About | salliebcollege

About Sallie Bryan

What I do

Sallie Bryan began her career as an educator 35 years ago when she taught pre-school and coached the Varsity Women’s Lacrosse team at the University of Colorado in Boulder. She graduated from Middlebury College with a major in Art History, minor in Psychology and a state teaching certificate and was an All-American Division 3 Lacrosse player.

Sallie received an M.A. in Art Education at the University of New Mexico and went on to become a visual arts teacher at Greens Farms Academy in Westport, CT. While there she also served as the Dean of Faculty and coached the varsity field hockey and lacrosse teams. During the summers she worked as an outdoor educator for the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) in Wyoming.

Sallie moved to California in 1999 and was one of the founding teachers for Bentley School’s high school in Lafayette where she served as the Head of the Arts Department Head and Dean of Students. In 2013 Sallie joined Tilden Preparatory School in Albany, CA and became their Head of School and College Counselor. She has worked with high school students with a wide range of unique profiles including elite athletes, students with learning differences, gifted learners, students on the autism spectrum and students dealing with personal health issues. She is the parent of two boys: both graduates of Prospect Sierra and Berkeley High School. Her sons are now attending college in Oregon and Colorado.

Mission

Offer guidance in shaping the student's academic program and extra-curricular activities to create a meaningful high school experience.

Develop the student’s and family’s goals and priorities.
Offer guidance on standardized testing.
Help students identify colleges that match their academic and extracurricular interests, and have a culture that supports their style of learning.
Help the student prepare for college visits and interviews.
Offer guidance on application strategies.
Develop an application timeline and support the student on time management.
Provide guidance on application essays from topic brainstorming through the final application.
Offer guidance on admissions decisions.

Offer guidance on gap year opportunities.

My mission is to help students take on the challenging and sometimes overwhelming college admissions process and create an empowering experience of discovering schools that are the best fit for them.

With empathy and humor I work to develop students' executive functions and self-advocacy skills and support them as they come to a better understanding of their interests, goals and ambitions.

My unique teaching background as a high school teacher, college and high school athletic coach, outdoor educator and high school administrator enabled me to connect with students at a core level and turning the stressful application experience into a rewarding one.

As a high school administrator, I’ve enjoyed working with parents and guardians in supporting their children. Parents are a vital part of the college process and can also use some TLC during this stressful time!