College Admissions Mentoring and Counseling in Ponte Vedra Beach, Nocatee, and Jacksonville: Meet College MAPS
How a new team of mentors and counselors is helping middle and high school students across Ponte Vedra Beach and the Jacksonville area build a standout path to college
If you are raising a student in Ponte Vedra Beach, St. Johns, or Duval County, you have probably felt it: the college process starts earlier and moves faster than it used to. Course choices in 8th grade can shape what a student takes in 11th. Activities matter. Test dates arrive quickly. Essays loom.
College MAPS (Mentoring and Planning Services) is a local team launched in 2025 to help students and families through this stretch. Their approach is mentorship first, expert guidance when it counts. Instead of handing families a checklist, they pair students with a trusted mentor who gets to know them, then add focused counseling at the moments that matter most.
Their help is open to students from any school and any part of town, whether in Ponte Vedra Beach, Nocatee, the Beaches communities, or beyond. Mentoring happens virtually, college counseling is available in person or online, and workshops are held in person right here in the community. Here are six ways College MAPS can support your student.
1. Virtual One-on-One Mentoring, Starting in Middle School
College success doesn't begin with an application. It begins with habits, confidence, and a sense of what a student enjoys. College MAPS pairs students in grades 6 through 12 with a custom-matched mentor, chosen for the student's interests, goals, and long-term vision. Their mentors are near-peers who have recently been through the college journey themselves, so their advice is honest and current.
For middle schoolers, mentoring focuses on:
Discovering interests and strengths
Building study habits and organization skills
Trying new activities and passion projects
Setting goals and following through
Growing independence and confidence
Meetings are one-on-one, 60-minute virtual sessions, so there's no carpool and no commute. The team recommends at least two a month so students keep momentum and stay accountable. Mentoring packages come in 6, 12, and 24 sessions, so families can choose a pace that suits them.
2. Early High School Planning (Grades 8–10)
The early years of high school matter more than most families realize. College MAPS offers one-on-one consulting sessions for 8th, 9th, and 10th graders to build a strong foundation without adding pressure. Sessions center on the decisions with the longest reach:
Strategic course selection and academic planning
Extracurricular and leadership development
Finding and planning summer programs
Early interest and pathway exploration
For many families, this is the sweet spot. A student who plans early can explore, adjust, and grow into a story that is genuinely their own, rather than scrambling in junior year.
3. Complete Support for Juniors and Seniors, In Person or Online
When applications are around the corner, structure matters. The Junior/Senior counseling package gives students hands-on help through each stage:
Building a thoughtful college list
Application planning and timeline management
Essay coaching and editing
Résumé and activity list development
Interview preparation and a final application review
Families can choose to meet in person or online. Parents get a clear plan, students know what is due and when, and the whole household can breathe a little easier.
4. Essays and Authentic Storytelling
College MAPS is built on a simple belief: every student has a unique story, and too many rush through the application process without telling it well. Their mentors and counselors help students figure out what truly excites them, then guide them toward experiences and interests that reveal who they are and who they hope to become.
The goal is an application with depth and cohesion, one where activities, essays, and interests connect. It is not about polishing a student into someone else. It is about helping them shape a purposeful, authentic narrative that colleges can see.
5. Test Prep and Academic Support
Mentors also help with the academic side. Support includes SAT, ACT, and AP test prep, along with guidance on tutoring and course strategy. Students get help thinking through their course load, preparing for exams, and building the study habits that carry into college.
Mentoring sessions can be “of any kind,” so a student can spend one session on essay brainstorming and the next on test strategy or time management. Mentoring categories also include executive functioning skills, sports and athletics, and service and leadership.
6. Passion Projects, Leadership, and In-Person Workshops
Colleges are looking for students who take initiative. College MAPS helps students develop, plan, and carry out passion projects, from service efforts to creative work to leadership roles that fit their interests.
The team also hosts in-person workshops in the community. They have already held a writing workshop and a Back to School program in Ponte Vedra, with more planned. Workshop topics include:
Essay writing
The Common App
Interview skills
Confidence and empowerment
Workshops are a good fit for students who want to build skills alongside others, or for families who want a taste of the program before committing to one-on-one work.
Meet the Founding Team
What sets College MAPS apart is the people behind it. The four founding members are local mothers and professionals whose careers have centered on young people, and each has walked her own children through the college process.
Karen Freedman brings a marketing background and a long record of youth development and community leadership. She has served as a director of JaxTHRIVE, a youth-led nonprofit, where she mentored teen volunteers to become confident community leaders.
Dr. Elizabeth Paul Magnano has more than 30 years of experience in education, mentoring, and healthcare. She teaches at the University of North Florida's Brooks College of Health, holds advanced degrees from Columbia University, founded the Adolescent Health Alliance, and has also served as a director of JaxTHRIVE.
Amy Maughan is a teacher, writer, editor, and certified life coach with an MFA in Creative Writing. A longtime champion of the arts for young people, she has mentored with JAX Youth Writers and helped lead local arts access programs. She helps students find their voice and explore their creative and intellectual interests.
Kate Zarczynski is an attorney turned award-winning young adult author. For more than a decade she served as Northwestern University's Alumni Admissions Coordinator in North Florida, interviewing more than 150 applicants. She now helps students craft compelling personal narratives and prepare for college interviews.
Together, they bring classroom experience, writing expertise, admissions-interview experience, and a shared commitment to local youth.
How It Works
Getting started is straightforward:
Student intake and assessment. The team learns about the student's interests, strengths, and goals.
Student and parent consultation. Families talk through priorities and questions.
Mentor matching. Your student is paired with a near-peer mentor who fits.
Sessions begin. Regular virtual meetings and progress check-ins keep everyone on track.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Whether your student is in middle school or about to start applications, early and steady support can make the college journey calmer and more meaningful. College MAPS offers a free consultation to help families find the right starting point.
Visit mycollegemaps.com to book your free consultation or learn more about mentoring, counseling, and upcoming workshops.
