Testimonials for Climb to College:
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Student, Stowe, VT (Class of 2022)- Boston College
"I loved working with Cara! I first met with her my junior year for help with my common app essay. The college writing process can be overwhelming to begin alone and Cara was an amazing guide and just a great person to talk to. She created very thoughtful and helpful brainstorming activities that helped me better understand myself and my strengths and helped me decide on a topic that would be both meaningful to me and impactful towards admission readers. It is so much easier to write when you brainstorm, talk about it, you’re confident and excited about your ideas. Cara helped me do exactly that. Throughout writing, she did a perfect job giving edits but also respecting my voice! Cara’s knowledge and positivity made the college process more organized and exciting for me. I can tell she cared a lot and I am so grateful for her support!"
Student, Boulder, CO (Class of 2021) - UC Santa Barbara
"I began working with Cara during my sophomore year and she was an angel throughout the whole process! My last couple years of high school were overwhelming and applying to college felt daunting at first, but Cara’s confidence, enthusiasm, experience, and kindness were incredibly inspiring. She is very organized and so easy to communicate with! I always felt as though she was doing everything in her power to help me achieve my dreams. She helped me research schools, look for scholarships, guide me through all the school applications, and she devoted so much of her time and attention to refining my essays. Thanks to her, I will be attending my top choice - University of California in Santa Barbara. I cannot imagine a better college counselor and I cannot recommend her enough!"
Parent of Boulder, CO Student (Class of 2021) - UC Santa Barbara
"Our family is very grateful for Cara; she guided and supported our daughter from the middle of sophomore year until the end of the whole application process. We had extra layers of concerns due to our daughter's health challenges. We needed an expert to help us navigate all those complexities and still aim high, to get her admitted to her dream school - University of California Santa Barbara. Cara’s wisdom helped us deal with a hybrid school system, her 504 program, a challenging number of AP classes, College Board and ACT accommodations, reviewing essays, etc. Things that are very overwhelming even for a kid without health challenges. Hiring Cara as our daughter's college counselor was the best investment we could have made. We are immensely grateful for her wisdom, kindness, and support."
Student, Breckenridge, Colorado (Class of 2019) - Gonzaga University
"When I think back to the start of my college application process, I can remember feeling lost and overwhelmed at this daunting task in front of me. I didn’t feel as though I had any direction in applying to schools, and I definitely was in the dark about how to complete college applications. Luckily, I had an expert to help guide me along this process. Working with Cara has been one of the best choices my family and I made, and I am so thankful that I had such a wonderful mentor to work with. Cara is on top of everything, and she works very hard to always be checking in on her students and making sure they are on the right track for their personal goals. Cara very consistently reminded me of deadlines and various tasks that needed to be completed and helped support me through every step of the way. This sort of reminder was paramount and crucial to the success of my college process. One example of this was writing my main college essay for the Common App. I did not know how to start of my essay, so Cara and I spent a meeting brainstorming and coming up with various ideas and ways to write to my chosen prompt. In addition to helping me come up with ideas, she always made herself available to help edit and revise everything before I sent it off to colleges. Availability was huge with Cara, I always felt comfortable reaching out with any help I needed and within less than a day she would always respond and help me with whatever I needed. Finally, the biggest testament to my work with Cara is that I am attending my dream school in the fall! This school was actually one that Cara encouraged me to look into, and I could not be more thrilled that I am heading to Gonzaga University! Cara is a truly outstanding individual, and working with her during the last couple years has been wonderful!"
Parent of Waterbury, Vermont Student (Class of 2019) - Essay Package
"I think your assistance helped S. immensely with his common app essay in focus, content, writing quality and completion speed. I love his essay! I think it’s a real asset to his apps. I still can’t believe how fast he was able to complete that with your guidance."
Parent of Boulder, Colorado Student (Class of 2018) – New York University, Tisch School of the Arts
“At the beginning of our daughter’s junior year we started working with Cara Ray. Cara was instrumental in helping our daughter focus on her strengths and guided her towards a path of study that fit her true passion. Because of the specialized nature of her major, our daughter was required to submit portfolios, additional essays and a creative resume in addition to all of the standard application requirements. Cara worked with our daughter, reviewing and critiquing her work and guiding her through this process. She kept our daughter focused every step of the way. Cara was always available to answer our questions with quick responses. The time she spent with our family submitting the applications and working with us through this complex process was invaluable. We are so excited for our daughter and her future at NYU and believe Cara’s involvement was so valuable in her getting into her first college choice.
Parents of Niwot, Colorado Students (Class of 2018) - New York University and University of San Diego
"Cara Ray was a tremendous asset for our family during the college search and admissions process. As the parents of twins with distinctly different interests, it was invaluable for them to have Cara’s advice, guidance, and support. She spent a great deal of time learning about our kids as individuals; their subject interests in school, of course, but also their extracurricular pursuits, their social activities and interests, and their vision for their post-college professional lives. From all of this, she provided them both with thoughtful guidance and suggestions for schools that might interest them. She assisted with tour scheduling. She provided input on appropriate high school classes to enroll in. And, of course, she provided exceptional help navigating a complex application process among their colleges of interest. This included reading and thoughtfully editing drafts of multiple application essays. Ultimately, both of our kids were accepted into their first choice colleges. Cara Ray’s involvement with the process was a major factor in this success. Our investment in Cara Ray’s services was more than worthwhile, and we cannot recommend her highly enough."
Parents of Breckenridge, Colorado student (Class of 2017) - Chapman University
"We just finished working with Cara Ray at Climb to College, and we couldn’t be more excited. Our daughter, Cameron, was accepted to Chapman University and received their Presidential Scholarship. Without guidance from Cara, we would have never achieved such seamless results.
Cara’s expertise was invaluable! Every aspect of the college selection process was covered by her services - building a resume, soliciting teacher recommendations, managing testing procedures, narrowing the field of choices, writing the personal essay, making applications, applying for scholarships, and making a final school selection.As dual career parents, we truly appreciate the time, energy, and expertise that was required to facilitate our daughter’s dreams. So, we have hired Cara to mentor our son through the process next. Thank you, Cara, for all you do!"
