Admissions consultants for creatives
Compare 42 admissions consultants. Besides their main focus, the most common focus areas are college admissions, arts and portfolio, athletic recruiting and college essays. They most often work with creatives, students and parents. Most charge $69 to $150 per hour or session.
What admissions consultants charge
Admissions consultants to compare
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Lorraine Serra
Lorraine Serra is the founder and managing director of Portfolio College Counseling. She guides art, design and architecture students through college and graduate admissions. She has worked with these students for 17 years. Her clients include U.S. and international students, and transfer students. She helps them build a portfolio that stands out. She has also consulted for other educational consultants and coached as a volunteer with College Summit.
Adrienne Spraggins
Adrienne Spraggins is a college admissions consultant in Nashville, Tennessee. She helps students and their parents with the college search, applications, and final decisions. She used to be an admissions officer at Vanderbilt University, where she reviewed over 6,400 applications for admission and scholarship. She has guided more than 700 students. Her work covers athletes, arts students, students with learning differences, and students who want to study abroad.
Cathy McMeekan
Cathy McMeekan is a college admissions consultant who guides students through choosing and applying to college. She has over twenty years of experience in admission and counseling. She spent 8 years as Director of College Counseling at Saint George's School in Spokane and has worked in admission offices at the University of Oregon, Northern Arizona University and Linfield College. She now runs McMeekan College Consulting LLC.
Chris Holzwarth
Chris Holzwarth is an independent college consultant who helps students and their families choose a college and plan a career. Chris uses a process called IDEAL to match each student's strengths and talents to schools and careers. Chris was a classical ballet dancer before moving into this work. Chris also gives talks at national conferences and partners with other consultants on arts admissions and assessments. Sessions run online, so students across the country can work with Chris.
Harriet Katz
Harriet Katz is an independent college counselor who helps visual and performing arts students get into college programs. She owns Creative Kid College Coach in California. Before counseling, she spent over 20 years in film production and animation. She began counseling arts students at Freestyle Academy in 2007. Her practice now serves domestic and international students. She helps with portfolios, auditions, essays, and college lists for undergraduate and graduate programs.
Kyle Sykes
Kyle Sykes is a master's programs admissions consultant who helps aspiring filmmakers and media professionals apply to graduate programs. He is an award-winning director with a Stanford film degree and a USC film MFA. He worked as Director of Photography for The Hollywood Reporter round tables, shooting stars like Viola Davis and Adam Sandler. He also interned at HBO. He offers full application packages, essay help and interview prep.
Madeleine Fernando
Madeleine Fernando is an MBA admissions consultant who also helps with medical school and undergrad essays. She spent years in brand storytelling and publicity at Apple, Pixar, Capcom and Dolby, then earned her MBA at Columbia Business School. She applied to five MBA programs and was admitted to all five. She has more than 6 years of experience as an education essay consultant and likes working with applicants aiming for media, gaming or tech.
Maria Nicolacakis
Maria Nicolacakis is an independent college admissions consultant in Calabasas, California. She helps students and parents with college applications and essays, and she has a specialty in visual and performing arts admissions. She founded Act One College Counseling as a boutique practice. She is a former assistant dean and college professor, and a working performer and writer. She finished the UCLA College Counseling Certification Program with distinction.
Mary Anna Dennard
Mary Anna Dennard is the founder of College Audition Coach. Mary helps high school performers and their parents with college applications and auditions for acting and musical theater programs. Mary has worked in this field since 2000 and wrote two college audition guide books. Mary's team has coached hundreds of students across the country, and many were accepted to programs in the US and Europe. The practice also runs Moonifieds, an in person audition event in Dallas.
Miller Liberatore
Miller Liberatore is a college admission consultant who works with theatre students and LGBTQIA+ students. Miller holds two Barnard degrees, in sociology and theatre directing, and earned a C.A.C. certification at U.C. Berkeley. Miller also works as a theatre director and youth theatre teacher. Miller sits on the HECA Advocacy/DEI committee and serves on the board of Campus Q, a nonprofit for LGBTQIA+ college applicants and students.
Nita June
Nita June is an educational consultant who helps students and families with college admissions. She specializes in visual arts portfolio guidance and performing arts audition coaching. She also works with transfer students, graduate students and athletes. Before starting her own practice, she taught high school English, literature and theater for almost a decade. She has focused on college counseling since 2012. She also directs and produces for her own theatre company.
