DOWLING COLLEGE CONSULTING

No gimmicks. Only a promise to help colleges SEE YOU so they will CHOOSE YOU.

Hand holding a glass ball reflecting a sunset over the ocean.

BE YOU. Be proud of who you are and what you have accomplished. Don’t worry about what other students have done or are planning. Be yourself—and become the best version of yourself with guidance and strategic choices.

BE SEEN. Colleges don’t know who you are (yet) and certainly won’t get to know who you are just by looking at your grades or test scores. Show up and shine on visits, in interviews, on tours. Show off your achievements on a great resume and activities list. Reveal your distinctive personality and story through thoughtful and original essays.

BE CHOSEN. Your goal is to have options at the end of this process. You want colleges to choose you to join their communities much as you have chosen them after careful research.

Identify what makes you unique. What do you have to offer?

When viewed through a new lens, your list of activities and hobbies come into focus as a theme. I will point you towards additional choices for activities, courses, projects, volunteer opportunities, travel, and summer courses to enhance your profile. No fake projects or websites are needed or helpful—just strategic involvement in doing what you already love.

Multiple hands holding various LEGO minifigures representing unique styles

Build a list of colleges suited to your goals. Where do you fit?

Fit isn’t about cramming yourself into someone else’s vision of who you are or where you belong. There is not only one place where you will fit, either. Thorough, self-assessment, frank evaluation of your record, and thorough college/major research, I will help you look at all the ways in which you might fit at different colleges and prepare a tiered, strategic list. The better the fit, the likelier the admit!

Child standing by mural painted with  'believe in yourself' on yellow background.

Know your starting point, and discover your next destination.

Are you a transfer student? A recruited athlete or talented artist? Perhaps you are rising star or a late bloomer? We can work together to develop your unique list, portfolio, and strategy to give you the best chance of achieving whatever your goals may be.

Nobody is born knowing how to write a personal essay. Or ace an interview.

Whether or not you think you can write, you are the singular source of information on YOU. Essay writing can be taught and improved, but you are the subject expert! I will help you present yourself not only in essay writing, but in interviews, meetings, and via email. Together we will brainstorm and unlock your creativity. I will give you positive, actionable feedback every step of the way.

2025 and 2026 CLIENT OUTCOMES

Students apply widely, are admitted at high rates, and enroll at their best fit.

*College names are intentiionally randomized in order to honor ALL choices

★ Rollins College

★ American University

★ Johns Hopkins University

★ University of Michigan

★ University of Wisconsin-Madison

★ Northwestern University

★ Tufts University

★ University of Pittsburgh

★ College of the Holy Cross

★ University of New Hampshire

★ Worcester Polytechnic Institute

★ University of California-Irvine

★ Rutgers University-New Brunswick

★ University of Rhode Island

★ Stonehill College

★ Arizona State Univ

★ University of Hawaii At Manoa

★ University of Colorado Boulder

★ The Pennsylvania State University

★ McGill University (Canada)