Student, Arvada, Colorado (Class of 2016) - Washington and Lee University
"Cara was excellent throughout my entire experience- from the beginning of my high school career, through the lengthy college admissions process, and even past when I had decided on a school. Without her, I would not have discovered all the wonderful schools out there that peaked my interest, and ultimately I would not have been able to decide on my dream school. Cara worked with me in a way that I never once felt overwhelmed or under prepared, which was very calming when most of my peers were feeling behind or blindsided in the process. When submitting my applications, I always felt like the schools were receiving information that directly reflected me, yet still in a way that answered what the schools wanted to hear, all thanks to Cara being with me through the entire essay process, from the rough draft to the final version by editing, suggesting, and all around smoothing out the edges. When Cara and I would talk, I often found myself walking away with tips and other tidbits of extremely helpful information that I would have never discovered on my own; her experience and credentials are so apparent and extraordinary, and I wholeheartedly believe that Cara was the best person for me to work with. I have complete faith that I am going to my dream school and have absolutely no regrets about my choices made during my entire college search, all thanks to Cara and her motivating and positive personality. I have already recommend Cara to friends, and I will continue doing so. Thank you so much, Cara, my family and I are infinitely appreciative of your continuous guidance and support. I am beyond thrilled with my decision to attend Washington and Lee, and am so thankful for the role you played in helping me get here."
Parent of Stowe, VT Student (Class of 2016) – Johnson State College
"Working with Cara has been an absolute delight, and she helped alleviate so much of the stress that comes from the college search. Cara was reassuring every step of the way, and she connected with our daughter and helped her take ownership of this process. We cannot say enough wonderful things about Cara’s guidance, and we highly recommend her to parents and students embarking on this journey!"
Parents of Massachusetts Student (Class of 2015) - College of the Holy Cross
"We just wanted to let you know how much we appreciate all your help in getting, now that you have counseled the second, both our children into their respective colleges. The college admissions process seems to have gotten a lot more involved since we applied in the seventies and definitely presented us with a daunting task. Even going through the process the second time with E. did not seem any easier because he had different needs and issues than his older sister. If you had not guided E. he may have applied to just about every school in the US. Thank you for helping him get through the seemingly thousands of choices that had to be made over the many months of the process, and of course how many deadlines might have slipped by without your reminders? With a great deal of patient persistence, flexibility of scheduling meetings, and knowing how much "pressure" to apply you found a great match for our son with the college of his choice. The rest is up to him. With many thanks, warmest regards, and best wishes for you and your family."
Parent of Denver, Colorado Student (Class of 2015) - U of Puget Sound
"Insightful, knowledgable, detail-oriented. In tune with the teen psyche. Cara's role in our college-bound journey was priceless. I recommend her with the highest of accolades."
Student, Louisville, Colorado (Class of 2014) - Denison University
"I worked with Cara throughout the entire college process from start to finish. From helping me narrow down the size and environment of the schools I would eventually apply to to proofreading and providing constructive feedback on every draft of every essay I wrote for my applications, Cara proved to be a great resource for me in the college process. I ended up finding a small, liberal-arts school 2000 miles away from home that has since proved to be a great fit for me! If it hadn’t been for my frequent meetings, emails, and texts sent back and forth to Cara, I don’t think I could have made it to where I am and to my satisfaction with my school that I have today. For anyone who is looking for little extra help and guidance in their college application and decision process, my experience with Cara went above and beyond that. Even now as a sophomore in college, I still check in with her every so often about my classes and what I’m involved in and I think the relationship that we formed over the year and a half or so that she worked with me is hard to replicate. I would recommend my experience with Cara as a private college counselor to anyone who asks and is in a similar boat!"
Student, Boulder, Colorado (Class of 2014) - Yale University
"Other high school counselors and teachers discouraged me from applying to highly selective universities because “no one gets in.” Instead of discouraging me, Cara helped me to feel confident in my choice of applying early to my dream school rather than settling for what others were telling me to do. She helped me approach applying to these schools in a smart way, by going for my dream school, but also having schools that I would love to go to had I not gotten into my dream school. She not only helped to format my Common Application in a way that made me marketable to schools, but also helped to make sure I was aware of deadlines and opportunities. Cara was instrumental in helping me to organize my essays for colleges so that in each essay or short answer question reflected a different aspect of myself. After the college admission process, Cara has assisted with locating scholarship opportunities and additional applications."
Parent of Boulder, Colorado Student (Class of 2014) - Yale University
"Often times in a sea of consultants, it becomes impossible to believe that one might help you or your student. Cara is the exception to this. She pointed my daughter, but did not take over the process. Cara guided with care and knowledge. She listened. In a word, Cara is GREAT!"
Parents of Littleton, Colorado Student (Class of 2014) - U of Redlands
"We started working with Cara after our son had been accepted to one university and then decided at orientation that he really didn’t want to be there. Cara was able to work with him to focus on his interests and goals. He is now happy with his choices and is doing very well.
Our daughter, M., was entering high school at that time so we decided to engage Cara to help in her college search. Cara has a way of truly connecting with her clients. She met with our daughter and us frequently. She was there as M's coach through her high school years discussing grades, testing, activities, scholarship opportunities, college choices, college visits, applications, essays – too many to mention all of them.
Before we started working with Cara, I had decided that we could do on our own essentially what a college coach would do. However, this was not the case. The investment was money well spent! We highly recommend Cara and hope that other families can benefit from her expertise."
Student, Louisville, Colorado (Class of 2014)- University of Minnesota
"My experience working with Cara was nothing but positive. She helped both my sister and I throughout the process of selecting which schools to apply to, the application process, applying for scholarships and financial aid and finally helping us choose the best university for our personalities, interests, and hopes for the future. I’m not sure I could have done it without Cara. The college application process is quite overwhelming, and there is always something to do, but Cara helped me feel relaxed throughout the entire experience.
