College Solutions Reviews 24

TrustScore 4 out of 5

4.2

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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

We worked with College Solutions with both of our kids. Our kids were very different and had very different interests and college profiles but Margaret and her team were great to work with. They guide... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Our advisor was terrible. Barely reached out, provided no information that wasn’t easily found online, and then eventually just disappeared as the application season heated up. I asked for our m... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Terry was excellent. She and Natalie connected right away and she was extremely helpful, professional and always available. She knew exactly how to motivate and push Nat to keep her on track. Nat ha... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Both of my children were helped to compile an appropriate and sound list of colleges to apply to and were guided at each step of the way. The pressure and tension involved in the process was taken awa... See more

Company replied

Company details

  1. Educational consultant
  2. Career Coach
  3. Life Coach
  4. Private Tutor

Written by the company

At College Solutions, we help students applying to college find their perfect college fit. Our counselors have worked in admissions at top-tier colleges and universities across the country, ranging from Northwestern University, the University of Virginia, American University, the University of California system, the University of Southern California, and more. As a result, we leverage our admission expertise to help families get a leg-up in the college admission process, submit stellar applications, write essays that stand out, secure scholarships, and achieve their dreams. Students who worked with our team were as much as seven times more likely to get into their dream school — that's the College Solutions advantage. We've been helping students find their perfect college fit for 20 years, and our team of counselors has more than 128 years of combined experience working in higher education. Nearly 90% of students working with College Solutions earned admission into one of their top three schools. We issue aptitude and career testing; curate reading lists and podcasts for academic enrichment; empower students to identify and enroll in prestigious summer programs; assemble a college list that is both balanced and ambitious; practice interviews; strategize about athletic and artistic opportunities; brainstorm and edit each college essay, and much more. Whether your student is in middle school or getting ready to apply to college in the next few months, we have the right package for you, and our team cannot wait to get to know your family and your college goals.


Contact info

4.2

Great

TrustScore 4 out of 5

24 reviews

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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

The best experience

You guys helped my son to get in a good fit college how ever he started late to think about all this applications process you made it with a very good planning strategy and he is in college now.

8 October 2023
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Tiger Bound

We couldn't be more pleased with our experience with College Solutions during our daughters applicaiton process. They were there along the way through this journey from identifying colleges, choosing the proper classes to reach her goal, application and essay guidance and much more. Thanks to them our daughter achieved her dream school and will be a Clemson Tiger!

1 March 2024
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Not at all worth the expensive price tag

We were not pleased with College Solutions. We hired College Solutions in the spring of 2020. The services we received did not represent the sophistication and careful attention that we had been led to expect during our initial consultation. We paid an exorbitant fee for a few email and telephone consults regarding our child's college essays and access to a college dashboard that offered nothing more than what was being offered by our child's high school (a public school). The pandemic lockdown was no excuse of the lack of sophistication evident in the advice and services we received. We basically followed the leadings of our own research which led to a successful outcome for our child. So I would not recommend College Solutions. Save your money and find a solo consultant who has verifiable expertise in this area and the time to spend with your child.

8 March 2023
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

InvaluableResource!

We worked with College Solutions with both of our kids. Our kids were very different and had very different interests and college profiles but Margaret and her team were great to work with. They guided, helped us pare down the list of schools, offered insight into changing acceptance criteria and kept our kids on track with deadlines. We could not have navigated the college process without them!

7 August 2023
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Margaret worked with both of my…

Margaret worked with both of my daughters all through high school through college admissions. Her knowledge and attention to detail is unmatched. She advises on high school course selection, helps with college lists- from reaches through safeties- and is TRULY AMAZING at pulling beautiful college essays out of teenagers. Both of my girls ended up at their top choice schools, could not be happier, and we are thankful every day for Margaret’s work with them. The other plus is- especially when it comes to essays is they take feedback much better from Margaret than from a parent. They want to make it good for her, so a lot of effort goes into it and it pays off a million times over when acceptances roll in! I cannot recommend College Solutions highly enough.

7 March 2024
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Had hopeless experiences with you people

Had hopeless experiences with you people

12 April 2023
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Reply from College Solutions

Sulbha,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. Looking through our records, it appears that you worked with our former CEO. I deeply regret to hear that your experience with College Solutions did not meet your expectations. Our mission is to provide personalized guidance to help students find colleges that match their academic and personal profiles and their aspirations for the future. We understand that every family’s expectations and experiences are unique, and we strive to navigate this journey with the utmost respect for those differences.

In our endeavor to support your family, we believed it was essential to maintain an open and honest dialogue about the college admissions process. While we always aim to fulfill our clients’ hopes, we also prioritize the long-term success and well-being of the students we advise. To this end, when it became clear that our perspectives of the best path forward diverged, we felt it was in everyone’s best interest to suggest alternatives that might better align with your expectations.

We are sincerely sorry to hear that our service did not align with your family’s goals, and we appreciate the opportunity to have worked with you, even if the outcomes were not as hoped. Our decision to part ways was made with your daughter’s best interests in mind, as we believe every student deserves the right fit for their college experience.

Please know that we are grateful for your feedback. We wish you and your daughter all the success in achieving her goals and are hopeful that she found a college that is a perfect fit for her talents and aspirations.

Warm regards,
Margaret Bolton Baudinet
Owner & CEO
College Solutions

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Great Experience

Both of my children were helped to compile an appropriate and sound list of colleges to apply to and were guided at each step of the way. The pressure and tension involved in the process was taken away from us as a family as CS helped assist our students with their applications. We have been able to enjoy our family time before they graduate high school without the stresses getting in the way.

