Collegewise Reviews 619

TrustScore 5 out of 5

4.9

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Looking at 138 reviews, reviewers overwhelmingly had a great experience with this company. Customers consistently praise the staff for their helpfulness and positive attitude, making interactions pleasant and productive. The service provided is frequently highlighted as exceptional, with many people appreciating the personalized and understanding approach. Reviewers are particularly impressed with the efficiency and ease of their overall user experience, often noting the quick response times and the smooth process. However, some customers also noted that while the service helped with organization and deadlines, the strategic advice on school selection was sometimes lacking. A few other people also felt that a counselor focused too much on weaknesses, leaving their child feeling discouraged.

What people talk about most

Staff

Users describe positive interactions with staff. Customers consistently praise the staff for being helpful,... See more

Service

Customers had positive experiences with service, finding it reliable, supportive, and helpful throughout the... See more

User experience

Reviewers highlight positive aspects of the user experience. Many customers found the support invaluable for... See more

Customer service

People report positive experiences with customer service. Customers consistently praise the helpfulness and... See more

Application

Consumers find the application process to be a positive experience. Many reviewers highlight the invaluable... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

We had the pleasure to work with Jessica Strange who partnered with our son on his journey to college. Not only he landed in a school of his dream, but Jessica made this journey so much less daunting... See more

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Hi! I'm an incoming freshman at UNC Chapel Hill as an Assured Admit to Kenan-Flagler, all of which has been made possible through Collegewise. My counselor, Aaron Going, is one of the most proactive p... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I worked with counselor Judy Lee for three years. She was nothing but helpful, and tried her very best at a time when I, myself, wasn't sure what I was interested in studying. She recommended schools... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

We began working with Collegewise a few months ago. While there was a small hiccup at the start, we were quickly connected with Shannon Frankel, the Customer Success Manager. She put us at ease. Thoug... See more

Company replied


Company details

  1. Educational Consultant

Written by the company

Founded in 1999, Collegewise is on a mission to help students access the transformative power of higher education. As the largest private college counseling company in the United States, Collegewise leverages the power of more than 70 admissions experts to help students identify the best possible fit of a university they can flourish in while also bringing fun into the college application process. Over the last 25 years, Collegewise experts have studied the changing landscape, identified the stressors and pain points of the whole process, and designed an approach to give more than 30,000 students the right information and tools to help guide them toward college. Collegewise prides itself on how much experience its counselors have (they hire and train the top talent in the space) and the tools they offer students and this approach has brought incredibly happy successes with their students, which is why 9 out of 10 families recommend Collegewise to their friends.


Contact info

4.9

Excellent

TrustScore 5 out of 5

619 reviews

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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

we were very pleased with the decision…

we were very pleased with the decision we made on using collegewise and working with Shruti who was an amazing counselor to our daughter and the whole family
it made a big difference, it eased up so much of the stress and guided our daughter thoughtfully in selecting her colleges which she got accepted in most of them with a good scholarship,
we will be using collegewise again for our second daughter

4 August 2025
Unprompted review
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Reply from Collegewise

We’re so glad to hear your experience with Collegewise felt so positive and supportive for your whole family. We especially appreciate you highlighting Shruti and the impact she had in supporting your daughter throughout the journey. We’re grateful for your trust and look forward to working with your second daughter as well 🎉

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Lynne was an amazing counselor and…

Lynne was an amazing counselor and always available! I had a great and successful college application experience with her & the rest of the Collegewise team's help.

15 April 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Collegewise

Thank you so much for sharing this. We’re glad to hear you had a successful and positive experience, and we especially appreciate you highlighting Lynne and her support along the way. We’re grateful to have been part of your journey 🎉

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Less Stress, More Joy

Rebecca & Collegewise was transformational with our son. She worked with him through all 4 years of high school and believed in his journey. She took the stress off of us and allowed us to be his cheerleaders. The Collegewise platform kept him on track along the way. We ended with a great result - a college that’s he’s really happy with and a senior year full of great memories. ❤️

12 April 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Collegewise

Thank you so much for sharing this. We’re so glad to hear your experience felt supportive and helped take stress off your family along the way. We especially appreciate you highlighting Rebecca and her support throughout all four years of high school. We’re thrilled your son ended up at a college he’s really happy with, and we’re grateful to have been part of the journey ❤️

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Matt Doyle did it again!!

