Susan Zinanti
College admissions consultant and former University of Denver admission officer
| Hourly rate range | $70 to $130 an hour |
|---|---|
| Focus areas | |
| Works with | Students and Parents |
| Also coaches | Career coach |
| Credentials | BA in Liberal Arts, St. John's College Santa Fe; Certificate in College Counseling with Distinction, UCLA; Member, NACAC; Member, RMACAC; Member, HECA; Member, College Consultants of Colorado |
| Practice | StepWise College Consulting |
Susan Zinanti is a college admissions consultant who helps students and parents plan for college and complete applications. She spent 5 years in admissions at the University of Denver, where she served as an Assistant Director of Admission. She read applications and made admission decisions. She now runs StepWise College Consulting, which she launched in 2019. She also speaks at area high schools on college planning and financial aid.
What Susan helps with
Susan helps students and families who do not know where to start with college, and those who already have clear goals. She covers planning, applications and paying for college.
- Planning high school courses and activities
- Building a college list
- Planning standardized tests
- Exploring careers and majors
- Brainstorming and refining college essays
- Building an application timeline and strategy
- Preparing for college interviews with mock interviews
- Reviewing financial aid packages
Who Susan works with
Susan works with high school students and their parents. Some clients have no idea where to begin. Others already know what they want. She supports families through each step of college planning, from early course choices to the move to college.
How Susan works
Susan guides families step by step through college planning and applications. Her services include self-assessment surveys, college visit and college fair guidance, mock interviews, resume writing, and application timelines with strategy. She also offers essay brainstorming, application support, and financial aid counseling with package review. She keeps up with admission trends by visiting colleges, attending conferences, and networking with college representatives.
Background and qualifications
Susan started her career in college admissions after graduating from St. John's College Santa Fe. She worked 5 years at the University of Denver as an Admission Counselor and Assistant Director of Admission. She managed a territory, planned visit events, interviewed students, read applications and made decisions. Later she taught and tutored SAT, ACT, SSAT and MCAT Verbal for Kaplan Test Prep and trained teachers for 3 years. From 2015 she advised on college essays as an independent consultant. She launched StepWise College Consulting in January 2019 and holds a UCLA Certificate in College Counseling with Distinction.
Susan Zinanti pricing
Programs and services
- College planning and application support
- Financial aid counseling and package review
- Mock interviews
- Essay brainstorming and guidance
- Resume writing
- Transition to college support
Susan Zinanti reviews
The CoachVouch take
She reviewed applications and made admission decisions as an Assistant Director of Admission at the University of Denver.
Best for students and parents who want guidance from a former admission officer on applications and financial aid.
Common questions
How much does Susan Zinanti charge?
Coaching with Susan runs $70 to $130 an hour. Message Susan from this page for an exact quote.
What does Susan Zinanti help with?
Susan Zinanti helps with planning high school courses and activities, building a college list, planning standardized tests and exploring careers and majors.
Is Susan Zinanti certified?
Susan Zinanti lists: BA in Liberal Arts, St. John's College Santa Fe; Certificate in College Counseling with Distinction, UCLA; Member, NACAC; Member, RMACAC; Member, HECA; Member, College Consultants of Colorado.
Has Susan Zinanti worked inside a college admission office?
Yes. She worked 5 years at the University of Denver as an Admission Counselor and Assistant Director of Admission. She interviewed students, read applications and made admission decisions.
How do I contact Susan Zinanti?
Send Susan a message from this page. It's free and takes a minute.
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Last updated September 2026. Request a correction.