Personalized, One-to-One College & Transfer Admissions Counseling
Find the Right Fit. Tell Your Story. Apply with Confidence.
Academic Angle provides personalized, expert support at every stage of the college admissions process. First-year applicants get help becoming strong candidates, building a best-fit college list, writing compelling essays, and managing applications from start to finish. Our students are often admitted to their top-choice schools, and most receive sizable scholarship offers. Learn more about first-year college counseling!
Transfer students get the same expert support. Whether you’re moving from a two-year college to a four-year university or simply looking for a better-fit college experience, we’ll guide you through the separate deadlines, essays, and applications you need to find your new college home. Learn more about transfer admissions counseling!
We are based in Chicagoland, but we’ve worked with students online since 2017. Families anywhere can get one-to-one expert guidance; our students come from all corners of the USA and around the world!
NAVIGATE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS WITH A CERTIFIED EDUCATIONAL PLANNER
THE CEP DIFFERENCE: Karl Lenss is one of only 13 Certified Educational Planners (CEPs) in Illinois. The CEP is the highest professional credential in college counseling, awarded by the American Institute of Certified Educational Planners after a rigorous peer review of experience, knowledge, and ethical practice.
ADDITIONAL CREDENTIALS: Karl is also a Professional Member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) and a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). Karl earned his bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Michigan, a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the American College of Education, and a Specialized Certificate in College Counseling from the University of California San Diego.
EXPERIENCE & RESULTS: With 20+ years of experience in teaching and educational planning, Karl personally works with every Academic Angle student, from building a best-fit college list to crafting standout essays and applications. The result? Students who make confident, well-informed decisions about their future, and families who feel supported every step of the way. Start with a new student application!
ADMISSIONS: In recent years, our students were admitted to many prestigious colleges and universities, including: Yale, Dartmouth, Penn, Cornell, Columbia, Georgetown, Northwestern, UChicago, Rice, UCLA, UCSD, UC Berkeley, Emory, Vanderbilt, USC, Michigan, UNC, UVA, William & Mary, Notre Dame, Northeastern, Boston University, Wake Forest, UT-Austin, Tulane and many more! Check out the Academic Angle admission map for a full list of where our students have ended up!
WHAT OUR STUDENTS AND PARENTS SAY ABOUT US...
COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM OPTIONS
Freshman & Sophomore Year Program
Get a head start. Build a strong foundation now!-
3-4 structured sessions per year
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Unlimited check-in sessions
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Locked junior/senior program tuition rates
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100% Online - no need to be local!
Junior & Senior Year Program
Personalized, one-to-one guidance from college search to submission!-
One-to-one guidance, start to finish
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Candidate development, college list building
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All essays & applications included
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Complete all applications by early deadlines
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100% Online - no need to be local!
Transfer Counseling Program
Comprehensive guidance to find your next college home!-
Personalized transfer admissions strategy
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Candidate development, college list, all essays & applications
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Complete all applications by priority deadlines
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100% Online - no need to be local!
I'm interested. How do I get started?
After you submit the New Student Application, you’ll be prompted to schedule a no-obligation New Student Consultation. Consultations take place on Zoom and typically last about 45-60 minutes. During the meeting, we’ll get to know your student and answer your questions. Together, we’ll review their high school or college experience so far, along with their needs, goals, and expectations for the future. After our conversation, we’ll send you a personalized proposal. If it’s a good fit, your student can get started as soon as they’re ready. It’s that easy!