College Solutions

What College Solutions does

College Solutions is a privately held, bootstrapped college admissions consulting firm founded in 2003 and headquartered in Crozet, Virginia, with additional offices in Richmond, VA, Charlotte, NC (opened early 2025), and Lexington, MA. The firm serves families of middle and high school students seeking personalized guidance through the college admissions process, offering tiered annual packages organized by grade level (Foundations for 8th grade, College Kickstart for 9th, Momentum for 10th, Upperclassmen for 11th-12th, and the multi-year Capstone program covering 8th through 12th grade). The core value proposition rests on a team composed largely of former admissions officers from selective universities including Northwestern, UVA, and UNC Chapel Hill, who collectively bring 128+ years of higher education experience and have read tens of thousands of applications.

The firm's product portfolio extends beyond undergraduate admissions to include academic support (SAT/ACT prep and subject tutoring), specialized counseling for student-athletes and military-affiliated applicants, law school admissions advising through the "What's Next?" program led by former UVA Law Chief Admissions Officer Cordel Faulk, transfer student advising, and post-graduate career counseling. The company reports outcome metrics including 91% placement in students' top-three schools, an average of $61,000 in merit aid, and a 9.5/10 family recommendation rate. The business operates primarily through direct in-person consultations and virtual sessions, with a freemium entry point (free initial consultation) that converts into annual subscription packages; specific pricing is not publicly disclosed. The company is owned and led by CEO Margaret Bolton Baudinet, has 30+ employees, and has no outside institutional investors. The technology footprint is minimal, consisting of a Squarespace website, a third-party student portal (customcollegeplan.com), and Stripe payment processing—College Solutions functions primarily as a high-touch professional services business rather than a technology platform.

Name

College Solutions

Legal name

College Solutions

Website

https://collegesolutions.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

College Solutions is a privately held, bootstrapped college admissions consulting firm founded in 2003, serving families of middle and high school students with personalized admissions counseling, academic support, and career advising delivered by former admissions officers across four East Coast offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Consulting Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Undergraduate (First-Year) Admissions Counseling (EDANAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Graduate & Professional School Admissions Counseling (MBA/MD/JD/MS) (EDANAEAD), College & Career Counseling (Admissions, Scholarships, Pathways) (EDAJALAE), Personal Statement / Essay / Supplemental Writing Support (EDANAEAF), Standardized Testing Strategy for Admissions (SAT/ACT/AP/IB/TOEFL/IELTS) (EDANAEAK)

Keywords

• College admissions counseling
• College application consulting
• Test prep tutoring
• Educational consulting services
• Career counseling services

Headquarters

HQ city

Glen Allen

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. College Admissions Counseling Services: Primary revenue stream from personalized college admissions counseling packages that guide students from middle school through senior year. Services include application editing, school list building, essay coaching, and strategic advising. Delivered as tiered service packages with ongoing engagement.
2. Academic Support and Tutoring: Add-on tutoring and test prep services (SAT/ACT preparation, subject tutoring in math, English, physics, languages). Provided by credentialed classroom teachers and tutors.
3. Enrichment Programs: Package enrichments including summer camps, academic enrichment, and specialized programs for student-athletes, military applicants, and performing arts students.
4. Law School Admissions Consulting: Specialized 'What's Next?' program for law school admissions led by former UVA Law Chief Admissions Officer Cordel Faulk. Includes application strategy, interview preparation, and scholarship guidance.
5. Career Counseling Services: What's Next Career provides personalized guidance for students and emerging professionals on career paths and workforce transitions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

College Solutions provides personalized, paid college admissions counseling to families of students from middle school through senior year, packaged as tiered programs (Foundations, College Kickstart, Momentum, Upperclassmen, Capstone) that include application strategy, essay coaching, school list building, and merit aid optimization. The firm supplements these core packages with tutoring and SAT/ACT test prep, "What's Next" transfer and law school admissions advising led by a former UVA Law Chief Admissions Officer, What's Next Career counseling for emerging professionals, specialized Package Enrichments for athletes and military applicants, and immersive Study & Scribe writing camps. All services are delivered by former university admissions officers and credentialed tutors.