I started working with Cara the summer before my junior year of high school and for two years she read every single edit of my essays and reviewed all of my applications without complaint. She first helped me decide which colleges I should apply to, and helped me narrow it down to the six universities that suited me best. Then came the application process. I always felt that I was turning in my absolute best work in to the universities because of Cara’s thoroughness and ability to know what a college admissions counselor likes to read or see as she was one herself. And I never felt like I was behind in any part of the application process. Cara and I met around once every two weeks in the thick of the application process to review my essays and my progress on applications. We always had a plan, and that made me feel organized, even when I had six in-progress applications and three in-revision essays to juggle. Cara took so much stress away from the entire process of applying, I never had to worry that I missed something, or that I filled out a section wrong, or that my essay was not going to meet expectations, and she was extremely easy to contact if I needed help. She was always fast to return my email or text message and to calm my nerves. I knew as soon as I hit the submit button on the applications, that the admissions counselors reviewing my application would be impressed with it, thanks to Cara’s guidance. After I turned in the last of my applications, Cara and I began the search for scholarships. She was able to help me find the websites and companies that held the scholarships I was most eligible for, go through the innumerable amount of scholarships with me one by one to pick out the ones I should apply for, and set a game plan for when I would complete the applications. As was the same with the initial application process, I never felt underprepared or that I was going in to any part of the process blind with Cara guiding me through it. And when it finally came time for me to choose a university, Cara went through all the pros and cons and what ifs of each school with me, patiently listening to my debate between two until she helped me reach a decision that I have not regretted since.
At the end of it all, I am going to my dream school on a scholarship, and I am positive that without Cara’s help, I would not be able to say that. On top of Cara’s excellence at her job, I really enjoyed getting to know her. She is extremely easy to get along with and has a great personality that put me at ease throughout my two years of working with her. My family owes a lot to Cara, as she has helped both my sister and I start new chapters of our lives at schools that we love. Any student that has the opportunity to work with Cara is very lucky, as they are working with the best of the best."
Student, Breckenridge, Colorado (Class of 2014) - University of Redlands
" I worked with Cara during the second semester of my Junior year and the duration of my senior year. I don’t know what I would have done without all of her help and support. She helped me so much with finding a solid list of schools with good communicative disorders programs which made it much easier to narrow down the list of schools I was researching. Without her help I probably would never have found the school I ended up attending, the University of Redlands. They have a phenomenal program and the school is truly a perfect fit for me. I am just starting my freshman year and absolutely loving it! I don’t think I would have found my dream school without all of Cara’s awesome guidance. She helped me every step of the way and made sure I got everything done on time and even did some things to help me get ahead. I am so thankful that I got to work with her because she played a huge role in getting me to where I wanted to be!"
Parent of Arvada, Colorado student (2014) - Gonzaga University
"Cara, I can't begin to tell you how happy he is. You helped us, to help find him, the perfect school. He grins from ear to ear, he has found his people...You certainly helped us navigate this crazy journey and we couldn't be more thankful."
Parent of Breckenridge, Colorado Student (2014) - University of Colorado Boulder
"Thank you so much for all your help and guidance. It was invaluable in her college search and admissions process! We really enjoyed working with you and would highly recommend you to anyone seeking guidance in the college process. Whether looking for a good college fit, puzzling over academic strengths and weaknesses, fine tuning essays or filling out applications, you were a tremendous help! Thank you!!"
Parents of Littleton, Colorado Student (Class of 2014) - U of Redlands
"We started working with Cara after our son had been accepted to one university and then decided at orientation that he really didn’t want to be there. Cara was able to work with him to focus on his interests and goals. He is now happy with his choices and is doing very well.
Our daughter, M., was entering high school at that time so we decided to engage Cara to help in her college search. Cara has a way of truly connecting with her clients. She met with our daughter and us frequently. She was there as M's coach through her high school years discussing grades, testing, activities, scholarship opportunities, college choices, college visits, applications, essays – too many to mention all of them.
Before we started working with Cara, I had decided that we could do on our own essentially what a college coach would do. However, this was not the case. The investment was money well spent! We highly recommend Cara and hope that other families can benefit from her expertise."
Student, Louisville, Colorado (Class of 2014)- University of Minnesota
"My experience working with Cara was nothing but positive. She helped both my sister and I throughout the process of selecting which schools to apply to, the application process, applying for scholarships and financial aid and finally helping us choose the best university for our personalities, interests, and hopes for the future. I’m not sure I could have done it without Cara. The college application process is quite overwhelming, and there is always something to do, but Cara helped me feel relaxed throughout the entire experience.
I started working with Cara the summer before my junior year of high school and for two years she read every single edit of my essays and reviewed all of my applications without complaint. She first helped me decide which colleges I should apply to, and helped me narrow it down to the six universities that suited me best. Then came the application process. I always felt that I was turning in my absolute best work in to the universities because of Cara’s thoroughness and ability to know what a college admissions counselor likes to read or see as she was one herself. And I never felt like I was behind in any part of the application process. Cara and I met around once every two weeks in the thick of the application process to review my essays and my progress on applications. We always had a plan, and that made me feel organized, even when I had six in-progress applications and three in-revision essays to juggle. Cara took so much stress away from the entire process of applying, I never had to worry that I missed something, or that I filled out a section wrong, or that my essay was not going to meet expectations, and she was extremely easy to contact if I needed help. She was always fast to return my email or text message and to calm my nerves. I knew as soon as I hit the submit button on the applications, that the admissions counselors reviewing my application would be impressed with it, thanks to Cara’s guidance. After I turned in the last of my applications, Cara and I began the search for scholarships. She was able to help me find the websites and companies that held the scholarships I was most eligible for, go through the innumerable amount of scholarships with me one by one to pick out the ones I should apply for, and set a game plan for when I would complete the applications. As was the same with the initial application process, I never felt underprepared or that I was going in to any part of the process blind with Cara guiding me through it. And when it finally came time for me to choose a university, Cara went through all the pros and cons and what ifs of each school with me, patiently listening to my debate between two until she helped me reach a decision that I have not regretted since.
At the end of it all, I am going to my dream school on a scholarship, and I am positive that without Cara’s help, I would not be able to say that. On top of Cara’s excellence at her job, I really enjoyed getting to know her. She is extremely easy to get along with and has a great personality that put me at ease throughout my two years of working with her. My family owes a lot to Cara, as she has helped both my sister and I start new chapters of our lives at schools that we love. Any student that has the opportunity to work with Cara is very lucky, as they are working with the best of the best."
Parent of Arvada, Colorado student (2014) - Gonzaga University
"Cara, I can't begin to tell you how happy he is. You helped us, to help find him, the perfect school. He grins from ear to ear, he has found his people...You certainly helped us navigate this crazy journey and we couldn't be more thankful."
