A blonde woman smiling in front of a grey background

Hi, I’m Sandra.

I’m an Independent Educational Consultant. In a nutshell, I help high school students discover and pursue the path that works best for them.

For nearly a decade, I supported high school students’ college and career exploration through my work at Duluth East High School’s Career Center. At the same time, I helped my own two children navigate the college admission process. I loved working with students to figure out their next steps. Eventually, my passion for helping young people led me to an Independent Educational Consultant certificate from the University of California Irvine.

While some students can see themselves at a four-year university, others may thrive at a two-year community college. Technical degrees or apprenticeship programs can help students concentrate on specific skills to quickly start earning a paycheck. I can connect students with the right information and contacts to pursue a military path. I can also be a resource to explore gap year opportunities. My goal is to help my clients find their best future, combining their educational and career goals without going into substantial debt.

Why work with an Independent Educational Consultant?

For students and their families, high school is stressful enough before you add in planning for what comes next.

As an educational consultant, I can:

  • Be the middle person in parent-student discussions about the future and convert those discussions into a plan that moves things forward.

  • Help students translate passions and strengths into a list of possible educational or career paths.

  • Outline a schedule for students to stay on top of goals, like signing up for college placement tests, preparing for a college tour, or completing an application.

  • Lead honest discussions between parents and students about the cost of college and how to make good financial decisions.

  • Assist students in finding and completing applications for colleges, scholarships, and other programs.

A student sitting cross-legged on her bed, working on her laptop and referencing books.

Important Information

The Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) has developed a strict set of ethical guidelines that govern the actions of consultants in their relationships with students and families, schools and colleges, and with colleagues.

These include a responsibility to understand each student’s special strengths, values, and needs, while striving to include all family members in the educational planning process. An IECA member does not accept any compensation from educational institutions for placement of a child. All IECA members subscribe to these Principles of Good Practice (PDF) and all IECA members are required to annually sign and follow the principles as part of their Association membership in good standing.

What My Clients Are Saying

  • ANNA (student)

    “

    I didn’t know I needed someone like Sandi to help me. I didn’t realize how big the process was for me to apply for college. Sandi has made it much easier. She understands how busy I am and still helps me get things done.

    ”

  • A PARENT

    “

    Potential Path has been so helpful for our family. Thank you, Sandi.

    ”

  • JOHN & AMY (parents)

    “

    We were very fortunate to work with Sandi to help navigate the financial, academic, and application process when applying for colleges. It took the pressure off us trying to figure it all out on our own and allowed us to enjoy the process with our daughter and with confidence in her future. We would 100% recommend Sandi when preparing for your graduate’s college future.

    ”

  • PARKER (student)

    “

    Sandi has led the way and helped guide me through the college application process. Her one-on-one assistance and communication has made it easy, yet comprehensive. Sandi is the best out there and I highly recommend using her services to help navigate an intimidating landscape.

    “

  • KATTI (parent)

    “

    In Duluth, there isn’t any assistance in navigating the college application process for high school seniors and their families. Working with Sandi has made the difference. Her knowledge, skill and preparation greatly simplified a once daunting task. Highly recommend the investment

    “

My Credentials

Graduating from high school is a big transition — and I’m here to help you navigate it.

Interested in learning more?

Let’s discuss what this would look like for you and your student. Get to know me in a free introductory session.