College counselor

Check out the ads here on BPN - lots of folks advertise regularly - good luck!

Hello!

We have used 2 different ones and both worked well:

Harley Poston, Stress Less College Apps /  https://stresslesscollegeapps.com/ // does hourly and quite reasonable...he started with my senior son in Fall (very late, I'd start sooner if I would do over)  and they met weekly at a cafe to go over everything.  You can do more or less.  And for what it is worth my son got into every school he applied (no Ivies mind you but good schools!) 

Sallie Bryan / https://www.salliebcollegeconsulting.com/services // is just now starting with my junior daughter and she is fantastic!  works with all types of students and I would imagine very well with someone shy.  Does hourly (a bit more pricey) with various package types. 

There are about 10 in the Oak/Berk area that are highly regarded. Elaine Chan is the one people always mention. You are actually "late" to hire these folks - she didn't have space when I called but she kindly recommended some people. We also spoke with Judith at Positive Outcome and did not click, but some like her. We were incredibly lucky and were able to hire the fabulous Melissa Masland - Masland Educational Consulting in Lafayette area and 925-212-8915. She is fantastic. My son was admitted to every UC, and won merit scholarships at a couple of great private schools. He really enjoyed working with her. However, she usually has a full roster of clients and only takes kids in sophomore year. 

If your child is interested in the UCs, Maya Kobashigawa is amazing! https://mayascollegecorner.com/.  She fills up far in advance, and most likely, she is already full for ongoing help with the UC application for this year, but she does work hourly, and if your child wants to go to a UC, even meeting with Maya just one time could make all the difference  My daughter is shy also, and within minutes of meeting Maya, my daughter was smiling, and engaging with her.  Maya makes everyone feel comfortable and at ease, and my daughter is excited to be attending UC Berkeley this fall. I know this would not have been possible without Maya’s extensive knowledge of the UC admissions process!

I'd highly recommend Maya Kobashigawa. I met with her once the summer before my son's senior year, and she was a tremendous help! My son applied, as an out-of-state student, to four UC schools and was accepted at Berkeley, his top choice, UC Santa Barbara, UC Santa Cruz, and waitlisted at UCLA. Maya has a long history in UC admissions and college admissions consulting, and I credit her for his success in the UC admissions process. She knew just how to present his credentials in light of each UC school's unique selection criteria. Best of luck!

I recommend Suzanne Bingham Denny,

She started counseling after going through the college app process with her kids. She is patient and well organized and believes there is a college for everyone. My kid's motivation for college really blossomed working with her.

https://www.captivatecollegeconsulting.com/

suzannebinghamdenney [at] gmail.com

You'll probably find that most are booked for a rising senior, but if possible I'd suggest interviewing several to understand what services and support they provide - because as I've learned, it varies widely! Some are more "full service" while others are "reviewers." We used Maya Kobashigawa for our first child and while she is a lovely person, I am not using her for my other child. We are using Melissa Masland and it's a better fit for our needs. Melissa is more holistic, whole person approach; she has questionnaires and personality tests that the students take to determine their interests and possible future majors. She has writing workshops. Also Maya's focus is the UCs and I now know that it's way too risky to just focus on the UCs. In short, interview several because it is all so different.