Introducing to the Chicago North Shore Moms community Samantha Herscher, a Glencoe mom and founder of Gradfit, a boutique education consulting business guiding families through the college and graduate school admissions process.
Originally from Northern Virginia, Samantha’s journey brought her back to Chicago, where she’s now raising two curious boys and relishing family life in her North Shore community. With a 15-year background in marketing, a lifelong bookworm, award winning writer, and a passion for mentoring young people, Samantha founded Gradfit to help students tell their stories with confidence, clarity, and authenticity.
Get to know Samantha as she shares exactly how she empowers families to find the right college fit – not just the most prestigious one! Welcome, Samantha!
Hi Samantha. Please introduce yourself. Where are you from originally? What city do you live in now? What brought you here?
Hi everyone! I’m Samantha Herscher. I grew up in Northern Virginia and moved to Glenview during high school. After college on the East Coast, I returned to Chicago and now call Glencoe home, where I’m raising my two sons. When I’m not with my family, playing Mahj, or at Glencoe’s Cook Book club, you’ll find me at Gradfit, helping families navigate undergraduate and graduate school admissions.
Tell us about your children and do brag away!
My boys are 9 and 5, and they share my love of stories. We read together a lot, audiobooks on car rides, fiction, nonfiction, you name it. They’re genuinely curious about the world around them and love engaging in community events and current affairs. Watching them connect with others in our community, ask thoughtful questions, and share their own passions makes me proudest
What are one or two fun or interesting things to know about you?
I’ve been a reader and writer since childhood. My claim to fame is winning a scary-story writing competition in eighth grade. I’m almost always reading something. Right now, I’m nearly finished with the Fiske Guide to Colleges, brushing up on my higher education knowledge.
What are you loving on the North Shore?
The Francesca’s restaurants have been a family favorite since we moved to Glenview in 2001. We used to go to Francesca’s North every week. These days, one of my favorite Glencoe spots is the library. I take my younger son to the children’s wing every week, and it’s become our special “third space” together.
Besides the Fiske Guide to Colleges, do you have any good reads or tv shows you’re currently binging?
I’ll watch anything on Bravo. There’s nothing better than analyzing group dynamics and human behavior through reality TV.
Your mantra?
Life is better with animals.
It’s time to get down to business. Please introduce your business, Gradfit.
Gradfit is a boutique education consulting business where I guide families and students through the undergraduate and graduate school admissions process, from discovery to acceptance.
As a busy mom of two, how do you balance family life with your consulting work, and what do you enjoy doing to recharge outside of helping students and families?
Creating boundaries has been really important. This is something I’ve worked hard at throughout my career. I set clear deadlines for myself to turn off work mode and focus on the rest of my life. I recharge with Pilates classes and MahJong games with friends.
What inspired your shift from a successful marketing career to becoming an independent education consultant, and how has your background shaped the way you guide families through the college admissions process?
I’ve always loved writing. It’s been my passion since childhood. During my 15-year marketing career, I honed those skills while working for executive search and staffing firms, where I learned a lot about resume building, interview preparation, and helping professionals tell their stories authentically.
The turning point came when I started mentoring my kids’ babysitters and nannies as they applied to internships and first jobs. I fell in love with the mentoring process, helping young people discover their strengths and articulate their goals. That’s when I learned about the field of independent education consulting and realized I could combine my professional expertise with this newfound passion.
As a mom of two, I also understand firsthand how overwhelming college planning can feel for families. Now, I guide students and their families through this process, using the same skills that helped young professionals land first jobs to help students craft compelling applications and present themselves confidently to colleges.
You emphasize finding the “right fit” over prestige. What are some ways parents can support their teens in focusing on authenticity and personal growth during the admissions journey?
Communication! Parents and students need open, honest conversations about college expectations. A parent might envision one school while their student dreams of pursuing a major that the school doesn’t offer. The key is making sure everyone’s on the same page at the beginning of the process.
Describe the process of working with you?
Every family’s college journey is unique, so I start by understanding your student’s goals, interests, and learning style before creating a customized plan. My curriculum-based approach ensures we cover every aspect of admissions while helping your student grow personally and develop critical decision-making skills.
For undergraduate students, I use a comprehensive curriculum that explores their motivations, interests, passions, and life themes. Graduate students often have clearer goals, so we identify the specific support they need, whether that’s building a school list, career guidance, essay support, or full application assistance.
I offer packages as well as à la carte services for flexible, targeted support, including college list building, essay development, resume creation, interview preparation, internship planning, and application guidance.
What is a common myth parents (gen x’ers & gen y’ers) might harbor that could be getting in the way of the current admissions process?
Many parents (myself included at one time) assume applying to college is similar to when we did it. It’s not! So much has changed, especially with technology transforming the landscape. Part of my process involves ongoing education for both parents and students about how the admissions process, costs, and expectations have evolved.
Is there anything else you’d like us to know about Gradfit?
The college admissions process can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. My goal is to make this journey collaborative, manageable, and even enjoyable, helping families find schools where students will truly thrive, not just get accepted.
What are your contact details?
You can email me at [email protected] and learn more by heading over to Instagram @thegradfit
as well as my website, thegradfit.com. I’d love to hear from you!
About Our Meet a Mom Sponsor
Chicago North Shore Moms is supported in part by Mary Gregory Gifford, a Lake Forest mom of three and owner of Gifford Law, a solo Estate Planning Firm (wills and trusts). Mary, we appreciate your support of local moms in our North Shore communities! Learn more about Mary by visiting her Meet a Mom spotlight here! Contact Mary directly here: [email protected].
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