Welcome! I'm
Melanie MacCaskie.
I'm an Independent Educational Consultant helping teens and young adults who need something different from the college admissions experience.
There’s something I say to almost every family I meet:
The college application process is basically kryptonite for neurodivergent people.
It’s a long process, with a lot of little tasks making up the whole, and there isn’t much feedback or reward until the very end. There are written rules you don’t really have to follow and unwritten rules you absolutely must follow.
And most of all… it’s boring. (I mean, not to me, but I get it!)
As a neurodivergent person myself, I know firsthand how it feels when something is enormously, stubbornly difficult, even though it's really, really important.
I know how to move students through the process in a way that actually works for them. Not just barely getting through it, not kicking and screaming, but taking charge of the first step of their college journey and feeling proud of themselves at the end of it.
My expertise comes from reading thousands of college applications in my prior career as an admissions counselor, graduate-level training in advising and executive function skill support, and personal lived experience as someone with ADHD.
Now, I work one-on-one with neurodivergent students to guide them toward a college where they will thrive.
Students can trust me to have their back while they figure it all out.
And parents can trust that their kid will stay on track and make thoughtful, informed decisions throughout the process.
If this all sounds like what your family needs, then I’d love to meet you.
Not sure what kind of support your student needs? Let me help!
Services
Strategy Session
one conversation
In one Zoom conversation, I dig into your family's biggest question or concern about your student's college plans, and follow up with a written roadmap of your next steps.
Comprehensive Support
long term
I guide your student (and family) through every part of the college application process, helping them build the executive functioning skills they need along the way.
What kind of students do you work with?
I work with any student who wants to go to college and needs extra support with the executive function skills involved in the application process. You don’t need a formal diagnosis to work with me, but it may help to know that I’ve worked with students with ADHD, autism, dyslexia and other learning differences, OCD, anxiety, and chronic illnesses.
I’m also proud to work with many students who are nonbinary, trans, or LGBTQ+. If that’s your kid, I don’t need to tell you how scary the political climate can feel for gender diverse youth. A vitally important part of my role is staying up-to-date on the news and helping students consider where they’ll be able to feel safe and celebrated.
Why do you
work with neurodivergent students?
Short answer: because I’m neurodivergent, too. After being told in the early 2000’s that “girls who get A’s can’t have ADHD,” I was formally diagnosed as an adult. It changed my life in the best way. In classic hyperfixation fashion I dove headfirst into adding neurodiversity training to my M.Ed. studies and professional development endeavors.
Between my academic knowledge, professional experience, and personal insight into brains that work differently, I’m perfectly set up to help students like yours write their own college success stories.
How do you work with students – like, logistically?
I meet with students one-on-one over Zoom during evening and after-school hours. Lots of my comprehensive support students pick a standing meeting time to help them remember the appointment.
We collaborate using shared tools like Google Docs. It’s not fancy, but it works! They can chip away at tasks between meetings, and I can easily see where they’re getting stuck and how to help.
This low-tech method allows me to customize the process for each student, providing instructions and breaking down tasks in the way that makes the most sense for how they think and work.
Do you help with the college list, the essays, the FAFSA, the _____?
Yes, all of it! I support students through the entire college application process, from building a thoughtful college list and brainstorming essays to submitting the FAFSA and making a final decision.
I help with the “big picture” ideas, like what kind of curriculum or environment will be the best, as well as the “to do list” work, like staying organized and meeting deadlines. We can even work together on starting the accommodations process once your student enrolls at their college of choice.
The only things I don’t cover are SAT/ACT preparation, athletic recruiting, and the artistic content of auditions or portfolios.
What are your credentials and qualifications?
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More than twelve years of experience working with students in college or college-bound settings
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More than six years in college admissions offices, at institutions large and small, public and private
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Thousands of applications read for both freshman and transfer admissions
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Master of Education (M. Ed.) degree in Higher Education Administration from Northeastern University
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Graduate-level continuing education in neurodivergent student support, including at Landmark College and Learning & the Brain
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Associate membership in the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA)
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Membership in the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC)