What Parents and Students Are Saying

Missy worked with us getting our son prepared to apply to a number of colleges. She connected well with our son and she had great advice about which schools to consider (i.e. don’t rule out private schools as the scholarships often make up for the “sticker price”). Missy helped our son complete his entrance essays and emailed him regularly to make sure he was progressing. As a past high school counselor, Missy brings great experience to the process and can guide a family through the college application maze.

 Will H.- Parent, Azusa Pacific

I apologize that this college update has been so late in the making. But better late than never! I want to thank you so much for all your help in the application process. The University of Notre Dame has been everything I had hoped for and more. Although the distance and travel aspect is less than ideal, I cannot picture myself anywhere but here. The dorm community is fantastic, the people are so nice, and the professors are so passionate about what they do. I have a position in a research lab next fall and got to design, and 3D print a remote R2D2 for my Engineering Design final project. Overall, my experience has been so worthwhile. I am so thankful for you helping me get into ND. Go Irish!
Kari P.-  Student, University of Notre Dame

Thank you so much for helping me find the college of my dreams!! You always pushed me in school and truly allowed me to understand the college process. This past fall was a breeze thanks to all your help and preparation! Thank you so much!!

McKenna S.- Nursing Student, Clemson

I just wanted to reach out and thank you for your help with applying to college. I was accepted to all 9 schools I applied for. Thank you very much.

Drew D.- Student, Cal Poly San Luis

Our son is loving school and we definitely appreciated all that you did in grooming him for this new adventure. I’ve given your name out to a few people who are asking college questions. Thanks again for everything! God bless.

 Donna R., Parent. Oral Roberts

Thank you so much for everything you have done for me. You were such a help with me throughout this whole process and I don’t know what I would have done without you, Elaine and Krissy.

Caden R.- Student. Cal Poly San Luis

Thank you so much for the guidance and support you have provided over the last 4 years! I am so excited about the next phase of life. You have been valuable in this journey, and I couldn’t have done it without you!

Emma H.- Student, Oklahoma State

“…the godly are bold as lions.” Proverbs 28:1

I am forever grateful for all you did to help my children. You are a difference maker for so many with the “Soul of a Lion”! Forever grateful.

Stephanie H.- Parent, Cal Poly San Luis

We cannot thank you enough for all the instruction, guidance and support you have given our daughters on their journeys to Cal Berkeley and UCLA. You are blessed with a gift of guiding kids! Thank you!

Romy T.-Parent UC Berkeley & UCLA

Missy and the SOAR group helped my son make very informed decisions concerning his possible college choices. SOAR help keep my son engaged and on pace throughout the application process. When the time came for him to send in applications, he was way ahead of the game and very comfortable with everything from his college choices to the essays he was required to submit. My son and I could not have done all this by ourselves! Thanks SOAR.

Jeff W.- Parent, University of San Diego

Thank you so much for all your guidance and patience these last few years. I wouldn’t have been able to navigate the college process without you. Thank you again.

Claire N.- Student, UCLA

We want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all you have done for our two boys and us. With your guidance, you have helped them reach their dream schools and sometimes the path less chosen. And perseverance leads you there. Thanks so much. And God bless you.

All or love.

Sandy and Tom C.- Parents, Cal Poly San Luis

Applying to colleges can be one of the most stressful times of your life, especially in the midst of your senior year! With Missy’s calm, collected and realistic attitude she helped me stay organized and positive during the crazy process. Without her, I would not have finished my applications before thanksgiving nor would I have stayed on top of all the other deadlines that I didn’t even know existed! The SOAR experience also helped me find career options, that led me to pick a major that would put me on the right track towards my hopes and dreams! Thank you for everything!

Alyssa M.- Student, Pepperdine University

I started working with Missy when I was a sophomore. With her help and motivation I was able to find a path that best suits my future goals in life. She has helped me figure out who I am as an individual and find the best college match for my personality. Thanks to all of her hard work and the preparation she helped me through, applying to college was fast and simple. While most kids struggle for hours at one application to figure out what they need to fill in, I was able to breeze through one application after another. Missy’s plans are organized down to the last detail and are sure to help you find the college that best fits you.

Jacob F.- Student, Texas A&M, College Station

When I started my college journey, I had no clear direction. I did not know where I wanted to go or what I wanted to be, but I had five months to figure it out. Missy worked ambitiously with diligence and patience for countless hours to help me find my path. I am at the right school and extremely satisfied because of the work, guidance and knowledge provided through SOAR.

Sydnie S.- Student, Georgetown

As parents, we believe that Missy provides an amazing service for young adults who are learning to make important life decisions. We are extremely pleased with our decision to use SOAR College Planning because it allowed a non-parental, third party professional to quarterback the process while removing the stress and tension that can result among parent and student during this time of life.

Gardner M.- Parent, Cal Baptist

Other Comments:

Our family had the pleasure of using the college planning services of Missy Yavasile this past year for our son. Our goal to remove any potential tension from the parent-teenager dynamic that is generally associated with such an emotional, and stress-filled time period for college-bound kids. We were referred to Missy as the go-to person to help us achieve this goal.

Our son took to Missy immediately because he could see that Missy was genuinely interested in building a relationship to learn about who he was and finding the best college match for him. Missy was very up front with our son, and helped him understand the whole application process from important deadlines to the importance of written essays in college applications. Missy was instrumental in keeping our son on-task with regular e-mail messages, and weekly review meetings.

Our son is a student-athlete, and Missy had invaluable experience and knowledge in this area from her experience in assisting her own son in becoming a NCAA Div. I college athlete as well as other college bound athletes. Missy took the time to explain all the benefits, and realities of being a student-athlete from both a financial aid point of view, and the life-long skills gained from being part of a competitive college athletic program. Our son was having a bit of a struggle making a decision among two good colleges. Missy took time to make numerous phone calls to our son to discuss the pros and cons of both colleges. The extra effort Missy took by really caring for our son, and making these extra efforts was really the difference for our son in making the best college choice.

Our son respected Missy because it was immediately obvious that she had professionalism and knowledge in all aspects of college planning. Missy had the planning process laid out in a very easy to follow online format that our son followed and used regularly to communicate with Missy about important tasks, and application deadlines. Most importantly, Missy really cared about our son, and a bond of friendship developed with our entire family through this very important time period for our son.