individually tailored & trusted
college consulting
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Work Directly With Austin's Premier College Consultant
I am an Austin-based college counselor who works with students across the country, assisting each of my clients to be as competitive as possible to be accepted to college. I personally work with each of my clients to create a versatile profile of college opportunities through individualized research and assessment of opportunities that are an ideal fit for their college and career aspirations. I have both college admissions (University of San Francisco) and high school college counseling experience, which give me unique insight into this process. Working full-time in a high school counseling department as the singular college counselor for 19 years, along with receiving years of professional development and training to accompany it, has equipped me with the expertise to provide the personal, one-on-one support and advocacy that many students and families are seeking to add to this process. I enjoy working individually with adolescents and helping each of them to further explore strengths, learn the skills to manage the college planning process, and to feel inspired throughout the college admissions journey. Especially during this uncertain time, hiring a student-centered, experienced independent college counselor to help you and your student to navigate the college planning and admission process can help to increase opportunities and decrease stress for your family. You don't have to wait until senior year to work with a college counselor. There are so many ways to prepare for college in the 9th - 11th grades, and I work with clients to make sure they are using that time to best prepare to be successful in their college and career endeavors.
I am an Austin-based college counselor who works with students across the country, assisting each of my clients to be as competitive as possible to be accepted to college. I personally work with each of my clients to create a versatile profile of college opportunities through individualized research and assessment of opportunities that are an ideal fit for their college and career aspirations. I have both college admissions (University of San Francisco) and high school college counseling experience, which give me unique insight into this process. Working full-time in a high school counseling department as the singular college counselor for 19 years, along with receiving years of professional development and training to accompany it, has equipped me with the expertise to provide the personal, one-on-one support and advocacy that many students and families are seeking to add to this process. I enjoy working individually with adolescents and helping each of them to further explore strengths, learn the skills to manage the college planning process, and to feel inspired throughout the college admissions journey. Especially during this uncertain time, hiring a student-centered, experienced independent college counselor to help you and your student to navigate the college planning and admission process can help to increase opportunities and decrease stress for your family. You don't have to wait until senior year to work with a college counselor. There are so many ways to prepare for college in the 9th - 11th grades, and I work with clients to make sure they are using that time to best prepare to be successful in their college and career endeavors.
Dedicated Support and Advocacy
These are all common concerns I hear from the parents who hire me. Whether a student has a 4.5 or a 3.0 GPA, all of my students and families benefit from receiving the consistent guidance and support of an unbiased, expert advocate. The families who I work with prefer an individualized experience, as opposed to working with a larger company who assigns them to multiple people throughout the process, or has a blanket approach of pre-set deadlines and steps in place that apply to all clientele. As a student-centered college counselor, I individualize tasks and timelines according to each student's personal schedule, academic calendar, and college aspirations.
Hiring me is a way for my clients to allow their student to take ownership of this process by working independently with a very knowledgeable and friendly guide, while at the same time ensuring that their parents’ advice and input is being included throughout the process. My services add an extra layer of moral support to provide transparency that offsets the pressure and ambiguity that can accompany college admissions. To allow for student independence, all one-on-one college counseling sessions with the student take place virtually in a Zoom room without parents present. I encourage parent input through parent meetings with me, or family meetings with myself and the student present. This approach allows the student to take more ownership of the process, which colleges also expect and appreciate.
- "I want the most comprehensive and dedicated support for my student and family because I want my student to have access to opportunities, and we need an expert to ensure our student is doing everything possible to succeed."
- "My student has stopped communicating with me about college and I feel like I'm walking on eggshells when I bring up the topic. I don't want to add tension to our relationship, but I want to ensure my student is successfully preparing for the college process ahead of time."
- "My student feels overwhelmed when thinking about college, and would benefit from working with someone one-on-one who will provide encouragement and help to make this process less stressful."
- "As a parent, I feel like I need an outside, unbiased expert and dedicated advocate to my student who I can also turn to when I need parental advice about college planning and admissions"
These are all common concerns I hear from the parents who hire me. Whether a student has a 4.5 or a 3.0 GPA, all of my students and families benefit from receiving the consistent guidance and support of an unbiased, expert advocate. The families who I work with prefer an individualized experience, as opposed to working with a larger company who assigns them to multiple people throughout the process, or has a blanket approach of pre-set deadlines and steps in place that apply to all clientele. As a student-centered college counselor, I individualize tasks and timelines according to each student's personal schedule, academic calendar, and college aspirations.
Hiring me is a way for my clients to allow their student to take ownership of this process by working independently with a very knowledgeable and friendly guide, while at the same time ensuring that their parents’ advice and input is being included throughout the process. My services add an extra layer of moral support to provide transparency that offsets the pressure and ambiguity that can accompany college admissions. To allow for student independence, all one-on-one college counseling sessions with the student take place virtually in a Zoom room without parents present. I encourage parent input through parent meetings with me, or family meetings with myself and the student present. This approach allows the student to take more ownership of the process, which colleges also expect and appreciate.
The families I work with come from many different backgrounds and walks of life, but the parents/guardians all do share a commonality: they are productive, talented people already juggling a multitude of responsibilities and commitments in their lives. Adding the numerous (yet important) steps that accompany the college application process can feel like taking on another full-time job.
