Stand Out With Expert Guidance in College Admissions
1000+
College
Acceptances
$25M+
Merit Aid
Earned
300+
Personal Essays Edited
1000+
Supplemental Essays Edited
College Admissions Are More Competitive Than Ever—But You Don’t Have to Navigate It Alone
Every year, college admissions get more complicated, competitive, and costly. That’s why Foundry Admissions Strategies exists.
We provide expert, step-by-step guidance that takes the stress out of the process—for both students and parents. Our approach is clear, personalized, and results-driven—leading to stronger applications, smoother family dynamics, and acceptances to colleges that truly fit your student’s goals and personality.
Less stress. More clarity. Better outcomes.
Our Priorities
YOUR
FIT
YOUR FIT
Choosing a college that provides the right "fit" is critical to having an enriching, enjoyable, and successful college experience. Working together to find this "best fit" college will be a key component in our efforts to establish and execute your college admissions strategy.
YOUR
STORY
YOUR STORY
We're experts at ensuring your personal story is adequately highlighted to admissions committees. SAT scores, GPAs, and AP courses are great, but they're only a part of the total picture. We each have unique experiences that shape our views and make us interesting. Working together, we'll ensure that your experiences and perspectives are displayed compellingly!
YOUR
WALLET
YOUR WALLET
It's no secret: college is expensive. College admissions advising doesn't need to be. Our pledge to you is that we will keep our prices as low as possible and work to ensure that whatever money is spent working with us will be returned in the form of scholarships or financial aid as a result of the admissions package we help you compile.
Guidance You Can Count On. Support You Can Trust.
Personalized 1:1 Admissions Coaching
What You’ll Receive
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Dedicated Monthly Coaching Call (60 minutes) – Dive deep into your unique goals, questions, and progress.
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Clear Action Steps After Every Session – Know exactly what to work on next.
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Unlimited Phone & Email Support – Get answers and encouragement anytime between calls.
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Shared Access to Your Personalized Planning Folder – Stay organized with everything in one place.
What We’ll Help You Create
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A tailored college list that matches your goals, interests, and admissions profile.
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A standout activities list that captures your impact and leadership.
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Polished essays that tell your story with clarity and heart.
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Common App personal statement guidance from first draft to final polish.
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A strategic, stress-reducing application game plan from now through application deadlines.
Key Areas We Focus On Together
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Building and refining a smart, balanced college list.
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Creating a clear and manageable admissions timeline.
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Making the most of college visits and info sessions.
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Staying on top of admissions trends and what colleges are really looking for.
Meet The Team
Kenny Sholes
Founder/CEO
Kenny is a husband, father, veteran, and advocate for rural America. Kenny received his BS in Economics from the US Military Academy at West Point in 2006, his Masters in Public Affairs from Princeton University in 2016, and a certificate in college admissions counseling from Columbia University's Teachers College in 2017. Over the last few years, Kenny has served as a graduate school advisor to veterans transitioning from the military, conducted admissions interviews for Princeton as a member of the Alumni Schools Committee., and continues to work with local PTSA's to bring college admissions resources and tips to as many families as possible.
Alison Carr
Essay Advisor
Alison has a Ph.D. in English Language and Literature from the University of Michigan, where she led first-year writing classes at the College of Literature, Sciences, and Arts. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a BA in English and Biology. Born and raised in Maryland, she lives in Poolesville with her family.
Alison Ross
Essay Advisor
Alison earned her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a BA in English and Creative Writing and a Masters Degree from Harvard in the Teacher Education Program. Alison is the founder of Smarty Pants DC, a boutique tutoring company that offers one-on-one and small group instruction to students in grades 4-12.
Julia Pavlick
Essay Advisor
Julia is an essay specialist and recent dual degree graduate from the University of Maryland, College Park, where she earned her B.A. in English Language, Writing, & Rhetoric. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in the field of Rhetoric/Composition to continue her passion of teaching writing at a collegiate level, as well as preparing high schoolers for college writing. In addition to her essay advising at Foundry Admissions, Julia also works as a freelance illustrator, painter, and writing consultant at UMD’s Writing Center. She has experience advising students in all avenues of writing, from research papers and literature reviews, to rhetorical analyses, to professional genres like proposals, cover letters, and more.
Mackenzie Lawrence
Essay Advisor
Mackenzie comes to Foundry Admissions with more than 20 years of proofreading, copy, substantive, and developmental editing experience. She started editing as a writing center tutor at Franklin & Marshall College, where she received her BA in English, and quickly turned that into a career in publishing and communication management. After working in publishing for several years, Mackenzie pursued her interests further and received her MS in Publication Management from Drexel University. Over the years she has worked as an editor for various publishing companies, government agencies, and even a large, international law firm. These days, Mackenzie lives in Poolesville with her husband and 4 kids, splitting her time between mommy duties and working full time as an Editor for the Department of Health and Human Services.
Maggie Martin
College Consultant
Maggie Martin received her BA in Psychology, Sociology, and Gender Studies from Kenyon College in 2000 and has enjoyed a career in education for the majority of her adult life. Her first post-graduate job was in Development at George Washington University and although it was a job chosen solely for the tuition benefits while working towards her master’s degree, she found that she enjoyed the job far more than her graduate studies. When her husband’s career moved them from DC to California, she began working for the Women’s Studies Program at UCLA, spending several years in graduate admissions and management of post-doctoral fellows. She has spent the past 5 years with MCPS, primarily as a long-term substitute and summer school teacher. She is currently completing a Specialized Certificate in College Counseling through the University of California San Diego.
Let’s Get To Work
Fill out the form below to get started. Once submitted, you’ll be directed to our booking link to schedule your free discovery call.