Marilyn O'Toole
College admissions consultant in Pacific Palisades, California
| Hourly rate range | $150 to $240 an hour |
|---|---|
| Focus areas | |
| Works with | Students and Parents |
| Based in | Pacific Palisades, California, United States |
| Credentials | CEP (Certified Educational Planner); IECA Professional member; NACAC member; Character Collaborative member; AICEP member |
| Practice | The College Consortium |
Marilyn O'Toole is an independent college admissions consultant who helps students and parents through the college search and application process. She founded The College Consortium in 2007 and works from Pacific Palisades, California. She was a teacher and an admissions advisor before consulting.
What Marilyn helps with
Marilyn guides students and families from the first college search to final acceptances. She aims to keep the process calm and focused.
- Searching for colleges and building a college list
- Organizing the application process
- Deciding whether to prep for the ACT or SAT
- Reducing anxiety about applying to college
- Knowing which factors matter most in an application
- Deciding if a local state college is the right fit
- Judging whether hybrid or online-only classes are worth the cost
Who Marilyn works with
Marilyn works with students and their parents. She supports families from early college exploration through the application and on to acceptances. She helps students find an academic home that fits them.
How Marilyn works
Marilyn builds each college search around data and analytics. She uses them to shape a focused strategy for the student. She also pays attention to character-related traits in the admissions process. Her work runs in stages: Exploration, application, and success. The College Consortium follows the NACAC Code of Ethics and Professional Practices.
Background and qualifications
Marilyn O'Toole founded The College Consortium in 2007 to build an ethical, professional group of experts in college admissions. Before and alongside consulting, she worked as a teacher and an admissions advisor, and she served on a parent leadership council. She holds the CEP credential from AICEP. She belongs to IECA, NACAC and the Character Collaborative.
Marilyn O'Toole pricing
Programs and services
- One-on-one college consulting for students and parents
Marilyn O'Toole reviews
The CoachVouch take
Best for students and parents who want a calm, data-based approach to the college search and applications.
Common questions
How much does Marilyn O'Toole charge?
Coaching with Marilyn runs $150 to $240 an hour. Request an intro for an exact quote.
What does Marilyn O'Toole help with?
Marilyn O'Toole helps with searching for colleges and building a college list, organizing the application process, deciding whether to prep for the ACT or SAT and reducing anxiety about applying to college.
Is Marilyn O'Toole certified?
Marilyn O'Toole lists: CEP (Certified Educational Planner); IECA Professional member; NACAC member; Character Collaborative member; AICEP member.
Does Marilyn help with test prep decisions?
Yes. She helps families decide whether a student should prep for the ACT or SAT.
Does Marilyn help with application anxiety?
Yes. She works to keep the process calm and to reduce the stress of applying to college.
How do I contact Marilyn O'Toole?
Request an intro on this page. It's free, and we'll connect you with Marilyn and, if you want, 2 or 3 similar coaches to compare.
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Last updated September 2026. Request a correction.