Jeff Knox is a gem, and we could not imagine going through the college application process without his guidance and support.
Jeff helped both our sons and us parents think about the entire arc of upper school so that experiences and class work built upon each other. Jeff takes students very seriously while being extremely approachable, positive, creative, and excited about the college application process.
Moxie breaks down the many steps of the college application process to make it less overwhelming, helping alleviate a lot of the pressure that comes with multiple months, steps, and expectations. Moxie provides guidance in course selection, developing close relationships with teachers, attaining good letters of recommendation, testing preparation and schedules, as well essay writing. Jeff was fantastic in brainstorming interesting and relevant summer experiences, programs, and opportunities.
Jeff creates connections with parents but also close and trusting relationships with students. He brilliantly made the process student-centered with parental involvement rather than the reverse. He is a great listener, interested in finding the right environment where students will thrive and skillfully teasing out students’ passions, strengths, and areas of interest. Jeff has personally visited many colleges and therefore has firsthand knowledge about campuses and programs.
In areas where Jeff is not an expert, he has a large roster of specialist consultants on whom we can draw. For instance, our son was interested in visual arts and Jeff connected us with a wonderful specialist who recommended various art programs and gave our son direction to develop a compelling portfolio for his college application.
Jeff understands that college rankings matter but they are not everything and, therefore, will prioritize students’ interests, alerting them about fit, including positives and negatives, and helping to manage expectations and even the rejections that come with every successful process.
~ Parents of Sidwell Friends School Students ’20 and ‘18
