About Starting Gate College Consulting
Welcome to Your Personal Post Parade! You’re off and running toward that life changing goal that is college. But the competition is fierce, and you’re wondering if your work to date can carry you across the finish line. Mind-boggling entry forms and fees, a tough field of competition, confusing formulas for added money, plus the stakes are graded and you have to get your SAT/ACT gate card! Starting Gate College Consulting can help. We’re here to help students peruse the College Condition Book and select schools that match their academic interests, personal goals and professional aspirations.
About Carolyn Karlson
As President of Starting Gate College Consulting, Carolyn Karlson, Ph.D. has 25 years of experience in higher education, having worked as a professor, academic advisor, program director, and graduate school dean. She holds a Ph.D. from Michigan State University, a MS from Columbia University, and a BA from Simmons College. Her academic appointments include the University of Notre Dame, College of Notre Dame of Maryland, and the University of Maryland College Park. Dr. Karlson is an associate member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA).
Why Hire an Independent College Consultant
Helping students and their families through all aspects of the college transition process is my mission. As your trainer, I work independently of colleges, universities and your school guidance counselor. I provide personalized attention and respond with unbiased, objective guidance and information. Students lead this process and are encouraged both to stretch for more competitive colleges, and to balance with appropriate schools offering better chances for admission.
About the Name
Two passions collided in the creation of Starting Gate College Consulting. President Carolyn Karlson has loved and owned race horses for ten years, and equally loved working with her college students for 25 years. She walks the perimeter of the Oklahoma training track in Saratoga Springs every morning. As she watched the young horses learning to navigate the starting gate, it occurred to her that they were not unlike her young students navigating their path to college.