15 December 2023
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Reply from College Solutions

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with College Solutions! We're thrilled to hear that we could make the college application process smoother and more enjoyable for your family. It's our top priority to alleviate the stress that comes with such a pivotal time and to support students in creating a thoughtful list of colleges that match their aspirations and profiles. Knowing that you were able to cherish your family time together before your children's graduation is truly heartwarming for us. We wish your students all the best in their future endeavors and are here for anything you might need going forward. Thank you for trusting us with such an important task!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I'll start with constructive

I'll start with constructive: the first counselor we were paired with did not understand my daughter at all. One place the two of them were out of synch is sense of humor--he literally could not tell when she was joking, and always looked vaguely puzzled. However, it happens that he left the company and we were paired with Larry Dannenberg, who was a much better fit. The workshop with parents and students where College Solutions walked us through essay-writing prompts, etc., was super useful, as were many of Larry's tips about connecting with admissions officers at various colleges. It really is a ridiculously complicated process, and having a guide was really helpful. Ultimately my daughter ended up at a college where she is flourishing both socially and academically.

30 June 2023
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Reply from College Solutions

We're so thankful we got to know your family, and we're glad that you stuck with us and had the opportunity to work with Larry. So glad to hear that your daughter is thriving! Can't wait to hear what she does next.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Terry is great!

Terry is approachable, well-informed and detail-oriented. She didn't let things fall between the cracks. She has effectively counseled two of our children (one boy, one girl), both of whom were admitted to their ED1 choices, and adapted her approach to our children's different personalities, academic strengths, collegiate interests, etc. She listened to the likes/dislikes of both our children and us.

The writing coaches provided actionable, helpful feedback. Though at the height of the ED1 application rush their advice sometimes conflicted/didn't jibe, we were able to course-correct that through follow-up.

I would happily recommend College Solutions again.

20 January 2024
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Reply from College Solutions

Terry is the best! Thank you for these kind words.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Knowledge is key

Margaret is knowledgeable with the current admission process. This information directly helped my son and daughter get accepted into their dream schools! The best part is that Margaret communicates this information directly to them so parents don’t have to be the ones telling them what to do or when to do it!

18 May 2023
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Reply from College Solutions

Thank you, Carol! We're so lucky to have gotten to know your family and worked with both your kids. We know the sky is the limit when it comes to both of them, and we can't wait to hear what they do next.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Helped us tremendously

College Solutions kept my daughter on track and organized. They answered all questions/reviewed essays promptly. Although they cannot guarantee admissions to the most selective schools they help your student do their best. College admissions has become very challenging. I cannot imagine going through this process without them.

1 May 2023
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Reply from College Solutions

Thank you, Iris! ❤️

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

The feedback and advice was invaluable

The feedback and advice was invaluable. I have already recommended College Solutions to the Sophomores I know.

18 January 2024
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Reply from College Solutions

Thank youuuuuuu! This kind of word-of-mouth referral is the best testimonial we could ever ask for.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Thank you!

Margaret had great insight on the process and connected with our son to make the process of school visits, interviews and applications thoughtful and manageable.
This ultimately lead to admission to the school of his choice and a fabulous college experience.

30 June 2023
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Reply from College Solutions

Thank you for this wonderful testimonial. So grateful to have gotten to work with your family.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Great strategic counselor

Insightful, constructive, honest counsel. We always felt we were working with a true pro who told our kids what they needed to hear and not just what they wanted to hear.

17 May 2023
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Reply from College Solutions

Such a great testimonial, Bill. Thank you!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Worth every penny

We found your approach extremely valuable, enlightening, and comprehensive. Thanks to your guidance our daughter was able to make informed choices about her college list and is now extremely happy at her top choice school. Can't thank you enough!

31 March 2023
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Reply from College Solutions

Thank you so much for these kind words. This is why we do this work. So lucky to get to know your family, Jennifer. And we can't wait to hear what your daughter achieves next. Thank you for trusting us with this process!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

The unparalleled guidance and…

The unparalleled guidance and organization! I could write a lot more!

16 January 2024
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Reply from College Solutions

Greg! Thank you! "Unparalleled guidance" might be one of the nicest things anyone has ever said about us. ❤️

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Our daughter decided to transfer after…

Our daughter decided to transfer after her first semester at college. It was a very stressful time, but College Solutions was with us every step of the way. Their expertise, guidance and support were invaluable. The made the whole transfer process much easier. Our daughter is now at her dream school and we couldn't be happier.

1 February 2023
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Reply from College Solutions

Courtney, we absolutely loved working with your family, and we're so honored that you trusted us to help you in the transfer process. Knowing that your daughter is thriving at her dream school is EXACTLY why we do this work. Thank you!

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Horrible Experience

Our advisor was terrible. Barely reached out, provided no information that wasn’t easily found online, and then eventually just disappeared as the application season heated up.

I asked for our money back, but never got it despite the fact that I found out that advisor was subsequently fired, indicating that CS clearly knew we hadn’t gotten our money’s worth.

Our experience with CS was that it was a waste of a substantial sum money, bordering on charlatanism.

16 January 2023
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Reply from College Solutions

Thank you for your honesty.

As the CEO of College Solutions, I personally read and respond to all reviews. Client experience is very important to me.

You're right. After I received your feedback (along with that of other clients) I did indeed remove that counselor from my staff.

While your request for a refund was outside of the agreed refund window, I understand your frustration. I know we've corresponded about your experience before, but please know I'm happy to chat with you on the phone if that would be helpful.

We did take note of all of the feedback you offered to me previously, and I've woven it into a Counseling Code that our team now follows across all of our locations.

Thank you again for your transparency--I wish you and your daughter all the best.

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