Parent of Boulder, Colorado student (2014)
"Cara is an absolute gem! In addition to being knowledgeable and resourceful, she’s kind, patient, and generous. Cara has a gift for putting students at ease during the stressful college application process, while also motivating, supporting, and nudging them as needed. She is organized, thoughtful, perceptive, and deeply caring. I remain grateful for the incredible efforts she made on behalf of my son throughout his college research and application process. You and your child would be fortunate to work with Cara. I highly recommend her!"
"I loved working with Cara! I first met with her my junior year for help with my common app essay. The college writing process can be overwhelming to begin alone and Cara was an amazing guide and just a great person to talk to. She created very thoughtful and helpful brainstorming activities that helped me better understand myself and my strengths and helped me decide on a topic that would be both meaningful to me and impactful towards admission readers. It is so much easier to write when you brainstorm, talk about it, you’re confident and excited about your ideas. Cara helped me do exactly that. Throughout writing, she did a perfect job giving edits but also respecting my voice! Cara’s knowledge and positivity made the college process more organized and exciting for me. I can tell she cared a lot and I am so grateful for her support!"
Student, Boulder, CO (Class of 2021) - UC Santa Barbara
"I began working with Cara during my sophomore year and she was an angel throughout the whole process! My last couple years of high school were overwhelming and applying to college felt daunting at first, but Cara’s confidence, enthusiasm, experience, and kindness were incredibly inspiring. She is very organized and so easy to communicate with! I always felt as though she was doing everything in her power to help me achieve my dreams. She helped me research schools, look for scholarships, guide me through all the school applications, and she devoted so much of her time and attention to refining my essays. Thanks to her, I will be attending my top choice - University of California in Santa Barbara. I cannot imagine a better college counselor and I cannot recommend her enough!"
Parent of Boulder, CO Student (Class of 2021) - UC Santa Barbara
"Our family is very grateful for Cara; she guided and supported our daughter from the middle of sophomore year until the end of the whole application process. We had extra layers of concerns due to our daughter's health challenges. We needed an expert to help us navigate all those complexities and still aim high, to get her admitted to her dream school - University of California Santa Barbara. Cara’s wisdom helped us deal with a hybrid school system, her 504 program, a challenging number of AP classes, College Board and ACT accommodations, reviewing essays, etc. Things that are very overwhelming even for a kid without health challenges. Hiring Cara as our daughter's college counselor was the best investment we could have made. We are immensely grateful for her wisdom, kindness, and support."
Student, Breckenridge, Colorado (Class of 2019) - Gonzaga University
"When I think back to the start of my college application process, I can remember feeling lost and overwhelmed at this daunting task in front of me. I didn’t feel as though I had any direction in applying to schools, and I definitely was in the dark about how to complete college applications. Luckily, I had an expert to help guide me along this process. Working with Cara has been one of the best choices my family and I made, and I am so thankful that I had such a wonderful mentor to work with. Cara is on top of everything, and she works very hard to always be checking in on her students and making sure they are on the right track for their personal goals. Cara very consistently reminded me of deadlines and various tasks that needed to be completed and helped support me through every step of the way. This sort of reminder was paramount and crucial to the success of my college process. One example of this was writing my main college essay for the Common App. I did not know how to start of my essay, so Cara and I spent a meeting brainstorming and coming up with various ideas and ways to write to my chosen prompt. In addition to helping me come up with ideas, she always made herself available to help edit and revise everything before I sent it off to colleges. Availability was huge with Cara, I always felt comfortable reaching out with any help I needed and within less than a day she would always respond and help me with whatever I needed. Finally, the biggest testament to my work with Cara is that I am attending my dream school in the fall! This school was actually one that Cara encouraged me to look into, and I could not be more thrilled that I am heading to Gonzaga University! Cara is a truly outstanding individual, and working with her during the last couple years has been wonderful!"
Parent of Waterbury, Vermont Student (Class of 2019) - Essay Package
"I think your assistance helped S. immensely with his common app essay in focus, content, writing quality and completion speed. I love his essay! I think it’s a real asset to his apps. I still can’t believe how fast he was able to complete that with your guidance."
Parent of Boulder, Colorado Student (Class of 2018) – New York University, Tisch School of the Arts
“At the beginning of our daughter’s junior year we started working with Cara Ray. Cara was instrumental in helping our daughter focus on her strengths and guided her towards a path of study that fit her true passion. Because of the specialized nature of her major, our daughter was required to submit portfolios, additional essays and a creative resume in addition to all of the standard application requirements. Cara worked with our daughter, reviewing and critiquing her work and guiding her through this process. She kept our daughter focused every step of the way. Cara was always available to answer our questions with quick responses. The time she spent with our family submitting the applications and working with us through this complex process was invaluable. We are so excited for our daughter and her future at NYU and believe Cara’s involvement was so valuable in her getting into her first college choice.
Parents of Niwot, Colorado Students (Class of 2018) - New York University and University of San Diego
"Cara Ray was a tremendous asset for our family during the college search and admissions process. As the parents of twins with distinctly different interests, it was invaluable for them to have Cara’s advice, guidance, and support. She spent a great deal of time learning about our kids as individuals; their subject interests in school, of course, but also their extracurricular pursuits, their social activities and interests, and their vision for their post-college professional lives. From all of this, she provided them both with thoughtful guidance and suggestions for schools that might interest them. She assisted with tour scheduling. She provided input on appropriate high school classes to enroll in. And, of course, she provided exceptional help navigating a complex application process among their colleges of interest. This included reading and thoughtfully editing drafts of multiple application essays. Ultimately, both of our kids were accepted into their first choice colleges. Cara Ray’s involvement with the process was a major factor in this success. Our investment in Cara Ray’s services was more than worthwhile, and we cannot recommend her highly enough."
Parents of Breckenridge, Colorado student (Class of 2017) - Chapman University
"We just finished working with Cara Ray at Climb to College, and we couldn’t be more excited. Our daughter, Cameron, was accepted to Chapman University and received their Presidential Scholarship. Without guidance from Cara, we would have never achieved such seamless results.
