Applying for college can be an emotionally-charged process. Independent college advisor Cindi Robinson can help create a plan, and hopefully reduce stress, for young people.
Robinson founded her business, Summit Education Advisors, after working for years in both admissions offices and as a school counselor.
She supplements what junior high and high school counselors offer. Robinson compared herself to a professional tutor who can help a student through a difficult situation.
A lot of different kinds of people seek out Robinson’s help, and they do so at different stages of college preparation. What they have in common is a desire for expert guidance in a difficult process with big consequences.
She can help ninth graders plan their high school schedules to make sure they take the necessary prerequisites for their dream schools. She can aid tenth and eleventh graders in their application process or seniors in planning their gap year.
Robinson’s goal, said former client Michele Morris, is not to get your child into the best school, but to get them into the best school for them.
“Different kids have different needs. Some know what they want and how to get there. Some aren’t sure,” she said. “I can help identify what are strengths, what are passions. They may not know how even to get started and where to look.”
Robinson gives personality tests, analyzes strengths and weaknesses, identifies hobbies, asks what kinds of learning environments they thrive in, what physical environments they enjoy and what social situations they feel most comfortable in. She has personally been on over 100 campuses and visits five or six new ones each year. She has met with faculty and knows each school’s philosophy toward teaching.
In her experience, how a school prepares students for success is more important than prestige and ranking.
“I’m a huge proponent of internships and work experiences. You can go to fantastic university, but it may not lead to a fantastic job,” she explained.
Parents want to help students explore these options and make decisions, but too often it comes across as nagging, Robinson said.
As an independent party, she can keep on a student about making deadlines and allow the parent to relax and just be a friend and a guide. When necessary, she can apply pressure in a helpful and proactive way.
“There’s a lot of pressure on kids to be successful,” she said. “I mediate a lot of that emotion for parents and kids.”
Morris, a writing teacher at the University of Utah, hired Robinson to help her two sons. After moving to Park City from London, England, the oldest boy had been in the British system, and was totally unprepared for applying to U.S. schools he didn’t even know which ones he wanted to apply to.
“Cindi saved my life,” she said. “She was absolutely fantastic about getting him organized. I was able to step out of the circle, and I became another consultant. He could get advice from me, but I didn’t have to nag him, she took care of that.”
James Meyer, executive director of The Oakley School, worked with Robinson for several years.
“She’s very thorough, very professional, very personable. She really enjoys what she does the process and builds great relationships with kids,” he said.
Summit Education Advisors
Cindi Robinson
435-640-4487