College Counselor (Full-Time Remote US)

Collegewise is a college counseling company that helps high school students confidently navigate their journey to college. We believe the college admissions process has spun out of control, with too much confusion, too much anxiety, and too many students losing agency for what should be their path to higher education. We’re out to change all that.

Since 1999, we’ve helped more than 35,000 students apply and get accepted to schools—sometimes famous, often not—that they’re excited to attend. We do it all with just the right mix of advice, encouragement, and occasional cheerleading—all backed by data and experience—to ensure that each student’s college admissions process goes smoothly and thoughtfully. And our work doesn’t stop with students who enroll in our program. We speak in public, write, and constantly look for ways to spread relevant college planning information to anyone who needs it, whether or not they work with us.

Instead of a traditional cover letter, answer the required question below, then choose two more from the list (150-250 words is a helpful guideline, but use as much or as little space as you need). We're most interested in learning about your counseling philosophy, skills, and experiences—the things that will set you (and your students) up for success.

Collegewise counselors all do the same essential work: help students build authentic, meaningful high school experiences, develop differentiated applications that reflect who they genuinely are, find colleges that are the right fit for them, and help their families breathe a little easier along the way. 

• You’re someone who’d rather be challenged by something important than phone it in for something mundane. You want to commit to a calling that matters to you, and you have high expectations of yourself, your job, and your employer. 
• You understand parents and their high school-aged students. And you’ve run in the circles you’re seeking to serve, as a high school counselor/director, or a professional who’s worked closely with those populations. 
• You’re inspired — not intimidated — by the prospect of finding families who want to engage with a college counseling service like ours.
• You’re a continuous learner who believes that college counseling is a craft that needs to be nurtured and put to the very best use to help kids. You're not intimidated about being expected to achieve results.
• You win people over easily and earn trust quickly. Whether you’re working on a project with a coworker, meeting with a student about a college list, or talking to a concerned parent on the phone, people enjoy and benefit from their interactions with you.  
• Most importantly, you believe in the vision of Collegewise. You want to empower students to identify and reach their goals (for college and beyond). You want to be a supportive guide to those students and their families. You’re passionate about what Collegewise stands for and our drive to help as many families as possible transform their journey to college. 

Bonus points if you have experience working at a highly selective college in admissions, academic advising, or student affairs. We don't believe selective colleges produce better counselors — they don't. But many families use that experience as a proxy for trust, and we've learned it's not fair to put great counselors in a spot where they have to fight that perception every day.

You definitely wouldn’t be crossing over to the for-profit “dark side” here. We have an excellent reputation with both high school counselors and admissions officers. We present at NACAC, local ACACs, and at high schools and community events. We partner with community-based organizations to directly support their students and increase college access. We tell the truth, we treat people right, we recycle, and we have at least five confirmed vegans on the team. We’re biased, but really, this is a pretty great place to work.

1. Required: We have three different counseling tracks: Partnerships, Core, and Signature. Which track interests you most, and why? If more than one appeals to you, tell us that too — and what draws you to each.

Choose two of the following questions to respond to:

1. Collegewise counselors guide students through the entire college application process, which means building trust and relationships over time. Tell us about a situation where you built a meaningful relationship with a student that directly impacted their outcome.
2. Working with high schoolers means balancing student needs with family expectations, and sometimes they don't align. Tell us about a time you had to manage a difficult conversation or disagreement with a parent or stakeholder. How did you handle the situation, and what was the outcome?
3. What is your typical caseload, and how do you productively manage your time?
4. Great college counseling is proactive, not reactive. Tell us about a time you anticipated a problem before it became one — for a student, a family, or in your work more broadly.
5. Collegewise counselors aren't just great with students — they help build the business through referrals, outreach, and community relationships. Tell us about a time you built trust within a community or network that created real momentum for your work.

Please submit your resume and responses through our Careers page. Every single applicant will receive a response from us, and we do our very best to reply within 10 business days.

Questions?
Feel free to email us at jobs@collegewise.com (please no phone calls). We promise to respond to you quickly.

Thanks for reading! We’d love to hear from you, but if we don’t, we hope you find the perfect professional fit someplace else.