With a high school student facing college decisions, Pam Pik decided, like so many mothers of juniors, that she needed to educate herself on the college process. That pursuit of education led her to a venture. She has now started her own consulting business for parents and kids who want that extra input and guidance in choosing and getting into a college from an outside source. Pam quickly realized how confusing and stressful the drill can be. Most high school counselors are very competent but many work with too many students to give each the extensive, individualized attention they need.
Pam also discovered like most moms of teenagers, that many kids have a hard time listening to a parent’s advice on when to write
the dreaded essay or hearing constructive comments about the deadlines. Having a counselor to ease that relationship and move the child forward is a huge advantage.
Training involved a 6 course online certificate program in college counseling through UCLA and a 4 day seminar given by the Independent Educational Consultants Association(IECA) of which Pam is a member. This group holds regular seminars for members and sponsors visits to 20 -30 colleges a year. Pam was able to secure an internship with a local private college consulting firm which consisted of 65 hours over a 9 week period. This has really opened her eyes and given her the valuable hands on experience she needed to have her own venture. And this training was all manageable while her three kids were in school during the day.
Whether you have an athlete, an academic or just an average kid trying to find the right fit, a college counselor can ease the stress and take the guesswork out of the process. Pam will work on an hourly basis or provide the entire search process to a student, which includes coursework suggestions, testing recommendations, college lists, common application completion, essay ideas and editing, a timeline and interview prep. Her strengths lie in recruited athletes and helping with essays where her editing background serves her well.
Pam was able to take her own experience and form a venture around that. She had wanted to go back to work or form a venture now that her children are close to leaving the house for college. With her oldest daughter in University of Virginia this fall and a sophomore and 7th grader following closely behind, she’ll be busy with her kids’ choices, but finds fulfillment assisting others. This is a great independent venture that has a new crop of clients each year.
Contact: [email protected], 203-984-6837 (website under construction: www.pamelakpik.com)
VentureMom Tip
Choose a venture with a built in client base that continues to replenish each year.
