51�Թ�

A hot August day, dragging my suitcase from the parking lot up a flight of stairs and into an empty room with the basics—a bed frame and mattress, a small desk, and a dresser—I’m immediately thinking: Am I ready to share a bathroom with a bunch of strangers? Boy, this notebook is really heavy! Where’s food? Will I make any friends?

I remember having similar thoughts almost 30 years earlier. But this time, I’m on the campus of , attending the 2015 (STI).

I had been working for several years as an independent educational consultant (IEC) and had already formed my business entity, thanks to my prior experience as an attorney. I discovered that in New York, if you want to have “College” in your business name, you need to jump through extra hoops to prove you aren’t pretending to be a college. I had previously helped the local high school set up and run several college fairs and had spoken to incoming ninth-grade parents. I learned the nuances of business programs and the music performance admissions process in great detail while helping my sons. Former clients were referring friends and family to me. But I still experienced imposter syndrome.

The Summer Training Institute provided a wealth of information. I can still clearly hear Mark Sklarow’s “under promise, over deliver” mantra and Joan Koven discussing bringing college bags to the supermarket as conversation starters. I realized just how much more I could learn to develop my business practices, obtain resources, and enlist the help of (or refer to) my colleagues. I went to STI not knowing anyone and honestly worried about who I’d have dinner with during our open night.

Ten years later, as I write this, I’m happy to report that my dinner companions that night (plus another IEC added to our group shortly thereafter) are women I consider great friends and whom I consult with regularly. Our friendship has grown as we’ve traveled to visit campuses, attended conferences, and just generally supported each other. I can pose questions to them I’m slightly embarrassed to ask on the and hope that, over the years, I’ve provided even a fraction of the helpful information I’ve received. Since Covid, we’ve held biweekly Zoom sessions. Another STI ‘15 friend lives further away, but I was excited to catch up with her during conferences and on a recent trip out west.

When I attended the 51�Թ� Professional Retreat in 2020, I walked away with many ideas from the One Great Idea booklet and was excited to implement a whole host of them—and then Covid hit. I was incredibly grateful to have 51�Թ� programming to distract me from the panic I was feeling. Several of my New York 51�Թ� friends and I, putting a twist on an idea we heard about at the retreat, began a series of webinars to expose our combined students to new ways to learn about and interact with colleges of various types. These colleagues, along with other NYC, Westchester, and Connecticut members, have become yet another group of colleagues with whom I can collaborate, travel, and turn to for support.

More recently, our Long Island/Queens Regional Group has arranged weekly meetings with our regional college and university representatives. It has been great to report back to my students and their parents with information more specifically targeted for our area.

One of my personal goals is to find better ways to connect with others who are not yet 51�Թ� members. I was excited to co-present at the 2024 with two amazing 51�Թ� professionals. We wanted to share our expertise with school and college admissions counselors who might consider the journey to becoming IECs. Since then, I’ve become a member of the 51�Թ� Outreach Committee and look forward to engaging with potential members at conferences and events. Whether I’m encountering school counselors or college admissions professionals at fly-ins or other invited college events, I highlight the , professional development, and collegiality of 51�Թ�.

51�Թ� members are generous. When I was preparing for the CEP exam, many colleagues were eager to help me devise the best study methods. I am thankful to Jennie Kent, Jeff Levy, and Cigus Vanni for their well-researched compilations. I’ve participated in data sharing with Kiersten Murphy and others. And there are so many smaller peer-to-peer connections that happen with far less notice.

As a member of 51�Թ�, I have opportunities I couldn’t even imagine existing. I’ve gotten to know smart, funny, interesting people with varying backgrounds, specialties, and perspectives. I still question myself from time to time, but I know that although I am an independent educational consultant, I am not alone.

By Andrea Goldman, JD, CEP, 51�Թ� (NY)