I’m the person making sure both you and your student know about college and career opportunities pertaining to their interests, and that they stay on a timeline to meet all of their deadlines. I provide the peace of mind of knowing that you aren't doing this alone and that your student will get the expert help he/she/they needs throughout this process.
Working with a college counseling professional extensively trained to work with adolescents can help to alleviate the strain of college from the student-parent relationship and allow for the family to enjoy those last pre-college years more fully.
I’m the person making sure both you and your student know about college and career opportunities pertaining to their interests, and that they stay on a timeline to meet all of their deadlines. I provide the peace of mind of knowing that you aren't doing this alone and that your student will get the expert help he/she/they needs throughout this process.
Working with a college counseling professional extensively trained to work with adolescents can help to alleviate the strain of college from the student-parent relationship and allow for the family to enjoy those last pre-college years more fully.
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Access to Up-to-Date Information, Resources, and Guidance
I personally remember receiving an envelope in the mail during the Fall of my senior year of high school that contained a floppy disk with my college application on it and being impressed with that technology. Times certainly have changed since then! Students and parents now have so much more access to college information than ever before, but it can be hard to know where to start or how to filter through the flood of college emails and websites that are out there. The college application process itself is very different now, as well, with various types of online applications (Common Application, Coalition Application, GoApplyTexas, University of California Application etc.), virtual admission counselor visits, interviews, and some deadlines as early as October 15th! |
Furthermore, I strongly believe the best college consultant should also be a student who actively pursues learning opportunities in order to stay current with the trends of higher education and requirements to get into college. Especially as admissions trends are shifting so rapidly due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, working with a professional who is doing the work to stay informed is more important than ever. College advising is not a "one size fits all" job, every student is unique with his or her own distinct qualities and interests. You can rest assured that working with me guarantees that you are hiring a professional who stays connected to college admissions information and communicates regularly with admissions professionals on a national basis through being invited by admissions to visit college campuses, invited to join national advisory boards, and attending multiple national conferences on an annual basis. From scholarship opportunities to application requirements for selective colleges such as the University of Texas Plan II Honors Program, Rice University, or Cornell University, the college admissions landscape is ever-changing and hiring a professional who stays active in professional development is essential in this field.
Since I am the expert, I work directly with each of my clients. My role in this process is making sure your student is using all of his/her/their resources effectively in order to narrow down college choices, create a plan for successfully applying to colleges, and find a student’s "best fit" college. My clients receive one-on-one guidance through hourly sessions with me, a very individualized approach to the college process, assistance with keeping track of deadlines, and an advocate available to help them every step of the way. My clients work directly with me (and only me) through the entirety of the process. I do not outsource any part of the advising process.
Since I am the expert, I work directly with each of my clients. My role in this process is making sure your student is using all of his/her/their resources effectively in order to narrow down college choices, create a plan for successfully applying to colleges, and find a student’s "best fit" college. My clients receive one-on-one guidance through hourly sessions with me, a very individualized approach to the college process, assistance with keeping track of deadlines, and an advocate available to help them every step of the way. My clients work directly with me (and only me) through the entirety of the process. I do not outsource any part of the advising process.
Meet Your College Counselor
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Mrs. Yvonne Espinoza |
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In the 20 years that I have been a professional college counselor, I have provided hundreds of students and families with increased access to pre-college opportunities, college admissions, and scholarships nationwide through my individualized approach to college advising. I have 19 years of experience working in a high school counseling department, and also have college admissions experience working as an Outside Reader for the University of San Francisco Admissions Office. I have owned my own college counseling practice for 9 years. I have visited over 100 college campuses across the country through counselor visits and invitation-only programs and strongly believe in continuing those trips annually in order to build relationships with colleges and better advise my students. I am also a Professional Member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA), member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and the Texas Association for College Admission Counseling (TACAC), and regularly attend national conferences to stay informed on the most current college information available. I also am a credentialed Certified Educational Planner (CEP)
I have also received awards from both colleges and city representatives for my college advising accomplishments, most recently receiving the national recognition the 2021 National Association of College Admission Counseling Inclusion, Access and Success Award, the Counselor That Changes Lives Award for 2015 through the Colleges That Change Lives organization and a City of Austin Certificate of Appreciation "for supporting a student-centered college search process." In 2017, I was elected to the Colleges That Change Lives Board of Directors and currently serve as Treasurer-elect. I also serve the ScholarMatch organization as a Varsity College Coach. It has been my distinct honor to have helped so many students to find the college of their dreams, and to help demystify this process for families. I am the type of educational consultant who enjoys helping a student with every detail of the college process and inspiring my students to exceed their own expectations.
On a personal note, I am a native Austinite who, with the help of a independent educational consultant (IEC) in Austin, TX, attended Boston University with a very generous scholarship and also lived in Madrid, Spain, for one year. The life-changing guidance I received from retired college counselor, Peggy Manley (who to this day is a dear friend of mine), inspired me to eventually devote my career to the world of college counseling. I know first-hand what a difference experienced guidance can make in choosing, applying to, and selecting a college, and I believe every student deserves to achieve his, her or their college dreams. In my free time, I enjoy planning travel adventures, and spending time with my wonderful husband and dogs.
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nacac College Admissions Decoded Podcast
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I recently contributed to a national podcast for the National Association for College Admissions Counseling. Click on the image to the right to listen in on a conversation about how to navigate college visits, and feel free to share. The College Admissions Decoded Podcast provides free & helpful information about the college admissions process.
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