Podcast Hosts

Whitney Bruce & Katelyn Klapper

The summer before my senior year in high school, my mom and I embarked on a 10-day, 12-college, 3000-mile  adventure. It included colleges I loved, new towns to explore, students who energized me, and college athletic coaches who inspired me. It also included a morning in which I refused to get out of the car for a particular campus tour. My mom insisted that since I was there I needed to be open-minded.  I complained. My mom won. And she was right; that particular college delighted me in unexpected ways and won a clear spot near the top of my list. 

I began my career in college admissions as a campus tour guide, walking backwards, cracking jokes about blue-light phones, and answering questions from nervous parents about life in the middle of  "Charm City" (Baltimore). I've interviewed applicants as both a college student and an alumna, worked in selective college admissions at Washington University in St. Louis, reviewed applications for the University of Michigan, and worked as a college counselor in two private high schools.  

After three decades in higher education, I enjoy sharing my expertise with students and parents as families navigate the high school to college transition. As an independent educational consultant since 2006, I am a Certified Educational Planner, a member of the National Association of College Admissions Counselors (NACAC), and the Independent Educational Counselors Association (IECA). From 2015 to 2018, I served on the Board of Directors of HECA, advancing professional, ethical independent college counseling. I have presented at local events as well as regional and national conferences.

Our Consulting Practices

My passion for helping students find an academic fit that matches their intellectual, social, and financial needs, has motivated me to visit more almost 400 campuses in 42 states and abroad. In addition to my work with students and families, I have taught for 10 years in the UC Irvine Independent Educational Consultant Certificate Program, guiding the next generation of independent educational consultants (IECs).

Early in my career, I worked on the campuses of Boston University, Bentley University, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute before opening my practice in 2004 and then building the College Options Network. My work in college admissions, as well as college counseling in access to college programs, laid the foundation for my private practice. Later, my experience as the parent of three children opened my eyes to the real needs of parents who are supporting their child’s college search process.

I am a Certified Educational Planner and have a certificate in college counseling from UCLA Extension. I have served on the Board of Directors of HECA as the Standards and Ethics Chair, and have led the national effort to provide credentialing of our profession as Commission Chair of the American Institute of Certified Education Planners (AICEP). You can learn more about my academic and professional background here.

Our Memberships & Certifications