Paul Nicholas
Paul Nicholas is an independent college admissions consultant and the founder of Alma Mater Educational Services. She helps students and their parents with college applications, from early planning to decisions and follow-up. She is in the eleventh year of her practice and works with students across the country and around the world by Zoom. She earned her college counseling certificate at UCLA Extension and volunteered with Minds Matter in Los Angeles.
Shari Piracha
Shari Piracha is a college admissions consultant who helps students and parents with the college search and application process. She runs YouQuest College Advising near Ann Arbor, Michigan, and works with clients in person and online. She has been an educator for over 27 years. She has a master's degree in special education and has guest lectured for the UCLA College Counseling certificate program. She focuses on students who do not fit the usual mold.
Tayo Amos
Tayo Amos coaches people who want to get into film school or build a career in film and television. Tayo is a director and a member of the Directors Guild of America. Tayo directed an episode of Chicago Fire and has had short films screen at Tribeca and Cannes. Tayo is an adjunct professor at USC and sits on its admissions committee. Tayo has coached five people so far.
Bibi Malek
Bibi Malek is a university admissions consultant and the founder of Select College Admissions in West Vancouver, Canada. She helps students and parents plan and complete applications to universities in the US, Canada and the UK. She has more than a decade of experience in admission counseling. She works with athletes, aspiring architects and studio or performing artists. She meets clients in person or by live video, so families in other countries can work with her.
Chris Andersson
Chris Andersson is an independent educational consultant who helps arts students and their parents with college admissions. Chris is the founder and CEO of Nothing But Drama in New York City. Chris has advised arts students for over 12 years. Chris's clients study theatre, film, dramatic writing, music, dance, visual art, design and architecture. Chris also helps students look at programs in other countries, including Sweden, Hong Kong, Australia and France.
Cristine Butler
Cristine Butler is an independent educational consultant who runs College Click, a college admissions counseling practice in Valencia, California. She helps students and parents build a college list, understand the admissions process, and write strong essays. The practice has served over 1,000 students, including athletes and performing arts applicants. Its team includes former admissions officers from top creative schools. Cristine is a professional member of the IECA.
Michele Coleman
Michele Coleman is a college admissions and career counselor who helps students and families with the college search. She runs Coleman College Counseling as a sole owner, so each plan is built for the student and family. She also works with transfer students, college students who want career direction, and students applying to graduate and professional schools. Before this, she spent over 13 years in training, organizational development and outplacement. She works with athletes and arts students.
Nick Soper
Nick Soper is an independent college admissions consultant who runs Creative College Prep, a boutique consultancy. He helps students and parents with college planning, especially arts-minded students and students who do many things but are unsure what they want to study. He has tutored standardized exams for more than 12 years. He is also a professionally trained actor and writer who coaches auditions and writing. His work is based in California.
Audrey Ludemann
Audrey Ludemann is an independent educational consultant in Wilton, Connecticut. She helps students and parents with boarding and private school admissions. Her practice, The Bertram Group, also advises on college and graduate school, non-traditional school options, and career and life coaching for young adults. The team interviews each student and looks at strengths, needs, goals, athletics, arts, service and social skills to find a school that fits.
Nichole Clark
Nichole Clark is a life coach, college admissions consultant and career development guide who works with high school and community college students. She runs LIFEmaps. She has spent three years teaching overseas, including service in the US Peace Corps in the Republic of Kiribati. She teaches as adjunct faculty at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. She has helped artists apply to art schools and mentored AmeriCorps Health Corps volunteers through medical school applications.
Betsy Klene
Betsy Klene is an independent college advisor who guides high school students through the admissions process. She uses a set plan with a yearly agenda for each grade from freshman to senior year. She built workshops for La Jolla High School that the school still uses. She also worked with the US State Department at college fairs for US universities in Singapore. She advises 20 to 30 students each year, including students who live far away.
Elizabeth Katz
Elizabeth Katz is a college admissions consultant in Menlo Park, California. She helps high school students and their parents build a college list, write essays and finish applications. She has worked with paying clients since November 2013. Her students come from public and private high schools. They include athletes, artists and students with special needs. She is a professional member of IECA and runs Spark College Consulting.
