A Rich History
In 2009, when Don and Sarah McMillan began their leadership of the company, they thoughtfully undertook a plan to assemble a team of educational and admission experts deeply qualified to expand upon the firm’s storied legacy that began in 1955.
Don and Sarah’s goal, informed by their combined half a century experience as educators, was to better serve a wider range of educational planning needs in a quickly evolving modern admission, educational and developmental landscape.
Today the firm boasts deep expertise in international student, learning differences, graduate school, athletic recruiting, the arts, and developmental and academic crisis planning in addition to carrying forward the legacy of highly personalized school and college planning for the traditional student.
That legacy began with Robert Parsons’ founding of the firm in 1955, specializing in independent school planning. Faith Howland continued Bob’s work as the premier consultancy in the country. Then Michael Spence joined the firm to expand its services and establish what quickly became a robust and highly reputed college planning practice. Faith was a founding partner of the Independent Educational Consulting Association (IECA), while Michael became a President, and Don went on to serve as a Vice President and member of the Board of Directors. Don also served on an Executive Committee for The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS) and chaired a committee for The Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT).
Throughout the decades, our student-centered focus and advocacy for the healthy development of the whole young person have remained the cornerstones of our work with families.
