, the University of Pennsylvania in the Ivy League, and MBA admissions at American University. He has also worked 6 high school communities across the United States; serving as Director of College and University admissions at 2 of these institutions. Lastly, he teaches adult learners worldwide how to help students achieve admission at Houston, Texas based Rice University. Nick prides himself on being transparent, compassionate, and (hopefully) funny. He has gone through this process himself, so he seeks to bring clarity to what the process is and what it is not.
Nick can help with:
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Editing
Recommendations
Interviews
Ding Analysis
Waitlist Strategy
School Selection
Secondary Review
Application Strategy
Essays
Resume
About Nick
Dr. Nick J. Accrocco has been in college and university admissions for 20 years. After his time at Vanderbilt University as both an undergraduate and graduate student, he would go on to obtain an Ed.D from the University of Houston. He proudly calls Houston, Texas his adopted home. His admissions experiences include Vanderbilt University, the University of Pennsylvania in the Ivy League, and MBA admissions at American University. He has also worked 6 high school communities across the United States; serving as Director of College and University admissions at 2 of these institutions. Lastly, he teaches adult learners worldwide how to help students achieve admission at Houston, Texas based Rice University. Nick prides himself on being transparent, compassionate, and (hopefully) funny. He has gone through this process himself, so he seeks to bring clarity to what the process is and what it is not.
Why do I coach?
Services Nick can provide: -College List and Major planning -Admissions Strategy -Essay Coaching and editing -Application Completion -Scholarships and Financial -Managing Time and Stress -And most anything else about this process
Work Experience
Director of College & University Admissions Strategy
Private Independent Counsultant
May 2022 - Present
Independent College and University Consultant aimed at helping students through transparency, data, and humor. I can help with: -College and University Lists -Essays -Application Strategy -Interviews -Extracurricular Activities -Financial Aid and Scholarships -Stress and Time Management Member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association
Adjunct Professor
Rice University
October 2011 - Present
• Lecture on college counseling and school administration topics at events on Rice University’s campus and in greater Houston • Foster partnerships with high schools throughout the metropolitan Houston area to promote college readiness • Teach a weeklong course on “College Readiness” every summer for mostly underserved high school students during the C3:Content, College and Career enrichment program • Design, implement, and teach an internationally recognized online college counseling certificate program; courses include “The Fundamentals of College Counseling,” “The Undergraduate Admissions Process,” & “Managing the College Admissions Process.” • Developing the curriculum, content, and marketing for a fourth course focused on coaching the writing of college essays with a proposed launch date of Fall 2023
Director of College Counseling
The Summit Country Day School
July 2019 - May 2022
• Directed and guided the philosophy and mission of the department in service of the Upper School • Created and shaped new programming to enhance the overall college counseling program • Aided with school community events, including admissions recruitment, communications, and spiritual life • Served approximately 50 families, in each grade, as their primary college counselor and academic advisor • Managed a staff of one college counselor and one administrative assistant • Served on the Senior Leadership Team creating and shaping policies that affect the entire school community • Maintained a budget for the entire department involving office needs, standardized testing, and professional development • Implemented social media to provide more college counseling advice through podcasts and Instagram • Assisted with administration of PreACT, PSAT, and AP exams
Director of College Counseling
Ranney School
July 2015 - May 2019
• Facilitated and manage the responsibilities of the College Office for an Upper School student body of 320+ students • Created and implement school policies related to the college search process for all community families • Managed all of the academic advising for each student within the Upper School including curriculum and course scheduling • Served on the Academic Council; a leadership committee comprised of administration and members of the Board of Trust • Recruited prospective families to Ranney School by showcasing the strengths of the College Office • Personally assisted individual students and their families with all aspects of applying to college • Wrote letters of recommendation in support of assigned counselees and taught colleagues how to write their own letters • Lectured to seniors in the fall and juniors in the spring about applying to college in a classroom setting
College Counselor
St. John's School
April 2010 - May 2015
• Provided personalized college counseling advice to students and their parents on the college search, admissions practices, essay writing, scholarships, financial aid, and interviews • Conducted college counseling workshops for students, parents, and faculty • Designed and taught “College 101;” a college readiness seminar for juniors • Wrote letters of recommendation for undergraduate admission and scholarships • Maintained regular contact with undergraduate admissions offices at colleges across the United States • Served as primary advisor to a group of nine students with regular consultations with teachers, parents, and the Academic Dean • Acted as liaison between the College Counseling Department and current junior class including Academic Advisors and Parent Guild [i.e. Parent-Teacher Association] • Partnered with the Director of Wellness to implement initiatives aimed at reducing anxiety and stress in the college search • Served as faculty Co-Sponsor of “PRISM” club promoting tolerance of all sexual orientations
Admissions Counselor
University of Pennsylvania
February 2010 - May 2010
• Evaluated hundreds of applications for admission to the University’s undergraduate programs as the primary reader • Consulted directly with the Assistant Dean about the status of the applicant pool
Assistant Director of Admissions-Kogod School of Business
American University
June 2009 - December 2009
• Served as primary representative to prospective undergraduate students and their families • Coordinated recruitment with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, the Office of Financial Aid, Athletics, and other University academic units • Maintained databases on prospective students and applicants including students of interest to Athletic Department and Development Office • Managed communication with other Kogod offices: Academic Advising, Career Center, Faculty, and Student Affairs • Supervised undergraduate student “Envoys” who assisted with recruitment events • Planned and executed on-campus recruitment events • Strategized web, electronic, and print communication with all undergraduate prospects and applicants • Determined admission and scholarship awards as a member of the MBA Admissions Committee
Admissions Counselor
Vanderbilt University
August 2004 - May 2009
• Managed admissions territories throughout the United States including high school visits, college fairs, large speaking engagements, application evaluation, final committee decisions, and waitlist recommendations • Increased applications by 20%-50% in my territories every cycle • Advocated for students’ admission within assigned recruitment territories • Participated in final admissions decisions alongside the Dean and Director • Served on the Ingram Scholarship selection committee, a major merit award that recognizes outstanding community service • Organized “The Vanderbilt Road Show,” a national recruitment campaign consisting of fifty-nine programs in twenty-seven states, including the promotional media, program content, and final evaluation • Served on the Integrated Marketing and Alumni Volunteer task forces to refine overall recruitment strategy • Served on the Multicultural Recruitment task force charged with shaping the philosophy and strategy of recruiting diverse populations • Organized “MOSAIC” and “DiverseVU” on campus recruitment events specifically for multicultural students • Collaborated with the College Access Center of Chattanooga in assisting first-generation and/or multicultural students with their college aspirations
Education
University of Houston
Ed.D, Educational Leadership
2011 - 2013
Vanderbilt University
5 Years, Territory Manager
2005 - 2009
Admissions Committee Experience
Recruited and evaluated students from TX, NY, VA, PA, WV, VT, TN, and FL.
University of California, Los Angeles
Certificate, College Counseling
2005 - 2006
Vanderbilt University
B.A. and M.Ed, Anthropology, History, and Higher Education Administration
2000 - 2006