MEET SONYA DUVAL
She is equipped with knowledge, experience, and a passion for student success...............
Trained and experienced counselor with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology and Masters of Education Degree in Counselor Education from Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL.
Has counseling experience with middle and high school students and their families.
Has over twelve years of experience working with high school students and their families as a guidance counselor at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Parkland, FL; John I. Leonard High School, Greenacres, FL; Virtual School Counselor at Florida Virtual School (FLVS Coverage area: Nine Florida Southeastern Counties spanning from Palm Beach County up to Brevard County, FL). Was awarded the 2010-2011 High School Counselor of the Year Award for the School District of Palm Beach County.
Has five years of NCAA training, high school sports recruiting and counseling high school student-athletes/families on academics and NCAA Registration, Eligibility Rules and Compliance for Div. 1 and Div. 2 universities.
Has helped hundreds of students with the college admissions process during the span of a 13 year career as a high school guidance counselor.
Achievement Matters College Admissions Consulting
In 2014, Achievement Matters College Admissions Consulting, LLC was launched due to Sonya's genuine desire to help students achieve their goal of attending college. Starting with a belief that everyone can achieve their dreams, Sonya has made a personal and professional commitment to helping make student’s educational dreams come true. Her belief that all people have the potential for success has been the guiding principle behind her career for the past fourteen years. Prior to embarking on her journey to become an Independent Educational Consultant, she served as a professional school counselor at John I. Leonard High School in Palm Beach County, Florida; Florida Virtual School (Virtual School Counselor for the Southeast portion of the state of Florida) and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Broward County, Florida. As a school counselor, she gained a wealth of knowledge through general student advisement and by serving in the capacities of 504 Liaison, Scholarship Coordinator, and NCAA Student Athlete Liaison (counseling high school student-athletes who desired to attend college, working with high school and college coaches).
Sonya believes in the importance of education and how it can transform lives. She also values the opportunity to work directly with students and their families. Among the most important skills that she brings to her career is her ability to listen with genuine interest/concern and connect with sincere empathy. She is personally rewarded every time a student finds a solution to an educational or personal problem that hinders their progress. Ultimately, she is a counselor that loves to see dreams and goals become reality. As a Independent Educational Consultant, Sonya not only works privately with students, but spends a great amount of time touring colleges/universities and researching current college trends in order to advise and empower her students/families with the most current information regarding the college admissions process, scholarships and student financial aid.
Sonya earned her Masters of Education degree in Counselor Education and her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Florida A&M University. She also took Independent Educational Consultant courses at the University of California, Irvine and is an Associate Member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association.