The college planning and application process are considered daunting by many students and parents alike.  Most students begin the process with anxiety as they wonder how and where to begin.  Most parents simply don’t have the knowledge, time or patience to help.

 

I, on the other hand, love the process - getting to know the students, identifying their likes and dislikes, searching for colleges that match their interests and needs, managing their time and expectations, and watching their personal growth as they take on and master a very challenging and emotional process.   In all, I love working with young people and playing a role in contributing to the next chapter of their lives.  

 
So, you may be wondering why I became a college consultant. Quite simply, I did not have anyone to guide me when I was in high school.  I had little if any direction from my high school counselor. My parents wanted to help, but they didn't know how.  I didn’t know I had options.  I applied to one university and off I went.  Was that the right college for me?  No, it wasn’t, and I ended up transferring. (By the way, even today, one-third of freshmen beginning at a 4 - year university transfer at least once before graduating.)

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Always searching for work that offered fulfillment, I came to learn of the educational consulting world quite by good fortune.   I happened to be at a friend’s house as she was helping her daughter with her college applications.  I participated in the process and in that moment, my eyes were opened to the possibility of blending my skills – an opportunity to combine my love for counseling and coaching with my abilities to strategize, research, and organize.   I immediately enrolled in an Educational Consulting certificate program through UC Irvine, and 18 months later, my college counseling career was born.

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Does attending the “right college” guarantee success, happiness, and wealth? I wish - but the truth remains that hard work and planning is more likely to produce those results.  However, when choosing a college that is “right" for the student, the benefits can be numerous, (e.g., increasing the odds that the student won’t transfer, allowing for the exploration of majors that will lead to a fulfilling career, providing opportunities to build a college resume that will impress future employers, and living and studying in an environment that promotes and welcomes diversity of culture and thought resulting in personal and professional relationships that can last a lifetime). 

 

Lastly, the greatest blessing of this career has been the wonderful students and parents that I have come to know in the process.  I am grateful to the students for trusting me, and I am grateful to the parents for letting me share in the process with their children.  Your struggles and victories remain my motivation. 

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Thank you.  

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Linda