We have had such a positive experience with Collegewise over the years. They first helped our daughter get into her dream school (one that is very competitive) and we were so impressed from the start.
A few years later, when it was time for our two sons (in 2022 and 2025), our previous counselor was not available anymore. But honestly, we could not have been luckier to work with Matt Doyle.
Matt was amazing with both of our sons. He kept them organized, on track, and focused, but never stressed. That, to me, says everything. The whole process felt manageable, and even calm, which is not something you usually hear about college applications!
He was also incredibly flexible with our family. We travel internationally during the summer, and Matt always worked around our schedule without missing a beat.
Both of our sons got into their #1 college choices, and we truly feel Matt played a big role in that.
We are so grateful. Five stars for Collegewise, and especially for Matt (only because we cannot give more!).

30 March 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Collegewise

Thank you so much for sharing this thoughtful note and for trusting Collegewise with all three of your children’s journeys over the years 😊 It’s wonderful to hear that your experience has been consistently positive and that the process felt organized and calm for your family, especially during such different application cycles. We especially appreciate you highlighting Matt Doyle and his ability to keep both of your sons on track while also being flexible with your international travel schedule. Congratulations to your kiddos on getting into their #1 college choices 🎉 we’re so grateful to have been part of your family’s journey across the years!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Thank you Liz!

My son has worked with Elizabeth Majors as his Collegewise counselor for the past year. She has been extremely helpful with her expertise and ability to help my son think through how to write his applications in a concise and descriptive manner showcasing his talents and unique abilities. She gave thoughtful guidance in thinking through essays to ensure you are answering what is asked. She brought additional resources to help narrow the college list; although my son applied to numerous schools. I am happy to report with Liz’s help, my son was accepted in to numerous top schools including Ivy League schools that are known for Neuroscience; my son’s intended focus for college. Thank you Liz!

7 April 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Collegewise

Thank you so much for sharing this. We’re thrilled to hear your son had such a strong experience over the past year and felt supported in presenting his strengths and interests clearly and thoughtfully. We especially appreciate you highlighting Elizabeth Majors and her guidance in helping him refine his essays, stay focused on what each prompt was asking, and build a thoughtful college list. Congratulations to your son on his incredible acceptances! 🎉

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful College Counselling!

We have had 2 children go through the college application process with Collegewise. We are indebted to Ali Springer for helping our kids through this difficult and stressful process. Our kids are very different and they were looking for 2 very different college experiences. Ali really took the time to get to know them and helped them brainstorm everything from interests to strengths to weaknesses. She helped them decide on reasonable college lists and helped them throughout to support their application process. Both our kids ended up with perfect schools for them and that is in large part thanks to Ali. I would rec her and the Collegewise program with no reservations. Ali Springer is truly outstanding and we are so grateful for her help.

6 April 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Collegewise

Thank you so much for sharing this, we truly appreciate your trust in Collegewise across both of your children’s journeys! It’s wonderful to hear how thoughtfully the process was tailored to each of their very different goals and experiences. We especially appreciate you highlighting Ali Springer and the time she took to really understand each student. We’re so glad both of your kids found schools that feel like the right fit, and we’re grateful to have been part of such an important chapter for your family.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

A note of appreciation

We are very grateful to Anita for her support and guidance. She is very honest and approachable. She turned an overwhelming and stressful journey into something smooth and manageable for our student. We truly appreciate how Anita checked regularly on our student and kept them motivated and on track.

5 April 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Collegewise

We really appreciate you taking the time to share this 😊 It’s wonderful to hear that the process felt smoother and more manageable, especially during what can often be a stressful time. We’re so glad to hear how supportive and consistent Anita was in checking in and helping keep your student motivated and on track. We’re grateful to have been part of the journey and truly appreciate your kind words!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Highly recommend!

Our son (and we as parents) were very pleased and impressed with our experience. Fayelah Johnson gave clear and helpful ideas and feedback as our son navigated and prepared his college applications. Fayelah's guidance and affirmation boosted his confidence and also helped him to make his personality and strengths shine throughout his application, in addition to the usual academic "stats". Our son is thrilled to be accepted to his first choice university. Thank you!

1 April 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Collegewise

Thank you so much for sharing this, we’re so glad to hear it was a positive experience for both your son and your family. We especially appreciate you highlighting Fayelah Johnson and the way she supported him with clear guidance while helping his personality and strengths come through in his application. It’s wonderful to hear his confidence grew along the way, and congratulations on his acceptance to his first choice university 🎉 we’re grateful to have been part of this journey!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Great Application Support

At first, I was unsure about getting help from a college counselor, but it was incredibly helpful for my application process. My counselor, Fayelah Johnson, helped me brainstorm ideas for my essays and refine my extracurricular lists. Once I had some solid rough drafts, she coordinated with editors to review my essays and make them perfect. It was great to have a check-in at every step to ensure that I was on track. Thanks to this experience, I was accepted into to my top choice and will be attending in the fall. It was a great experience, and I would recommend it to anyone going through the college application process!