Cara’s expertise was invaluable! Every aspect of the college selection process was covered by her services - building a resume, soliciting teacher recommendations, managing testing procedures, narrowing the field of choices, writing the personal essay, making applications, applying for scholarships, and making a final school selection.As dual career parents, we truly appreciate the time, energy, and expertise that was required to facilitate our daughter’s dreams. So, we have hired Cara to mentor our son through the process next. Thank you, Cara, for all you do!"
Student, Arvada, Colorado (Class of 2016) - Washington and Lee University
"Cara was excellent throughout my entire experience- from the beginning of my high school career, through the lengthy college admissions process, and even past when I had decided on a school. Without her, I would not have discovered all the wonderful schools out there that peaked my interest, and ultimately I would not have been able to decide on my dream school. Cara worked with me in a way that I never once felt overwhelmed or under prepared, which was very calming when most of my peers were feeling behind or blindsided in the process. When submitting my applications, I always felt like the schools were receiving information that directly reflected me, yet still in a way that answered what the schools wanted to hear, all thanks to Cara being with me through the entire essay process, from the rough draft to the final version by editing, suggesting, and all around smoothing out the edges. When Cara and I would talk, I often found myself walking away with tips and other tidbits of extremely helpful information that I would have never discovered on my own; her experience and credentials are so apparent and extraordinary, and I wholeheartedly believe that Cara was the best person for me to work with. I have complete faith that I am going to my dream school and have absolutely no regrets about my choices made during my entire college search, all thanks to Cara and her motivating and positive personality. I have already recommend Cara to friends, and I will continue doing so. Thank you so much, Cara, my family and I are infinitely appreciative of your continuous guidance and support. I am beyond thrilled with my decision to attend Washington and Lee, and am so thankful for the role you played in helping me get here."
Parent of Stowe, VT Student (Class of 2016) – Johnson State College
"Working with Cara has been an absolute delight, and she helped alleviate so much of the stress that comes from the college search. Cara was reassuring every step of the way, and she connected with our daughter and helped her take ownership of this process. We cannot say enough wonderful things about Cara’s guidance, and we highly recommend her to parents and students embarking on this journey!"
Parents of Massachusetts Student (Class of 2015) - College of the Holy Cross
"We just wanted to let you know how much we appreciate all your help in getting, now that you have counseled the second, both our children into their respective colleges. The college admissions process seems to have gotten a lot more involved since we applied in the seventies and definitely presented us with a daunting task. Even going through the process the second time with E. did not seem any easier because he had different needs and issues than his older sister. If you had not guided E. he may have applied to just about every school in the US. Thank you for helping him get through the seemingly thousands of choices that had to be made over the many months of the process, and of course how many deadlines might have slipped by without your reminders? With a great deal of patient persistence, flexibility of scheduling meetings, and knowing how much "pressure" to apply you found a great match for our son with the college of his choice. The rest is up to him. With many thanks, warmest regards, and best wishes for you and your family."
Parent of Denver, Colorado Student (Class of 2015) - U of Puget Sound
"Insightful, knowledgable, detail-oriented. In tune with the teen psyche. Cara's role in our college-bound journey was priceless. I recommend her with the highest of accolades."
Student, Louisville, Colorado (Class of 2014) - Denison University
"I worked with Cara throughout the entire college process from start to finish. From helping me narrow down the size and environment of the schools I would eventually apply to to proofreading and providing constructive feedback on every draft of every essay I wrote for my applications, Cara proved to be a great resource for me in the college process. I ended up finding a small, liberal-arts school 2000 miles away from home that has since proved to be a great fit for me! If it hadn’t been for my frequent meetings, emails, and texts sent back and forth to Cara, I don’t think I could have made it to where I am and to my satisfaction with my school that I have today. For anyone who is looking for little extra help and guidance in their college application and decision process, my experience with Cara went above and beyond that. Even now as a sophomore in college, I still check in with her every so often about my classes and what I’m involved in and I think the relationship that we formed over the year and a half or so that she worked with me is hard to replicate. I would recommend my experience with Cara as a private college counselor to anyone who asks and is in a similar boat!"
Student, Boulder, Colorado (Class of 2014) - Yale University
"Other high school counselors and teachers discouraged me from applying to highly selective universities because “no one gets in.” Instead of discouraging me, Cara helped me to feel confident in my choice of applying early to my dream school rather than settling for what others were telling me to do. She helped me approach applying to these schools in a smart way, by going for my dream school, but also having schools that I would love to go to had I not gotten into my dream school. She not only helped to format my Common Application in a way that made me marketable to schools, but also helped to make sure I was aware of deadlines and opportunities. Cara was instrumental in helping me to organize my essays for colleges so that in each essay or short answer question reflected a different aspect of myself. After the college admission process, Cara has assisted with locating scholarship opportunities and additional applications."
Parent of Boulder, Colorado Student (Class of 2014) - Yale University
"Often times in a sea of consultants, it becomes impossible to believe that one might help you or your student. Cara is the exception to this. She pointed my daughter, but did not take over the process. Cara guided with care and knowledge. She listened. In a word, Cara is GREAT!"
Parents of Littleton, Colorado Student (Class of 2014) - U of Redlands
"We started working with Cara after our son had been accepted to one university and then decided at orientation that he really didn’t want to be there. Cara was able to work with him to focus on his interests and goals. He is now happy with his choices and is doing very well.
Our daughter, M., was entering high school at that time so we decided to engage Cara to help in her college search. Cara has a way of truly connecting with her clients. She met with our daughter and us frequently. She was there as M's coach through her high school years discussing grades, testing, activities, scholarship opportunities, college choices, college visits, applications, essays – too many to mention all of them.
Before we started working with Cara, I had decided that we could do on our own essentially what a college coach would do. However, this was not the case. The investment was money well spent! We highly recommend Cara and hope that other families can benefit from her expertise."
Student, Louisville, Colorado (Class of 2014)- University of Minnesota
"My experience working with Cara was nothing but positive. She helped both my sister and I throughout the process of selecting which schools to apply to, the application process, applying for scholarships and financial aid and finally helping us choose the best university for our personalities, interests, and hopes for the future. I’m not sure I could have done it without Cara. The college application process is quite overwhelming, and there is always something to do, but Cara helped me feel relaxed throughout the entire experience.
