Our affordable coaching program is here to help you achieve your dream college admission without breaking the bank. We provide expert guidance and support to ensure you stand out in the competitive college application process. Are you ready?
✔️ Feeling overwhelmed by the maze of college applications and financial aid forms?
✔️ Frustrated by the unclear and ever-changing admissions criteria?
✔️ Worried about taking on massive debt just to fund your education?
Many students and families find themselves losing sleep, anxious about making costly mistakes that could impact their future. Let's tackle these challenges together, ensuring you navigate this pivotal time with confidence and clarity.
With my coaching program, you'll gain access to expert advice and personalized strategies that simplify the process and uncover significant financial aid opportunities, ensuring you make informed decisions every step of the way.
Get personalized coaching that demystifies college admissions criteria and financial aid applications.
Learn how to strategically position yourself to stand out in the competitive admissions landscape.
Uncover the best opportunities to reduce college costs through scholarships, grants, and sensible financing options.
Imagine it's late evening, and the kitchen table is cluttered with college brochures and financial aid paperwork.
Trying to understand the requirements, deadlines, and daunting costs associated with each of your dream schools.
Everyone feels the pressure of ensuring no opportunity is missed and no mistake is made that could cost dearly.
There's confusion about which forms go where.
Frustration over answering essay prompts that truly reflect who you are.
Deep concern about how your family will manage the financial burden. It's overwhelming, to say the least.
The stress of college applications strains your mental health and casts a shadow over what should be an exciting journey toward your future.
My coaching program steps in precisely here, transforming chaos into a structured path where each step is clear and support is constant.
Now, imagine a different scene. You're at that same kitchen table, but this time, it's organized with a clear, structured plan laid out in front of you.
You and your parents are calm and focused, discussing your college choices with a sense of excitement rather than anxiety.
With guidance from a seasoned college admissions and affordability advisor, you understand exactly what each application requires and how to enhance your essays to reflect your true self.
Best of all, you're now aware of numerous financial aid options previously unknown to you, significantly easing the financial strain.
This new scenario reflects a journey where deadlines are met with confidence, essays are crafted with insight, and financial plans are made with clarity.
The path to college feels manageable and hopeful as you're empowered with expert knowledge and support every step of the way.
This is the transformation my coaching program aims to achieve.
When you The Ultimate College Success Coaching Program, you'll be equipped with comprehensive tools and personalized support designed to navigate the college admissions landscape effectively. Here’s what you will receive:
College Admissions Strategy Sessions: Regular meetings to develop and refine your college application strategy.
Essay Writing Workshops: Sessions aimed at crafting compelling personal statements and supplemental essays that stand out.
Personal Essay Coach: Your teen will get two hours with our experienced essay coach to guide your student in starting their essays. They will help your teen write impressive essays that win the college admission game, and parents don’t even lift a finger!
Professional Essay Reviews: 2 reviews of your teens' Common App Personal Statement essay and 4 total reviews of your teens' supplemental essays by my experienced team of professional writers and editors. They give detailed feedback to polish your teen's essay, so it stands out from the crowd.
Financial Aid Planning and Assistance: Detailed assistance with FAFSA, CSS profiles, and identifying scholarship opportunities.
Cost Comparison Breakdowns: Help in understanding the true cost of college, comparing financial aid offers, and making informed decisions.
Application Audits: Detailed reviews of your college applications to ensure completeness, accuracy, and competitiveness.
Interview Preparation: Coaching on how to effectively handle college interviews, including mock sessions.
Top College Management System: Your teen can research colleges and universities worldwide, plan and manage applications, submit documents, and track results.
Action Plan with Accountability: A step-by-step action plan for your teen's college admissions process so it will take less time, and they can complete it with ease. We will stack the cards in your teens' favor so that they will be accepted. They will finish their applications before the ED/EA deadlines
Live Q&A Sessions: Regular live sessions to answer your urgent questions and provide additional guidance.
Community Support: Access to a private community of fellow applicants and experts for additional support and networking.
Private coaching with Ryan: In addition to the group coaching classes and office hours, you can also meet with him. Topics covered during this meeting include the final college list review, questions about essays, completing financial aid forms, and reviewing financial aid packages.
Exclusive Access to Proprietary Tools: Use of specially designed tools to streamline the college selection and application process.
Customized Timelines and Checklists: Personalized timelines and checklists to keep you on track throughout the application season.
College List Building Tool: This unique resource will introduce students to college characteristics rarely considered yet known to lead to a fulfilling experience.
Essay Content Website: Access my college essay content website, where they can brainstorm ideas, develop their topic, outline their essay, create a resume, and write their activities list for the common application.
To make sure you have everything you need to take action fast you also get the following special bonuses..
This comprehensive database of scholarship choices is updated regularly to ensure that you have the most possible access to all of the funding for higher education.
Each month you get personalized training from Ryan, plus worksheets, guest experts, and much more.
Include a beautifully designed, printable workbook that helps students organize their application materials, track deadlines, and plan essays.
(Don't worry. You won't pay this much. Let's talk to see if the program is right for you).
As founder and CEO of Clark College Consulting and Clark College Funding, I have an extensive experience in working with over a thousand families throughout the United States in helping them through the entire college planning process. I visits colleges throughout the year, attending conferences, and staying up to date on changes and new strategies in his profession.
