Sherry S. Andrews
College Consultant
Testimonials
Mrs. Andrews has worked with thousands of students, who she says "are each amazing individuals." Her job is never to create but to hone in on each student's strengths, uniqueness, and talents, always giving each student their own voice through the applications and essays affording college and university admissions, scholarship organizations, and NCAA coaches a visual story of the student. A student's first introduction to any of these individuals is on paper, so it is imperative that they meet the whole person and mentally picture each student attending their college, receiving their scholarship, or playing on their team. She knows and understands the intricacies of this process so well that the entire process becomes a most rewarding experience for the student and families involved.
Please read the stories below from students, parents, and colleagues...
Mackenzie Blum
North Carolina State University Class of 2015
Park Scholar Class of 2015
"My experiences with Mrs. Andrews have always been wonderful. In all aspects of the college planning process, she went above and beyond to help me. When I was applying to colleges, she read through countless essays editing and providing feedback and encouragement. Additionally, Mrs. Andrews supported me as I applied for scholarships and upon reaching the semi-finalist rounds of the North Carolina State University’s Park Scholarship application process and the University of North Carolina’s Morehead application process began to intensely prepare me for the upcoming interviews. Having gathered questions from years past she had me prepped to answer anything and everything that could come my way. She tirelessly set up multiple mock interviews so that I would be more comfortable in the real interview. Most importantly, Mrs. Andrews impressed upon me to be myself and let happen whatever was meant to be. She was available to me at all hours communicating in any way that was necessary. Her support gave me the confidence I needed to be myself and enjoy both the college application process as well as the scholarship process."
"With Mrs. Andrews’ assistance and expertise, I became part of the NC State University’s Class of 2015 as well as the Park Scholarship’s Class of 2015. I am a rising Junior in Biological and Agricultural engineering and have enjoyed every minute of my college experience thus far. Mrs. Andrews’ advice and words of wisdom continue to stick with me and apply to so many different circumstances. She quickly became more than a counselor to me. She is a mentor, role model, and a dear friend, who I will remain in contact with for years to come."
Mackenzie Blum
Parent's of: Mackenzie Blum
North Carolina State University Class of 2015
Park Scholar Class of 2015
"Our experience with Sherry Andrews has been fantastic! Her knowledge and expertise in assisting our daughter, Mackenzie, with her college and scholarship applications made a huge impact in her life."
"Mrs. Andrews assisted Mackenzie with her course selection during high school and then encouraged her with applying to schools that met the strengths and qualities that she possessed. Mrs. Andrews helped Mackenzie feel confident during this process and went above and beyond what many counselors typically do. She would provide automatic feedback to Mackenzie’s questions and essay drafts no matter what time of the day. After Mackenzie was selected as a North Carolina State University Park and University of North Carolina Morehead semifinalist, Mrs. Andrews organized mock interviews for her and the other students from the high school to prepare them for the rigors of a prestigious scholarship committee. I quickly discovered that her insight, knowledge, and adivce in this processs was immeasuralble. As we practiced with provided interview questions at home, we were amazed at the depth of Mackenzie’s answers, her composure and the confidence she displayed. We knew that no matter what the outcome, Mackenzie had been prepared in such a way that would benefit her not only for these interviews but for other opportunities in her life as well."
"Sherry Andrews has become a trusted mentor to Mackenzie who is now a junior at North Carolina State University and a member of the 2015 Park Scholarship class and a dear friend to our family. She is the edge that will be a difference maker to any student with whom she works."
Charles and Jill Blum
Nikki Roscoe
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Class of 2014
Morehead Cain Scholar Class of 2014
"While the literal process of applying for college begins Senior year, the three years that precede it are equally important. Mrs. Andrews understood I wanted to attend a competitive college, and starting freshman year, she assured that I took challenging classes and made the most of my secondary education. This effort was most recognizable in my Junior year, when I needed to be taking AP classes. The small, rural school I attended did not offer a breadth of AP classes, but Mrs. Andrews provided the option of enrolling in AP online classes through North Carolina Virtual Public School. By my senior year, I had completed 3 online AP classes to supplement my high school educational experience. In doing this, Mrs. Andrews ensured I would be a competitive college applicant."