15 October 2025
Unprompted review
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Reply from Collegewise

Thank you for sharing this, we really appreciate your thoughtful reflection. It’s so common to feel unsure at the start, so we’re glad the support made such a meaningful difference throughout your process. We especially appreciate you highlighting Fayelah Johnson and the way she guided you from brainstorming to polished essays while keeping everything on track. And of course, congratulations on getting into your top choice, that’s an incredible accomplishment, and we’re grateful we could be part of your journey! 🎉

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

We had a great experience with Tanner/Bob

We had a great experience with Tanner Reive and Bob Kupelian as private SAT tutors for math and english, respectively. We had 1-on-1 sessions with Tanner and Bob in lieu of taking a more standardized SAT prep course. In just a few months, a score of low 1100s on the PSAT and similar on practice SATs turned into a mid 1300s.

2 April 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Collegewise

Thank you for sharing your experience, we’re so glad to hear it was such a positive one. It’s great to see how much progress was made in just a few months; that kind of score improvement is no small feat. We love that the one-on-one approach with Tanner Reive and Bob Kupelian made a meaningful difference, especially with the focused support in both math and English. We’ll be sure to pass this along to them, they’ll really appreciate it!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Collegewise is worth every penny...

I strongly recommend Collegewise to all my friends and family, in particular my daughter's consultant Kate Strzelecki. My daughter started with Collegewise early in her sophomore year after a recommendation from a close friend. I knew my family would need a private counselor to limit my daughter's procrastination and to reduce the stress and anxiety the whole college application process causes. The meetings have been so helpful to encourage her to research majors, then careers, then specific schools to create a strong list to apply to, then helping with essay topics, and so on. The results are in and wow, my daughter was admitted to 4 UC's, 2 Cal States, and 5 exceptional out of state universities!! The results have vastly exceeded my expectations. Kate has been so helpful and supportive every step of the way.

1 April 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Collegewise

Thank you so much for sharing this, we truly appreciate your recommendation. It’s wonderful to hear how your daughter’s journey evolved from early planning to such incredible results, and that the process felt more structured and less stressful along the way. We especially appreciate you recognizing Kate Strzelecki. Her support in guiding everything from exploring majors to building a strong college list and shaping essays is exactly the kind of impact we strive for. Congratulations to your daughter on such amazing outcomes, and thank you for trusting us to be part of this important chapter.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

My Collegewise Experience With Kaila Brown

I had an amazing experience with Collegewise, and I can’t recommend them enough. The entire college application process can feel overwhelming, but they made everything so much easier and more manageable from start to finish.
I especially want to highlight Kaila Brown, who was absolutely incredible to work with. She was supportive, knowledgeable, and always available to answer questions or provide guidance. Our weekly calls quickly became the highlight of my week—I always looked forward to them not just because they kept me on track, but because of how genuinely enjoyable and encouraging they were.
Kaila took the time to truly understand my goals, strengths, and personality, and she went above and beyond to help me present my best self throughout the process. More than just a mentor, she became a friend, someone I could trust and rely on during such an important time. Her positivity and belief in me made a huge difference in my confidence. Thanks to her help, what could have been a stressful experience turned into something exciting and rewarding. If you’re looking for guidance through the college process, Collegewise, and ESPECIALLY Kaila, are the best choice and I honestly could not recommend them more!

30 September 2025
Unprompted review
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Reply from Collegewise

Thank you so much for sharing this, it truly means a lot. We know the college application process can feel overwhelming, so it’s wonderful to hear that your experience felt manageable and even enjoyable from start to finish. We especially appreciate you highlighting Kaila Brown. The way you described her support, from understanding your goals to making your weekly calls something you looked forward to, is exactly what we hope every student experiences. We’re so glad you felt confident and supported throughout the process, and we’re grateful to have been part of your journey.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I worked with Tanner and Bob

I worked with Tanner and Bob, and they did an excellent job. They both could answer every question I could possibly think of, and my scores jumped up after these sessions. Tanner was attentive, energized, and truly cared about my progress. Bob was knowledgeable, relatable, and explained things in ways that I could perfectly understand. They both did great jobs!

30 March 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Collegewise

Thank you for taking the time to share this, it really means a lot. We love hearing how Tanner and Bob supported you in different ways, especially how they made complex concepts feel clear and approachable. It’s also great to see your hard work paying off with those score improvements. We’ll be sure to pass this along to both of them, they’ll really appreciate it!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Great Experience with Ida!

My counselor was Ida Lonnqvist, and her experience and guidance was invaluable. She helped me select colleges, find the right major for me, and brainstorm essay ideas. Whenever I had a question or was confused on something, Ida would help me find the answer. I ended up getting into UCLA and UCSD with her support!

