College Admissions Counseling

A college list that fits.
Essays that are genuinely theirs.
A strategy that holds.

For families who want thoughtful, one-on-one college admissions guidance, from a clearer college list to submitted applications.

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What Parents Are Saying
★★★★★
“Dale is a true professional with an in-depth understanding of the college admissions landscape. He has a highly personalized approach and took the time to understand my child’s aspirations and unique qualities. My child has become more organized and motivated and is starting to truly flourish.”
Parent of a high school student  ·  Google Review

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Focused Service · Grade 12 · For Seniors Facing Fall Deadlines

Senior Application Sprint $1,500

Best forSeniors with unfinished applications, approaching deadlines, or no clear plan for what comes next.

We begin with an honest audit of where things stand, identify the most urgent priorities, and create a realistic plan to move each application toward submission.

This is focused, individualized support for the core parts of the process: college requirements, the Common App, activities, personal statement, supplements, and final application readiness. The student remains in control, and the work remains genuinely theirs.

  • Audit current applications, missing materials, and upcoming deadlines
  • Create a personalized plan for priority schools and submission dates
  • Review the college list, application requirements, activities section, and Common App profile
  • Strengthen the personal statement and priority supplemental essays with written feedback
  • Complete a final readiness review before submission
Focused Service · Grades 10–12

Financial Aid & Scholarship Roadmap $450

Best forFamilies who want to understand the full financial landscape before finalizing a college list, and families who have received award letters and want to know whether to appeal.

The session covers how need-based aid, institutional merit aid, and outside scholarships work and which are most relevant to your situation. You leave with a personalized merit aid analysis, a curated scholarship list, and a financial aid appeal framework.

  • Understand how need-based aid, merit aid, and outside scholarships work differently
  • Identify schools where merit awards align with your student's academic profile
  • Leave with a targeted scholarship list and a framework for appealing award letters
The Process

Structure, perspective, and guidance through every part of the process.

College admissions can become overwhelming when every part of the process feels urgent at once. Families are sorting through college lists, academic positioning, activities, essays, recommendations, testing decisions, financial aid forms, scholarship opportunities, and deadlines that do not always align. Students may feel stuck or unsure where to begin, while parents want to help without taking over the process or turning every conversation at home into another source of pressure.

I bring structure, perspective, and guidance informed by adolescent development to the process. I begin by understanding the student's academic history, interests, strengths, goals, and the environments in which they are most likely to thrive. From there, we build a thoughtful college list that considers admissions likelihood, academic and personal fit, location, campus environment, and the family's overall college cost picture, including net price research, aid requirements, scholarship possibilities, and the questions families should ask before a list is final. We then create a manageable plan for applications, essays, requirements, and deadlines. Through structured reflection, thoughtful questions, and honest feedback, I help students move forward with confidence and growing independence while their voice, choices, and final work remain genuinely their own.

Families also need a counselor who listens carefully, communicates clearly, and keeps the process grounded in what matters to their student and family. I work collaboratively with parents while helping students take increasing ownership of the process. We discuss priorities, timelines, college costs, and the questions that need to be answered before important decisions are made. Families know what we are working on, why it matters, and what the next step is.

What Families Can Expect

A Clear Starting Point

We identify where your student stands, what matters most, and the decisions that should come first.

Individualized Strategy

The college list, application plan, and pace are built around the student's strengths, goals, and circumstances, not a standard formula.

Steady Communication

Parents receive appropriate milestone updates and clarity about priorities, while students retain ownership of their work.

Honest Guidance

I do not promise admission outcomes or scholarships. I provide candid, thoughtful guidance so families can make informed choices throughout the process.

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A counselor and strategist

Focused on the whole person.

I’m Dale Koplik, M.Ed., a Certified School Counselor and Independent Educational Consultant. I work with students and families as both a counselor and a strategist, always focused on the whole student, not just the application or the grade. My approach is counselor-led and developmentally grounded, rooted in adolescent development and school counseling theory, built around the student. My training in adolescent development shapes how I work with students, meeting them where they are in the process. The work is holistic, looking at best-fit schools, financial considerations, mental health balance, and long-term readiness alongside the application itself.

M.Ed., School CounselingUniversity of Southern California
Certified School CounselorLicensed professional credential
Independent Educational ConsultantU.S. and international families
SpanishAvailable for parent communication
Focused Services · Grades 9–12

Focused support when you need it.

Focused Service · Grades 11–12

College Essay Intensive $1,250

Best forJuniors and seniors who have a college list in place and need focused, individualized support developing a personal statement that is genuinely theirs. Topic, narrative, and writing plan come first.

