Coleman College & Career Coaching
Michele Coleman
Your Path. Your Journey. My Experience. Together we'll find your way forward.
I work with students and families in 8th grade, preparing for high school, high school students applying to college, transfer students, graduate applicants, and career coaching clients. Wherever you're starting from, we'll figure out the right next step together
10+ Years as an IEC Serving Clients & Families Nationwide
Certified Career Coach & Resume Writer
100% Personal attention: Every client works directly with me
The most common thing clients tell me after we've worked together isn't about the school they got into or the job they landed. It's about how the process felt. Less overwhelming than they expected, more manageable than they feared. Like they had someone genuinely in their corner the entire time, every step along the way.
When I take on the research, the reminders, the follow-up, and the details, something shifts. For parents of high school students, it means you get to stay a parent rather than enforce deadlines and requirements. For transfer and graduate students navigating a complex process alone, it means you have an experienced partner who's done this before and knows exactly what's coming. For career coaching clients, it means you're not staring at a blank resume, wondering where to start.
When you work with me, you get a partner who knows your situation and is genuinely invested in where you end up. That's not a feature of working with me. It's the foundation of everything I do.
Every client works directly with me, not a junior associate, not a counselor juggling hundreds of students at once. I limit my roster intentionally so that every client and family I work with gets the focus they deserve. When you reach out, I respond. When you have a question, I answer it. When something comes up between sessions, I'm here.
"Such a great experience. Such a weight off our shoulders." — Parent
Fully virtual, always convenient
No driving, no parking, no stress. Sessions happen over Zoom, Monday–Friday. I work with students, families, and clients across California, nationwide, and internationally.
Built around you
Packages, monthly plans, à la carte services, or a completely custom plan, I design what makes sense for your specific situation, timeline, and budget. No two clients are the same, and no two plans should be either.
A decade of experience across every stage
Over a decade working with students and clients at every stage, high school planning, college applications, transfer pathways, graduate school, and career coaching.
Payment plans available
Services are paid before work begins, but payment plans are available. Just ask, flexibility is one of the real advantages of working with an independent counselor rather than a large firm.
Services
Every service is built around your specific situation — not a generic process designed for everyone else. From 8th grade through graduate school and career coaching, find the right starting point for where you are right now.
8th & 9th Grade - Early Planning
Get the academic and extracurricular foundation right before high school gains momentum. Starting early is the real advantage — and it reserves your spot on a carefully limited roster.
12th Grade - Senior Year
Full support from the college list through final decision — essays, deadlines, financial aid, and everything in between. Whether you're starting in the summer or scrambling in October, there's a place to begin. Flexible monthly options available.
10 Grade - Sophomore Year
Course strategy, testing overview, activity-building, resume introduction, and a junior year roadmap — all before the pressure hits. The families who start here arrive at junior year ready, not scrambling. Starting at $325.
Transfer & Graduate Applicants
The transfer process is genuinely complex, and the details matter.. I help community college and four-year transfer students navigate every piece of it, as well as helping graduate students with statements of purpose, research, and application strategies.
Transfer Applicants: Learn more
Graduate Applicants: Learn More
11th Grade - Junior Year
College list, essays, testing, financial aid — junior year is when planning becomes action,, and the decisions you make now directly shape what happens senior year. Starting at $325.
Career Coaching Services
Career assessments, resume development, and job search strategy for college students and young professionals taking their first career steps.
Testimonials
From students who found their dream school to parents who finally exhaled, and everyone navigating the steps in between.
These are their words, not mine.
These are just a few of the students and families I've had the privilege of working with over the past decade.
What Clients Say
"I got into USC!!!!! I can't thank you enough for helping me each step of the way. I really would not have been able to do it without you. My dreams have come true and I'm so excited!" — Student · College Application · Accepted to USC
"One year ago we thought our daughter had no options for a four-year school. You not only helped her find one, but many! We never would have been able to do this without you." — Parent · Senior Year Services
"You walk on water as far as myself and my husband are concerned. They will both be going to colleges that are perfect fits for them where they will grow and thrive. We are eternally grateful." — Parent · Twin Students · Junior & Senior Year Services
Acceptances
From large public universities to small liberal arts colleges to highly selective institutions — and including transfer acceptances and graduate programs — across the country and beyond. Every name on this list represents a student who found the right fit for them.
Includes freshman, transfer, and graduate acceptances across all years of practice.
Stanford University · MIT · Columbia University · Cornell University · Northwestern University · Johns Hopkins · Vanderbilt University · Tufts University · Emory University · Rice University · Carnegie Mellon · Notre Dame · USC · UCLA · UC Berkeley · UC San Diego · UC Santa Barbara · NYU · Boston University · Boston College · Tulane University · Georgia Tech · University of Michigan · University of Virginia · Pepperdine University · Santa Clara University · Scripps College · SMU · + more. Read the full list on my Acceptances page.
Every name on this list began with a Discovery Call.
A conversation about where a student was and where they wanted to go.
About Me
I started this practice because every student deserves someone genuinely in their corner.
As the mother of three, I know firsthand that important transitions in life are rarely simple. They take planning, flexibility, and someone who genuinely cares about the outcome. That's true whether you're navigating high school, a college transfer, graduate school, or your first career steps.
I've been working with students, families, and young professionals since 2014, and started Coleman College Counseling & Career Coaching because I wanted to offer individualized attention from someone who is fully invested in your specific situation.
When you work with me, you get me. I personally answer every call, respond to every text, and review every document, whether that's a college essay, a statement of purpose, a transfer statement, or a resume. It's the only way I know how to do this work.
I hold a Master's in Conflict Resolution, a BA from Loyola Marymount University, and have completed college counseling coursework at both UCLA and UCI. I am a Certified Professional Career Coach and Certified Professional Resume Writer.
I genuinely love this work. And I'd love to be part of your journey.
Getting Started
Three simple steps. The process starts with a conversation.
Step 1: Book a
Discovery Call
A free15–20 minute phone call. We'll talk through where you are, what you're hoping for, and which services make the most sense for your specific situation.
Step 2: Choose Your Plan
I'll recommend a service or package, or we'll create one, appropriate for you, your stage, your timeline, and your goals. Every plan is different because every client is different. Flexible, clear, and no surprises.
Step 3: Sign Up, and We'll Get to Work
Meetings are one-on-one via Zoom, Monday through Friday. I handle the research, the reminders, the follow-up, and the details. You focus on moving forward.
Your path is waiting. Let's find the way forward together.
The best first step is always the same: a phone call to talk through where you are, what you're hoping for, and whether working together makes sense. No pressure, no obligation, and no commitment required.
Just a conversation between two people trying to figure out the right next step.
Whatever your situation, whether you're planning for the future, or feeling behind, whether you know exactly what you need or have no idea where to begin. Start here.