Popp & Associates counselors have been helping students find their best college fit for over 20 years. Our professional experiences range from working in college admission and high school college counseling offices to serving as classroom teachers, tutors, and athletic coaches.
P&A college counselors actively participate in industry professional associations and related conferences, frequently visit college campuses throughout the US and abroad, and volunteer at college counseling and financial aid programs serving under-resourced communities. Given our wealth of experience working with secondary school families in numerous settings, we appreciate what students, parents, and school-based staff encounter in the college application process. We have worn every hat, understand the college application process from soup to nuts, and most importantly, we understand teenagers, their families and how we can work together to achieve the best results.
Mindy Popp, Principal
Mindy Popp, the managing director and principal consultant, has worked in various positions with college and secondary school students, including college counseling, college admissions and financial aid, residential life, teaching and advising. Her school-based counseling roles include serving as a long-term substitute school counselor at the Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School and as the Associate Director of College Counseling at The Cambridge School of Weston. Prior to working as a school college counselor, she served as the college counselor for Chyten Educational Services. Before joining the staff at Chyten, Mindy worked as a Senior Assistant Director of Admission at Wellesley College. During her tenure there, she developed a comprehensive understanding of critical factors considered and emphasized in the college application process. Mindy reviewed applications for admission, conducted student interviews, facilitated information sessions for students and families, advised Board of Admission student volunteers, and coordinated open house events. Lastly, Mindy worked as a financial aid counselor at Northeastern University for nine years.
In addition to her counseling work, Mindy supports various college access initiatives. She worked as a college counselor in a College Summit workshop in Amherst, MA advising students from under-resourced communities. In addition, she served as a Fellow in the Boston Cares Leadership Institute. During the Fellowship, Mindy led a team of educators in a consulting project that benefited QuestBridge, a nonprofit organization dedicated to access to higher education. Mindy also volunteers at College Goal Sunday, an annual event that offers information and support to families applying for college financial aid.
Mindy is a member of professional organizations including the New England Association for College Admission Counseling (NEACAC), the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA). She also was a participant in the IECA Practices and Principles Institute, the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA) Guidance Counselor Financial Aid Training events, and the AAA Student Lending: Guidance Counselors Training sessions. Mindy is a graduate of Tufts University and the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Tom Walsh, Athletic Counselor
A Boston native and a career educator, Tom has been helping students navigate the college search process for over twelve years with a special interest in the area of athletic recruitment. He has guided students through the recruitment process within all levels of intercollegiate and post-graduate play for a variety of sports. Tom has also coordinated panel discussions on the topic and regularly attends symposia focused on the role of athletics in college admission. In addition, Tom has extensive coaching experience at the varsity and middle school levels of American football, basketball, and lacrosse and has played American football, lacrosse, and collegiate rugby. Tom is a magna cum laude graduate of Bowdoin College (Classics & English) and holds a Master’s degree from Dartmouth College. Since 1983, Tom has been a secondary school teacher and administrator where he has held various positions, including Director of Admission, Foreign Language Department Chair, and Associate Director of College Counseling. Currently, he serves as the Director of College Guidance and as a Latin teacher at a local independent school. Tom is a member of the New England Association for College Admission Counseling (NEACAC) where he served on and chaired the Current Trends subcommittee. In addition, Tom is a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), the Boston Independent School College Counselors Association (BISCCA) and the Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools (ACCIS).
