As Back-To-School Excitement Builds, Connecticut Firm Builds New Structure To Advise Families On Educational Choices

WESTPORT, CT, September 08, 2012 (Press-News.org) Student athletes, children with special needs (both gifted and those with learning differences), teens at risk, and parents who dream of an Ivy League education for their son or daughter will all get "extra help" this semester, as a Connecticut-based educational consulting firm expands to respond to the needs of today's students. According to the Independent Educational Consultants Association, fewer than 50% of all students who begin college as a freshman will graduate from that same college. Families working with consultants are far more likely to find the "right" school, college or program, saving considerable time and money.

Three new partners - with specific expertise in varied areas of education - have joined Camille M. Bertram Educational Consultants, soon to be The Bertram Group, to help build synergy and collaboration, and use over 75 years of experience to help families make appropriate educational choices. For more information about the new partners, please read their biographies below.

"Getting into the right school or college is more competitive than ever before," says Founder and President Cammie Bertram, who has more than 18 years of experience advising parents on all aspects of education. "Additionally, parents are recognizing that their child may have special needs or interests - whether they are gifted, learning challenged, facing psychological issues that require a therapeutic program, or simply want to experience the opportunities offered at a boarding school. As the options for educational choices continue to change, our team has developed a personalized approach for all of our client families, supporting them in a variety of areas including college and graduate school; traditional junior, secondary and boarding schools; assisting children with learning differences; and providing options for children and young adults with behavioral or emotional issues. This new structure, with the addition of three distinguished leaders in the educational consulting arena, allows The Bertram Group to cover a full range of family educational needs."

Says Mark Sklarow Executive Director of the IECA: "Consultants are first and foremost advocates for student success. They offer unbiased help in evaluating the pros and cons of every institution, and help sort through the glut of information that can be overwhelming." For more information on The Bertram Group, please visit http://www.thebertramgroup.com.

About The Bertram Group

The Bertram Group provides consultation and expert advice for students and their families facing educational choices for college, boarding school and independent day school. The company prides itself on providing "student-driven" support for clients, working closely with each to create an individualized and unique profile. The predecessor company, Camille M. Bertram Educational Consultants, was started in 2003. The company is based in Westport, Connecticut, and has consultants located in Connecticut and Massachusetts who provide advice and services to clients around the world. Learn more about the company at http://www.thebertramgroup.com..

About The Partners

Camille M. Bertram, Founder and President

Cammie Bertram is the Founder and President of The Bertram Group, a successor firm to Camille M. Bertram Educational Consultants, which she started in 2003. For eight years prior, Cammie was a senior associate at Dunbar Educational Consultants. A Certified Educational Planner, Cammie has advised hundreds of families searching for the most appropriate academic environment for their children. Cammie has served families looking for junior and secondary boarding schools, colleges, and programs for teens and young adults at risk.

Cammie serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of the Secondary School Admission Test Board. She is a past trustee of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), where she co-chaired the Schools Committee and the Ethics Committee. She also served as secretary of the IECA Foundation Board. Cammie holds a BA degree from The University of Pennsylvania. She can be reached at cammie@thebertramgroup.com.

Audrey Noyes Ludemann, Principal: Independent Day, Junior and Secondary Boarding School Advisor.

Audrey has worked in the field of education for 25 years: first as a teacher in independent day schools and then as an educational consultant. She works with elementary and secondary school age students who possess wide ranges of talents and abilities. Emphasizing the concept of 'fit', Audrey's goal is to help identify schools that are the best academic, cultural and extracurricular match for each individual. Audrey is a graduate of The Madeira School and Sarah Lawrence College, and has a Master's degree in Education from the University of Bridgeport. She currently serves on the Board of IECA. Audrey can be reached at audrey@thebertramgroup.com.

Holly McGlennon Treat, Principal: Independent Day, Junior and Secondary Boarding School Advisor.

Holly has been involved with independent schools since 1991 in a variety of roles. Before becoming an educational consultant in 2003, Holly served as the Director of Secondary School Advising at the Indian Mountain School and the Director of Admission and Dean of Students at The Ethel Walker School. She has also worked as the Associate Director of Admission at both Miss Porter's School and Miss Hall's School. Holly has a Master's Degree in Education from Harvard University, and she is a graduate of Bowdoin College and Middlesex School. Her professional objective is to match the academic, extra-curricular and social/emotional needs of each student with the optimum learning environment in order to maximize his or her potential. She can be reached at holly@thebertramgroup.com.

Jeremy D. McGeorge, Principal: Special Needs Advisory Services, including children, teens and young adults at risk.

Jeremy brings over 15 years of experience in admissions, development, and therapeutic treatment to families with at-risk youth. Jeremy has served clients around the world, bringing a broad understanding of the process of guiding those families through the complex spectrum of programs available to them. His extensive clinical background began in the deserts of Utah and Arizona working for Aspen Achievement Academy and Adventure Discovery. He then served as a member of Academy at Swift River's team to construct and manage wilderness intervention programs and study-abroad opportunities. Jeremy joined Camille M. Bertram Educational Consultants in 2009 after serving as Director of Admission at King George School. Jeremy's broad experience and clinical expertise provides a unique and empathetic approach to teens and young adults at-risk as they seek to find new family harmony and growth. He can be reached at jeremy@thebertramgroup.com.