"My Senior Year, I was fortunate enough to be in the running for several academic scholarships. The application and interview process for these programs were overwhelming and daunting for me, but not for Mrs. Andrews. With a wealth of knowledge and experience, Mrs. Andrews knew my essays and interviews needed to describe more than what I had done, and challenged me to tell stories highlighting who I was through my actions. This, complemented with the advice she had given on what to expect when going into the interview (i.e. How to engage each person if there are six interviewers!), gave me great confidence that empowered me to present my true and best self throughout the process. I am truly grateful for the time and effort Mrs. Andrews dedicated to me throughout my four years of high school, but especially for her guidance in my Senior Year."
Nikki Roscoe
Parent's of: Nikki Roscoe
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Class of 2014
Morehead Cain Scholar Class of 2014
"We simply cannot thank Mrs. Andrews enough for her navigation and care shown to our daughter Nikki throughout the scholarship process. Our daughter enjoyed a special relationship working with Mrs. Andrews. While we are so proud of Nikki and believe she is amazing, we honestly believe Mrs. Andrews’ skill and experience through the process was instrumental in Nikki's success. After working with Ms. Andrews, Nikki was able to enjoy the confidence to freely express herself both in the written essays and the personal interviews. "
"Nikki’s remarkable success in the scholarship process was particularly rare considering she attended a very small public high school. Now, she is experiencing opportunities that otherwise would never have been available. She has such an outward seeking spirit that will now have the chance to flourish; an opportunity we would not have been able to provide. Mrs. Andrews makes a real difference in young people’s lives."
Jeff and Sandra Roscoe
Randi Jo (Kivett) Cheafsky
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Class of 2004
Morehead Scholar Class of 2004
"During my high school career, I was extremely fortunate to have access to someone with as much passion and talent as my guidance counselor, Mrs. Sherry Andrews. She proved to be an extraordinary counselor, advisor, coach and mentor. Her knowledge and experience in guiding students through college admission and scholarship application processes is unmatched."
"When I became Chatham Central’s nominee for both the Park and Morehead (now Morehead-Cain) scholarships at NC State and UNC-Chapel Hill respectively, Mrs. Andrews became my personal coach and cheerleader. She spent hours with me discussing my decisions on topic choices for essays, and she recruited teachers to serve on panels for mock interviews among many other things. This preparation gave me the confidence I needed to really shine throughout the scholarship selection processes."
"Ultimately, I was offered the Morehead scholarship and eventually the Park scholarship. I graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill as a prestigious Morehead Scholar in 2004. The experiences and network that I have had as a result of the Morehead scholarship has changed my life. As a result, I continue to benefit both personally and professionally nearly ten years later."
"Today, I call Mrs. Andrews a dear friend, and I am still in touch with her and her family frequently. She has a way of leaving a mark on her students, and any student that has an opportunity to work with her is tremendously privileged."
Randi Jo (Kivett) Cheafsky
Sara Rebecca (Becky) Lee, NBCT
Currently: Spanish teacher at Woods Charter School
Chapel Hill, NC
Past: Retired Spanish teacher Chatham County Schools
Pittsboro, NC
"I am a fellow educator of Sherry Andrews and have known her for over thirty years. I have taught Spanish for thirty-eight years and have National Board Certification. Sherry taught English and social studies a year at Northwood High School (1984-84), where I taught for thirty years. Her mother was an administrative assistant in the counseling department at Northwood. Sherry comes from a family of educators and has aspired since childhood to be a teacher. Her father served on the Chatham County Board of Education for more than twenty years and both her children are teachers."
"I also had the opportunity to work with Sherry at Chatham Central High School after I retired and filled in for a semester for the Spanish teacher who retired in January 2009. We re-connected recently when she retired from Lee County Schools and explored options at Woods Charter School, where I presently teach part time."
"Throughout my career in Chatham County, I heard amazing stories about how Sherry helped students at Chatham Central High School through the college process and also attain numerous scholarships. Students at the smallest, most rural school in the county were awarded Morehead-Cain (formerly the Morehead) and Parks scholars. In the thirty years I was at Northwood, we had three Morehead scholars. In the twenty-four years Sherry was at Chatham Central, there were ten Morehead-Cain scholars and fifteen Parks scholars!"
