“Here is the best testament that I can give for Abrome - My son is 16. He was the first to enroll as an Abrome learner and so he has been at Abrome over 5 years. When we as a family moved to California, he decided he wanted to finish his learning at Abrome. He is thriving! He effortlessly cares for all of his own needs - shopping for groceries, cooking, securing food for his pet lizard even though the food comes from the other side of town, shopping for his own clothes at Goodwill to save money, signing up for and being selected for the climbing team at the local climbing gym, preparing for Olympic track climbing competitions, evaluating his future, and selling his digital art. He compassionately and patiently cares for others in the Abrome learning environment. He models great leadership - guiding without directing, setting example with his conduct, acting humbly without need for reward. He has no vices. He does not seek to drink, use controlled substances, or engage in other risky behavior. Instead, if he is downtown, he is at a protest advocating for those who face the adversity of politics and caring for those at the protest as he does at Abrome. It’s hot in Texas. He brings cases of water to protests for those who are there. All of this he developed at Abrome. Like other parents, I raised another child and tested public schools, religious schools, other private schools and homeschooling. I came to believe in the future once I found Abrome.”

“Abrome is a gift to the Austin area community. The founder, Antonio, is intelligent, thoughtful, kind and works hard to make the world around him a more equitable place. His community at Abrome centers the needs and well-being of those who are traditionally less likely to be heard. He models to the other facilitators and learners how important it is that we care for one another, even when (especially when) it’s challenging and/or inconvenient. For those who have extra needs or health concerns in a global pandemic, in a society that is too often perfectly happy to cast these families aside to fend for themselves in isolation, his care and attention toward creating an environment that takes every precaution to safely gather is nothing short of a blessing. Abrome is a powerful example of what is possible for other schools and communities across the state and nation. I loved learning about self-directed education from Antonio the past few years, felt empowered to implement more of it in our home, and continue to value the experience our daughter had at Abrome from 2019 - 2021. I wish the pandemic circumstances had been different for our time with Abrome, but being a part of the community during that time period allowed us the opportunity to really see Antonio’s leadership shine. I am grateful for the way he continues to model how to be in conscious community and how truly possible it is to take good care of one another. He is the rare individual who “walks the walk” when it comes to living in alignment with the values that so many claim to champion but ultimately decide is too hard to do. I am grateful that both Abrome and Antonio are in this world, at this time.”

“Abrome had been completely life changing for our family, especially [Learner]. We searched for years to find an option other than public school and were so blessed to find Abrome. [Learner] became medication free within the first year at Abrome and has grown so much with the love and support of the amazing Facilitators. Abrome fosters independence, social awareness, and how each child impacts the world. [Learner] went from asking me if I still want him because he was “so stupid” to having a self confidence I only dreamed of for him. I am forever grateful.”

“Antonio’s compassionate wisdom led my son to reach far beyond his expectations and to ask for what he needs. From my son’s experience at Abrome, he developed the confidence to interview scientists he admired from watching documentaries and learned to reach for whatever he wants to learn next. That confidence has led him to public speaking and now he’s been chosen to give a TED talk. That never would have happened if he had not met Antonio.”

“Hey Antonio, I just wanted to thank you for your guidance with unschooling/homeschooling. [Learner 1] and [Learner 2] are doing so well. I remember when [Learner 1] was 8 years old being so worried that she didn’t want to learn to read and you told me to trust the process and let her learn naturally. She’s now taking junior law classes and opens for her debate team. I will be forever grateful for your influence in their lives. Truly thank you.”

“I am the father of one of the young learners at Abrome. We have been with the community long enough to observe that Abrome’s principled approach to education is effective for our child. He is thriving both academically and emotionally.

One benefit from being in self directed education is that it enabled a fairly smooth transition to current social distancing measures. Abrome helps create a flexible lifestyle for both the children and the guardians. It is a gift that has been particularly helpful in the current situation [of COVID in May 2000].

With their usual attentiveness, the facilitators from Abrome have continued to work incredibly hard to meet the needs of the learners and their parents. The support they give has been tremendous and appreciated.

In addition to the ongoing benefit that we are experiencing, I am able to look forward without anxiety.

The fundamentals of Abrome’s approach to education leaves it uniquely prepared to adapt to whatever may come.

I suspect that no organization can state with absolute certainty what they will be able to offer in the coming months, but Abrome, thanks to its philosophy, seems to be perfectly suited to adjust to the changing needs of the students and guardians.

Like many others, we have had a lot to worry about lately.

We are very grateful that the education of our child has not been one of our concerns! ”

“We sure appreciate the diligent approach Abrome has taken from day 1 with the pandemic. It’s really appreciated and I don’t know of any other place (anywhere really, not just Texas) doing it so thoughtfully. Thank you! ”

“We tried several modes of education – public, Montessori, and alternative – before gratefully being guided to Abrome. My wish in each transition was for my children to be happy learning and free from unnecessary labeling, which they identified with, and unquestioned coercion, which they outwardly (for one son) and inwardly (for the other) resisted. With Abrome, I found more than I had wished for. Not only are my sons at peace, my husband and I also feel liberated from the “school regime.” Abrome is a safe place for my sons to be themselves and to live and learn freely in an intentional community. Antonio, the founder and one of the Facilitators, is the most passionate, child-loving, parent-patient, trailblazer I have ever, EVER, met. And the other Facilitators … my children are so fortunate to be in the company of such amazing individuals!”

