College Counselor

AJ Tutoring; Menlo Park (CA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

AJ Tutoring in the Bay Area is seeking an Experienced College Admissions Counselor to join our collaborative, highly personalized counseling team. Roles include guiding students through the college process, crafting balanced college lists, and advising on application strategies.

We offer Full-Time, Part-Time, and Seasonal opportunities, with compensation for full-time ranging from $95,000 to $120,000 annually and part-time/seasonal options at $60–$85 per hour, depending on experience and role.

Qualifications

• At least 2 years of direct college counseling experience with high school students.

Responsibilities

• Independently guide students and families through the college application process.
• Develop thoughtful, balanced college lists based on each student's profile, interests, goals, and preferences.
• Advise students on application strategy and help communicate strengths authentically.
• Coach students through brainstorming, drafting, and revising personal statements and supplemental essays.
• Review applications for quality, accuracy, positioning, and completeness.
• Create and manage application timelines for Early Decision, Early Action, UC, CSU, and Regular Decision deadlines.
• Communicate clearly with parents throughout the process.
• Help students evaluate admissions results and make final college decisions.
• Collaborate with AJ counselors to review college lists, essays, and applications.
• Stay current on changes in admissions practices and testing policies.

Skills

Direct counseling experience

College admissions knowledge

Time management

Relationship building

Communication with parents

After-school availability

Job description

Experienced College Admissions Counselor

Full-Time, Part-Time, and Seasonal Opportunities Available

Help students navigate one of the most important decisions of their lives as part of a collaborative, highly personalized college counseling team.

AJ Tutoring is an established Bay Area education company that has supported students and families for more than 20 years. Our College Counseling practice provides individualized guidance to students throughout high school and the college application process.

We are looking for experienced college counselors with at least 2 years of substantial direct student-facing college counseling experience in a public or private high school, independent college counseling practice, educational organization, college admissions office, or similar setting.

We are open to several arrangements depending on your experience and availability:

• Full-time, year-round
• Part-time, year-round
• Seasonal, August 2026 through January 2027

Our seasonal opportunities are particularly well suited to experienced counselors who would like to work directly with students during the heart of college application season without making a year-round commitment.

What You'll Do

• Independently guide students and families through the college application process
• Develop thoughtful, balanced college lists based on each student's academic profile, interests, goals, and preferences
• Advise students on application strategy and help them communicate their strengths authentically
• Coach students through brainstorming, drafting, and revising personal statements and supplemental essays
• Review applications for quality, accuracy, positioning, and completeness
• Create and manage application timelines and keep students on track for Early Decision, Early Action, UC, CSU, and Regular Decision deadlines
• Communicate clearly and thoughtfully with parents throughout the application process
• Help students evaluate admissions results and make final college decisions
• Collaborate with other AJ counselors to review college lists, essays, applications, and complex student situations
• Stay current on changes in admissions practices, testing policies, and the evolving college admissions landscape

Who We're Looking For

Required Qualifications

• At least 2 years of direct college counseling experience working with high school students
• Strong knowledge of the undergraduate admissions process
• Experience developing college lists and advising students on admissions strategy
• Significant experience coaching or editing college application essays
• Strong project-management and organizational skills
• Strong professional judgment
• Ability to build relationships with both teenagers and parents
• Availability for some after-school, evening, and weekend work during peak application season

Especially Valuable

• 3–5+ years of direct college counseling experience
• Experience counseling students at Bay Area public or private high schools
• Independent college counseling experience
• Previous experience as a college admissions officer or application reader
• Experience supporting students across a broad range of academic profiles and college goals
• Familiarity with UC, CSU, Common Application, and highly selective college admissions
• Experience coaching students through personal statements and supplemental essays

Full-Time Candidates

Full-time counselors will manage an ongoing college counseling caseload and may also have the opportunity to tutor students academically depending on their teaching background and interests.

Compensation: $95,000–$120,000 annually, depending on experience and qualifications.

Part-Time & Seasonal Candidates

Experienced counselors seeking a more flexible arrangement can work with a defined caseload based on their availability.

Seasonal positions are available immediately through January 2027, covering the busiest portion of the college application cycle.

We anticipate approximately 10–25 hours per week, although schedules and caseloads can vary based on candidate availability and student demand.

Academic tutoring is not required for part-time or seasonal counselors, although additional tutoring opportunities may be available for interested candidates.

Compensation: $60–$85/hour, depending on experience, qualifications, and role responsibilities.

Why AJ Tutoring?

Great college counseling requires both individual judgment and collaboration.

At AJ, counselors do not operate in isolation. Our team regularly reviews college lists, essays, applications, and challenging student situations together so that students—and counselors—benefit from multiple experienced perspectives.

We provide the infrastructure and community that can be difficult to find in independent practice: an established student base, administrative support, professional colleagues, and close collaboration with the academic tutors and directors supporting our students.

We believe successful college counseling isn't simply about maximizing prestige. It's about understanding each student, helping them present themselves authentically, and identifying colleges where they are genuinely likely to thrive.

Whether you're looking for a long-term professional home or the opportunity to work with students during this year's application cycle, we'd love to hear from you.