PrepNow Tutor - Erik B.
With over 40 years on both sides of the admission process, Erik draws from a rich background as he guides students on the path to college. He earned his BA from Bates College, and his first job was as an admission officer there. He later served as an admission dean at Bates, Colby, and Williams, giving him insight into how highly selective colleges evaluate candidates.
A former “Counselor of the Year” in Massachusetts, Erik also served as Director of College Counseling at four highly competitive independent high schools, including all-boys, all-girls, and coed schools, both day and boarding. He also worked as the Director of Admission at one of the boarding schools.
Erik’s approach is one that guides students, while gradually encouraging them to take ownership. “In the end, they are the most important ingredient in their college process,” he says. His goal is to help students discover and gain admission to a college that fits their needs. “Having visited literally hundreds of colleges,” he says, “I have a firsthand understanding what makes colleges unique.”
A former college basketball player, Erik has worked with many student-athletes who aspired to compete at the college level, including national and international level Division I athletes and those hoping to compete at the Division III level.
Erik’s favorite success story was Jenny, the first in her family to apply to college. Her mom was a single parent who worked very hard to support her daughter, but had little understanding of how the process worked. Given her economic circumstances, Jenny was only considering local community colleges and perhaps a state college. “I urged Jenny to broaden her horizons and that perhaps, as a result of financial aid, she might be able to consider a broader range of options,” he says. “While it took a lot of hand-holding and encouragement on my part, in the end Jenny was admitted to Dartmouth and Amherst, ultimately choosing to attend Amherst.”