Jessica White
Jessica White is an independent educational consultant in Madison, Mississippi. She runs EduSail, a college and career counseling practice for middle and high school students and their parents. She helps students with essays, activities, college lists, scholarships and choosing a path after high school, including trade school. Her team of mentors, called the Crew, works with her. EduSail offers a 6-week flagship program called The College Crew and special tracks for athletes, artists and international students.
Stephanie Adkins
Stephanie Adkins runs Open Gate College Advising, a college advising and career consulting practice. She works with students from 9th grade through college and into their careers. Her work covers selective college admissions, athletic recruiting, military academies, conservatory and vocal performance auditions, and art portfolios. She also handles merit aid and financial aid, including appeals. She has a background in gifted education, mentoring and education reform research.
Gloria Tenenbown
Gloria Tenenbown is an admissions consultant who helps students with college and graduate school applications. She has worked with students for over 18 years and has helped hundreds with college counseling. In the 2019-20 season she finished work with 20 students, including two applying to medical school and two applying to MBA programs. She built her practice only on client referrals. She also taught speech and drama at The Kinkaid School.
Joan Bress
Joan Bress is an independent educational consultant who helps students and parents with college admissions. She runs College Resource Associates in Worcester, Massachusetts. She has more than twenty years of experience as an educator and licensed independent clinical social worker. She specializes in students who pursue fine and performing arts majors. She also works with recruited athletes and traditional students. She teaches online college counseling courses for UCLA and leads workshops for students, parents and teachers.
Katie Thomas
Katie Thomas is a college admissions consultant who helps students and parents plan the college search and application process. She runs Thomas College Consulting, LLC. She spent 7+ years working in college admission at a selective liberal arts college and a public flagship university. She then spent 17 years at Kent Denver School, where she was director of college counseling for 6 years. She offers full packages and hourly help.
Lisa Hillhouse
Lisa Hillhouse is a college admissions consultant who helps students and their families with the college process. She started her own consulting business in 2014, after 20 years working in college admissions. She held roles from senior admissions counselor to director of adult and graduate admissions. She worked at three SF Bay Area colleges and one service academy. She meets families in person in Atlanta and the SF Bay Area, and online across the country.
Traecy Hobson
Traecy Hobson is an independent educational consultant who guides high school students and their families through the college search and admissions process. She founded Admissions on Track. She spends 20 percent of her professional time touring campuses across the United States and visits 25 to 30 colleges each year. She meets with admissions staff and faculty. She uses these visits to match students with colleges that fit their academic, social and financial needs.
Amy Goldin
Amy Goldin is a college admissions consultant who advises students interested in the performing arts. She runs COPA, Inc., College Options in the Performing Arts, with a team. She builds individual lists of colleges and summer programs and helps students prepare audition materials, portfolios, applications, essays and resumes. She also does an Artistic Review and Talent Evaluation to see how competitive a student is for schools and conservatories.
ArtsBridge
ArtsBridge is a college consulting firm for students in the visual and performing arts. It helps students in theater, music, dance and visual arts apply to college. The firm is based in Natick, Massachusetts. It offers artistic assessments, an application and essay bootcamp, audition workshops with college faculty, and summer programs in acting, voice, dance and musical theater. It also offers consulting for institutions.
Elizabeth LaScala
Elizabeth LaScala is an independent college advisor who helps high school, transfer and graduate school applicants get into the schools they want. She has worked with students for over 15 years and added graduate and professional school advising 8 years ago, after former clients asked for it. She handles medical, dental and vet school applicants in small numbers with a team of experts. Her clients have gotten into at least one school they applied to every time.
Jane Hahn
Jane Hahn is an independent educational consultant in Salt Lake City, Utah. She runs My College Advocate and helps students and parents plan for college. Her work covers course planning, test plans, college lists, essays, applications, and financial aid. She also guides athletes through NCAA and NAIA recruiting and helps arts students prepare portfolios and auditions. Clients can start with a two-hour meeting, where the first hour is with the student and the second includes parents.
Martha Jones
Martha Jones is a college admissions consultant and founder of Jones College Counseling in Petaluma, California. She helps high school students and their parents plan for life after graduation. She has guided families through college admissions for more than a decade. Her work covers college search, deadlines, standardized test plans, applications, financial aid and scholarships. She also helps students who plan a gap year, attend trade school, transfer, or join ROTC.
