Meet Casey Near of Collegewise in Newton

Today we’d like to introduce you to Casey Near.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
As an eager college student (and a fresh transfer), I worked as a tour guide in my college’s admissions office, and I quickly caught the admissions bug. I worked the rest of my time as a tour guide and admissions coordinator, then eventually went on to work as an admissions counselor. While I loved my time on the college side of things, I was eager to develop longer, deeper connections with my students, so I started to look into college counseling options. Collegewise was expanding from their southern California roots, and I quickly fell in love with their irreverent, fun loving, thoughtful approach to college admissions. I opened their first northern California office in 2013. After taking 2016 to do an adult gap year of sorts (farming, volunteering, you name it!), I moved to Boston to take over our Boston area office in Newton.

Has it been a smooth road?
Anyone who builds an office from the ground up knows it’s never a smooth road — though, it definitely keeps you on your toes. I had the benefit of incredible guidance from our founders and counselors in other offices, coupled with the freedom to do what I felt was best for my market. While that freedom can be daunting, it’s also thrilling. Some of the bigger struggles at the start came from not knowing if all the effort you’re putting in will ever pay off; but, the best part now is seeing how the seeds I planted start to bloom. It’s impossible to know what will work when you start — especially from a marketing perspective and getting your name out there — but it’s always rewarding knowing that, eventually, something sticks.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Collegewise story. Tell us more about the business.
Collegewise is the largest independent college counseling company in the country. We started in 1999 in Irvine, California; our founder, Kevin McMullin, wanted to create a place that could help families find joy in the college admissions process. Now, we have over 50 counselors in over 30 offices worldwide, helping hundreds of students each year to navigate this higher education landscape. Internally, we call ourselves “the hive,” since our counselors come from a vast range of admissions and counseling backgrounds, and it’s pretty amazing to witness the breadth and depth of knowledge we have. It’s also a huge part of our mission to make quality admissions advice available for free, so we publish regular guides, a daily blog, and a monthly newsletter. I’m probably proudest of that aspect of what we do — that we share what we know, that we’re constantly learning, and that we just truly love nerding out about all things admissions and counseling related.

What were you like growing up? 
I grew up on a school campus — my parents were dorm parents and teachers at a boarding school — so I was immersed in all things education from day one. It also meant I had easy access to fields, basketball courts, a swimming pool, and empty school hallways in the summer (the dreamiest!), so I stayed pretty active. Growing up, I played basketball, danced regularly, and participated in as many school clubs as my schedule could allow. I genuinely loved my school (even those awkward middle school years), so I wanted to soak it in as much as possible.

Pricing:

• Our counseling programs range from $300 to $5450, based on a family’s needs

Contact Info:

• Website: https://collegewise.com/
• Email: info@collegewise.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CollegewiseNewton

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