The college application process is not like it was when we went to college. I did not realize just how difficult it was until my senior was waist deep in the application process. He had done so much work on his own to make sure he was taking the right courses and applying to the right schools, we gave him a great deal of leeway in the process. What we quickly learned is that there are so many nuances to the college application process, and we were simply not prepared. When early rejections came, a friend told us about Beth Shak and CollegeFit. Although we were late in the process, Beth jumped in with both feet. She was able to speak to our son without the emotion (and let’s face it, the hysteria) of a parent who is simply too close to the situation. Beth is incredibly knowledgeable and was able to level with our senior on the reality of the process, while remaining encouraging. She got to know our son and did a great deal of research in order to provide him with so many creative alternatives – schools we had never heard of, but were nonetheless truly perfect options. She was incredibly thorough, finding (and then helped us correct) mistakes in his applications that, if gone unnoticed, would have had detrimental effects. Most of all, Beth relieved everyone’s stress by confidently leading us through the process. Beth is incredibly knowledgeable, professional, easy to work with, and responsive. I can’t say enough wonderful things about our entire experience with her. My only regret is that we didn’t contact her sooner. (We will with our daughter, a sophomore!) Ultimately, Beth helped our son get into his dream school, University of Michigan, but even if that hadn’t worked out, she provided us with so many other great alternatives and simply made the entire experience better. Before meeting Beth, I didn’t even know what a college consultant was. I will now tell every high school parent I know to call Beth Shak! She will truly make all the difference in the world!
Parent of accepted student, University of Michigan ’24
Can’t say enough good things about Beth and CollegeFit. She goes above and beyond for her students. Yes, her assistance with applications and essays is outstanding, but she also helps her students discover more about themselves, guiding them to options they otherwise wouldn’t know they had.
Allison Zandman Wexler
Mother of Bella, University of Chicago ’25
For the past twelve months Beth Shak has mentored and guided my son through the college application process. From the start Beth worked to get to know my son and in a relatively short time she really understood him. This led her to recommend a college I had not heard of before, but it turned out to be the most perfect fit for him!
Through her leadership, Beth helped with every step of the process. From keeping my son on track regarding deadlines to working with my husband and I on financial aid and scholarships. Beth gained my son’s trust and inspired him to give his all and his best. She strengthened his strengths and knew how to work with his challenges (procrastination and insistence on doing things his way). He looked forward to their meetings and worked extremely hard towards their mutual goals.
By working so closely with our son, it allowed my husband and I to take a back seat, which made this last year with our son at home a lot more enjoyable! Instead of power struggles, not to mention trying to figure everything out for ourselves or with a high school counselor who was spread too thin, it was a pleasure to watch the process unfold and see my son take increasing responsibility for and pride in himself.
I have and will continue to recommend Beth to everyone I know. By the application submission deadline, my son had an excellent list of colleges – all of which would have been a good match for him. And in addition to getting into his first choice, Beth helped us to navigate the financial aid application process and our son was also awarded a generous financial aid package.
I cannot say enough good things about Beth and working with her. She is a rare blend of extraordinary knowledge with a deep understanding of working with adolescents under pressure!
My daughter (a sophomore) is coming up next and you can be sure we have already committed to working with Beth again – which I think says it all!
Ilana L. Markowitz, LCSW
Son entering Haverford ’21