Elaine Cataneo
College admissions consultant and tutor in Maplewood, New Jersey
| Hourly rate range | $150 to $225 an hour |
|---|---|
| Focus areas | |
| Works with | Students and Parents |
| Also coaches | ADHD coach |
| Based in | Maplewood, New Jersey, United States |
| Credentials | IECA Professional member |
| Practice | Elaine Cataneo, Independent Education Consultant, LLC |
Elaine Cataneo is an independent education consultant and tutor in Maplewood, New Jersey. She helps students and parents with college admissions, essays, standardized exams and executive function skills. She has worked in education for thirty years. Her students have been admitted to schools such as Amherst College, Columbia University and Dartmouth College. She has been quoted in US News and World Report and New Jersey Family.
What Elaine helps with
Elaine helps students move through the college application process and builds their personal story. She also gives academic support in core subjects and test prep.
- Writing college application essays
- Building a college list
- Choosing between ACT, SAT, test optional and test blind
- Answering individual schools' short answer questions
- Preparing for college interviews
- Building a brag sheet and resume
- Choosing between ED, EA and Rolling Regular admission
- Handling a waitlist, deferral, gap year or no offer of admission
Who Elaine works with
Elaine works with students and their parents. Her college advising plans cover juniors and seniors, and she also has plans for freshmen and sophomores. She also gives tutoring and academic support in core subjects.
How Elaine works
Elaine offers advisory plans for juniors and seniors, and separate plans for freshmen and sophomores. Session number, timing and steps are set at a first consultation, where she suggests several options based on the client's needs. She gives active, tailored feedback on applications. She also helps students build a personal narrative. She supports SCOIR, Naviance and Cialfo accounts, plus CommonApp and CoalitionApp accounts, on an ongoing basis.
Background and qualifications
Elaine has worked in education for thirty years and gives individual support to students. She is an independent education consultant and a professional member of IECA. She also works as a tutor in core subjects, standardized exams, essay writing and executive function skills. A Deputy Superintendent of Schools for District 31 in the NYC Department of Education has written a recommendation of her professional qualifications. Her work has been quoted in US News and World Report and New Jersey Family.
Elaine Cataneo pricing
Programs and services
- Junior and senior college advisory plans
- Freshman and sophomore advisory plans
- Tutoring in core subjects
- Standardized exam support
- Executive function and skills support
- Free 30 minute initial consultation
Elaine Cataneo reviews
The CoachVouch take
Elaine combines thirty years in education with tutoring and college advising, and her students have been admitted to schools such as Amherst, Columbia and Dartmouth.
Best for high school students and parents who want tailored help with applications, essays and test choices.
Common questions
How much does Elaine Cataneo charge?
Coaching with Elaine runs $150 to $225 an hour. Request an intro for an exact quote.
What does Elaine Cataneo help with?
Elaine Cataneo helps with writing college application essays, building a college list, choosing between ACT, SAT, test optional and test blind and answering individual schools' short answer questions.
Is Elaine Cataneo certified?
Elaine Cataneo lists: IECA Professional member.
Does Elaine Cataneo help students starting early in high school?
Yes. She offers advisory plans for freshmen and sophomores as well as for juniors and seniors.
Can Elaine help if a student is waitlisted or deferred?
Yes. She supports students who are waitlisted or deferred, who take a gap year, or who do not receive an offer of admission.
How do I contact Elaine Cataneo?
Request an intro on this page. It's free, and we'll connect you with Elaine and, if you want, 2 or 3 similar coaches to compare.
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Last updated September 2026. Request a correction.