"The first Morehead scholar we had at Northwood many years ago was in a Saturday SAT prep course with Sherry. She recognized that he had a wide vocabulary and called the Northwood guidance department to say she thought Dennis was a candidate for the Morehead. Our guidance department seemed surprised but under Sherry’s tutelage, Dennis did receive the prestigious scholarship!"
"Sherry has the ability to coach students through college and scholarship applications, interviews, financial aid advice and athletic scholarships. Both her own children played sports and received academic scholarships. While at Woods, our athletic director was impressed with Sherry’s familiarity with the NCAA and its process."
"Sherry has unusual talents and skills when it comes to coaching students to achieve their life goals. I would enlist her aide without hesitation to assist my students or my own children."
Becky Lee
Parents of: Trey Cobb
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Class of 2017
"Mrs. Sherry Andrews is an awesome coach! She took a vested interest in our son, Trey Cobb, supporting him during the college application and scholarship application processes his senior year in high school. She took the extra effort to know our son and his strengths. It was obvious that she sincerely cared about him as a person. Mrs. Andrews gave Trey great feedback so he could incorporate the changes in his applications, learning more about himself all along the way. Not only did Mrs. Andrews coach him to complete highly competitive scholarship applications, she increased his confidence, especially prior to his interviews. He was a recipient of the William Louis Poteat Scholarship at Wake Forest University, a semifinalist for the Park Scholarship at North Carolina State University and a high school winner of the Wendy's High School Heisman Award. He was also the recipient of two scholarships at his high school."
"Mrs. Andrews has natural talent for coaching people to be the best they can be and preparing them for interviews. She helps them learn who they are and what they want and could be in life. I remember her telling Trey to focus on what was important to him while “being himself.” Her philosophy is to bring out the best in each person…and she does just that! We saw our son thrive while working with Mrs. Andrews. She encouraged him to work hard on his scholarship applications and to reach his goals in life. Our son will be attending UNC-Chapel Hill this fall and, thanks to Mrs. Andrews, he will walk on campus with great confidence!"
Jerry and Sarah Cobb
Savannah Wicker & Richard Wicker (Brother & Sister)
Richard is a sophomore at North Carolina State University Class of 2016
Savannah is a freshman at Meredith College Class of 2017 and a Merit Award Winner
"My name is Savannah Wicker and my brother, Richard, and I were fortunate to have been able to work with Sherry Andrews when applying for college. In addition to the college application process, she individually worked with us on our test taking skills. Neither of us was aware of the fact that there is a definite strategy to taking the SAT and ACT, and she was able to fully enlighten us on many of these strategies. My brother and I both have issues with time constraints of each test, and Mrs. Andrews was able to show us how to best utilize our time while taking these tests through various skills. For example, she was able to point out certain verbiage in questions that might be a signal to skip a question, what order in which to take the test, and simply how to attack each type of test within the whole test. The ACT and the SAT are scored differently so we were able to learn different strategies for the respective tests. We are both thankful for the wisdom she shared."
Savannah & Richard Wicker
Parent of: Savannah & Richard Wicker
Richard is a sophomore at North Carolina State University Class of 2016
Savannah is a freshman at Meredith College Class of 2017 and a Merit Award Winner
"My name is Lygia Wicker, and I have had the pleasure to work with Sherry Andrews as a teacher and as a parent. Her insightful leadership in the Lee County High School guidance department has helped countless students to reach their goals. Her experience, passion, and network of professionals offers students a valuable resource when planning their post secondary educational plans. Ms. Andrews works with all types of students and manages to develop a positive rapport with students, which in turn, helps to contribute to their success."
"As a parent, I have seen first hand how the help of a professional such as Ms. Andrews, can affect the outcome of college preparation. I have two children who greatly benefited from the help of Ms. Andrews. My children were taught test taking skills which helped them to improve their ACT and SAT scores. Upon Ms. Andrews' recommendation, my son concentrated his efforts on ACT preparation and my daughter concentrated her efforts on SAT preparation. With this direction, each child was able to focus on the test that allowed them to be successful. Both children attended individual tutoring sessions and were able to increase their scores by over one hundred points. Because of the competitiveness of college entry, this outcome was important in securing their admission to college. My son will be a rising sophomore at North Carolina State University and my daughter will be a freshman at Meredith College. Her assistance in navigating the planning and application process was invaluable for me and for my children. We will be forever indebted to Ms. Andrews for her help."
