Abby Bittler, M. Ed.

Welcome to Optima Educational College Planning & Coaching! I am glad that you are here and I look forward to meeting you and working with your child.  Every student has unique gifts and talents and I am here to help them realize that potential. Ultimately, the goal is not just a college acceptance letter but finding an environment in which your child can thrive. I work with a very limited number of students so you can be assured that your student will receive plenty of personalized attention. I am responsive to the needs of both students and parents in the educational process and I want everyone to have less stress and more confidence about their future!

I hold a Master's degree in Education from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor's degree in Business and Spanish from Clemson University. Go Tigers! I spent my junior year abroad at the Spanish American Institute in Sevilla, Spain.  After many years of teaching, tutoring, and working in various public and independent schools in Maryland and North Carolina,  I decided to start my own educational consulting business in 2014 and couldn't be happier. Teenagers are my favorite people in the world.

I am a member of  HECA (Higher Education Consultants Association) and SACAC (Southern Association for College Admissions Counseling)

When I am not working, I enjoy exercising, reading, and spending time with my family. I also volunteer at Apex Heritage Leadership Academy (HLA) and can be found at NC State on Thursdays giving out cupcakes, flowers, and hugs as one of the “Free Moms.”  I live with my husband and three children in Cary, North Carolina.  My oldest daughter is a 2024 graduate of NC State University, and my middle daughter attends Meredith College. My son is in the 11th grade at Heritage Leadership Academy and is an aspiring college football player. We are excited to begin the college athletic recruiting process.