Barbara Rifkind
College admissions consultant for families in New York City and worldwide
| Hourly rate range | $150 to $225 an hour |
|---|---|
| Focus areas | |
| Works with | Students and Parents |
| Based in | New York, New York, United States |
| Credentials | IECA Professional member |
| Practice | Arise Advising |
Barbara Rifkind is a college admissions consultant and the founder of Arise Advising. She works one-on-one with students and parents in New York City, across the US, and worldwide. Before advising, she was an executive at Pearson Education and Oxford University Press, and a literary agent who helped writers tell their stories. She also served as a longtime alumni interviewer. Her support starts with course planning in the early grades and runs through college applications.
What Barbara helps with
Barbara helps students from 8th grade through the application process. She also works with transfer and graduate applicants.
- Course planning in 8th to 10th grade
- Choosing extracurriculars that fit a student's goals
- Building a balanced college list
- Writing college essays that tell a student's story
- Managing each step of the application process
- Choosing schools or programs for transfer and graduate applicants
- Writing personal statements
- Handling credit transfers and deadlines
Who Barbara works with
Barbara works with families of students in 8th to 10th grade and in 11th and 12th grade. She also works with transfer applicants and graduate applicants. Parents are part of the process along with the student.
Background and qualifications
Barbara graduated from Andover and Yale. She has been a longtime alumni interviewer. Her career includes executive roles at Pearson Education and Oxford University Press. She also worked as a literary agent, where she helped writers find and tell their best stories. She is an IECA Professional member and an independent educational consultant. She brings that storytelling background to essays and applications.
Barbara Rifkind pricing
Programs and services
- One-on-one admissions advising
- Support for 8th to 10th grade families
- Support for 11th and 12th grade families
- Support for transfer and graduate applicants
- Strategy session
Barbara Rifkind reviews
The CoachVouch take
Her past as a literary agent and publishing executive shapes how she helps students tell their stories.
Best for families who want one-on-one help from early course planning through college applications.
Common questions
How much does Barbara Rifkind charge?
Coaching with Barbara runs $150 to $225 an hour. Request an intro for an exact quote.
What does Barbara Rifkind help with?
Barbara Rifkind helps with course planning in 8th to 10th grade, choosing extracurriculars that fit a student's goals, building a balanced college list and writing college essays that tell a student's story.
Is Barbara Rifkind certified?
Barbara Rifkind lists: IECA Professional member.
Does Barbara Rifkind work with transfer and graduate applicants?
Yes. She helps them pick schools or programs, write personal statements, and handle credit transfers and deadlines.
Does Barbara Rifkind work with families outside New York City?
Yes. She works with families in New York City, across the US, and worldwide.
How do I contact Barbara Rifkind?
Request an intro on this page. It's free, and we'll connect you with Barbara and, if you want, 2 or 3 similar coaches to compare.
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Last updated September 2026. Request a correction.