Best Choice guides help parents find the best options for their children if they are struggling academically, socially, behaviorally or otherwise. – educational consultants and therapeutic boarding schools.

Our Guides

Our Guides help parents and guardians find the best options for their children if they are struggling academically, socially, behaviorally or otherwise. We have a real understanding of the challenges our youth face today and have developed a very sincere and genuine passion for helping both children and their parents. We have worked within such programs and we visit them regularly.

It is through our firsthand experiences and involvement in these schools that we remain dedicated to the ever growing need for boarding school and therapeutic programs. We listen to the parents and assess their child’s behaviors, grades and needs. There are so many different options available today it can become overwhelming for parents, which is why we are here to help! We understand their need to narrow down the abundance of choices.

When parents call us; we will listen, assess, direct and assist. We will spend as much as time as necessary answering a parent’s questions and giving them as much information as needed in order for them to have complete peace of mind during this process. We know how difficult this situation can be, especially for teens who have been expelled or have other behavioral or academic problems. Our knowledge, experience and understanding is the key to matching a child’s needs to exactly the right program or school. Finding a place that offers the proper academics, treatment (if needed), location, cost and length of stay can be solved with one simple phone call from parents, instead of dozens and dozens.

Meet Our Placement Guides

Scott SmithScott Smith — Director
Scott was for nearly a decade the Admissions Director of a large boarding school for troubled teens. Today, he leads the BCN team, visits schools across the nation, and also works with parents to help them find the right program the first time, and within the family’s budget.
tara-akersTara Akers — Senior Placement Specialist
Tara Akers worked as the Admissions Director of a large midwestern boarding school. Before that, she was employed by a firm that provided consulting and marketing services for various schools throughout the nation. She enjoys helping parents find the right program or school.
kaitlyn freyKaitlyn Frey — Placement Specialist
Kaitlyn worked with the admissions department of  a large boarding school for troubled teens for several years. She loves giving parents hope that there is something out there to help their teenager, no matter the situation!
Lisa Johnson — Placement Assistant
Lisa Johnson has several years experience helping out families that are in need, including serving as a Deputy Public Administrator . Lisa loves helping families find hope and encouragement for their families in their time of need. She loves enjoying the outdoors with her family!
heatherHeather — Placement Assistant
Heather is a mom of six children. She worked with her husband in a boarding school for troubled teens for five years, so she has seen first-hand the success stories of kids and courage of parents. Heather’s two sons-in-law are former boarding school students and are hard workers and great husbands and fathers! Heather is married to  Jason, who has been in the pastoral ministry for 20 years.  Together they have helped countless families and most enjoys helping families find answers and options when they feel hopeless.
KarinaKarina — Placement Assistant
Karina earned a B.A. in Psychology from University of California, Santa Barbara. She worked in a therapeutic boarding school admissions department before coming to BCN. One of her professional passions is to help parents with the difficult decision to choose the right therapeutic program for their child.
Alicia Myers — Placement Assistant
Alicia has worked in various therapeutic boarding schools in the northwest for the past decade. She has held positions starting from direct care staff to nursing, rising to assistant director and admissions coordinator. She grew up watching her father help families find a healthy and happy path in life and found a desire to do the same. Alicia has a degree in nursing. She has three young children, which has led her to want to help struggling families find proper placement for their child to receive the help they need in times of despair.
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Disclaimer

NON-REFERRAL/NON-EXPERT DISCLAIMER: Options expressed by Best Choice Admissions Services LLC ("BCAS") and its representatives are not professional referrals nor expert recommendations of a medical, behavioral health, or educational professional. BCAS is not licensed or bonded to provide medical, psychological, or educational advice or recommendations, so we don't. You should consider seeking advice from a licensed professional before making any decision in relation to the placement of any child in a residential program. BCAS assists the admissions departments of schools as a communications contractor and agent of record, from which it also receives compensation for its work. BCAS is indemnified by each organization and has no control over the actions of such organizations or their staff. BCAS is rarely on-campus of each program, so we do not know everything about what goes on, nor should we be held responsible for such information. We visit each campus periodically and get anecdotal feedback about each program from parents, which aids us in providing helpful options to individuals as they search for the program of their own best choice. By Federal law, we are required to mention that we select programs to represent solely based upon their desire for our assistance, and they pay us a flat fee based on each student placed. We receive no kickbacks for the amount of services the student requires, nor their length of stay in the school or program. Of the schools and programs we mention as options, we do not select them or push any particular ones based on their ability to pay us a higher amount than do other schools or programs. For some low-income individuals, we may mention schools that pay us nothing. Should we learn that a school has done anything inappropriate with students, such that it is being investigated by local or state authorities, we will immediately stop offering that school as an option. However, due to confidentiality agreements, we may not be able to express why the school or program is no longer included in our discussion or options list. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) caution that before you enroll a youngster in a private residential treatment program or any institution or service that we mention, be sure to check it out yourself: ask questions; ask for proof or support for claims about staff credentials, program licensing or accreditation, and endorsements; do a site visit; and get all policies and promises in writing.

“NO WARRANTY” LEGAL NOTICE: BCAS does not guarantee recovery or even positive outcomes for any particular individual who attends any program or school we might offer as an option. Recovery and future avoidance of troubling behavior or actions and whatever effects that may have on the individual’s life, their future, their career, their mental or physical health, or their friends and relatives are entirely dependent on each individual student and how they accept and apply the principles they are taught by the program, school or its staff or therapists.