Product overview

College Solutions offers a comprehensive suite of college admissions counseling services structured as a unified platform with tiered packages organized by grade level (8th grade through senior year). The core portfolio includes Capstone (8th-12th grade comprehensive advising), Foundations, College Kickstart, Momentum, and Upperclassmen programs, all providing personalized admissions guidance. The platform is augmented by add-on modules including Academic Support (tutoring and test prep), What's Next (law school and transfer admissions), What's Next Career Services, Package Enrichments (athletic recruiting, military admissions, executive function coaching), and Study & Scribe summer camps. All services leverage the firm's team of former admissions officers from top universities including Northwestern and the University of Virginia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Admissions Advising Personalized college admissions counseling services guiding students from middle school through senior year to identify and achieve their college admission goals, including application strategy, school list building, and merit aid optimization. For families of high school students.
• Capstone Program Comprehensive advising package for 8th through 12th grade students, providing structured guidance throughout the entire high school journey, from early college awareness through senior-year application execution.
• Foundations Early intervention program designed for 8th grade students to begin building college awareness and academic planning skills ahead of high school.
• College Kickstart Admissions guidance program tailored for 9th grade students, establishing foundational college planning strategies during the first year of high school.
• Momentum Strategic advising program for 10th grade students focused on building competitive academic profiles and extracurricular planning ahead of upper-level applications.
• Upperclassmen Intensive application support for 11th and 12th grade students, including application strategy, essay development, interview preparation, and submission execution.
• Academic Support Tutoring and essay preparation services including SAT/ACT test prep, subject tutoring (math, English, physics, languages), and writing coaching to support academic success and college readiness. Delivered by credentialed classroom teachers and tutors.
• Package Enrichments Additional services that can be added to core advising packages, including specialized support such as athletic recruiting guidance, military admissions, executive function coaching, and performing arts specialization.
• What's Next Law School Admissions Specialized program for law school applicants led by former UVA Law Chief Admissions Officer Cordel Faulk; includes application strategy, interview preparation, personal statement coaching, LSAT-prep guidance, and scholarship strategy.
• What's Next Transfer Admissions Support for students transferring from community colleges or other four-year institutions seeking better academic or social fit; covers articulation agreements, major exploration, and reapplication strategy.
• What's Next Career Services Personalized career guidance and strategic support for students and emerging professionals to build experience, explore career direction, and navigate professional transitions.
• Study & Scribe Summer Camps In-person summer programs for rising 7th through 11th graders featuring academic workshops, writing instruction, and enrichment activities held in Crozet (Charlottesville), VA.

Quantifiable outcome

• 91% of students earned admission into one of their top three schools
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Coca-Cola Scholars FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollege Solutions VP Patrick Zylka participated in a joint webinar with the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation on community service in college admissions, demonstrating thought leadership collaboration in the education space.
• University of Michigan Alumni ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollege Solutions VP Patrick Zylka presented a webinar hosted by the University of Michigan Alumni Club on college admissions myths and strategies, positioning the company as an educational thought leader.
• Active & Connected Family TherapyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollege Solutions CEO partnered with Active & Connected Family Therapy CEO Amanda Sovik-Johnston, Ph.D. for a webinar on mental health and college admissions, addressing the intersection of student wellbeing and the admissions process.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• PrepScholar: Test prep and admissions prep platform (acquired by Coursera) combining personalized learning with college admissions guidance. Comparable to College Solutions across both test prep and admissions counseling offerings.
• IvyWise: NYC-based college admissions consulting firm founded by former Ivy League admissions officers. Directly comparable to College Solutions in service model (former-officer talent, tiered packages, essay coaching) and target customer (selective-school-bound families).
• CollegeVine: Tech-enabled college admissions platform combining AI-driven school matching with human admissions counseling. Competes with College Solutions for the same families by offering a hybrid self-serve/concierge model.
• Top Tier Admissions: Boutique admissions consulting firm staffed by former admissions officers from Ivy-equivalent schools. Closely comparable to College Solutions in talent-driven, high-touch counseling for selective admissions.
• Crimson Education: Global college admissions consulting firm using a model of strategic counselors, including former admissions officers, with a network of tutors. Operates on a premium, multi-year engagement model comparable to College Solutions' Capstone offering.
• Empowerly: College admissions counseling and tutoring platform using a tech-enabled model with former admissions counselors, targeting selective college aspirants. Directly competitive with College Solutions in tiered package counseling.
• College Essay Guy: Personal statement and admissions consulting brand founded by Ethan Sawyer, offering essay coaching, application strategy, and webinars. Comparable to College Solutions' essay coaching and admissions strategy add-ons.
• Veritas Prep: Test prep and college admissions counseling firm combining SAT/ACT prep with admissions strategy services. Overlaps with College Solutions' Academic Support tutoring and admissions packages.
• Accepted.com: Long-running admissions consulting firm offering application strategy, essay editing, and interview coaching across undergraduate, MBA, law, and graduate school admissions. Comparable professional-services model to College Solutions.

Broad incumbents

• Cambridge Coaching: NYC-based private tutoring and test prep firm that also offers college and graduate school admissions consulting. Comparable to College Solutions' academic support and admissions packaging, but with a broader test-prep focus and wider service menu.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/college-solutions
• Instagraminstagram.com/collegesolutions
• Facebookfacebook.com/CollegeSolutions

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about College Solutions