
Dean Skarlis
College admissions and financial aid consultant in Loudonville, New York
| Hourly rate range | $150 to $225 an hour |
|---|---|
| Focus areas | |
| Works with | Students and Parents |
| Based in | Loudonville, New York, United States |
| Credentials | IECA Professional member |
| Practice | The College Advisor of New York |
Dean Skarlis runs The College Advisor of New York, a college counseling practice in Loudonville, New York. He helps students and parents pick colleges and plan how to pay for them. The practice ties the college search to financial strategy. Its team has more than 150 years of combined experience and has visited and critiqued more than 450 colleges. Students have been admitted to schools such as Harvard, Yale, Stanford and MIT.
What Dean helps with
The practice helps families that feel lost in the college search and worry about high college costs. It works to find a college that fits the student socially, academically and financially.
- Choosing a college that fits socially, academically and financially
- Finding colleges in a price range the family can manage
- Getting through the college admissions process
- Planning early for college affordability
- Financial aid, tuition and scholarship questions
- Motivating a son or daughter during the college search
- Applying to Ivy League and highly selective colleges
Who Dean works with
The practice works with students and their parents. It serves students in New York City and Long Island, college-bound students across the country, and international students. Families are invited to start a consultation when the student is a sophomore or junior.
How Dean works
The practice combines the college selection process with financial strategy, so families look at affordability early. Counseling is student centered and covers every part of the admissions process. Current clients log in to a software dashboard to work with the practice.
Background and qualifications
Dean Skarlis is an independent educational consultant and an IECA Professional member. He leads The College Advisor of New York, based in Loudonville. The team has more than 150 years of combined experience in college admissions counseling. It has visited and critiqued more than 450 colleges and universities. Its students have gained admission to Ivy League and highly selective schools, and to many lesser known "hidden gem" colleges across the United States.
Dean Skarlis pricing
Programs and services
- College counseling for admissions
- Financial aid and tuition planning
- Initial consultation
- Services for international students
- Client dashboard software
Dean Skarlis reviews
The CoachVouch take
The practice combines college selection with financial strategy in one service.
Best for families of sophomores and juniors who want a good college fit at a price they can afford.
Common questions
How much does Dean Skarlis charge?
Coaching with Dean runs $150 to $225 an hour. Message Dean from this page for an exact quote.
What does Dean Skarlis help with?
Dean Skarlis helps with choosing a college that fits socially, academically and financially, finding colleges in a price range the family can manage, getting through the college admissions process and planning early for college affordability.
Is Dean Skarlis certified?
Dean Skarlis lists: IECA Professional member.
Does The College Advisor of New York work with international students?
Yes. The practice has a dedicated page for international students. It also serves students in New York City, Long Island and across the country.
When should families start working with The College Advisor of New York?
The practice invites families to schedule an initial consultation when the student is a sophomore or junior.
How do I contact Dean Skarlis?
Send Dean a message from this page. It's free and takes a minute.
Similar coaches to compare
Tick "Compare" to message several coaches at once.

Elizabeth Cashel
Elizabeth Cashel is an independent educational consultant who helps students and families with college and boarding school admissions. She founded Cashel Educational Consulting and works from Fishers Island, New York. She spent over twenty years working with and in schools across the United States and Europe. She once led upper school admissions at a New York City independent school. She serves families in the US and around the world, including expats.

Catherine Northup
Catherine Northup is an independent educational consultant who guides college-bound students and their families through college planning and applications. She has worked in this role since 2016 from San Mateo County, California. Before that, she spent seven years in the Admissions Office at Stanford's Graduate School of Business. She runs College Crossroads Consulting and helps students find schools that fit them academically, socially, and financially. She works with students from across the United States and around the world.

Claudine Vainrub
Claudine Vainrub is the principal of EduPlan, an educational consulting firm. She helps students get into college and graduate school. She has worked in admissions counseling for over 19 years and has supported thousands of candidates. Her students have been admitted to selective schools such as Harvard, MIT and Columbia. She reports that over 95% of her students earn merit scholarships each year. She works with students in the U.S. and in many other countries. She coaches in English, Spanish and Hebrew.

Ethan Sawyer
Ethan Sawyer is the founder of College Essay Guy, a company that coaches students and families on college essays and applications. The team offers one-on-one essay coaching and full admissions counseling. Each student works with a coach, and specialists and former admission officers also review the writing. The company also runs the Matchlighters Scholars Program, which pairs students from low-income households with counselors at no cost. It offers many free guides, podcasts and webinars.
Browse related
Last updated September 2026. Request a correction.