HOW DO YOU NAVIGATE A LANDSCAPE THAT IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY CROWDED AND MORE SELECTIVE?

HOW WE CAN HELP

When you sign up for CollegeThoughts, you are choosing to simplify your journey to college by working with a group of compassionate, talented educators who will help to alleviate stress and increase success by developing a comprehensive plan for college readiness for your child. We help students to think about their ownership of the application process clearly and express themselves authentically.

TEST
PREPARATION

We create individualized plans for data-driven, strategic preparation that works for the SAT, ACT, and Subject Tests for college and for the SSAT, ISEE, and HSPT for select high schools.

COLLEGE ESSAY COACHING

We help students brainstorm, outline, and draft creative college essays that stand out because of their authenticity. Students learn the valuable parts of their own unique stories.

COLLEGE APPLICATION STRATEGY

From helping you find schools that are the right match and fit to reviewing applications before submission, we make sure that your plan makes sense and your execution is excellent.

PRIVATE SCHOOL ADVISING

Our team has vast experience placing students at the top independent day and boarding schools across the country. We help students plan effectively for the step BEFORE college too!

WHY COLLEGE THOUGHTS?

20.4 million college students are enrolled in America’s 4,140 US colleges: a sharp increase from the 11.7 million ten years ago. Now, more than ever, students need to enter the application process with a focused, self-directed plan. Good grades no longer guarantee admission to elite colleges and students need high quality assistance in navigating the rapidly shifting landscape. But with the average student only spending 38 minutes with their public school guidance office during their high school years and a student:counselor ratio of 472:1 on average, you may be thinking that you will need a little extra help to achieve your goal in the college application process.
CollegeThoughts is the partner that you need to provide your high-achieving student with the tools that they need to increase access to top caliber colleges. Our students will be strategically guided through the application process to the college or university that will best position them for future success.
Keith, the founder of CollegeThoughts, has made a career of working with families to gain admission to select public schools, prestigious private schools and elite colleges and universities across the United States. CollegeThoughts doesn’t have strategies based on opinions or theories, but on aggregated data collected over more than twenty years of experience. Here’s a quick look at some key statistics:
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Years of Experience
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Workshops Conducted
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Students Placed in Schools
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Families Counseled on Educational Options

By teaching strategies instead of tips and tricks, our students are not just prepared for testing and applications, but for life in the real world.

WHERE TO START?

There is so much that good students must do to be admitted to great colleges.  Do well on standardized testing.  Write a phenomenal, yet unique essay.  Answer a ton of supplemental questions.  Figure out which schools to apply to in the first place.
  • And then how do I visit?
  • What should I say?
  • How do I find the right college for me?
It doesn’t all start with figuring out what the colleges are thinking.  It doesn’t even begin in the college guidance office.  A great college process should start with what YOU think.
Welcome to CollegeThoughts

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LET US HELP YOU TAKE THE NEXT STEPS

Click on the button below and fill out the form to get started on the path to better schools and options.

TESTIMONIALS

I really enjoyed how I got out what I put in. You worked with me throughout my whole process but made sure if I wanted to improve my scores or my application or essays that I had to take the charge. You were always there as an incredibly insightful advisor. You knew when to push me but also when to draw back a bit. Because you helped me with the whole college process you got to know me quite well and were able to give genuine advice on where and how you best saw me succeeding. I do not believe a tutoring company or another individual would put that much care into who they work with or care that much for the person they work with.
Scottie - Cornell University
You go above and beyond to really get to know the student and their story. To you, our work together isn’t just about an application, but  it was also about helping the student come to a comfortable place to allow him/herself realize who they are and their part in the larger picture, the world, and allowing them to present their best selves and their story. When the time has come where all the hard work has come to an end, the student is okay with whatever result comes because that work allowed the student to grow and be comfortable with who they are as a whole person. Your work goes beyond the application.
Sabrina - Seattle University
I’m about to start training for work next week and I was reflecting about how much has changed since I first met you, and how I wouldn’t have had the same path without you. Your mentorship was essential to me for several reasons, the first being that you were the first person (besides my mother!) to tell me I was capable of being great. That wasn’t something I was used to hearing from just anyone and definitely not something I believed myself. You gave me the confidence I needed to do my best work, both in the application process and in life as a whole. Even today, you always make yourself available when I need advice or reassurance, regardless of how busy you are or how ungodly of an hour it is. In a few words, I’m grateful to continue to have you in my life; I couldn’t have done it without you.
Gaby - Columbia University
Keith provided me with innovative and creative strategies throughout the entire college process. In addition to simply coaching me through standardized tests and editing college essays, Keith helped me create the proper narrative to tell my story. Keith also gave me essential advice about finding the right place for me to attend college, and provided me with all the information I needed to give myself the best opportunity of being admitted. Finally and most importantly, Keith always made it clear that he believed in me, establishing trust and friendship, inspiring me, and giving me confidence in myself.
Daniel - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
In preparation for the chemistry subject test, I worked with a tutor from a large, expensive firm. All he managed to do was stress me out as the material continued to go over my head. I did not do well on that test. First, my track record working with you is impeccable. Two attempts at the SAT to reach my goal; the first two subjects tests I took also reached my goal. Second, the reason behind this success comes from your presence in general. You are reassuring and calming. When a kid is freaking out about an impending deadline or what have you, you are always there to convince them that it will be okay, to just relax and realize that we can work the system. Third, many people are big on doing a bunch of work to prepare, when that just ends up being busy work that accomplishes little. You make sure we do efficient and necessary work and nothing more. That is not to say that we do little work, because in the college application process, the necessary amount of work is significant. Fourth, you are a great writer and you come up with fantastic essay ideas that really sell the kids. Fifth, your charisma and ability to read people helps you immensely in making both students and parents trust you.
Lily - Cornell University
During the college process, you were my greatest source of guidance because I could always depend on your honesty and willingness to help at any moment. Unlike any English teacher, you didn’t try to tell me exactly how I should write my essays or what theme I should follow; instead you guided me along the way and helped me to find and develop the message I was trying to share. And unlike college guidance officers who need to help a large group of people, you spent a lot of time helping me to stand out as an individual and made me feel like my application was a priority.
Alexis - Stanford University