Christie Woodfin works with individual families who are seeking the most appropriate educational or therapeutic setting for their child. It is Ms. Woodfin’s view that there is no one perfect school, but rather that the best school for any given student is the one in which he or she will thrive. She works to direct each student to school choices which best suit the child.

Guiding families to make wise choices about their child's educational setting is a process which involves understanding the family and student well, and knowing educational institutions intimately.

To know schools well, one must see them in operation. Ms. Woodfin spends over 25% of her professional time visiting boarding, therapeutic and private day schools, as well as colleges and universities. She also attends national conferences of The Learning Disabilities Association, Small Boarding Schools Association, National Association of College Admission Counseling, National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs, and The Independent Educational Consultants Association to stay abreast of issues affecting students and their success in school.

In getting acquainted with each child and family, Ms. Woodfin meets with the family as a group, then privately interviews the student, and subsequently the parents. She observes the particular strengths, weaknesses, personal and intellectual energy, and individual obstacles that each young person brings to the educational environment. After her initial meeting with a family she carefully reviews school transcripts, teacher comments, and the results of previous testing, all of which the family provides. She also consults the student’s psychological counselor, if there is one. If additional testing is necessary, Ms. Woodfin provides the family with names of respected clinicians in their area or refers them back to their own psychologist for these measures.

After giving careful consideration to what sort of placement and which specific institutions might be most appropriate for the student, Ms. Woodfin then speaks with the secondary schools that she is weighing to informally introduce and discuss the student. After compiling a list of good choices, she meets a second time with the family and presents the options.

The family then visits the individual institutions, asks any questions that they may have, and submits applications. As the family narrows the choices, Ms. Woodfin is available to help the parents and student arrive at a final selection. If the placement is therapeutic, she maintains contact with the institution after enrollment to monitor the child's progress, to serve as an advocate for the student, and to prepare for the next placement.

College advising involves many additional steps in helping a student assess who he or she is, what college setting is best for that individual, and how to approach the logistics of making application to college.

Woodfin’s only client is the student and the student's family. Consultants neither solicit nor accept compensation from any school for placement of a client. Woodfin & Associates makes every effort, utilizing knowledge and expertise, to effect a suitable school placement. However, it does not exert undue pressure on admissions officers, and results cannot be guaranteed. Fees are payable whether or not placement is accomplished.