Contact Frances Turner at http://www.francesturnerltd.com/

She was wonderful! She interviewed our DS, interviewed us, arranged for testing, suggested tutors, made helpful suggestions regarding the SSAT, helped us with application essays, contacted schools on our behalf, interviewed us again, interviewed DS again ... we couldn't have applied and been accepted to four schols without her!

I think you are asking for something that is going to be hard, if not impossible, for someone to provide.

Do you have a good friend you trust, maybe one who is an educator or a longtime parent, who can tell you if your concerns about your child's school are unfounded or not? I think you need to start with the "reality check" piece and then consider other school options with a consultant. On the first part, I think it is natural that a consultant would tell you what they think you want to hear, because they are only going to be going on how you frame the situation.

Eh, you gun nuts are everywhere.

We dealt with Pam Tedeschi several years ago--when she was working with Georgia Irvin--and did not find either to be a particularly straight shooter. But perhaps things have changed since she took over the practice.

Second Pam Tedeschi.

Pam tedeschi

Theodra Washington. She doesn't BS around!

Rosalia Miller

Middle school. (This would be for next year, of course.)

What grade?

I am looking for an objective critic to help me figure out whether my dissatisfaction with DC's current school means that I should be looking actively for another one; also someone with accurate, up-to-date information on other schools, such as what is truly good about the curriculum vs what is PR, strengths and weaknesses of the administration, temperament of different classes, etc. I've been down the "We think your child is wonderful" route. This time I'd like to try someone who will tell me honestly if s/he thinks I'm nuts or DC is not that special or the school in which we've invested so much money is just not that good. (Okay, maybe I'd prefer kindly but honestly.)

Thanks in advance for any recommendations.