Our Story
College Admissions HQ was created by two moms to help families get the college admissions process right.
We first felt the pain of the college admissions process when our own children went through it. Applying to college is expensive, time-consuming, littered with unreliable information, and feels like a high-stakes game with a good chance of ending in disappointing results and stifling debt.
We became determined to empower parents and students with the tools they need to take control of the college admissions process and achieve much better results. We researched, studied, networked, joined professional organizations, and earned certifications. Although there is tremendous amount of college admissions information out there, we discovered that it is presented in a scattered, piecemeal way and essential information and insights into how different steps of the college admissions process affect outcomes are usually left out of the conversation.
We offer compelling articles in our blog and truly valuable free resources, including two mini video courses, to help you understand some of the most confusing areas of the college admissions process.
As the cost of college has skyrocketed during the last decade and the collective U.S. student loan debt has ballooned to more than $1.6 trillion, Liz and Deb decided to write Pay Less for College, an eye-opening, user-friendly book that provides parents and students with the tools they need to avoid the college debt burden that has plagued so many families.
With the information, insights, and tools on this website and in Pay Less for College, you can chart your own individual path and achieve the best college admissions results for YOU academically, socially, and financially.
Our Founders
Elizabeth Walter & Debra Thro
Liz and Deb, friends for over 20 years, began learning about the college admissions process through the experiences of their own children and those of their friends. As tenacious researchers and determined optimists, they both strongly believe in the power of knowledge—if parents and students just understood what was behind the curtain of the college admissions process, they could avoid the heartache, distress, and financial burden that has pulled the rug out from under so many families.
They began as college admissions advisors shepherding individual students and soon found themselves delivering financial aid presentations to community groups. From there, they created College Admissions HQ in order to pull together in one place the critical information families need that get the college admissions process right.
They are American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Certified College Admissions Specialists and members of Pennsylvania Association for College Admission Counseling (PACAC).
Liz holds a PhD in Experimental Pathology from Case Western Reserve University and is a mom of three terrific young adults.
Deb is also a mom of three terrific young adults and holds a BA in Communications and Social Science from the University of South Florida.
Our Team
Emily Ryan, Web Designer/Developer, Graphic Designer
Jacob Thro, Audio Engineer
Cruise Elroy, Music
