About Whitney Bruce

Part sherpa.
Part counselor.
All cheerleader.

I come by that last bit honestly. I did try cheer in 8th grade, and I neither loved it nor excelled in it. But like your students, I tried lots of things! While I didn’t last long in cheer, I did find something there: an ability and desire to support others through a sometimes challenging and stressful process.

I began my career in college admissions as a campus tour guide, walking backwards, cracking jokes about blue-light phones, and answering questions from nervous parents about life in the middle of  "Charm City" (Baltimore). I've interviewed applicants as both a college student and an alumna, worked in selective college admissions at Washington University in St. Louis, reviewed applications for the University of Michigan, and worked as a college counselor in two private high schools.  

As an independent educational consultant since 2006, I am a member of the National Association of College Admissions Counselors (NACAC), and a professional member of the Independent Educational Counselors Association (IECA). In 2018, became one of only several hundred IECs worldwide to hold the Certified Educational Planner credential from AICEP, the only form of certification in the field. From 2015 to 2018, I served on the Board of Directors of the Higher Education Consultants Association, advancing professional, ethical independent college counseling. I have presented at local events as well as regional and national conferences.

I maintain a small practice that emphasizes regular communication and personal attention. When you hire me, you get ME.

Personal anecdote alert! The summer before my senior year in high school, my mom and I embarked on a 10-day, 12-college, 3000-mile adventure. It included colleges I loved, new towns to explore, students who energized me, and athletic coaches who inspired me. It also included a morning in which I refused to get out of the car for a particular campus tour. My mom insisted that since I was there I needed to be open-minded.  I complained. My mom won. And she was right; that particular college delighted me in unexpected ways and won a clear spot near the top of my list.

Many of my families live in the Ann Arbor Michigan or Portland Maine areas. However, I’ve been working remotely since I started my practice and my students come from all around the United States and occassionally and American or IB school abroad.

I have visited hundreds of colleges across the US and abroad. Campus visits allow me to share first-hand knowledge with my families.

I’m a Type A through and through. So don’t worry if your kid flubs a deadline: I’m on it.