Admissions Counselors

ELAINE ROSENBLUM, ESQ.

Elaine is the co-founder of Access Test Prep and has been teaching for over 20 years. After graduating from law school, Elaine taught at NYU in the Center for Finance, Law and Taxation’s Conflict and Dispute Resolution program, as well as undergraduate business law and post-graduate negotiation at Baruch College. She also taught in the Leadership in Law program at Columbia University. She has guest lectured at Emory University School of Law and Georgia Tech.

Elaine has taught hundreds of high school, college, and graduate students, as well as professionals across industries how to leverage their written and verbal articulation skills to distinguish themselves on college and graduate school applications and interviews; she has also counseled them on internship and job search strategies and interviews, one well-articulated word at a time. Elaine has written two books on communication skills and is frequently quoted on Forbes.com for her expertise in workplace communications. She serves on the board of Most Valuable Kids Atlanta. 

Current Interest(s): Reading, Art, Architecture and Design

Education

• University of Texas, BS, Advertising and Communications

• Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, J.D.

• Harvard Law School Program on Negotiation

VALERIE ENGEL YELLIN, ESQ.

Valerie, a former attorney, has been an educational consultant with Access Test Prep & Tutoring since 2014. She received a Master of Science degree in School Counseling in 2015, where she was inducted into Chi Sigma Iota, the counseling Honor Society. During her year-and-a-half long field placement in the College Counseling Department at the Weber School and through her experience as an application reader for Emory University from 2013 to 2017, Valerie gained the knowledge and skills to be able to understand what colleges are looking for in applicants. 

At Access Test Prep & Tutoring, Valerie helps students identify their ideal college lists, brainstorm college essay topics, and write beautiful essays. Her goal is to take as much stress out of the process as possible by keeping students organized and having them begin their applications during the summer before senior year. Valerie tailors her approach to the individual needs of each student, giving them the attention they need to create applications that perfectly express their passions and interests. 

Valerie’s students have been accepted at Dartmouth College, Brown University, University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School, Princeton University, Yale University, Vanderbilt University, University of Virginia, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Indiana University, University of Wisconsin, Washington University in St. Louis, Emory University, Haverford College, University of Georgia Honors Program, Georgia Institute of Technology Honors Program, University of Florida Honors Program, UCLA, University of Texas-Austin, University of Southern California, Duke University, University of Michigan, Wake Forest University, Williams College, Amherst College, Colorado College, Washington & Lee, Skidmore College, University of Miami, Berklee College of Music, Columbia College Chicago, University of Chicago, Northwestern University, University of Denver, and many more.

Valerie is board certified as a National Certified Counselor (NCC) and an Associate Member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA). She participates in educational IECA conferences in order to stay current on trends in admissions and counseling.

Valerie's interests include hiking, cooking, reading, and travel.

Education

• Emory University, Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a Minor in English

• New York University School of Law, Juris Doctor

• Mercer University, Master of Science in School Counseling

ASHLEY MILLER

A stay-at-home mom to a toddler and homeschool educator to an elementary school student during the day, Ashley continues to expand upon her more than twenty years of tutoring and ten years of college essay and application counseling.  She excels in working with students of all ages in subjects as diverse as Microeconomics and personal essay composition. Her tutoring specialty, however, lies in standardized tests, especially the ACT and SAT. Before joining Access Test Prep in 2014, Ashley worked as a lead standardized test class instructor; she often trained new tutors and devised teaching and training materials. Ashley is conversationally fluent in Spanish.

Ashley also specializes in college application counseling.  As such, she is especially adept at not only integrating college application preparedness into ACT/SAT test preparation, but also transitioning students from test prep into focusing on college applications. She works closely with students to complete their college applications by helping them plan, build, and edit their college essays while striving to make their voices and personalities shine.  She has had students accepted into prestigious programs and colleges across the country, including the University of Georgia Honors Program, the University of Southern California Honors Program, John Hopkins, Harvard, Rice University, UC Berkeley, and Boston University.

Ashley is a Certified College Counselor and an Associate Member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), whose resources she uses to stay current on trends in admissions and counseling.

Interests: Hiking, swimming, biking, science fiction, board games, playing viola, and Spanish

Education

• Special Certificate in College Counseling, University of California San Diego Extension

• Georgia Tech, BS, Applied Math with a Minor in Economics

LAURA BEDINGFIELD HERAKOVICH, ESQ.

Laura, a former attorney, recognized the finesse needed to navigate college admissions while helping her oldest son through the process two years ago. As a former English teacher at Marist School in Atlanta, she has worked extensively with teenagers to help them hone their critical thinking and writing skills while also boosting their confidence in the intrinsic value of their ideas.

She gently, positively, and creatively guides her students through every stage of the admission process. From discovering hidden schools that could be the perfect fit to helping polish every element of a student's application, Laura is thorough, detail-oriented, and upbeat. In addition to having taught high school English, Laura also holds a certificate in Advanced Legal Writing and Research from the Mercer University School of Law and has worked as a tutor at the University of Georgia Athletic Department.

Interests and hobbies: reading, travel, puzzles, photography

Education

• University of Georgia, A.B., English

• University of Georgia, M.Ed., English Education

• Mercer University, J.D.: Certificate in Advanced Legal Writing & Research

ANNA REED BURNS

Anna is pursuing her Ph.D. at Teachers College, Columbia University, in Anthropology and Education. Her passion lies in making education equitable and accessible for all. Currently, her research focuses on understanding how education impacts tribal sovereignty for Indigenous students in Oklahoma.

Anna has worked in college admissions in varying capacities since 2016. In her second year at Dartmouth College, Anna became an undergraduate intern in undergraduate admissions, where she created Access Dartmouth, an initiative to guide first-generation students in their pursuit of admission at Dartmouth. Anna was especially involved in the Native Fly-In program, supporting prospective students for their future applications.

At Access Test Prep & Tutoring, Anna supports her students in identifying their strengths and interests and creating an individualized plan to achieve their goals. Anna’s specialty is helping students find their unique voice in their essays to portray their narratives in a composed, yet powerful manner.

Anna worked in Secondary School admissions at Atlanta International School and is familiar with private school admissions. She welcomes families looking for guidance in the Middle and High School application process.

Education

• Dartmouth College, B.A., Anthropology and Spanish

• University of Oxford, M.S., Latin American Studies

• Teachers College, Columbia University, Ph.D., Anthropology and Education (in process)

BARBARA NEWMAN

Barbara's twenty-five years in strategic communications and brand building has led her to provide individualized practical guidance for each student embarking on their college admissions journey, with a particular focus on a student's personal statement. Her calm and collected demeanor, along with her positive attitude, helps each student find their unique, authentic voice; develop a genuine and compelling narrative showcasing their character and core values; and productively engage a college admissions officer. Barbara also excels in strategic counseling on extracurricular activities, internships, and service initiatives. 

Interests and hobbies: Kappa Alpha Theta Alumnae mentoring, Furkids, Atlanta Animal Shelter volunteer, arts and crafts, creative writing

Education

• Cornell University, College of Arts and Sciences, A.B.

• Chief Executive Leadership Institute (CELI), Yale School of Management, Heroic Societal Leader Designation

• Partnered with Harvard and the MIT Media Lab to execute substantive public policy storytelling campaigns for HUBweek, Boston's leading ideas festival