I started working with Cara the summer before my junior year of high school and for two years she read every single edit of my essays and reviewed all of my applications without complaint. She first helped me decide which colleges I should apply to, and helped me narrow it down to the six universities that suited me best. Then came the application process. I always felt that I was turning in my absolute best work in to the universities because of Cara’s thoroughness and ability to know what a college admissions counselor likes to read or see as she was one herself. And I never felt like I was behind in any part of the application process. Cara and I met around once every two weeks in the thick of the application process to review my essays and my progress on applications. We always had a plan, and that made me feel organized, even when I had six in-progress applications and three in-revision essays to juggle. Cara took so much stress away from the entire process of applying, I never had to worry that I missed something, or that I filled out a section wrong, or that my essay was not going to meet expectations, and she was extremely easy to contact if I needed help. She was always fast to return my email or text message and to calm my nerves. I knew as soon as I hit the submit button on the applications, that the admissions counselors reviewing my application would be impressed with it, thanks to Cara’s guidance. After I turned in the last of my applications, Cara and I began the search for scholarships. She was able to help me find the websites and companies that held the scholarships I was most eligible for, go through the innumerable amount of scholarships with me one by one to pick out the ones I should apply for, and set a game plan for when I would complete the applications. As was the same with the initial application process, I never felt underprepared or that I was going in to any part of the process blind with Cara guiding me through it. And when it finally came time for me to choose a university, Cara went through all the pros and cons and what ifs of each school with me, patiently listening to my debate between two until she helped me reach a decision that I have not regretted since.
At the end of it all, I am going to my dream school on a scholarship, and I am positive that without Cara’s help, I would not be able to say that. On top of Cara’s excellence at her job, I really enjoyed getting to know her. She is extremely easy to get along with and has a great personality that put me at ease throughout my two years of working with her. My family owes a lot to Cara, as she has helped both my sister and I start new chapters of our lives at schools that we love. Any student that has the opportunity to work with Cara is very lucky, as they are working with the best of the best."
Student, Breckenridge, Colorado (Class of 2014) - University of Redlands
" I worked with Cara during the second semester of my Junior year and the duration of my senior year. I don’t know what I would have done without all of her help and support. She helped me so much with finding a solid list of schools with good communicative disorders programs which made it much easier to narrow down the list of schools I was researching. Without her help I probably would never have found the school I ended up attending, the University of Redlands. They have a phenomenal program and the school is truly a perfect fit for me. I am just starting my freshman year and absolutely loving it! I don’t think I would have found my dream school without all of Cara’s awesome guidance. She helped me every step of the way and made sure I got everything done on time and even did some things to help me get ahead. I am so thankful that I got to work with her because she played a huge role in getting me to where I wanted to be!"
Parent of Arvada, Colorado student (2014) - Gonzaga University
"Cara, I can't begin to tell you how happy he is. You helped us, to help find him, the perfect school. He grins from ear to ear, he has found his people...You certainly helped us navigate this crazy journey and we couldn't be more thankful."
Parent of Breckenridge, Colorado Student (2014) - University of Colorado Boulder
"Thank you so much for all your help and guidance. It was invaluable in her college search and admissions process! We really enjoyed working with you and would highly recommend you to anyone seeking guidance in the college process. Whether looking for a good college fit, puzzling over academic strengths and weaknesses, fine tuning essays or filling out applications, you were a tremendous help! Thank you!!"
Parents of Littleton, Colorado Student (Class of 2014) - U of Redlands
"We started working with Cara after our son had been accepted to one university and then decided at orientation that he really didn’t want to be there. Cara was able to work with him to focus on his interests and goals. He is now happy with his choices and is doing very well.
Our daughter, M., was entering high school at that time so we decided to engage Cara to help in her college search. Cara has a way of truly connecting with her clients. She met with our daughter and us frequently. She was there as M's coach through her high school years discussing grades, testing, activities, scholarship opportunities, college choices, college visits, applications, essays – too many to mention all of them.
Before we started working with Cara, I had decided that we could do on our own essentially what a college coach would do. However, this was not the case. The investment was money well spent! We highly recommend Cara and hope that other families can benefit from her expertise."
Student, Louisville, Colorado (Class of 2014)- University of Minnesota
"My experience working with Cara was nothing but positive. She helped both my sister and I throughout the process of selecting which schools to apply to, the application process, applying for scholarships and financial aid and finally helping us choose the best university for our personalities, interests, and hopes for the future. I’m not sure I could have done it without Cara. The college application process is quite overwhelming, and there is always something to do, but Cara helped me feel relaxed throughout the entire experience.
I started working with Cara the summer before my junior year of high school and for two years she read every single edit of my essays and reviewed all of my applications without complaint. She first helped me decide which colleges I should apply to, and helped me narrow it down to the six universities that suited me best. Then came the application process. I always felt that I was turning in my absolute best work in to the universities because of Cara’s thoroughness and ability to know what a college admissions counselor likes to read or see as she was one herself. And I never felt like I was behind in any part of the application process. Cara and I met around once every two weeks in the thick of the application process to review my essays and my progress on applications. We always had a plan, and that made me feel organized, even when I had six in-progress applications and three in-revision essays to juggle. Cara took so much stress away from the entire process of applying, I never had to worry that I missed something, or that I filled out a section wrong, or that my essay was not going to meet expectations, and she was extremely easy to contact if I needed help. She was always fast to return my email or text message and to calm my nerves. I knew as soon as I hit the submit button on the applications, that the admissions counselors reviewing my application would be impressed with it, thanks to Cara’s guidance. After I turned in the last of my applications, Cara and I began the search for scholarships. She was able to help me find the websites and companies that held the scholarships I was most eligible for, go through the innumerable amount of scholarships with me one by one to pick out the ones I should apply for, and set a game plan for when I would complete the applications. As was the same with the initial application process, I never felt underprepared or that I was going in to any part of the process blind with Cara guiding me through it. And when it finally came time for me to choose a university, Cara went through all the pros and cons and what ifs of each school with me, patiently listening to my debate between two until she helped me reach a decision that I have not regretted since.
At the end of it all, I am going to my dream school on a scholarship, and I am positive that without Cara’s help, I would not be able to say that. On top of Cara’s excellence at her job, I really enjoyed getting to know her. She is extremely easy to get along with and has a great personality that put me at ease throughout my two years of working with her. My family owes a lot to Cara, as she has helped both my sister and I start new chapters of our lives at schools that we love. Any student that has the opportunity to work with Cara is very lucky, as they are working with the best of the best."
