Led by a team of college advisors with years of experience in college planning, College Compass has helped thousands of families through the college planning process with curated resources, expert advice and more. College Compass does not have any bearing on UVA admissions decisions. Rather, our goal is to help alumni families think about the college that is the best fit for them.
Through College Compass, alumni families gain access to:
- A resources site for your student that has information about college applications, the transfer process, and life at UVA
- An online group for alumni families to learn about admission-related topics from our college advisors
- The College Compass Toolkit, a collection of organizers, tools, and resources to help alumni families better organize and plan for college.
- Quarterly newsletters providing insight for students to maximize their high school years and prepare for the application process
- Virtual programming and events facilitated by our college advisors featuring UVA admission deans and current students
- An expert team with years of dedicated college planning experience
- And more!
Meet Our Team
Sarah Waller (Col ’10)
Director
With a decade of experience at the Alumni Association, Sarah has worked with thousands of high school students and hosted hundreds of information sessions to help alumni families plan for college. Sarah works closely with the Office of Undergraduate Admission to stay up to date with trends and innovations across the admission landscape. Additionally, Sarah manages two groups of passionate and dedicated alumni via the Virginia Alumni Admission Network (VAAN) and the First Gen Alumni Network, both of which serve as extensions of the Office of Undergraduate Admission’s efforts to recruit and enroll underserved students. Sarah graduated from UVA with degrees in Art History and English Literature and holds a Master of Arts in Art History from American University.
Fun fact: Sarah’s two golden retrievers, Kemper and Nelson, are named after two museums where she worked in Kansas City; The Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art and the Nelson-Atkins Museum.
Alison Smith (Col ’02, Educ ’10)
Associate Director
Alison brings over a decade of experience as an educator and academic counselor. She has worked as a science teacher and academic advisor for numerous grade levels with a wide variety of students in Northern Virginia. Alison has a passion for working with English Language Learners and loves the process of helping all students identify their strengths and plan towards a fulfilling and happy future. Alison graduated from UVA with undergraduate degrees in Biology and Environmental Science and holds a Master of Teaching from UVA.
Fun Fact: Alison is a published scientist and former professional chef. She has two little boys who keep her very busy.
Tiffany Perry (Col ’19, Educ ’21)
Assistant Director
As a proud double Hoo, Tiffany loves the UVA atmosphere and helping students of all backgrounds thrive during their time here. Tiffany co-manages the Parent Connection group via Wahoo Connect and supports the alumni volunteer efforts managed by College Compass. Tiffany graduated from UVA with a bachelor’s degree in Cognitive Science and with a Master in Education Psychology from UVA as well.
Fun fact: Tiffany is a published author with books available in Barnes and Noble and participated in UVA’s University Singers during her time in undergrad.