“I am a huge proponent of Abrome now. We moved my daughter from public school to alternative at 12yrs old in order to provide her more freedom to explore her interests and her aptitudes. After exploring a few options, Abrome was far and away the best choice for us. Every day brings new adventures, new life lessons, and new learnings not just for her but for our whole family. In less than a month, my daughter has attended an anti-death penalty rally, attended a city council meeting, meal prepped and cooked for herself for the week, helped build a raised bed garden, been hiking, explored downtown Austin just walking around with other learners, read and discussed the Ukranian phone call transcripts, visited multiple libraries, and learned about the microbiome and its affects on overall health (plus so much more). I am constantly reassured that we made the right choice.”

“[Learner] notices when I want to talk, and he will look at me and ask me to say what I wanted to say. I’ve only seen adults do that.”

“Good morning, I just wanted to share something with you...

[Learner] - what time is our appointment?
Me- 9:15am
[Learner] - How Long is it?
Me- maybe a hour
[Learner] - I hope it’s quick, I want to get to Abrome!!

As a mother who has spent many days battling to get the kids to go to school and the countless emotional meltdowns, to hear her say those words was everything.

Thank you for providing a safe, loving and welcoming environment for my children. I am so grateful. ”

“Thank you for taking the time to meet with us and sharing information on homeschooling in Texas. I did pull Alan out of school immediately and he’s been a lot better off since I did it.”

“Last night I commented to [my son] after he showered that he his hair was going to be crazy in the morning if he went to bed with it yet. He replied, it doesn’t matter. At Abrome you’re still accepted even if your hair won’t stay down.

I’m so grateful! [He] is always so worried about being judged. Glad to see him having some peace with himself. ”

“We feel free in the Abrome space.”

“Ugh, tomorrow’s Saturday!?!?”

“What you are creating at Abrome is so special for these children and we see that you are a voice for the children and you also had an effect on us.

You are a true inspiration, Antonio, and we can already see how Abrome is growing and will continue to provide immense value to these children. We will always recommend Abrome to families in the Austin area and we thank you for introducing us to the self-directed educational world, which has greatly enabled us to make the best decisions we can for [our son] as we move our family for our new opportunities. ”

“My son’s experience with Abrome has been life-changing. At first, he and I were not too sure how a homeschooling experience with an on-line mentor would work. [He] definitely liked his one-on-one time with each mentor but he felt a bit at a loss as to what was expected of him. [Facilitator’s] gentle patience, superb listening skills and genuine interest in my son’s life experiences each week seem to have increased [his] sense of how his actions and interests – no matter what they are (video games aside) – are important to pursue. As the weeks have progressed, [he] has come around to viewing his activities and interests as being more on a continuum; he seems to have embraced the perspective that they are part of his journey and not just a simple means to an end for the idle moments of each passing day.

Antonio’s tireless support of my son’s interests – whether that be of Lego weapons, baseball camp or of video production – is wonderful. The [Facilitators’] life experiences have led him to make helpful suggestions of directions to take [his] interests, which is very inspiring for him. So far, my son’s experience with Abrome has taught him AND me to have faith that my child’s innate curiosity is the spark that will guide him to learn more in a way that feeds his interests, and enable him to know that he has the power to pursue knowledge for himself.
”

“We truly appreciate you! Thank you for freeing us from the school regime.”

“I support emancipated learning because the learners learn how to live, not how to memorize, which is what is taught in all other education models along with shaming and bullying.

How do I measure the success? not by grades which only reflect the ability of a person to memorize and enhance the shaming and bullying prevelant elsewhere, but by the little things that happen every day. ”

“In the time that [Learner] has spent at Abrome I have watched her grow, the space has undoubtedly had a positive impact on her. It brought her from the brink of despair over her education to making a solid decision to pursue something that she loves. Abrome, as well as you and Kelly, have contributed to her confidence, thus allowing her to trust herself in making this decision. It also provided a safe space, with supportive people, in which she could begin the process of healing and recovery from her loss. You opened the doors to us, doors that don’t often get opened for children who are less privileged. For all of that, I deeply thank you. ”

“[Abrome] has showed us that we can laugh, have fun, and learn at the same time.”

“[Abrome] has opened up opportunities for us to do activities we would never have been able to do in traditional school.”

“[Abrome] helps us advocate for ourselves and our learning so we can be happy and successful in the world.”

“[Abrome] has taught us to think BIG and believe in ourselves. ”

“I just wanted to say to you that I am eternally grateful, in the true sense of the word, for everything you have done to try and help me find success. You really proved to me, over the past three days in particular, that you don’t just say the things you say to encourage me, but you are willing to do everything to help me get there. I really don’t think there is anyone out there who has felt this optimistic, been this encouraging, shown such concern, and cared as unconditionally as you have towards me. Imagine what the world would be like if everyone had someone like you investing in their lives. … It’s amazing how much we put together in one and a half days. I was going over my application again this morning. I wouldn’t say I was disappointed, because I really have had no expectations since we said we were going to make this happen on Sunday morning, but I agree that my application could have been better, my story could been more interesting. Yet at the same time, I am glad I did it. I really have nothing to lose, putting in an application at this point and regardless of the outcome, I have realized that its important to take chances.”