I hold an MBA from Queens University in Charlotte and is an alumnus of the United States Merchant Marine Academy. At USMMA, I earned an ABET-accredited Bachelors Degree in Marine Systems Engineering. I am also a retired Lieutenant in the U.S. Naval Reserve and has a U.S. Coast Guard License as a Third Asst. Engineer (unlimited tonnage). Before starting Clark College Consulting, I worked for two Fortune 500 Companies, SeaLand and General Electric.
If you're overwhelmed by college costs, we're here to navigate scholarships, grants, and loans together.
If you're a parent looking for financial strategies, learn how to stretch every dollar for your child’s education.
If you're a returnee, foreign student or a transfer student, we tailor college admissions advice to fit your unique educational journey.
Our process involves careful planning and preparation, which might not suit those scrambling at the last minute.
If you’re confident in handling the admissions process independently, you might not need our comprehensive support.
We boost your admissions potential but can't promise admission to specific schools.
We're committed to your success. That’s why we guarantee a personalized, comprehensive approach to your college admissions journey. With our expert guidance, we promise to provide you with all the tools and strategies you need to enhance your application. While we can't guarantee specific college admissions outcomes, we can assure you of our dedication to maximizing your potential and improving your chances of getting into the college of your dreams. Trust us to be with you at every step, ensuring you feel confident and well-prepared.
What is college consulting?
Few decisions in your child's life will have as great of an impact as their college choice and how much you spend on their college education. With four-year graduation rates close to 23% and transfer rates close to 60%, a poor match can literally cost you tens of thousands of dollars. College planning and college admissions can be a complex, competitive, and complicated process with over 3500 colleges and universities in the United States. Just getting admitted to many of these institutions has grown increasingly selective. Moreover, the cost of higher education has skyrocketed, rising more than five times the rate of inflation during the last ten years. I help with all facets of the application process, including essays, recommendations, school selection, and financial aid.
How do we get started?
Getting started with our coaching program is easy and straightforward! You can begin by scheduling a free consultation with us. During this consultation, we will discuss your specific needs and goals to determine which of our coaching programs is the best fit for you. If you prefer, you can also visit our "college coaching" page to explore the details of each program we offer. This will give you a comprehensive understanding of how we can help you achieve your aspirations. Whether you choose to book a consultation or browse our programs online, we're here to support you every step of the way.
We were planning for financial aid to help with tuition, but our income may be too high. Can you help families like ours?
Absolutely, and we often work with families that have a high income or high assets that might disqualify them for need-based aid. We take a multifaceted approach that begins with determining the best strategy for your family to reduce the cost of college. There are many forms of assistance to help you lessen the cost of college. While you might not qualify for need-based aid at an in-state public school, you might be eligible for financial assistance at a private school. Even if you do not qualify for need-based aid, you still have the opportunity to be eligible for merit aid and the college's endowment money. We will determine the best strategy for your family and help you implement this strategy to reduce the cost of college. We routinely assist families who believe they would not qualify for financial aid based on their income or assets, and we achieve incredible results.
At what age should a student begin working with you?
When it comes to college planning, earlier is always better! Whether you are late in the college process or just starting your eighth-grade year in middle school, you will find we have a plan for you!
What does a college admissions and affordability advisor do?
A college admissions and affordability advisor facilitates and clarifies the college application process for students and their families. Consultants utilize their years of experience, extensive training, and substantial research to help their clients find colleges & universities that will best fit them socially, academically, and financially. They will also consider the student's personality, needs, and learning style. The personalized attention and TLC that I give to my students is unrivaled. With the cost of college increasing over 440% over the last 20 years, I also aid in the strategies to help reduce the cost of college and pay for college without taking on student loans. College consultants assist students in transitioning from high school to the post secondary opportunity of their choosing.
Do you work with students from outside of the Charlotte area?
While the majority of our students come from North and South Carolina, we have worked with students in almost all 50 states via telephone and Zoom video conferencing. Many of my clients that live down the street from my office prefer to meet virtually. I have designed my business to give us the flexibility to work with families throughout the U.S.
What kind of information are you able to provide about colleges that we couldn’t get on our own or online?
You can spend countless hours searching websites and reviewing college guidebooks only to come away more confused. It is easy to waste precious time on these sites and still make a poor college match. A poor college selection can result in higher dropout rates and transfers after the first year. Most websites only provide a limited amount of information about colleges and universities, with most of the data being general and statistical.
While working with my team, you will experience less stress and enjoy participating in your child's college search. We can personalize the process by helping students understand the most critical elements in the college selection process. I give them a step-by-step system to follow, resulting in a college list that best matches their individual needs. We provide personalized information, proven strategies, and objective insights to eliminate stress and gain the competitive edge needed to navigate your way through every aspect of the college planning process.
What is the likelihood of my child receiving a scholarship if we work with Clark College Consulting?
While we cannot guarantee that scholarships and merit aid will be awarded, I will teach you the different forms of financial aid. I will also identify which types of financial aid you might qualify for to help reduce the cost of college. I will give you specific, actionable solutions for you to follow so you can make college an affordable reality. My proven system works for any student from any financial background. We will consider grants and scholarships, federal, state, and local government aid, educational institutions, philanthropic organizations, corporations, the colleges' own money, and other sources when we develop your plan.
We have found that the majority of scholarship money a student receives will be awarded by the college or university in which the student enrolls. I will develop a personalized, targeted college list that maximizes the chances of receiving the various forms of financial aid. Last year, our students were offered nearly fifteen million dollars in scholarships and grants.
However, we are NOT a "scholarship search" company. But we do give you proven strategies that are unique to your family on how to identify, select, and maximize various forms of aid to reduce the cost of college.