That Feeling When

The Acceptance Letter Arrives

What We Do

Our Specialty is...YOU!

No matter where you are in your college journey, Starting Gate College Consulting is here to guide you to your goal. We have experience in all types of college admissions counseling.

Homeschoolers

Homeshoolers have unique circumstances that often require additional documents and may be eligible for special scholarships. We can help you prepare.

Transfer Students

Transfer students require a completely different admissions process than first-time applicants. We will make sure you are ready with an enhanced transcript!

The Last-minute senior

Time got away from you and now you are applying to colleges at the last-minute. Yikes! But don't worry, we can get you through the process in time!

Student Athletes

Student athletes will have a different process than regular admissions students; we can help guide you through scholarships, admissions, and NCAA requirements.

International Students

Each international student has a different set of needs and admissions can be a daunting process. We will help you every step of the way!

The Plan-Ahead Senior

Hey, you are ahead of the game and started early, but could still use some guidance on choosing a college and the admissions process - we got you!

Get started with a free discovery call!

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Our Services

We offer flexible options for every budget! Select one of our packages or an hourly rate. We can help with all or a portion of the process.

Junior/Senior Unlimited

$5,000

Package includes everything needed to select a school, career path, test preparation and all the assets needed for admissions.

Senior Rush

$3,500

Package includes everything needed to select a school, career path, test preparation and all the assets needed for admissions, just faster!

Hourly Rate

$125/hr

Can include all or part of the process, as needed. College list analysis, test prep, transcript assessment, application assistance and more!

Do You Want to Stand Out in Your Application?

An independent college consultant can help you stand out from the crowd by providing application guidance, helping you create compelling essays and prepping you for interviews.

Are You Ready?

Additional Resources

College Admissions Counseling

Is It Worth It?

In today’s competitive college admissions landscape, relying solely on a strong GPA and a few extracurricular activities is no longer sufficient to guarantee admission. This holds especially true if you want to attend a top-tier undergraduate business school or are looking for a university with optimal pre-med programs that will help get you accepted into medical school.

Recent data from the Common App reveals a staggering 20% increase in the total number of applications submitted within the past year, while acceptance rates either remained stagnant or declined.

In short, as you prepare to apply to colleges, it is critical that you do everything possible to make your application stand out, and maximize your chances of admission. A college admissions counselor can help you do just that.

Choose the right school

A good college counselor will help match the student with college choices that best align with their personality, goals, and values.

Choose the right program or major

A college advisor can also help students figure out their goals and prospective career paths before selecting a program. Students may even have a career goal in mind but don't know how to create a plan to get there, and advisors can help with this, too.

Strengthen Your Application

College admissions counselors can help guide students through the application process so nothing is overlooked. They can also provide valuable feedback on essays and give tips on other details that can strengthen the application.

Ready to choose the school & major that match YOU?

Making decisions for the future is, well, hard! No one has that magic crystal ball so we can plan perfectly for what’s to come.

Starting Gate can help you evaluate your skills, discover your preferences, and understand your goals, so you can make informed choices about your future!

Schedule a Call

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TESTIMONIALS

What our clients are saying...

I highly recommend Carolyn as a college counselor. Her expertise streamlined everything, and the best part was that my son and I maintained a positive relationship throughout. She made the whole experience much easier for us!

I am your biggest fan and always will be. I cannot thank you enough for being by my side through Michael’s four years at RPI.

We couldn't have done this without Carolyn's help and guidance. We are so thankful and thrilled with the acceptance letters that keep pouring in! Thank you!

My son's expectation for college greatly exceeded our budget. Carolyn found the perfect school for Ryan and helped him obtain scholarships too!

I was completely overwhelmed how to help my son navigate this entire college application process. Carolyn's calm but professional demeanor made all the difference.

Both of my sons entered college during the pandemic, selecting schools sight unseen and without much input from their guidance counselors, or the colleges. Not surprisingly, the colleges my sons chose were not a good fit. Carolyn stepped in to help each son define their academic goals and interests, and find a college that exactly fit their personalities and passions. I couldn’t be happier with her service.

About Us

Based in Saratoga Springs, NY, we help students master the College Condition Book and select schools that match their academic interests, personal goals, and professional aspirations.