Why Dr. Mark Hofer?

There are many people who call themselves college consultants, but few have the experience, education and track record of success as Dr. Mark Hofer. He is one of only four Certified Educational Consultants in Washington state, and one of less than 300 to receive certification from the American Institute of Certified Educational Planners and has guided dozens of students to admission in top colleges nationwide including Brown, Cornell, Duke, Georgetown, Harvard, Harvey Mudd, MIT, Notre Dame, Olin, Princeton, Stanford, University of Washington, Vanderbilt, Washington University and Yale. In addition, he has also helped students secure hundreds of thousands of dollars in financial aid, significantly reducing the cost of college for them and their families.

In addition to passing the stringent vetting process required to gain certification with the highest excellence in college admissions counseling, Mark is a veteran teacher and psychologist with an extensive track record of success in understanding and guiding the unique needs and passions of students.

Mark personally tours dozens of schools each year on both coasts, visiting campuses to maintain regular contact with admissions officers nationwide to acquire unique information about each school that cannot be obtained in any book or on any website.

In addition to his CEP credential, Mark holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership, a Master’s degree in teaching from Seattle University, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Washington.

“I have dedicated my life to helping young people and their families achieve their goals.” – Dr. Mark Hofer

Background

Dr. Hofer was a classroom science and psychology educator for nearly a decade in private and public high schools and for the last nine years has developed and taught leadership programs and provides college counseling for the Bezos Scholars Program at the Bezos Family Foundation. Prior to working at the Bezos Family Foundation, he directed the college and high school aerospace engineering internship and co-op programs at Blue Origin for thirteen years. During that period Mark established relationships with a broad network of colleges and professors as well as many company leaders in different STEM industries.

QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK ANY COLLEGE ADVISOR

• How many years have you been an educational consultant and how many students have you helped gain admission to college?
• What experience do you have in education and working with students?
• What was your background prior to going into independent educational consulting? What is your training and education?
• What specialized training do you have in education, psychology and teen development?
• Have you taken specific academic coursework for college consulting?
• How many colleges have you visited in the past three years to keep up with new trends, academic changes and evolving campus cultures?
• Do you have areas of expertise in specific types of schools and how have you gained that expertise?
• Do you attend professional conferences or training workshops on a regular basis to keep up with regional and national trends as well as changes in the law surrounding colleges?
• Do you belong to any professional associations?
• Are all fees involved stated in writing, indicating exactly what services will be provided for those fees?
• Do you adhere to the ethical guidelines for private counseling established by IECA?