“Congrats. How do you do it? You’re awesome. You need to start a consulting service.”

“Thank you for all your work on my applications, I don’t think I would have been able to position/present myself well enough for Duke without your guidance and all the consideration you gave to my situation as well as support. ”

“I applied to Harvard Business School twice. The first time I applied I took some of Antonio’s advice, but discarded other bits of advice. During the process Antonio warned me that the application is more than just a sum of the parts, and that I was making a mistake by not buying into his process 100%. I didn’t get in that year. Two years later I applied again, but this time I decided to buy into Antonio’s process. Antonio was magnificent. Antonio worked tirelessly , providing numerous edits of each essay which resulted in me telling my personal story in a moving way that made my application more than just a collection of stories. He helped me to make sure that my resume and recommendations fit in to an overall theme for my HBS application. Antonio is brutally honest and demanding, he has amazing insights, and he delivers. Best consultant in the world!
”

“Who says you can’t get into Harvard or Stanford with a 2.7 GPA? We did it!”

“I wanted to thank you very much for all your help with my college applications and essays. All the hard work payed off, I just heard yesterday that I got into my top choice, Babson College. I also got into all the universities that I heard from so far, Syracuse University, Loyola Marymount University, and University of San Francisco
”

“Antonio was one of the biggest factors in helping me get into my dream MBA program. Specifically, he helped me with the three essays I had to write for my application. But if I just say “help” then I’m understating his impact, because I firmly believe that I would not have gotten accepted without his editing. I lost count of how many drafts I went through, but Antonio patiently worked with me over several weeks to bring out my best work. If you want the best advice and are willing to take constructive criticism, Antonio will be an invaluable resource for getting into YOUR dream program.
”

“Antonio was great with providing constructive feedback for my statement of purpose. Antonio’s feedback was aimed at crafting a statement of purpose that is clear, concise and effective at communicating goals. He has a very good grasp of college admissions and accordingly gives advice to place the student at the top of list of potential candidates. He was also very timely with his responses and feedback. He was willing to set up time and work one-on-one to explain his feedback and to assist with any following drafts. Overall, he is very committed to make sure that you get in!
”

“I got in! Thanks for all your help.
”

“Antonio provided super timely expert advise and feedback to me during the intense period of applying for graduate school. He is a no-BS advisor, and gave me sometimes harsh and pointed feedback on my applications to the world’s top business schools. And it was worth it when I was accepted at my top pick – MIT Sloan. I know this would have been much more difficult without Antonio helping me shape my thoughts and experience into the best shape they could be.
”

“I stand as one name on the long list of people who greatly benefited from Antonio’s vast understanding of premier MBA programs’ admissions processes. Antonio was brutally critical of how my candidacy packet was presented, making sure that I was putting my absolute best effort forward in my application. He made sure every word of my essays were value-added, gave me tremendous insight of the interviewing process, and helped me to understand what my true strengths were and how to present them to the admissions board. While his critiques resulted in numerous scrapped essay topics, and countless drafts of others, I am certain that, without his assistance, I would have never reached the interview stage, much less be accepted at what is now my alma mater. He will not write the essays, but he’ll quickly and accurately assess what your experiences are and give you tremendous insight on how those experiences can reflect one’s value to certain programs and help you to effectively communicate it. The value of Antonio’s assistance is clearly evident in the admissions rate to top MBA programs of the people he has helped.”

“Thank you so much for your help! I am so very lucky to benefit and learn from your expertise. You’re an amazing person and I’m so glad I got to know you!
”

“Antonio is a West Point grad and was accepted into all the top programs. He helped me obtain my admissions to Wharton. Crafting your app is more of an art than a science - telling a compelling story and convincing the [admissions] committee that they’ll benefit from having you in their program as much as you’ll benefit from graduating from theirs. My point is: Antonio helped me do this successfully.”

“Hey Antonio, I just wanted to tell you that I got into McCombs and I’ll be attending Texas next fall. I know I was not pleasant to work with but I really do appreciate the help and patience, I learned a lot. Good luck with abrome and peaceful streets (and all of your other endeavors), I’ll be watching for you on the news lol.
”

“Antonio is a superb business school consultant and is the reason I was accepted to 2 top tier schools. While in the military together, Antonio showed the value of an MBA and how to properly position my skill set. He tirelessly reviewed essays, resumes, and other parts of my applications and provide specific guidance, thoughts, and recommendations on all aspects. Antonio is a good friend of mine and without his direct guidance I would not have gained admission. I have no doubt that he is the reason I got accepted to HBS and Wharton. I cannot say enough about his clear grasp of candidate positioning and his thoughtful, yet very concise feedback. Overall, Antonio is a phenomenal admissions consultant!
”