The work begins with the student's experiences, values, and perspective. A brainstorming session identifies what is worth writing about. From there, a clear narrative angle and writing plan are established before drafting begins. Feedback follows each draft until the essay is ready to submit.

  • Identify a personal statement topic rooted in the student's own experiences and perspective
  • Shape a clear, compelling narrative with the student's authentic voice at the center
  • Develop a polished final essay that is personal, purposeful, and ready to submit
Focused Service · Grades 11–12

College Strategy Intensive $500

Best forFamilies who need direction before they need ongoing counseling. One focused session covers what matters most across academics, testing, activities, fit, and affordability, and ends with a clear, actionable plan.

The session draws on materials the family submits in advance: grades, course history, test scores, and activities. The 60-minute meeting covers the full picture and ends with a personalized written action plan and a follow-up meeting within 30 days.

  • Assess academics, testing, activities, fit, and affordability
  • Identify what matters most and what to prioritize
  • Leave the session with a clear, actionable plan
Grades 9–10

Early College Planning

Best forStudents in grades 9 and 10 who want to build direction before the process becomes urgent, with stronger academic positioning and meaningful activities before junior year.

Most families wait until junior year to think seriously about college. Starting in 9th or 10th grade creates more room to be intentional about course selection, activities, and summer opportunities. Students who start earlier arrive at junior year with a clearer direction and more options available to them.

  • Course selection guidance aligned with the student's interests and goals
  • Activities strategy focused on depth, growth, and genuine engagement
  • A clear foundation for stronger positioning before junior year
Complete College Admissions Counseling · Grades 11–12 · Package-Based

Complete support from initial planning through submitted applications.

Complete College Admissions Counseling is a package-based service for juniors and seniors who want sustained, strategic guidance from initial planning through submitted applications. Three packages are available at different levels of support: Foundations, Comprehensive, and Premier.

Foundations covers the core components: college list development, personal statement guidance, supplemental essay support, and activities review. Designed for self-directed students who want structured guidance and are comfortable taking initiative between sessions.

Comprehensive extends Foundations with full essay support, expanded college list with cost and merit aid analysis, recommendation strategy, mock interviews, and ongoing pacing and deadline management. The most common choice for families who want complete support without managing the process independently.

Premier adds priority scheduling, 24-hour response time, truly unlimited support, and post-acceptance decision guidance. For families who want the highest level of access, flexibility, and strategic depth from early positioning through final decisions.

Common Questions

Questions parents ask before starting.

Does my family qualify for financial aid? +
Families at almost every income level qualify for something. Need-based aid is income-driven, but merit scholarships are not. Many families earning well above the national median receive significant merit awards at the right schools. The key is building a college list that accounts for where your student's academic profile is likely to earn awards. A college list built without this analysis often leaves meaningful money on the table. The Financial Aid and Scholarship Roadmap covers this specifically.
How involved will you be in the essays? +
My role is to help the student find the right topic, build a clear narrative, and revise toward a stronger draft through questions and written feedback. The writing is the student's. I do not write essays for students, and the final work reflects who he or she is. That is what admissions officers are reading for, and an essay that does not sound like the student it is attached to works against the application.
What makes this different from working with the school counselor? +
School counselors play an essential role in the admissions process, including transcripts, school documents, recommendations, and broad guidance. Families often seek independent counseling when they want more individual time for college list strategy, essay development, application pacing, affordability questions, and decisions tailored to one student’s goals.
When should we start? +
Junior year is the most common starting point. Families who begin in 9th or 10th grade arrive at that stage with clearer direction and stronger positioning. A 30-minute consultation is the clearest way to identify where your student is right now and what makes the most sense.
Are payment plans available? +
Yes. Payment plans are available for complete counseling packages. I discuss the options during the consultation so families can choose an arrangement that works for their timeline and budget.
How does pricing work? +
With the exception of specific focused packages, I address pricing in the consultation. Once I have a clear picture of your student's grade, timeline, and goals, that context is what makes the conversation meaningful, and it is how I make sure the right package gets recommended for the right reasons.
Do you work with students online? +
Yes. All sessions are conducted online via video. I work with families across the United States and internationally. Families in the Bergen County and NYC metro area are welcome to work with me the same way families anywhere else do. The process works well online and the flexibility is an advantage for students with demanding schedules.
Next Step

Find out where your student stands and what the right level of support looks like.

In the consultation I will give you an honest read on where your student stands, what he or she needs most, and which level of support fits your timeline and goals. After the consultation I will follow up with a clear summary and a specific recommendation.

  • Get an honest read on your student’s current positioning
  • Understand which package fits your timeline
  • Address the process, the approach, and what working together looks like
  • Payment plans are available

About Dale  ·  View full packages and services