Mission
The College Counseling program is committed to assisting all Woodward students in reaching their full potential by helping them recognize their strengths and identifying colleges that will match their needs. Believing that students are more successful when they are happy with their college choice, the goal of the college counseling program is to help students make a good match for themselves with the college they will select to attend.
The Process
While specific discussions about college planning take place mostly in the junior and senior years, the College Counselors direct students in developing college awareness throughout their Upper School years by offering a variety of programming and learning experiences. Additionally, College Counseling involves educating parents on different colleges and current college admission procedures, standards and trends. Working closely with Upper School Grade Level Counselors, the College Counselors relate crucial college admission information so that students and their parents are well informed of the impact of academic and extra-curricular choices throughout the four-year Upper School experience on the student's college options.
It is our privilege to work with these wonderful, talented, and pleasant young people who really are the hope of the future. We also thoroughly enjoy working with such an involved and supportive parent group.
Contact Us
Main Number: 404.765.4465
Fax Number: 404.765.4469
Dr. Mary Ann Parker
Director of College Counseling
- Auburn University Advisory Board, 2007-2009
- Harvard Summer Institute on College Admissions
- Member and presenter at NACAC, SACAC, College Board and GASC
- SOAR Coordinator
- J.D. Woodrow Wilson College of Law, M.Ed. University of Georgia,
B.A. Woman’s College of Georgia - maryann.parker@woodward.edu / 404.765.4468
- At Woodward since 1991
Ms. Jodi Hester
College Counselor
- FastWeb Advisory Board 2007-present
- Georgia Foundation for Independent Colleges (GFIC), Board of Advisors 2010-present
- Task Force on Admissions in the 21st Century, College Board, 2007-present
- Georgia State University Counselor Advisory Board, 2010-present
- UGA Advisory Board, 2007-2008 Miami University Ohio Advisory Board, 2004-2006
- Member of NACAC, SACAC and College Board
- Director of College Counseling, Gonzaga College High School, Washington, DC 1995-2008
- Assistant Director of Admissions, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 1991-1995
- Assistant Director of Admissions, Grinnell College, 1989-1991
- B.A. Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA
- jodi.hester@woodward.edu / 404.765.4464
- At Woodward since 2008
Ms. Michele Davis
College Counselor
- Representative - Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools, 2007-2011
- Co-Chair, Potomac Area ACAC Counselors College Fair Committee, 2010-2011
- Harvard Summer Institute on College Admission
- Faculty Member, College Summit, 2007-2008
- Assistant Director of College Guidance, Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, Rockfield, MD, 2006-2011
- Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admission, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 2004-2006
- Assistant Director of Admission, Emory University, Goizueta Business School, Atlanta, GA, 2002-2004
- Assistant Director of Admission - System Support, Emory University, Oxford College, Oxford, GA, 2000-2002
- Member of NACAC, PCACAC and SACAC
- B.A. The University of Maryland, College Park, MD
M.A. The George Washington University, Washington, D.C. - michele.davis@woodward.edu / 404.765.4466
- At Woodward since 2011
Mrs. Pam Allen Ambler '99
College Counselor
- Member of NACAC, SACAC, College Board, and ASCA
- Member of "How Woodward Works" Class of 2012-2013
- Representative Upper School Community Council
- Harvard Summer Institute on College Admission
- Senior Admission Counselor, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 2006-2011
- Member of Capitol Hill staffs of U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss and U.S. Representative John Linder, 2003-2006
- Current Candidate for M.S. in School Counseling, Mercer University, Atlanta GA
- B.BA. University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
- pam.ambler@woodward.edu / 404.765.4467
- At Woodward since 2012
Ms. Meg Jordan
Administrative Coordinator for College Counseling
- B.S. in Psychology, University of Southern Mississippi
- Owner/CEO of a medical transcription service for 23 years
- meg.jordan@woodward.edu / 404.765.4465
- At Woodward since 2010