Katie Graham
College admissions consultant for high school students in Southern California and online
| Hourly rate range | $150 to $225 an hour |
|---|---|
| Focus areas | |
| Works with | Students and Parents |
| Based in | Laguna Niguel, California, United States |
| Sessions | Online and in person |
| Credentials | Professional Member, Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA); Member, National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC); Member, Western Association for College Admission Counseling (WACAC); Graduate Certificate in College Counseling, UC San Diego; Juris Doctor, University of Minnesota Law School; BS in Business, University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management |
| Practice | College Admissions Planning Strategies LLC |
Katie Graham is an independent college admissions consultant who helps high school students and their parents plan for college. She reads applications for the UC San Diego Office of Undergraduate Admissions, so she has seen the highly selective UC process from the inside. She is a former business litigation attorney. She works with families in Southern California and across the U.S. on Zoom, from ninth grade through senior year.
What Katie helps with
Katie helps students plan for college early and move through each step of the application process. She focuses on finding schools that fit a student's academic, social and financial needs.
- Choosing high school courses and planning the four years
- Building a standardized testing timeline
- Choosing extracurricular and summer activities
- Exploring careers and majors
- Choosing between Early Decision, Early Action, Regular Decision and Rolling Admission
- Writing essays and preparing recommendation letters
- Planning college visits and showing interest in schools
Who Katie works with
Katie works with high school students and their families, from ninth grade through twelfth grade. She works with students of all academic abilities. Freshmen and sophomores start with planning and exploring goals. Juniors and seniors build their college lists and complete applications.
How Katie works
Katie starts early. Freshmen and sophomores meet to map out a high school plan, explore interests and start a first college list. Juniors meet regularly to research colleges and set their college fit priorities. Seniors meet regularly to finish the list and complete applications. Students take part in building their own list. They use assessment tools for careers and majors.
Background and qualifications
Katie holds a graduate Certificate in College Counseling from UC San Diego. She also has a business degree from the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management and a law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School. She worked as a senior associate attorney at two law firms in Los Angeles and Orange County, handling business litigation. She also directed moot court and taught small-group business classes. Today she reads applications for UC San Diego admissions and volunteers with Matchlighters Scholars.
Katie Graham pricing
Programs and services
- One-on-one college consulting
- Package plans
- Hourly consulting
- Freshman and sophomore planning sessions
- Junior year college list sessions
- Senior year application support
Katie Graham reviews
The CoachVouch take
Katie reads applications for UC San Diego admissions and is also a former business litigation attorney.
Best for families who want to start college planning early in high school and build a list of schools that fit.
Common questions
How much does Katie Graham charge?
Coaching with Katie runs $150 to $225 an hour. Message Katie from this page for an exact quote.
What does Katie Graham help with?
Katie Graham helps with choosing high school courses and planning the four years, building a standardized testing timeline, choosing extracurricular and summer activities and exploring careers and majors.
Does Katie Graham coach online?
Katie is based in Laguna Niguel, California, United States. Sessions are online and in person.
Is Katie Graham certified?
Katie Graham lists: Professional Member, Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA); Member, National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC); Member, Western Association for College Admission Counseling (WACAC); Graduate Certificate in College Counseling, UC San Diego; Juris Doctor, University of Minnesota Law School; BS in Business, University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management.
Does Katie Graham work with students outside California?
Yes. She works with families in Southern California and across the U.S. on Zoom.
When should a student start working with Katie?
She suggests starting in freshman or sophomore year. Students then meet regularly in junior and senior year to build their list and finish applications.
How do I contact Katie Graham?
Send Katie a message from this page. It's free and takes a minute.
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Last updated September 2026. Request a correction.