Educational Spotlight: Julie Gross

The college consulting business isn’t just about college. It’s not just about application essays, and it’s not just about admissions results. It’s about people. More specifically, it’s about the students.

Most of my students come from the New York metropolitan area, though I work with clients around the country and internationally as well. I’ve worked successfully with a wide range of individuals, who in turn possess a variety of interests, strengths and preferences. My practice follows individuals through the different stages of their educational and career paths; my clients include high school students applying to college, college students applying to graduate and professional school, and young adults looking to advance or change their careers. I’ve worked with future engineers, artists, writers, app developers, professors, urban planners, architects, film producers, business managers, lawyers and doctors (just to name a few).

To that end, what makes my practice unique is a focus on the individual. No two applicants are the same, and so there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. This is in part why I work with students across all aspects of the admissions process – from choosing courses all the way through to making a final college or grad school selection. By working with students long before they fill out an application, I have the opportunity to get to know them – their goals, their passions, their strengths and their weaknesses. This not only helps me identify schools that might be a good fit, but also allows me to help them make decisions that will benefit the admissions process later on. And because I have experience in graduate admissions and career advising, I’m also better able to advise high school students of possible academic and career paths that would best suit them.

I have an extensive background in developmental psychology and counseling, which enables me to develop supportive relationships with my students and share an open dialogue. I’m also a Master Practitioner of several assessments that identify students’ innate personalities and career interests, tools that further allow me to tailor my services and advice specifically to the unique needs of my students.

Gaining admission to a top-tier college has never been more difficult, more complex, or more stressful. It can be easy for families to get swept up in rankings, acceptance rates and test scores. I want to see the student behind the numbers, and to help my clients become more aware of their interests, confident of their unique talents and empowered to achieve their goals.

Julie Raynor Gross, EdM, MBA, CEP, President & Founder of Collegiate Gateway LLC