BUILD 1 S.E.L.F.
S - Strategic
E - Engagement of one’s
L - Life
F - Forever
We believe YOU must...
- Create a vision of personal success, dream BIG, and take some risks
- Invest time in understanding your personal and career interests and passions
- Create and put into action, a personalized plan to achieve your personal, college, and career goals
Why BUILD 1 S.E.L.F.?
With so many educational and career paths, it is essential to match students with the right opportunities that will help them reach their full potential.
The BUILD 1 S.E.L.F. team has the expertise and resources needed to advise students and parents through each step of the K-12 educational journey, college admissions, and career planning process. We will set student strategies, goals, and timelines to help reduce stress so parents, as well as students, will have peace of mind knowing they have a supportive and capable team to propel them forward.
The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.
Satisfied Clients
My experience with Nicole Stokes’ services has been remarkable. As a single parent of one child, I was unfamiliar with the ins and outs associated with educational and career planning. Nicole has spent countless hours of dedicated, concentrated and intentional research, and implementation to help secure resources and partnerships for my son. As a family, we have been supported, educated about processes and programs, as well as personally advised well beyond the description of her services to ensure our success.
I’m a more thorough parent because of Nicole’s expertise and a more knowledgeable parent as a result of her connections and drive for excellence in her field. I would encourage anyone looking for a competent, reliable educational and career planner to consider her business…it’s well worth the investment of time and finances.
I was overwhelmed, but Nicole was able to calm my nerves and review my son’s college award letter and quickly point out and identify preventable charges. She aligned me with strategy questions to ask the school about scholarships and loans based on his award letter. Not only am I grateful for her skills, but for providing me with the right questions to ask. Thanks for the second pair of eyes.
Partnering with Nicole Stokes was a winning decision for our family. She gave us a blueprint to stay on track during the important task of college planning. Nicole has a passion for getting results and helping people achieve success. Ultimately, our family benefited from her services.
College Acceptances
Partial list of colleges
Meet Your College and Career Strategist
Nicole Stokes provides personalized educational planning, college admission advising, scholarship application support, and career planning that aligns with her client’s individual goals, interests, and academic experiences. Nicole devotes her life to helping others reach their fullest potential.
With nearly ten years of experience preparing students for college and career, Nicole has helped hundreds of students gain undergraduate and graduate admission to private, public, and Ivy League universities and admission to exclusive Honors Colleges. In addition, her students have earned full-ride scholarships, merit-based awards, and Honors College scholarships near a total of one million dollars.
Apart from being a private advisor, Nicole is an experienced Human Resources professional and Career Development Advisor. She holds a college admissions certificate from the Michigan College Access Network and a Career Development Facilitator certificate from the National Career Development Association. In addition, Nicole holds a Bachelor’s degree in Community Service and Development from Siena Heights University.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between a guidance counselor and an educational and career advisor?
Guidance counselors are charged with servicing hundreds of students, which makes it difficult to provide consistent, individualized service. For instance, a recent study published by the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that Michigan’s student/counselor ratio is 717 students to 1 counselor. The national average is 407 students to one counselor. Additionally, a recent survey conducted by the Joyce Ivy Foundation indicated that Michigan counselors spend only 22% of their time guiding students in college admissions.
As an educational advisor, we devote time to working closely with students and families, to help them understand current college admissions and career planning trends and best practices. More specifically, we help students understand their capabilities, strengths, and opportunities for growth. With guidance and support from parents, teachers, and their counselor, we help students put forth their best effort in the college admissions, scholarship application, and career exploration process.
How would Nicole Stokes help my student with meeting goals and deadlines?
Nicole will develop a personalized strategy and action plan, detailed deadline schedule, and regular communication with both students and parents to make sure your student is aware of their responsibilities and stay on track. Nicole uses a project management software, which includes goal achievement and task tracking. Students and parents receive reminders and task updates (via text, SMS and email). Students find that working with Nicole saves them time and breaks up the overwhelming process into manageable pieces that fit into a busy schedule.
When is the right time to begin my student's college and career action plan with Nicole Stokes or another member of our team?
Our team works with students throughout their elementary, middle and high school years. Starting early allows you to plan efficiently for college and career with private educational consulting. Nicole also advises students who need immediate support in their junior or senior year, which can be overwhelming.