Okay, so I don’t love the fact that many articles about the college admission process have the word “secret” in the title, but I am proud to be featured in this Seattle Magazine article, originally published in the September/October 2023 issue.

As I step back and reflect on this application season and my work with the class of 2024, I am filled with gratitude that I get to do a job that I love and help students and parents navigate this big next step!

At the same time, I struggle with the fact that a job like mine exists. The college admission process has gotten increasingly complex. Systems and movements that were supposed to streamline and simplify the process, such as the Common Application, have started to become less “common” and add new barriers. (I can’t tell you the number of emails I got from students struggling to self-report their entire HS transcript information for the Common App, only to then have to do it again or in a slightly different format through SRAR or a college-specific application portal.) Or there’s the test optional movement that has been around for a while but was widely embraced during the height of the pandemic, when SATs and ACTs were not available. Most colleges have stuck with a test optional process, but score submission rates and expectations vary greatly between regions or even within colleges themselves, and colleges are not particularly transparent in sharing data surrounding score submission, admission rates, and related information. It has added a new layer of complexity to my advising and a new layer of unpredictability to the overall admission process.

If you are a parent (or student) considering hiring an independent college counselor, I’d strongly recommend ensuring that any potential counselor is committed to continuous professional development and adheres to a code of ethics. I particularly recommend consulting the IECA or HECA databases as you begin your search.

Thanks for reading and following along!