Parent of Arvada, Colorado student (2014) - Gonzaga University
"Cara, I can't begin to tell you how happy he is. You helped us, to help find him, the perfect school. He grins from ear to ear, he has found his people...You certainly helped us navigate this crazy journey and we couldn't be more thankful."
Parent of Boulder, Colorado student (2014)
"Cara is an absolute gem! In addition to being knowledgeable and resourceful, she’s kind, patient, and generous. Cara has a gift for putting students at ease during the stressful college application process, while also motivating, supporting, and nudging them as needed. She is organized, thoughtful, perceptive, and deeply caring. I remain grateful for the incredible efforts she made on behalf of my son throughout his college research and application process. You and your child would be fortunate to work with Cara. I highly recommend her!"
Student, Tennessee (Class of 2013) - University of Miami
"I made it into the college of my dreams and I owe a big thank you to Cara Ray. In the beginning, I thought it was kind of silly that I needed a college advisor because I had already had my future college picked out. What I did not know at the time, was how much I actually needed one. She opened my mind to other options and it turns out that the college of my 'dreams' wasn't really the college of my dreams. Cara pointed me in the direction of the University of Miami and I fell in love. She encouraged me to visit the campus and once I was there, I knew it was the one. Whether it was by reminding me an essay needed to be completed or walking me through the application process, she ensured that my application would be flawless. She was available at all times and was able to help me with any questions I had. I would have been lost in the sea of college applications without her. During the past two years, we developed more than a plan for my future but also a friendship."
"I made it into the college of my dreams and I owe a big thank you to Cara Ray. In the beginning, I thought it was kind of silly that I needed a college advisor because I had already had my future college picked out. What I did not know at the time, was how much I actually needed one. She opened my mind to other options and it turns out that the college of my 'dreams' wasn't really the college of my dreams. Cara pointed me in the direction of the University of Miami and I fell in love. She encouraged me to visit the campus and once I was there, I knew it was the one. Whether it was by reminding me an essay needed to be completed or walking me through the application process, she ensured that my application would be flawless. She was available at all times and was able to help me with any questions I had. I would have been lost in the sea of college applications without her. During the past two years, we developed more than a plan for my future but also a friendship."
Parents of Niwot, Colorado Student (Class of 2013) - University of Oregon
"We are very pleased with M.'s decision to attend Oregon! It was a difficult decision for her and we're proud of the maturity she used in making her final choice.Your support has been great for M! We're both amazed at how well informed she has become on the college admission/selection process. It's amazing to see how much confidence she now has compared to when we started this process with you."
Student, Broomfield, Colorado (Class of 2013) - College of Saint Benedict/St John's University
"I worked with Cara during my junior and senior year. Working with her was an amazing experience and an immense help. Cara gave me support throughout the entire process, from preparing me for interviews, perfecting my applications, and helping me make my final decision. Since Cara has previously worked in a college admissions office, she was able to offer insight about what the admissions offices were looking for so I could improve my applications; I think this gave me an advantage over other applicants. I appreciated that Cara was always available to answer my questions, proofread my work or meet with me. She is so positive and easy to talk to and I never felt like I was bothering her, and I asked a lot of questions! I can't say enough about how much she helped me during this process, especially when I was finally ready to choose a school. Cara encouraged me without making the choice for me. It was great to talk to someone other than my parents, since they had their own opinions. I don't think I would have chosen the school I did if it weren't for Cara because I was afraid to commit, but she helped me to overcome this. I am so confident I made the right choice! I'll be attending the College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University in Minnesota. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about my experience!"
Student, New Jersey (Transfer Student) - University of Colorado Boulder
“I really do not think I would have gotten into University of Colorado Boulder…without the help of Cara Ray. She has an abundance of knowledge about what colleges want to see and what the proper steps to take are in order to be successful. Cara is also willing to go out of her way to make sure that you get all of the help you need. I was nervous about whether or not I would get into CU, but the first time I met with Cara I knew I was in good hands. I have worked with education consultants before and she is by far the best. She knows how to get things done in a timely manner and to the best of your ability. I strongly recommend Cara as an education consultant.”
Parent of Denver, Colorado student (Class of 2013) - University of Puget Sound
"We met Cara at a presentation she was giving to high school parents about ways to prepare for the college search/application process. Even though our student had already been actively researching colleges for a while, it was immediately clear to us that consulting with Cara would be very helpful and worth every penny. Looking back now, we feel that even more strongly.
From our first telephone conversation, Cara established just the right balance between addressing our questions and concerns as parents and focusing on our child as the ultimate client of the process. Cara created a working partnership, encouraging our daughter to really explore and develop her interests, goals, and boundaries around what she was looking for in a college and what she wanted out of her college experience.
There are so many choices, variables and tangents in the college search and application process. All of this happens at a time when high school students are extremely busy and often scattered. Cara did an amazing job of guiding our daughter to find her focus and personal voice in this endeavor. Cara doesn't treat the candidates like their teacher, she works with each one on all aspects, putting time and effort into the areas that are most challenging to the student. For some, that is developing their essays, for others it is pursuing scholarship opportunities, whatever it is, Cara does it with positive support in a coaching/mentoring approach.
Looking back on our college search and application experience working with Cara, we know several things. First, no great match up universities went undiscovered. Second, our daughter is receiving every scholarship dollar available to her. Third, our daughter is at the best fit for her academically and personally. Fourth, completing this journey with Cara prepared our daughter to be away as a college freshman this autumn in ways we had no idea would happen but are so grateful for every day. Cara made sure that our daughter knew that this was her own journey to complete, that by putting herself honestly and with effort into completing it, she would be so much happier with the outcome.
We have already recommended Cara to our daughter's best friend and her family. Originally we thought we would gain so much knowledge from this partnership for our daughter that we would be able to make it doubly valuable because we have a son who just started high school who would benefit from the knowledge. Now, however, we are already valuing all of the benefits of the one-on-one partnership so highly that we will be signing up again when it is his turn."
