Kristen Hesby
College admissions consultant for high school students and their parents
| Hourly rate range | $70 to $130 an hour |
|---|---|
| Focus areas | |
| Works with | Students, Parents and Athletes |
| Credentials | Berkeley CACP program practicum |
| Practice | Kjorlien College Advising |
Kristen Hesby is an independent college admissions consultant who guides high school students and their parents through the whole college process. She works with students in the classes of 2022 to 2025. Her clients include first-generation and low-income students, possible recruited athletes, and legacy applicants to highly selective colleges. She finished her Berkeley CACP practicum at Miramonte HS in Orinda and serves a paid client base of 40+ students. She also volunteers in local public high schools.
What Kristen helps with
Kristen helps students plan for college from early high school through the final decision. She covers classes, activities, tests, the college list, and the application itself.
- Planning high school courses
- Reviewing extracurricular activities
- Choosing a college major and exploring careers
- Building a well-rounded and realistic college list
- Test prep strategy
- Managing the application timeline
- Personal statements and supplemental essays
- Preparing for college visits and interviews
Who Kristen works with
Kristen works with high school students in the classes of 2022 to 2025 and their parents. Her clients include underrepresented minority students, low-income and first-generation students, and possible recruited athletes. She also works with legacy applicants to highly selective colleges.
How Kristen works
Kristen starts with interviews of the parents and the student to build a student profile. She then reviews the academic record and transcript. She uses personality assessments to add insight. From there she plans coursework across high school, reviews activities, and builds the college list. She also manages the application timeline and edits essays.
Background and qualifications
Kristen is an independent educational consultant who works with high school students as a paid consultant and as a volunteer in local public high schools. She completed her practicum for Berkeley's CACP program at Miramonte HS in Orinda. She serves a paid client base of 40+ students.
Kristen Hesby pricing
Programs and services
- Initial parent and student interviews
- Full-process college advising from early high school
- Essay brainstorming and editing
- College visit and interview preparation
Kristen Hesby reviews
The CoachVouch take
Kristen also volunteers in local public high schools while running her paid practice, and she serves first-generation and low-income students as well as legacy applicants.
Best for high school families who want help with the full college process, from course planning to the final decision.
Common questions
How much does Kristen Hesby charge?
Coaching with Kristen runs $70 to $130 an hour. Message Kristen from this page for an exact quote.
What does Kristen Hesby help with?
Kristen Hesby helps with planning high school courses, reviewing extracurricular activities, choosing a college major and exploring careers and building a well-rounded and realistic college list.
Is Kristen Hesby certified?
Kristen Hesby lists: Berkeley CACP program practicum.
Does Kristen Hesby work with first-generation students?
Yes. Her clients include first-generation and low-income students, as well as underrepresented minority students.
How do I contact Kristen Hesby?
Send Kristen a message from this page. It's free and takes a minute.
Similar coaches to compare
Tick "Compare" to message several coaches at once.
Matt McGee
Matt McGee is a private tutor and college admissions counselor who founded MRM Education in 2020. He helps late middle school and high school students through the full college application process. He has worked in tutoring and admissions for 15 years. His team has placed students at multiple Ivy+ universities and the top UC schools. He also supports athletes, homeschooled students and neurodivergent students.
Spark Admissions
Spark Admissions is a college admissions consulting firm that helps students and their parents. It is led by Rachel Rubin, who has a Harvard doctorate. While at Harvard, she published a study on how admissions officers at the top 75 American colleges make decisions. The firm builds its plans on that research. Each family works with one consultant, and a committee reviews every student's application. The team includes former admissions officers and PhD researchers.
Manisha Puranik
Manisha Puranik is a college admissions consultant who helps high school students in grades 9 to 12 through the application process. She has helped more than 90 students get into a college that fits them. Those schools include UC campuses, Harvard, Stanford, MIT, UPenn, Brown and Dartmouth. She also guides student athletes on varsity play, coaches, NCAA membership and the difference between Division I and Division II.
AdmissionSight
AdmissionSight is an admissions consulting firm that helps students and parents apply to Ivy League and other top universities. The team covers college, transfer, graduate and MBA applications. Founder Eric Eng has over 15 years of experience and graduated from Princeton. He works one-on-one with only 15 students per year. Senior consultants include graduates of Harvard, Stanford and Carnegie Mellon. Services also include essay editing, extracurricular planning and test tutoring.
Browse related
Last updated September 2026. Request a correction.