College Choice Consulting Services

Success in college is still the means by which dreams can become reality, but a good education doesn’t just happen.

To succeed, students must devote the time and effort to assess themselves, their situation, and their goals—and then identify the schools that best meet their needs. But with more than 4,000 colleges and universities in the United States, the choices available can be overwhelming. And given the cost of higher education today, spending a semester or year at a school that’s a poor fit with the student may represent an expensive misstep.

Dr. Antonoff provides expert advice on college planning, application, and admission by meeting one-on-one with students and their parents. Since 1981, he has helped more than 3,800 students identify the schools that fit their unique abilities, interests, and talents and provide an environment where they can thrive.

To connect students with good match schools, Dr. Antonoff draws on an extensive knowledge of colleges and universities gained from over 30 years of experience (including more than a decade in college administration) plus visits to schools, personal research, professional connections, and follow-up discussions with past student advisees.

Dr. Antonoff is the author of The College Finder: Choosing the School That’s Right For You, now in its fourth edition and published by Wintergreen Orchard House. A compilation of college facts and statistics gathered from reliable sources, this book features nearly 700 lists to help students zero in on the schools where they will get in and fit in. As Dr. Antonoff explains, “The primary goal of The College Finder is to expand the pool of schools that students consider, extend the possibilities they envision, and magnify their sense of power as they research colleges.”

The College Finder identifies the best schools for academics, athletics, student life, affordability, and much more. It also includes dozens of Experts’ Choice lists such as The Hidden Ivies, Great Underrated Colleges, and State-by-State Hidden Gems.

Dr. Antonoff is also the author of College Match: A Blueprint for Choosing the Best School for You! Recently published in its 14th edition, College Match provides up-to-date information and insights to systematically and comprehensively guide students through the process of college planning.

In 2019, Dr. Antonoff’s third book, A Student of Colleges: Fundamentals of Independent Educational Consulting, was published through EDUconsultingMedia. It is the first textbook to be written covering the practices, procedures, and ethics of Independent Educational Consultants.

To aid college-bound students and families, three worksheets and two assessments—all developed by Dr. Antonoff for College Match—are available in English or Spanish for download without charge:

• Self-Survey for the College-Bound
• Qualities That Will Make a College Right for You
• Activities/Experiences Record
• College Planning Values Assessment
• Self-Knowledge Questionnaire

These self-administered surveys encourage students to think deeply about their college-going attitudes and skills, assess what they are looking for in a college, and identify colleges that fit their needs.

The process of planning for college and applying for admission—as serious and time-consuming as it is—does not have to take over the lives of high school students or their parents. Nor does the cost of attending college have to bankrupt families, wipe out retirement funds, or burden a student with sky-high debt for years to come. Young people can acquire an excellent education without paying the hefty price tag that comes with an elite school. Dr. Antonoff’s background and knowledge can help students and families navigate the myths and mystique surrounding college choice and effectively guide clients to schools that fit the student—academically, socially, and financially.

Dr. Antonoff focuses on goal-oriented and cost-effective college planning. A College Planning Consultation can occur at any point in a student’s high school years. The agenda for these meetings is determined by student and parent needs and can include such topics as developing a college planning timetable (goals for a particular year) and brainstorming and working on college essays. These meetings are also opportunities to explore issues related to course scheduling, testing, college cost, test preparation, recommendations, campus visits, researching colleges, grades, and extracurricular and community activities. College Planning Consultation lays the groundwork for the college application process. College Match Consultation often occurs in the second semester of the student’s junior year of high school and is a focused session with the ultimate goal of creating a list of schools that is tailored to the student and includes both “low-chance-of-admission” (or “reach”) schools and “high-chance-of-acceptance” schools (where the student has a high probability of admittance).

Dr. Antonoff does not provide a “package” of meetings. This is a decision made on the basis of utility of Dr. Antonoff’s skills, allowing Dr. Antonoff to visit and revisit colleges, and desire to keep costs down. Many students really need only a push in planning for college and not a shove or worse, micromanagement at every step. He believes that many young people tackling the college admission process make great progress when they are presented with a timetable for college planning and encouraged to consider “good-fit” colleges that meet their individual interests and needs. By taking greater control of the college planning and application process, these students are also honing the skills they will need to navigate college life independently. In addition, a limited number of consultations rather than a set number of meetings helps keep counseling sessions more accessible to families of diverse backgrounds and all income levels.