North Star Consulting

About

Hello All,

My name is Christina Sanchez Bonner, M.Ed and I’m here to provide private, one-on-one, college and career consulting.

I am a third generation Tampanian that grew up in Valrico, FL. I graduated from Riverview High School as a junior in 2006, was admitted straight to USF with the Bright Futures Scholarship. I finished my B.A. in Interpersonal and Organizational Communications within three years in 2009. Since then, I have spent the last fifteen years in higher education. I have worked at Virginia College, Saint Leo University, Boston Architectural College, Hillsborough Community College, the University of South Florida and Bell Creek Academy. My roles have included: admissions, advising, academic coaching, enrollment management, foundation fundraising, college and career counseling, adjunct professor, scholarship review and strategic planning. I hold a Masters in Education from USF focusing in Curriculum, Instruction and College Student Affairs. I have helped hundreds of students, families, colleagues and community members to achieve their goals.

I offer an unbiased, nonjudgmental eye to assist with finding the variety of paths ideal for you wherever you may stand. My purpose is to provide additional support to help you follow your true North and reach for the stars.

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Our Services

Resumes & Cover Letters

Have you ever woken up and thought, “Today is the perfect day to sit down and write my resume?” If the answer is no, you are not alone. Most people seem to have as much enthusiasm to write their resumes as they do with filing their taxes. Whether you are starting your first resume from scratch, in need of a serious update, getting nowhere with your current version or looking to become more marketable, I can help. My resume services include formatting, organizing, grammar edits, in depth questions about your experiences and responsibilities and the supplement of key words for optimal return on investment in the job market. Resumes are critical to even be considered for a potential job. With my help, we can put your best foot forward so employers will notice you.
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College Admissions

Ever feel like being up to date with the current college admissions process is a full time job? For me it actually is! Together we can make a customized plan for a smooth admissions process. We can go over the most recent reports of what each school is looking for in a candidate, important dates such as priority deadlines, SAT/ACT testing and when scores need to be ready by, college entrance essays, recommendation letters, transcripts, CommonApp, SSAR reports and more. In addition, we will determine which school is the most ideal for the student.
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Academic Advising

Did you know that a High School GPA can start in middle school nowadays? Whether you are looking to get the highest GPA possible, in need of GPA SOS, having trouble mapping out Dual Enrollment/AP/AICE/IB, need a simple step by step plan for how to complete an academic program correctly the first time trying or if you are having trouble deciding on a major in general; I can make a custom plan for you.
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Career Consulting

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” Did you know that the average person changes careers 5-7 times through their lifetime? Whether you are looking to find the right field from the beginning of your career or at a crossroads in need of assistance for planning on what to do next, I can help. Using assessments, learning a client's financial goals, lifestyle preferences, experience, education, personality, work-life balance needs and genuine interests all come together to give a variety of options to pursue.
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Funding Education and Training

I think we can all agree that student loan debt has become nothing less than horror story. Through the years, I have found some avenues for completing academic and vocational programs completely debt-free. I can provide many options or clear pathways for scholarships, grants, tuition reimbursement/assistance, paid work that trains in house and guidance for the new FAFSA. There are many ways to avoid going into debt trying to advance yourself. There are options for everybody at all levels.
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Interview Prep

“Tell me about yourself," the simplest and most complex question guaranteed to be asked during an interview. The key to acing any interview is being prepared. This includes: outfit, the etiquette, the soft people skills, not arriving too early, not arriving too late. All of these minute details before the actual interview even starts.
My interview preparation services will give you all answers and leave you prepared to succeed. I can prep you for a variety of interviews including: scholarship, college entrance, one on one, panel, phone, Zoom, lunch, all day, multiple and more. All the small details that matter so much.
The more prepared you are the more confident you will be for the big event.
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Customer reviews

Emily

As an educator and parent of school aged children I had a tall task to find employment that was also the best fit for my children. Luckily, I was connected with Nina at North Star Counseling. Nina has a true gift for knowing the area and market for employment prospects. She updated my resume, and highlighted my skills in a seamless way. North Star Counseling sent me public, private and charter teaching opportunities and didn’t stop working until connecting me with my dream job (with benefits exceeding my expectations). I first connected with Nina on 4/9, had multiple interviews scheduled by 4/11 and secured my new job on 4/12. Not only was it a pay raise but the school granted admission, free tuition and wrap around care for my three children. Without hesitation I’ll be referring my peers, friends and mentees to North Star Counseling!
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Valentina

I am a foreign ex freelance professional who did not know the first thing about the U.S. job market or how to go about a job search in this country. Christina not only sat down with me and gave me a crash course on the fundamentals, but also amended my resume to highlight transferable skills to move out of my previous translating field. She helped make me more in tune with the general expectations of prospective employers and overall, more marketable for a variety of fields outside of the one I had been in the last thirteen years.

She guided me step by step, answering my (many) questions with unwavering patience, support and with a judgement-free attitude that made me feel heard and understood.

After setting up some job searches, rehearsing the interview questions and how to conduct myself for some interview scenarios my confidence was boosted to take on this new endeavor. A few weeks later, and a few impromptu phone call pep talks, I secured my new job!

She is an amazing coach, who clearly has a genuine passion for helping people. I wholeheartedly recommend her services. Absolutely 100% worth it!
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Chris

I can't say enough good things about the quality of this company. Highly, highly recommend using them!
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