★ Bates College

★ University of Dundee

★ Syracuse University

★ Georgia Institute of Technology

★ Harvard University

★ The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

★ Texas Christian University

★ Trinity College

★ The University of Edinburgh

★ Loyola University New Orleans

★ University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

★ Colby College

★ Stetson University

★ Florida Atlantic University

★ University of Washington-Seattle Campus

★ Endicott College

★ Emory University School of Medicine

★ University of Utah

★ Arizona State University

★ Washington University In St Louis

★ Boston College

★ Rutgers University–New Brunswick

★ Stony Brook University

★ University of California, Los Angeles

★ Drexel University

★ James Madison University

★ Roger Williams University

★ Marist University

★ Case Western Reserve University

★ Bryant University

★ University of Florida

★ Connecticut College

★ University of Massachusetts Amherst

★ Indiana University Bloomington

★ University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

★ University of Miami

★ Hult International Business School

★ Brandeis University

★ Rice University

★ Dartmouth College

★ Colorado School of Mines

★ Bentley University

★ Binghamton University

★ Wake Forest University

★ Anna Maria College

★ University of Rochester

★ Bowdoin College

★ Ole Miss

★ Washington State University

★ Colgate University

★ Oregon State University

★ Fordham University

★ University of Vermont

★ Colorado State University

★ Stanford University

★ Virginia Tech

★ College of Charleston

★ Suffolk University

★ Hamilton College

★ University of Connecticut

★ North Carolina State University

★ University of California, Santa Cruz

★ Cornell University

★ Northeastern University

★ Kenyon College

★ Emory University

★ Assumption University

★ Loyola University Maryland

★ Michigan State University

★ Boston University

★ University of St. Andrews (Scotland)

★ University of Pennsylvania

★ Roanoke College

★ Fort Lewis College

★ University of Hawaii

★ University of Oregon

★ Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at Texas Christian University

★ Bucknell University

★ St. John Fisher University

★ Chapman University

★ Franklin and Marshall College

★ University of Maryland

★ University of Maine

★ Clemson University

★ University of California, San Diego

★ University At Buffalo

Areas of advising and client resources:

  • Activities section templates and exemplars

  • Artist statement writing

  • Choosing from among offers

  • College fair tips

  • College research trackers

  • College visit guide

  • College visit notes template

  • Colleges accepting resumes list

  • Common app topics -how to choose

  • Core values exercises

  • Course selection

  • Demonstrated interest: which colleges track it?

  • Going to college with an IEP or 504—what to know

  • International colleges and universities support

  • LGBTQIA+ resources for students

  • Likely, Target, and Reach college designations

  • NCAA eligibility support

  • SRAR requirements 2025-26

  • Summer planning

  • Supplemental essays 2025-26 guidance

  • Testing strategy and reporting

  • Transfer student support

  • Where do I fit?

  • "Why this college?" essay support

My Clients are:

  • Freshmen and Sophomores in high school looking for a path to college: what courses to choose, how to spend their summers, how to strengthen their resumes, when and how to begin research and visits.

  • Juniors who are ready to dive into list-building, essay writing, deep research, and learning how to articulate their fit for various programs and colleges.

  • Seniors who feel like they are not sufficiently prepared for an aspect of the process, or who feel lost.

  • Seniors who are well prepared—know who they are and what they want but need assistance in managing essays and timelines, and creating a strategy.

  • Students who have a “hole” or “dip” in their record for any reason (health, trauma, late bloomer, change of school, discipline) and are not sure how to fit that into the applications.

  • College students who landed at a college that didn’t really fit, or who have discovered new information about themselves or have reconfigured their aspirations, and now wish to transfer.

  • Prospective medical and PA students needing essay support with quick turn-around times and frank evaluation.

Tara Dowling is:

  • Deeply experienced: 40 years as a professional in college admissions and independent high school counseling and consulting around the world.

  • Passionate: Has devoted her career to access to education and helping young people figure out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there.

  • Authentic: Known as a “truth teller” who eschews gimmicks and shortcuts. There are no guarantees in college admissions, and you will not be promised anything except for excellent personalized advice and individual attention.

  • Creative: No two students are alike, and everyone has a distinct story and a voice to tell it. This process can be as interesting, eye-opening, and fun as you are willing to make it.

  • Empathetic: Gets to know you well because she takes the time to ask thoughtful questions and listen. Understands when to push and when to gently nudge.

  • Mobile! Has lived and worked in China, Russia, and Turkey and in five US states, and currently makes her home in Florida with her husband, mom and two cats.

Hear from past clients and families

FAQs

Book a time to meet and see how I can help you achieve your goals.

I am available Saturday through Thursday, year-round typically from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST, with special considerations for students in other time zones.

Clients and families can self-schedule a 50-minute appointment 12 hours in advance whenever they like, as often as they like.

Initial consultations are free, and last 30 to 50 minutes.

Contact me

Feel free to send me a message, or ask a question. You can also go straight to booking a free initial consultation.