Lygia Wicker
Parents of: Randi Jo and Seth Kivett
Randi Jo a graduate of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2004 & Morehead Scholar Class of 2004
Seth a graduate from UNC at Pembroke in 2011 and Played Baseball for UNC-P
"My name is Sherry Kivett, and I can tell you first hand how Sherry works with students. I had the privilege of being her secretary at Chatham Central High School for a number of years. I have always been amazed at the knowledge she possesses and how passionate she is with students assisting and helping them reach their highest educational goals. This work ethic is not just a job to her. I know in my heart that God put her in this position to help students. It is just one of her many talents."
"We as the parents of (Randi Jo and Seth) cannot thank her enough for all the hours she put into our children’s lives. I know she touched them in ways she probably will never realize. All the guidance, honesty, and knowledge she gave them was amazing and most bendficial to their educational success. I know if either one of my children had a question today about education, Sherry Andrews would be the first person they would call."
"We know how fortunate we were to have her as the Guidance Counselor at Chatham Central High School for twenty-four years. (I hope she is still doing this type of work when our grandson is in high school.)"
Randy and Sherry Kivett
Antonio McBroom
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Class of 2008
Morehead Scholar Class of 2008
"I was very fortunate to have Mrs. Andrews as my high school counselor. She really helped me channel my interests and passions in a way that developed me into a better scholar and citizen. Her guidance and insight led me into several ‘game changing’ opportunities, such as attending the Hugh O’Brien Leadership Seminar (HOBY) as a sophomore, Governor’s School as a junior, enrolling in Fastweb as a freshman which led to me receiving scholarships as early as my 10th grade year."
"Additionally, she guided me through the process of being a change agent in my school. She encouraged me to pursue leadership opportunities, helped me establish the first philanthropy club at my school, and also coached me throughout the years on how to balance all of this with a rigorous academic schedule and multiple sports."
"With Mrs. Andrews' assistance with college and scholarship applications, interview preparation, and the decision making process, I was blessed to have earned the Morehead and Pogue Scholarships to UNC Chapel Hill, the Park and Caldwell Scholarships to NC State University, the Coca-Cola Scholarship Foundation Merit Award, and the Discover Card Tribute Award. My total amount of scholarships earned in High School was close to $300,000; and without Mrs. Andrews' expertise in college preparation, it is likely I would have had less than 1/3 of that money."
"My entire family’s trajectory changed because of the commitment and dedication showed to us while I was in high school. College was not affordable for me growing up, and I had family responsibilities from a young age that made school even more impractical. Because I was able to attend school with full merit scholarships and some, I was not only able to help my family out, I was actually able to save money while I was in college which led to me buying my own Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Shop before I even graduated college."
"Mrs. Andrews is still extremely helpful in my pursuits to this day. Math comes much easier for me than writing, so Mrs. Andrews still takes time to proofread and fine tune business proposals and plans anytime I ask. Our friendship will last a lifetime!"
Trey Cobb
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Class of 2017
William Louis Poteat Scholarship (Wake Forest University)
Semifinalist Park Scholarship (North Carolina State University)
"During the fall of my senior year, I am uncertain how I would have made it through the college/scholarship application and interview processes without the support from Mrs. Andrews. Beginning with our first meeting, she continuously emphasized my strengths and what I had to be proud of as an applicant. This aspect was crucial when writing essays and interviewing, for it provided me with profound confidence. Her time and dedication during our coaching sessions were invaluable. From early morning editing to late night text messages of encouragement, Mrs. Andrews was constantly making it her job to squeeze the full potential out of me. As expected, our sessions were a lot of hard work; however, they were also quite enjoyable, especially some of the practice interviews."
"With Mrs. Andrews’ support, I was selected as a semifinalist for the Park Scholarship at North Carolina State University. In addition, I was accepted at all of the universities that I applied: Wake Forest University, North Carolina State University, as well as The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where I am a member of the Class of 2017. I am so thankful to Mrs. Andrews for all of her advice, hard work, and encouragement through the application process."
