Mother-daughter team speaks about college admissions at Sid Jacobson JCC

Amelia Camurati
Mother-daughter duo Jill, right, and Amanda Madenberg are speaking at Sid Jacobson Jewish Community Center tonight. (Photo courtesy of Jill and Amanda Madenberg)

A North Shore mother-daughter duo is bringing a presentation about how to remain calm during the college admissions process to East Hills tonight.

Jill Madenberg and her daughter Amanda published “Love the Journey to College: Guidance from an Admissions Consultant and Her Daughter” in August to help reach a broader audience about how to enjoy the college admissions process instead of trudging through it.

Amanda said the pair’s presentation at 7 p.m. at Sid Jacobson Jewish Community Center in East Hills will provide tips for reducing stress as well as answering questions about applications, testing and essays. The event is free and open to the public, and Jill Madenbcrg said the talk is geared toward eighth graders through seniors and their families.

When Amanda Madenberg finished her college application process after getting accepted through early decision to Cornell University, she was sad to see it end.

“There would be no more visits, no more talking about it and considering my options,” Amanda said. “Then, coupled with the fact that I love writing, I thought it would be great if we could help other people experience the college application process in a positive light. So many people are so overwhelmed by stress that it becomes not enjoyable.”

Amanda’s mother, a private college admissions counselor from Great Neck, said she has worked with high schoolers for more than 20 years, including as a guidance counselor in New Hyde Park, but wanted to help students across Long Island and the country.

Jill said when students hear that approximately two-thirds of applicants get into at least one of their top two choices, many instantly feel more at ease.

“When you think about the fact that there are about 4,000 colleges in this country, and every student needs to apply to about 10 of them and make sure they can get into three or four of them, that’s it. That’s what this is,” Jill said. “That in and of itself can remove a lot of anxiety for people who get overwhelmed by whether or not they’re going to get into college.”

Jill will also be at Benjamin Franklin High School for Finance and Information Technology in Queens to help more than 100 students with their applications, many of whom are the first in their families to apply, and will be speaking at New York University during counselors week in February.

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