"Hi Beth, just submitted my enrollment deposit for Tulane! Toured the school today and I absolutely LOVE it! It truly seems perfect!! I'm so happy and excited! Thank you so much for introducing me to the school!"
Student, Tulane '21
"Hey Beth! I just finished my first year of school 😊 loved every moment of it."
Student, Sarah Lawrence College '20
"😊😊😊thank you!!!!! I LOVE it here so much I can't wait!"
Student, Clemson '21
"Dear Beth,
Decision day has arrived and I want to take a moment to thank you for coaching, guiding, instructing, exploring, supporting (and much more) Ali on her journey towards college. Your expertise has been invaluable and your kindness priceless. Many thanks!
Sincerely,
Parent, Guilford High School Student, University of Tampa '21
We cannot say enough about our experience with Beth Shak and proudly recommend her to anyone who is looking at colleges. We came into the process late (August before senior year) after a friend gave us a glowing recommendation for Beth who worked with her daughter. There are certain times when people come into your life and literally make your world a better place. For our entire family, Beth was that person on so many levels. Beth helped our son solidify his course selections as a rising senior in a way we never would have thought of, setting him up for success. She then used her unique and incredible talent with teenagers to get our son to see the big picture, own his role in the process and guide him in his decision making and his responsibilities. Beth provided support when needed and candor and honesty when necessary. She helped him think about many different options, got him focused on his ACT prep and re-engaged in his classes and school obligations to make his senior year the best possible.
Beth showed her knack for finding schools that are a good fit after devoting extensive time getting to know our son, his likes and dislikes and his strengths and weaknesses. She was incredibly organized, making the application process seamless and manageable while keeping our son on task and scheduled in a way that worked for him. She dedicated incredible time, patience, compassion and a deep knowledge of so many colleges and universities so our son had choices, options and goals. The best part of this story is that our son was accepted early admission to his dream school which we all agree is the ideal school for him.
We could not be more pleased with our experience with Beth and will happily speak with anyone thinking about working with her. As parents, we came to realize how little we knew about this process. In our house, we use the mantra “In Beth We Trust.” Thank you, Beth, for changing our world!
Richard Croce
Father of Gordie Croce, Northeastern University '24
We used Beth to help our daughter, Chloe, through the application process. We probably started a little late (early summer before her Senior year), but Beth started up quickly and very efficiently...She was great at coming up with a list of schools that would be long shots, targets, and safety schools, and helped Chloe figure out which schools to visit, and what to look for.
Then came the application process.
We just can’t speak enough to the amount of time Beth devoted to our daughter. We were so pleasantly surprised, as this was so important for Chloe, but also for our family, as this can be a very stressful time.
When it came down to it, there were two schools on the list that our daughter loved. Both were extremely competitive, but we figured...and Beth advised that we “go for it,” committing to early decision. We are so pleased that it paid off and our daughter is going to her dream school! We couldn’t be more pleased with the process, how Beth guided her through it, and of course with the results. We are so thankful for Beth and would recommend her to anyone (of course, she’s already working with our son)!
Scott Goorman
Father of Chloe, Claremont McKenna College '23
"As our family journeyed into the world of college choice for our son (admitted to Haverford College - Class of '21 in an Early Decision admission), Beth was an outstanding counselor and guide. Beth’s comprehensive knowledge of schools located throughout the country and dedication to helping us understand the myriad challenges in navigating the applications process helped our son and our family dramatically ease stress and provide options we would never have found on our own. Most valuable is her facility for deeply understanding and working with her clients, recognizing their strengths, weaknesses and family specific needs and most importantly to form a relationship of integrity, trust and engagement, in our case with our son, helping guide him to an opportunity of a lifetime. Thank you Beth!"
Father of student, Haverford '21
"Beth Shak will help you and your student zero in on the best college fit, for the best value with the least amount of handwringing. She is meticulous and methodical when it comes to identifying college matches. She will help calculate acceptance percentages and likely aid packages, generously sharing her knowledge and demystifying the process. And she will help your student navigate the often thorny application, essay, and interview processes to ensure maximum effect.
Thanks to Beth's expert counsel and mathematical understanding of the admissions process our daughter, who didn't know where to begin this dizzying journey, found the school of her dreams at a price we could afford. You can't afford not to have Beth on your team. She is a Godsend!"
John and Lisa F.
Madison, Connecticut
Parents of Student, St. Lawrence University '17
My favorite text from a student in 2016:
"Thank you for everything. I would have fallen flat on my face if I didn't have you.
Thank you so much! "
Student, Bates '21
"Thanks again Beth for guiding Alex through this journey. We would have been gray…all gray, if we’d had to handle it.
p.s.- we refer your services to anyone who will listen and we will continue to do so."
Alison Hird
Mother of Alex, Notre Dame High School, West Haven, CT
University of Alabama '23
"Beth,
I just wanted to follow up with you and say Thank You! I am really pleased with how the essay came out and really appreciate the work you did with our son. Thank you! ........... I would be happy to be a testimonial or speak to anyone."
Mother of Guilford, Connecticut High School Student, University of Vermont Honors Program (w/scholarship)
"Thank you so much and for everything you did! I wouldn't be here without your help!!"
Text received on Graduation night from
Daniel Hand High School student, Madison, Connecticut
Class of 2016
UCONN Class of 2020 (w/ scholarship)
Test message received December 5, 2017:
" I GOT INTO DENISON WITH A $xx,xxx/ year scholarship!"
Bridget, Denison '22
Email received the next day:
"We are so excited. Thank you so much for your help and we could have never done it without you! You are wonderful at what you do and you have been so patient, caring and inspiring for Bridget! Bridget would have never known about Denison if it was not for you. She is over the top with excitement."
Mother, Madison, Connecticut student
"Dear Beth,
I cannot imagine this past year without all of your help. How would I have even known which schools to apply to? I am so excited for the next four years at Tulane and hope that you will come and visit!"
Student, Branford, CT, Tulane '20
"Thank you Beth for all your help and guidance. You really helped take all the stress out of this and we feel so good about the decision and most importantly our son's future. We will be in touch regarding our younger son!!! "
Parent of Student, UCONN '21
Beth,
"Once again, I'd like to thank you for getting me through the CSS Profile process. I can't imagine how I would have gotten through it without you and your indispensable knowledge...."
Best regards,
Elizabeth K.
West Hartford, Connecticut
Son, Elon '19
From the parent:
"Beth Shak is extremely knowledgeable, dependable and a pleasure to work with. Beth worked with Gary to find the right schools; coached him throughout the process; reviewed his essays and encouraged Gary to complete his own applications. Gary applied to 6 schools and got accepted into all of them. Kudos to Beth for a job well done!"
Harlee Hatoff
Bridgewater, NJ
And from the student:
Dear Beth,
I am so grateful to have had your assistance in my college applications. I know and appreciate your hard work and efforts in guiding me through the process. Without you, I don't know what I would have done, so I thank you once more for helping me with my future endeavors"
-Gary R.
Bridgewater, New Jersey"
An Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) member is a skilled professional who provides counseling to help students and families choose a college that is a good personal match: one that will foster the student's academic and social growth. Independent Educational Consultants (IECs) can provide a student and family with individual attention, firsthand knowledge of hundreds of educational opportunities, and the time to explore all of the options.
IECA members are thoroughly vetted for membership, which includes a review of their education, experience, references and campus visits. IECA members are serious professionals. They must have qualifying education and experience and have worked with scores of students before being considered for membership. Each application is
reviewed by a committee of respected peers, assuring professionalism and competence.
Anyone can put up a shingle and claim to be a "college counselor". IECA members are different.
