Elite Access, Genuine Fit
College & Private School Counseling in NYC
The Baly Group offers expert K–12 and college admissions counseling rooted in 25 years inside Manhattan's most competitive independent schools. We help students find the school where they will genuinely thrive — not only the school with the highest name recognition.
What we do…
College Counseling
From mentoring freshmen and sophomores to junior year strategy through final application submission. We help students build a balanced and realistic, yet ambitious college list, craft compelling college essays, prepare for interviews, and navigate the decisions that come after acceptances arrive. Paul and his team have placed students at universities across the country — from selective liberal arts colleges to large research universities.
K-12 Private School Placement
Navigating Manhattan's independent school landscape is a full-time undertaking. We guide families through the admissions process for day schools, boarding schools, and specialized programs — from initial school research, to ISEE and SSAT test prep, to application support and through offer decisions. Our team has worked inside these schools, sat on their admissions committees, developed relationships with admissions directors, and placed students at many of New York City's most competitive programs.
Tutoring
Our affiliate tutoring program connects students with credentialed subject specialists across all K–12 grade levels. Whether reinforcing foundational skills, preparing for standardized tests, or accelerating ahead of a competitive application, our tutors are matched to each student's specific needs.
Most families come to us asking "how do we get into the best school?" We start with a different question: “when is your child at their best?” And we help them get accepted at the school that best fits them.
The best school on a ranked list and the right school for your child are rarely the same thing. When a student lands in an environment that genuinely matches their learning style, interests, and pace — academically, socially, and personally — the outcomes are measurably different. They engage differently. They contribute differently. They grow.
We call this the two-way fit: a match that works for the student and for the school. Every family we work with leaves with a list of schools where their child has a real chance of being the right kind of student for that community. And we have evidence to prove it. Our students repeatedly gain admissions to reach schools because they presented a compelling narrative of who they are.
Our Philosophy: The Two Way Fit
What We Mean by the Two Way Fit….
25+
Years inside NYC
independent schools
4
Expert counselors
with school-side experience
K-12
Guidance from
kindergarten through college
NYC
Manhattan-based, serving families citywide and beyond
Ready to start? Let’s Talk
Most families come to us in the middle of a process that feels more complicated than it should be. We are happy to get on a call, hear where you are, and tell you honestly whether we are the right fit.