Portfolio College Counseling
Portfolio College Counseling is an independent college consulting practice for students who want to study art and design. It helps artists, designers and architects build portfolios and apply to college. The practice started in 2008 and has worked with more than 800 students. It serves U.S. and international students. It also helps with graduate, transfer and summer program applications. Its team includes visual art and design professionals and essay specialists.
Rebecca Stuart-Orlowski
Rebecca Stuart-Orlowski is an independent college admissions consultant in San Diego, California. She helps students and their parents through the college search and application process. Her background in teaching and the performing arts shapes her focus on clear communication. She specializes in non-traditional students, including profoundly gifted, homeschooled, radically accelerated, transfer and health-challenged students. She also advises new private schools as they develop.
Virginia & Jennifer Bush & Associates
Virginia & Jennifer Bush & Associates is an independent educational consulting firm in Cary, North Carolina. The team helps students and parents with boarding school, private school, and college placement. The firm has 50 years of experience and says it pioneered its field. Of the students who follow the VJB process, 97% are placed in one of their top three school choices. Consultants work with students from middle school through university.
Allison Tate
Allison Tate is a college admissions consultant who helps students plan for and apply to college. She works with athletes, artists, international students, students with learning disabilities, homeless students and first generation students. She began at Kaplan as a test prep tutor and helped students with applications from 1999 to 2003. She has led college counseling at a public high school and now leads it at a private school, while also consulting with Dunbar Educational Consultants.
Debbie Keown
Debbie Keown is a college admissions counselor and the founder of Monarch College Counseling. She guides students and families through the college search and application process. She has worked as an independent educational consultant for 6 years. Her clients include athletes, performing artists, and students interested in the military or ROTC. She also volunteers as a mentor with ScholarMatch, where she has mentored 5 students over three years.
Elora Lyda
Elora Lyda is a life and creative development coach who helps creators and teens with portfolios, college admissions and personal creative projects. She spent nearly a decade as a Character Designer for studios like Warner Brothers and FOX, and worked on Rick and Morty. She holds an ICF certification and trained in Martha Beck's Wayfinder program. She created an art-based system called Inner Team Building that builds confidence by working with a client's inner voices.
Paul Rivas
Paul Rivas is an independent educational consultant who teaches study skills and time management to students from middle school to grad school. He runs SMITH RIVAS in Saint Leonard, Maryland. He wrote the book This Book Will Not Be on the Test and built an online course called Better Grades in Less Time. He works with students with ADHD, learning differences, athletes, creatives and high achievers.
Side by side
| Coach | Focus | Hourly rate range |
|---|---|---|
| Lorraine Serra | College admissions and Grad school and PhD | $70 to $130 an hour |
| Adrienne Spraggins | College admissions and Students with learning differences | $150 to $225 an hour |
| Cathy McMeekan | College admissions and Athletic recruiting | $70 to $130 an hour |
| Chris Holzwarth | College admissions and Arts and portfolio | $150 to $225 an hour |
| Harriet Katz | College admissions and College essays | $150 to $225 an hour |
| Kyle Sykes | Grad school and PhD and Arts and portfolio | $70 to $225 an hour |
| Madeleine Fernando | MBA admissions and College essays | $70 to $145 an hour |
| Maria Nicolacakis | College admissions and College essays | $150 to $240 an hour |
| Mary Anna Dennard | College admissions and Arts and portfolio | $150 to $225 an hour |
| Miller Liberatore | College admissions and Arts and portfolio | $70 to $130 an hour |
| Nita June | College admissions and Grad school and PhD | $70 to $130 an hour |
| Paul Nicholas | College admissions and Financial aid and scholarships | $70 to $130 an hour |
| Shari Piracha | College admissions and College essays | $150 to $240 an hour |
| Tayo Amos | Arts and portfolio and Grad school and PhD | $70 to $225 an hour |
| Bibi Malek | College admissions and College essays | $80 to $220 an hour |
Common questions
How much does an admissions consultant cost?
Most admissions consultants charge $69 to $150 per hour or session.
What else do these admissions consultants help with?
Common focus areas include college admissions, arts and portfolio, athletic recruiting and college essays.
Prices and research
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Last updated September 2026.