Our Mission

My College Planning Journey:
A Personal Story

My college planning journey stared back in high school, when I enrolled in to a class called “College Prep.” The class taught me how to prepare for college. As an ambitious African-American teenager from Niagara Falls, I was determined to go to college. Not sure where to start, I met with my school counselor. He recommended I enroll at Niagara County Community College (NCCC), complete the basic introductory course requirements, and then transfer to a four-year college. His recommendation made sense, because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to major in or how I was going to pay for college.

During my freshman year at Niagara County Community College, I accepted a work-study job in the Admission’s Office. My job duties included leading campus tours, assisting with open house events, and helping prospective students and their parents navigate the college application process. I also took advantage of internship opportunities in the college’s public relations and community education offices. The skills I learned from my work-study job and internships were invaluable. As I walked across the NCCC Fine Arts auditorium stage to receive my degree, I thought how lucky I was to have accomplished so much! I consider the years I spent at NCCC as the cornerstones of my personal and professional achievements.

With an Associate in Communications and Media Arts degree under my belt, I transferred to the State University of New York College at Fredonia to pursue a bachelor’s degree. Over the next two-years at SUNY Fredonia, I earned a B.S. in English with a minor in Public Relations and graduated from college 99% debt-free!

After graduating from SUNY Fredonia, I returned to NCCC not as a student but as a full-time admissions counselor. The NCCC admissions job launched my career as a student affairs professional.

In 2007, I launched Booker College Planning, a New York State Certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE). Since starting the business, I have worked with hundreds of students and parents, as well as local school districts and organizations.

My extensive professional college planning background includes both the public and private sectors:

• Former Associate Director of Graduate Admission at D’Youville University, Buffalo NY
• Former Academic Counselor for the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) at SUNY Buffalo State University
• Former Assistant Director / International Admissions Counselor at Oglethorpe University, Atlanta, GA
• Former Academic Counselor for the Upward Bound Program at the University at Buffalo
• Former Admissions Counselor at Alfred State College, Alfred, NY
• Former Admissions Counselor at Niagara County Community College (NCCC)

My educational background include:

• State University of New York (SUNY) Buffalo State University – Buffalo, NY
  Master of Science, Student Personnel Administration
  
  
• State University of New York at Fredonia – Fredonia, NY
  Bachelor of Arts, English with Public Relations Minor
  
  
• Niagara County Community College – Sanborn, NY
  Associate of Science, Communications and Media Arts
  
  

My professional memberships include:

• National Association of College Admission Counseling (NACAC)
• New York State Association of College Admission Counseling (NYSACAC)

I continually stay at the forefront of current and innovative trends, and attend professional development workshops, which help my clients in their college planning journey.

As a testament to my college planning services, current and former clients have stated that my personable and easy-going approach were key factors that attracted them to my business.

I look forward to guiding future students and parents through the college planning and application process!

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