YOUR Personal Educational Consultant!

Choosing a college is one of the most significant decisions you'll make in your life. It carries long-term professional, financial, and personal consequences. That’s why it’s essential to select a college—and a major—that aligns with your interests, strengths, and goals, but also make the most of your experience and what your chosen institution has to offer. When your choice is a strong personal fit, your chances of long-term success increase dramatically, regardless of your chosen field.

While high school guidance counselors provide valuable support, sometimes you need more. More perspectives. More insight. More experience. The broader your input, the better equipped you’ll be to make a confident, informed decision. That’s where I come in.

Unlike traditional guidance counselors, I bring a different lens: the perspective of a seasoned college professor with decades of experience teaching, advising, and observing what truly helps students thrive. I’ve spent thousands of hours on college campuses as a professor, helping students succeed both academically and personally. My goal is to help you not only choose the right college and major but also arrive on campus with the essential “soft skills” that make the transition smoother and the experience more rewarding.

Let me be clear:

·       I do not replace your guidance counselor.

·       I am not an academic tutor to help with assignments.

·       I am not an advocate that calls professors or school administrators on your behalf when there are issues

·       I am not your campus advisor who helps you select classes or track graduation requirements

Those roles are filled by your chosen institution. My role is to serve as an independent, outside consultant not affiliated with your school—someone you can speak with to gain additional insight and increase your confidence in your own decision. I can’t guarantee your success, but I can help you increase your odds of success by ensuring you’re informed, prepared, and equipped to make the most of your college experience.

My Services: Two-Phase, À La Carte Consulting

You choose how much support you need. Services are billed flat-fee by package and tailored to your specific goals. Here's how I typically work with students, typically over the summer months when there is ample time to plan and focus without the stress of school:

Phase 1: “Where Can I Go?”  

Designed for high school students during summer before or after junior year, just before college visits begin

In this phase, we explore your options and help you clarify what kind of college experience will be the best fit for you, and the way to maximize campus visits and get the true answers that YOU need from the campuses you visit.

We’ll discuss:

·       Your academic strengths and challenges

·       Your personal and professional interests

·       What type of college environment suits you best (small college, large university, public vs. private).  

·       Which majors align with your goals and offer a strong return after graduation

·       What questions to ask prospective schools beyond the admissions office to get real answers about your future and maximum value of your chosen school/program?  What is the best way to get the answers you       need from the campus?

I’ll help you look beyond college websites, brochures and marketing pitches to uncover what each school truly offers—and whether it’s right for you.

Phase 2: “I Know Where I’m Going—Now What?”  

Begins: After college decision is made, typically summer before leaving for freshman year

Once you’ve chosen your college, it’s time to prepare for the transition. Many students struggle not because they aren’t smart or motivated, but because they arrive on campus without the foundational “soft skills” needed to succeed in an environment that vastly differs from high school.

These skills include:

·       Time management and study habits

·       Self-advocacy

·       Navigating campus resources

·       Building professional relationships

·       Managing expectations

I’ll help you identify and strengthen these skills before you arrive, so you’re not playing catch-up once classes begin. The goal is to help you work smarter, not harder, adjust faster, and maximize your college experience from day one.  There is time to work hard on studies, enhance your professional image and still have fun, and I want to share tools so you can accomplish that.  My advice is based on over 25 years teaching, observing and advising college students on a college campus!  I see what works and what does not!

Transfer Students: “What do I do?”

If you’re a student thinking about transferring schools after time on campus, it can feel overwhelming. Many of the services I offer in both Phase I and Phase II of my other packages apply directly to you, and some do not, but you also need to master the credit‐transfer process and learn how to present your case, so you earn as many transfer credits as possible. Contrary to what’s often suggested in the media, colleges don’t reject transfer credits to collect more tuition or delay graduation. In fact, most institutions aim to accept as many credits as possible—but they must follow academic policies and standards when determining eligibility to protect their own academic reputation and accreditation. I can’t promise which credits your new school will accept, but we’ll review common transfer procedures together, discuss common reasons credits get denied, and prepare you to ask the right questions and provide the right documentation to maximize your odds for credit acceptance on top of my phase I and II services that may apply to you. That way, you’ll head into your transfer credit evaluation meetings confident that you’ve done everything possible to secure a fair review of your credits by the right people on campus. 

My services are flat fee*, and billed in phases, so there is always certainty of what you are paying for, and the option to cancel service after a phase is completed if desired.  I can work with students who have an interest in any major or discipline.

For the benefit of student focus on my services and to minimize distraction, I typically limit my service offerings to the summer months, when school is not in session.  If this is not workable to schedules, I will also schedule services over the winter between mid December and mid January.  Please contact me to discuss your specific needs and how we can work together to best suit specific needs.

If you have further questions and would like to discuss how I can help you, contact me at mitch@syracusefranklin.com for further details and pricing.

Individuals who are currently enrolled at my full time academic institution where I serve on the faculty, have submitted a deposit to enroll at the school, or are actively applying for admission are not eligible to use my services.

*If you require services beyond those included in the standard flat-fee package, any additional fees will be outlined and agreed upon in writing before work begins, typically also billed on a flat fee basis.