
Cara Ray, Owner/Founder of Climb to College, LLC
Waterbury Center, VT
Former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions
Cara Ray comes to independent educational consulting from the world of college admissions. She served as Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at the University of Colorado Boulder where she read thousands of applications, essays, letters of recommendation, and resumes. In addition, she worked closely with honors students, scholarship recipients, legacies, and other diverse populations of students. She chaired an application reading committee and established the Admitted Student Day program on campus. Cara recruited students through extensive travel in New England, Southern California, Colorado’s Western Slope, and the Denver area and worked closely with high school students and high school counselors.
Experience With Talented and Gifted Students
While at CU Boulder, Cara directed talented scholar recruitment for the office of admission. She worked closely with the campus honors, leadership, and residential academic programs. In addition, she served on interview panels for the Presidents Leadership Class and reviewed applications for the selective Norlin Scholarship. Cara also served on the Finalist Review Committee for Colorado’s very competitive, state-wide Boettcher Scholarship and had the opportunity to work closely with Boettcher Scholar recruitment in her role at CU.
Expert in Planning Campus Visits
As Campus Visit Coordinator, Cara ran the student ambassador tour guide program and organized full day visit events, including daily information sessions and tours. Now, she brings that expertise to families. Cara is well-equipped to share insights with families on how to make the most of visits to campus, what questions to ask while on tours, and how to learn what makes one campus stand out from another.
Loves Helping Students With College Essays
Essays are a very important component of an admissions application at all selective colleges. Cara has the experience to help her students write about themselves in ways that are honest, effective, and engaging. Cara also previously worked part-time as an essay reviewer for Bright Horizons College Coach reviewing essays for students from across the country.
Education
Active With Regional and National College Admissions Organizations
Personal
Vermont native Cara Ray traded one mountain state for another and spent ten years living and working in Boulder, CO. Missing the Green Mountains she moved back east with her family and currently lives in Waterbury Center with her husband, son and daughter. She loves to travel, sing, read, try new restaurants, and spend time outdoors with her dog Stella.
Waterbury Center, VT
Former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions
Cara Ray comes to independent educational consulting from the world of college admissions. She served as Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at the University of Colorado Boulder where she read thousands of applications, essays, letters of recommendation, and resumes. In addition, she worked closely with honors students, scholarship recipients, legacies, and other diverse populations of students. She chaired an application reading committee and established the Admitted Student Day program on campus. Cara recruited students through extensive travel in New England, Southern California, Colorado’s Western Slope, and the Denver area and worked closely with high school students and high school counselors.
Experience With Talented and Gifted Students
While at CU Boulder, Cara directed talented scholar recruitment for the office of admission. She worked closely with the campus honors, leadership, and residential academic programs. In addition, she served on interview panels for the Presidents Leadership Class and reviewed applications for the selective Norlin Scholarship. Cara also served on the Finalist Review Committee for Colorado’s very competitive, state-wide Boettcher Scholarship and had the opportunity to work closely with Boettcher Scholar recruitment in her role at CU.
Expert in Planning Campus Visits
As Campus Visit Coordinator, Cara ran the student ambassador tour guide program and organized full day visit events, including daily information sessions and tours. Now, she brings that expertise to families. Cara is well-equipped to share insights with families on how to make the most of visits to campus, what questions to ask while on tours, and how to learn what makes one campus stand out from another.
Loves Helping Students With College Essays
Essays are a very important component of an admissions application at all selective colleges. Cara has the experience to help her students write about themselves in ways that are honest, effective, and engaging. Cara also previously worked part-time as an essay reviewer for Bright Horizons College Coach reviewing essays for students from across the country.
Education
- University of Denver, MA
- Colgate University, BA
Active With Regional and National College Admissions Organizations
- National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), Member and Local Arrangements Committee (2012)
- Rocky Mountain Association for College Admission Counseling (RMACAC), Former Admissions Practices Chair and Executive Board Member
- Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA), Member
- New England Association for College Admission Counseling (NEACAC), Member
Personal
Vermont native Cara Ray traded one mountain state for another and spent ten years living and working in Boulder, CO. Missing the Green Mountains she moved back east with her family and currently lives in Waterbury Center with her husband, son and daughter. She loves to travel, sing, read, try new restaurants, and spend time outdoors with her dog Stella.