About Virtual College Counselors
Virtual College Counselors provides stress-free, personalized, and professional one-on-one college guidance with innovative and passionate experts from the comfort of a student’s own home. While college might be the goal, we emphasize the holistic development of a student including academic, professional, and personal growth. At our core, we believe that every student deserves an opportunity for success and happiness. Supporting and advocating for our students requires honesty, transparency, and authentic relationships with students to guide them in cultivating a sense of agency and empowering them on a journey of holistic development. As we work with students, we emphasize six major Growth Goals: Fostering Independence & Cultivating a Sense of Agency, Aligning Personal Values With Academic & Professional Goals, Promoting Critical Thinking & Creativity, Encouraging Self-Reflection, Improving Communication Skills, and Embracing Uncertainty.
Sawyer Earwood
Sawyer is a dedicated Independent Educational Consultant and Co-Founder of Virtual College Counselors, bringing over eight years of expertise in college admissions, startups, and independent educational consulting. As a first-generation college graduate, he is passionate about mentoring students toward authentic self-discovery, holistic growth, embracing authenticity, and cultivating a sense of agency throughout the college application process.
A graduate of Rhodes College with a B.A. in History-International Studies, Sawyer began his admissions career at Hendrix College as Assistant Director of Enrollment. There, he led the university's enrollment coaching program and successfully recruited students both domestically and internationally.
Sawyer is a Certified Educational Planner (CEP) and an active professional member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), Rocky Mountains Association for College Admission Counseling (RMACAC), and the College Consultants of Colorado (CCC) professional organizations. Within IECA, Sawyer has previously served on the Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) Committee, Elevating the Profession Task Force, Global Committee, and IECA’s Tech Working Group. In the past, Sawyer held membership in the Southern, Texas, and International Associations for College Admission Counseling (SACAC, TACAC, International ACAC).
In addition to Virtual College Counselors, Sawyer is a College & Career Counselor for Living Wisdom High School in Palo Alto, CA, and Windsor Charter Academy in Windsor, CO. He also contributes to the Verto Education Advisory Board, supporting initiatives in equity, access, and student success.
His dedication to guiding students through the admissions process, combined with his collaborative approach, makes him a trusted advocate for students and families navigating this pivotal journey.
Jessica Chermak
Jessica Chermak is an Independent College Counselor with over a decade of experience in academia and helping students navigate the college admissions process. She also spent four years conducting research at University of Colorado Boulder’s Institute of Behavioral Science, and the prior two years working as an Operations Research Analyst for the US Army at the TRADOC Analysis Center, in White Sands Missile Range, NM.
Jessica graduated from Chapman University with a BA in Psychology and minors in Sociology, Anthropology, English, and Honors. At Chapman, she was a research assistant in the cognitive science laboratory, studying hemisphere differences for processing emotional language. She was also a founding member of the Chancellor’s Student Advisory Board and the Honors Organizational Board of Students, and an active member in Mortarboard Honor Society and Hillel. Upon graduation, Jessica was awarded the SMART Scholarship (Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation) to attend the University of Denver for an MA in Forensic Psychology.
Jessica is a Certified Educational Planner (CEP), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), and Professional Member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA). Jessica is also a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), the Rocky Mountain Association for College Admission Counseling (RMACAC), and has served on the board of the College Consultants of Colorado (CCC). Within IECA, Jessica has served as the Chair and Vice Chair of the Business Practices Committee, and continues to be an active member of the Government Relations and Education & Training Committees. In addition to those roles, she co-hosts monthly College Conversations for IECA that focus on Engineering and Computer Science institutions and has participated in IECA’s DC Advocacy Days (which involves lobbying congressional leaders about various education-related bills and issues).
In addition to being an independent college counselor, Jessica also serves as a College & Career Counselor for Living Wisdom High School (based in Palo Alto, CA) and Windsor Charter Academy (based in Windsor, CO).
meet our Essay Specialist!
Sam Bergeron
Sam Bergeron is a writing specialist with a deep passion for authentic stories. As a writer, he attended Hampshire College in Western Massachusetts, and there followed his passions for poetry, songwriting, and the craft of storytelling. This work was ultimately showcased in a large-scale thesis project, which took the form of a memoir about growing up queer in Texas.
While in college, he was given the opportunity to speak on a panel for the Independent Educational Consultants Association about his experience as a queer student, and provide advice for counselors hoping to be more supportive of their LGBTQIA+ student populations. He also presented about protecting transgender students in the admissions process at national conferences for the National Association of College Admissions Counselors (NACAC), the Texas Association of College Admissions Counselors (TACAC), and the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA).
After graduating with a BA in Creative Writing from Hampshire College, in the pursuit of helping students around the country find their best-fit school, Sam began working for Hampshire as Assistant Director of Admissions, with the role of recruiting applicants and reviewing applications.
With both admissions experience and an expert perspective on personal writing, Sam’s expertise lies in revising admissions essays and helping students more effectively illustrate their values, life experiences, future goals, and authentic selves in their writing.
meet our intern!
Olivia Porta
Olivia Porta received her bachelor's degree in Individualized Study from New York University in May 2025. She received multiple honors, including the Founders Day and the Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Academic Excellence awards. Through NYU, she has had the opportunity to work on campus, study abroad, connect with professors, and participate in student-run organizations.
Based on her college experience, she is writing a series of articles for Virtual College Counselors to help students prepare for higher education. Olivia worked as a Student Intern for Virtual College Counselors in 2021 and is very pleased to be back in this new and exciting position. In her free time, she works on short stories, creates spreadsheets tracking shifts in the educational sphere, and feeds pigeons in Central Park. You can connect with her through LinkedIn.