Student, Pueblo, Colorado (Class of 2013) - Colorado State University
"I just got to CSU and I absolutely love it here!...I couldn't have done it if it was not for you. You really helped me find the right college. I really do believe that I would not have even looked at CSU if it was not for you. You made finding the right college 10X easier for not only me but my family as well. I plan to keep in touch and let you know how things are going. I hope all is well. You're great at what you do and I am so thankful to have had you help me create a path for my future."
Parents of Denver, Colorado student (Class of 2012) - Davidson College
“Cara was simply outstanding to work with and we could not be happier with the ultimate outcome. Our son got into a number of strong liberal arts colleges and ended up choosing Davidson College in NC. Cara formed a great bond with our son and made the whole college application much more manageable and less daunting for all of us. She worked collaboratively with him throughout the process, was supportive and always available to counsel him (and us). She really listened closely to his college selection criteria and developed a good list of potential schools for him to look at. We also so appreciated her leadership in developing and organizing the college road trips – we don’t know how we could have managed this without her support. When it got down to the application process and the essays her input was invaluable and she helped shape his thoughts into strong essays. The real challenge came when he had to make his choices and again, she listened closely to his thoughts, concerns and wishes and helped him make a decision which he feels very good about. Thanks Cara, we are so very appreciative of all your help and look forward to working with you in a couple of years with our daughter.”
"We are very pleased with M.'s decision to attend Oregon! It was a difficult decision for her and we're proud of the maturity she used in making her final choice.Your support has been great for M! We're both amazed at how well informed she has become on the college admission/selection process. It's amazing to see how much confidence she now has compared to when we started this process with you."
Student, Broomfield, Colorado (Class of 2013) - College of Saint Benedict/St John's University
"I worked with Cara during my junior and senior year. Working with her was an amazing experience and an immense help. Cara gave me support throughout the entire process, from preparing me for interviews, perfecting my applications, and helping me make my final decision. Since Cara has previously worked in a college admissions office, she was able to offer insight about what the admissions offices were looking for so I could improve my applications; I think this gave me an advantage over other applicants. I appreciated that Cara was always available to answer my questions, proofread my work or meet with me. She is so positive and easy to talk to and I never felt like I was bothering her, and I asked a lot of questions! I can't say enough about how much she helped me during this process, especially when I was finally ready to choose a school. Cara encouraged me without making the choice for me. It was great to talk to someone other than my parents, since they had their own opinions. I don't think I would have chosen the school I did if it weren't for Cara because I was afraid to commit, but she helped me to overcome this. I am so confident I made the right choice! I'll be attending the College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University in Minnesota. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about my experience!"
Student, New Jersey (Transfer Student) - University of Colorado Boulder
“I really do not think I would have gotten into University of Colorado Boulder…without the help of Cara Ray. She has an abundance of knowledge about what colleges want to see and what the proper steps to take are in order to be successful. Cara is also willing to go out of her way to make sure that you get all of the help you need. I was nervous about whether or not I would get into CU, but the first time I met with Cara I knew I was in good hands. I have worked with education consultants before and she is by far the best. She knows how to get things done in a timely manner and to the best of your ability. I strongly recommend Cara as an education consultant.”
Parent of Denver, Colorado student (Class of 2013) - University of Puget Sound
"We met Cara at a presentation she was giving to high school parents about ways to prepare for the college search/application process. Even though our student had already been actively researching colleges for a while, it was immediately clear to us that consulting with Cara would be very helpful and worth every penny. Looking back now, we feel that even more strongly.
From our first telephone conversation, Cara established just the right balance between addressing our questions and concerns as parents and focusing on our child as the ultimate client of the process. Cara created a working partnership, encouraging our daughter to really explore and develop her interests, goals, and boundaries around what she was looking for in a college and what she wanted out of her college experience.
There are so many choices, variables and tangents in the college search and application process. All of this happens at a time when high school students are extremely busy and often scattered. Cara did an amazing job of guiding our daughter to find her focus and personal voice in this endeavor. Cara doesn't treat the candidates like their teacher, she works with each one on all aspects, putting time and effort into the areas that are most challenging to the student. For some, that is developing their essays, for others it is pursuing scholarship opportunities, whatever it is, Cara does it with positive support in a coaching/mentoring approach.
Looking back on our college search and application experience working with Cara, we know several things. First, no great match up universities went undiscovered. Second, our daughter is receiving every scholarship dollar available to her. Third, our daughter is at the best fit for her academically and personally. Fourth, completing this journey with Cara prepared our daughter to be away as a college freshman this autumn in ways we had no idea would happen but are so grateful for every day. Cara made sure that our daughter knew that this was her own journey to complete, that by putting herself honestly and with effort into completing it, she would be so much happier with the outcome.
We have already recommended Cara to our daughter's best friend and her family. Originally we thought we would gain so much knowledge from this partnership for our daughter that we would be able to make it doubly valuable because we have a son who just started high school who would benefit from the knowledge. Now, however, we are already valuing all of the benefits of the one-on-one partnership so highly that we will be signing up again when it is his turn."
Student, Pueblo, Colorado (Class of 2013) - Colorado State University
"I just got to CSU and I absolutely love it here!...I couldn't have done it if it was not for you. You really helped me find the right college. I really do believe that I would not have even looked at CSU if it was not for you. You made finding the right college 10X easier for not only me but my family as well. I plan to keep in touch and let you know how things are going. I hope all is well. You're great at what you do and I am so thankful to have had you help me create a path for my future."
Parents of Denver, Colorado student (Class of 2012) - Davidson College
“Cara was simply outstanding to work with and we could not be happier with the ultimate outcome. Our son got into a number of strong liberal arts colleges and ended up choosing Davidson College in NC. Cara formed a great bond with our son and made the whole college application much more manageable and less daunting for all of us. She worked collaboratively with him throughout the process, was supportive and always available to counsel him (and us). She really listened closely to his college selection criteria and developed a good list of potential schools for him to look at. We also so appreciated her leadership in developing and organizing the college road trips – we don’t know how we could have managed this without her support. When it got down to the application process and the essays her input was invaluable and she helped shape his thoughts into strong essays. The real challenge came when he had to make his choices and again, she listened closely to his thoughts, concerns and wishes and helped him make a decision which he feels very good about. Thanks Cara, we are so very appreciative of all your help and look forward to working with you in a couple of years with our daughter.”
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