3 October 2025
Unprompted review
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Reply from Collegewise

We’re so excited for you! Ida’s guidance clearly made a huge difference, and congratulations on your acceptances to UCLA and UCSD! What an amazing achievement! 🎉

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Great Experience with Fayelah!

Fayelah was an amazing college counselor for me. When I first began college applications I was definitely lost and picked colleges based on what other people had said about them. With my first meeting with Fayelah, she helped me find key things I want in a school and ultimately research many options, in state and out of state that would suit my major and my liking. Each meeting she was super supportive, always checking in on how I was doing outside of college applications but also helping me A LOT. After she helped me find colleges that I genuinely liked, her help was greatly appreciated when writing my supplementals. She had helped me brainstorm an outline for each supplemental, which allowed me to easily write my supplementals. She also helped me choose the activities and honors that spoke to me most, allowing me to be confident with myself. Lastly, filling out the applications, most of it was pretty straightforward but Fayelah made sure to check each of my applications to make sure they were good to go and answered all of my questions super well. Overall, I look back now after receiving my decisions and really enjoyed the application process. Although most would argue it was the worst time of their life, I really think I enjoyed it because I had prepared so well in the summer.

26 March 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Collegewise

Wow, what an amazing journey! We’re so happy to hear how Fayelah helped you go from feeling lost to confidently finding colleges that truly fit your goals and passions. It’s wonderful that she supported you every step of the way, so you could shine with confidence. We’re so glad the process felt enjoyable and rewarding, and congratulations on all of your incredible college acceptances!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Personalized and Valuable College Admissions Counseling

My college counselor was Elizabeth Majors, and she was so helpful even until the very end. She started with the very basics, like brainstorming ideas for college essays, and ended with helping me choose the best college! I genuinely felt like I had a friend and supporter next to me instead of just an advisor, because she made an effort to get to know me as a person as well. Great college counseling and very nice people!

1 July 2025
Unprompted review
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Reply from Collegewise

We’re so happy to hear this! It’s great that Elizabeth could support you from the very beginning all the way to making your college decision, and that she got to know you as a person along the way. It sounds like the process felt less like counseling and more like having a true supporter by your side—what a wonderful experience!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Karen Kimball and Collegewise are wonderful

Karen Kimball and Collegewise provided tremendous help and guidance in my daughter’s college application process. I sent my daughter to a vocational high school- cooking track to learn a critical life skill after plandemics. Everyone questioned about her future and her dream of attending NYU or even getting into a good college.

With Karen’s strategic planning and guidance, my daughter’s hardworking and Collegewise team’s help, my daughter was not rejected by one college. Instead, she received good scholarship from most colleges and eventually committed to NYU’s new joint program of Math and Data Science offered by CAS and Courant. We are so thrilled as it is not only her number one choice, but also NYU Courant’s top ranking in the world. More importantly, our parent- daughter relationship has been stronger and my daughter gets happier during this incredible journey. I am very grateful that my daughter was in Karen’s class and I highly her service!

25 March 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Collegewise

Thank you so much for sharing your story! We’re thrilled to hear how Karen and the Collegewise team supported your daughter’s journey, helped her showcase her strengths, and guided her toward her dream schools. Congratulations on her acceptance to NYU’s joint Math and Data Science program—what an incredible achievement! We’re also so glad to hear that the process strengthened your parent-daughter relationship and brought joy along the way.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Collegewise and Rebecca Putter - Dream Team!

Working with Rebecca Putter and the Collegewise team was a dream! Our daughter had changed schools after a gap year. Rebecca helped her identify her strengths, activities and personal growth and focus on what colleges that would fit her interests and passions. She cheered her on when she felt insecure or daunted by fears. Rebecca helped us navigate her unusual path and put all her unique experiences, hard work and depth into context. An amazing Collegewise tutor helped her through Chemistry. She got accepted into her first choice Early Decision with an amazing scholarship!

24 March 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Collegewise

We’re so grateful you shared your experience! It’s wonderful to hear how Rebecca and the Collegewise team helped your daughter showcase her strengths, navigate her unique path, and build confidence along the way. Congratulations on her Early Decision acceptance and the impressive scholarship, such an exciting milestone!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Very Helpful

My family and I got the UC Application package in the beginning of the school year. I worked with Ida Lonnqvist, who was seriously so sweet and personable. I ended up getting into UCD, UCSB, UCLA, and waitlisted at UCSD with her help!

22 March 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Collegewise

Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re so glad to hear that Ida was supportive and personable throughout the process. Congratulations on your acceptances to UCD, UCSB, and UCLA, and we wish you the best with UCSD!

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