Name:
Whitney Mufson
Company:
Contact info:
ph.: (646) 504-5174, email: whitney@admitny.com , website: http://www.admitny.com/
How many years have you been in business in NYC?
Worked in school placement for 2 years, studied and worked in education for the past 8 years. I decided to branch off to start my own private education consulting business during the summer of 2016.
How did you get your start and what was your initial inspiration?
I have dedicated the past eight years of my life to addressing educational inequities in schools and have seen, first-hand, how a quality education can transform the lives of students. Growing up in a small town in Colorado, school choice was nonexistent. Like all the other kids in my community, I attended our local public high school. Although my tiny public high school produced strong academic results, it never truly felt like the best school fit for me. Since high school, the philosophy of school fit has been at the forefront of my mind and inspired me to get involved in school placement in NYC.
Most recently, I worked as the Middle School Director and High School Placement Director at Breakthrough New York, a college-access nonprofit. In this role, I managed a team of staff responsible for seasonal staff recruitment and hiring, new teacher training, curriculum development, student data analysis, student recruitment and admissions, and high school placement. I was responsible for planning, leading, and overseeing high school placement for 65+ students and helped to increase independent school acceptances by 54%. Ultimately, my goal was to ensure 100% of my 8th grade students matriculated to college-prep high schools that felt like the right fit. In this role, I served as the primary contact for NYC independent school’s admissions contacts, developing strong relationships with heads of school, admissions directors and teachers, while learning all there is to know about the educational institutions that make up the NYC school landscape.
With my newfound appreciation and expertise in school placement, I have taken the leap and started my own education consulting business: Admit NY, which focuses on helping families find the right fit schools for their children, while alleviating the pressure and stress that comes along with the rigorous application process. I ensure each student submits applications that present the most compelling case for acceptance because I believe that each and every student deserves to attend a school that feels like the right fit!
What do you feel differentiates you from others in your field?
In an effort to be a well-informed resource for my families, I am constantly visiting private and public schools in NYC, learning everything there is to know about the educational institutions that make up the NYC Ed Landscape. I set-up in-person tours each Fall so I can add to the repertoire of information I have collected on each school. This information then gets passed along to the families I work with through Admit NY. I have worked to cultivate meaningful relationships with both private day and boarding schools in and around NYC so that I am better able to advocate for the students and families I represent. These relationships put me in a unique position to have transparent conversations with school admission directors about each applicant, so I am better able to guide the families I work with in the right direction. As a consultant who understands both the private and public school application processes (which are each very unique and require different supports), this also makes me standout amongst my colleagues.
As a younger consultant, I approach school placement with a fresh perspective. When I visit a school, I evaluate the school from a student’s point of view and think thoughtfully about the type of student that would thrive in each unique school community. I am a hardworking professional who has the time and energy to dedicate long hours to each of my clients. I am constantly developing and revamping tools (such as online dashboards and trackers) that allow my students to remain organized and efficient throughout the school application process. These tools are created in-house and are customized for each client. With my background in curriculum development and design, the way in which I approach the application process is grounded in how I construct curriculum or lesson plans. I want my students to not only get into school, but to also take away long-standing skills and tools they can use in their future endeavors like organization, time-management, interview skills, and essay editing. Lastly, as a former classroom teacher, tutor and middle school program director, I easily connect with kids and truly love working with children of all ages.
What do you feel gives you longevity in this big city with so many options?
The NYC educational landscape is unique and ever-changing. It is like an obstacle course with many twists, turns, and hurdles to jump over. New York is unique in having this system where all the schools have different admissions procedures, both private and public. Information is so decentralized and often incorrect in so many places. Every school has its own rules and procedures, creating a patchwork that tends to favor children who live in certain neighborhoods, have parents who also grew up in New York City, and, perhaps above all, have parents with the ability, time and the fortitude to negotiate a very complicated process. Not everyone fits into this mold and that’s where Admit NY comes in… to help families un-complicate, the ever so complicated NYC school landscape and admissions process.
How do you positively impact your clientele?
I am a resource for my families, providing them with streamlined information about schools in NYC. My goal at Admit NY is to alleviate stress while streamlining the application process and ensuring students gain admission to their best fit school.
What is your favorite part of your job?
I love working with kids! I really enjoy learning about each student’s unique story, background, set of interests and dreams and connecting them to schools, some they have heard of and some they have not, that will set them up for a successful future. Watching a student put in the time and energy into each of their school applications, presenting their best-selves in each interview and essay, and having all of their hard work pay off when they gain admission to their dream school… this is a joyful moment for all stake-holders involved!
What is your favorite secret NYC spot?
The Elk: Best Gluten Free Avocado toast in NYC! Plus, a great space to work.
How do you benefit mamas?
Moms have a lot going on! My job is to alleviate stress from a mom’s life by holding their hand through the entire school application and placement process. Rather than independently navigating the complicated school admissions process, visiting numerous websites, reading various books, and asking friends for advice, Admit NY is here to be a one-stop-shop for all school-placement related questions, concerns and support. By providing families with information, resources, and full-time support, they are better equipped to successfully navigate the school placement process. My services are around-the-clock, meaning I provide sustained attention to the student and their family throughout the entire school process from goal setting to enrollment.
What is the most memorable feedback a client has given you?
I worked with a student once who was very set on attending a specific private school. However, after getting to know the student and reviewing their application profile (grades, test scores, extracurriculars, etc.) I recommended a list of different private day schools. The student was hesitant at first to stray away from what they believed was their ‘dream school,’ but after getting on campus, shadowing a student for a day, and learning more about the institutions I had put on their school list, this student understood the value in being open-minded about their HS options. In the end, this student was accepted to an incredible private school, one they had never considered prior to working with me. This example demonstrates the true value in helping students and families find a school that is the best fit for them!
This is a direct quote from this student: “Whitney is an amazing leader, person, and supporter. She has consistently pushed me and has always expected more than my best from me. She opened my eyes to the incredible schools and possibilities that exist. I am going to and incredible private day school because I worked closely with Whitney to achieve my goals. I fully appreciate Whitney and all of her support.”
What is the best advice anyone's ever given you? Or what is your "mantra" / words to live by?
“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’ You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” - Eleanor Roosevelt
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” -Nelson Mandela
As moms, the day can escape us, what is your best time-saving trick?
Prioritize! Choose the top 3 priorities for that day. Schedule them into your calendar so there is scheduled time set aside to complete each to-do or task. The calendar is your best friend! Then, hold yourself accountable for getting those 3 priorities done in the time allotted.