"Mrs. Andrews has the natural ability to bring out the best in people. She sincerely cares and follows up with her students after each application submission or interview. She is a great coach/mentor that I feel comfortable calling in the future if/when I need assistance with school or job applications and interviews. I highly recommend Mrs. Andrews to anyone who wants to have options and maximize their potential in life."
Dax Varkey
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Class of 2007
Morehead Scholar Class of 2007
Graduated UNC - Chapel Hill Masters of Public Health 2010 and MD in 2011
"Mrs. Andrews was integral to my success in high school. She took time to carefully listen to my aspirations and craft a specific plan for my time in high school that would help achieve my goals and become a competitive college applicant."
"Mrs. Andrews expertly guided me through the process of selecting classes each year, helping me choose classes that would strengthen my resume. She used her experience with various schools to set goals for GPA and SAT scores that would keep me competitive. Mrs. Andrews even provided me resources to help me study and practice for the SAT."
"Additionally, Mrs. Andrews mentored me through the competitive process of obtaining scholarships to pay for college. She spent hours meeting with me, reviewing essay topics, and editing applications helping me maximize my chances of receiving a scholarship. She even helped me prepare for the grueling interview process with mock interviews. Her work not only made me a competitive candidate for college admittance and scholarships, but gave me a foundation to build on for future interviews for medical school and eventually a job as a physician."
"Preparation for college can be an anxiety provoking process for both students and parents. Without someone with expertise and experience guiding the process, a student could easily fall behind. Mrs. Andrews is an amazing teacher and mentor, and it is in large part due to her help that I achieved all my academic goals in high school."
Dax Varkey
Tracy McNeill
Currently a Parent and Lee County High School Teacher
Colleague of Mrs. Andrews
"Sherry Andrews was an outstanding colleague and the driving force behind our guidance departments’ success at Lee County High School during her tenure. I worked daily with Mrs. Andrews and saw firsthand her vast wealth of knowledge. Sherry helped countless students prepare for college by working individually with testing strategies for the SAT and ACT, helping students with their college essays and the filling out of college applications, tailoring students’ schedules to help them achieve their college goals and making sure that athletes had all required items for college admissions. Sherry would spend countless hours working with our students and their parents to help them achieve their goals. I witnessed countless planning sessions between Mrs. Andrews and students at LCHS. As a parent of a rising junior at LCHS, I plan to have Mrs. Andrews help my son prepare for both the SAT and ACT, as well as, help us with his college applications. In the past two years, Mrs. Andrews has already helped us to make a high school plan that will help my son achieve his dream of attending NC State and becoming a chemical engineer. Speaking from experience your child will not be in better hands."
Tracy McNeill
Eric Taylor
North Carolina State University Class of 2006
Caldwell Scholar Class of 2006
"Mrs. Andrews served as my counselor and advisor during my entire four years at Chatham Central High School. Her guidance provided me with the necessary tools to be successful in high school and through my years as an engineering student at North Carolina State University. More than a counselor, Mrs. Andrews was a mentor who proved to be an inspiration for my career path today."
"From day one at CCHS, Mrs. Andrews set my course curriculum to challenge me and allow me the opportunity to reach my greatest potential intellectually. She pushed me to be the best student possible and; as a result, I graduated at the top of my high school class. However, just being a good well rounded and academically strong high school student wasn't enough, because Mrs. Andrews continued to take a special interest in the success of her students during their college years and beyond."
"Additionally, Mrs. Andrews helped to critique my college applications and scholarship essays. Most importantly, she helped me thoroughly prepare for interviews by conducting multiple mock interview sessions. With her influence and expertise, I became a finalist for the Park Scholarship and earned a position in the distinguished Caldwell Fellows program at NCSU."
"Mrs. Andrews is very skilled at setting students on a path of success. She has a proven track record that includes accomplished students who are currently attending or have graduated from top universities and earned prominent scholarships. With the guidance of Mrs. Andrews, there is no doubt your student can achieve the educational goals they have planned for their future."
Eric Taylor
