About Us

Guiding Students at Every Stage of the College Application Journey

No matter where your child is in their college search, application, or college application essay writing journey, we can help.

Our families share common challenges – overwhelm, confusion, and uncertainty about the college application process. Our team works with students who are just beginning their process to those who want a final review of their application before submitting. Although these students are coming to us at different points in their journey, their parents turn to us because they want to ensure their children are putting their best foot forward and presenting their authentic strengths in the most compelling way possible.

Row of teenage high school students smiling in computer class

Values That Guide Everything We Do

At College Bound Advising, we believe every student is more than their grades, a checklist of activities, or their standardized test scores. Our team of experienced coaches, educators, and mentors is committed to helping our students discover their potential and take meaningful steps through one of life’s most meaningful transitions with:

Curiosity

We encourage students to ask big questions and explore who they are and who they’re becoming.

Clarity

Through expert strategy and coaching, we help students define goals and take intentional action.

Compassionate Partnership

We see parents as guides and students as the heroes of their own stories, and we support both with honesty and care.

Confidence and Authenticity

We help students express themselves fully, powerfully, and with confidence.

Courage and Leadership

Through community involvement and programs like our non-profit Working Towards Change, students develop purpose beyond the application.

Our History

College Bound Advising was founded in 2005 by Eydie Balsam, whose background in social work, education, and college counseling created a unique, human-centered approach to admissions. What began as a one-woman practice has grown into a team of experienced coaches, educators, and mentors—each committed to helping students discover their potential and take meaningful steps toward their future.

Over the years, we’ve helped thousands of students gain acceptance into schools that fit them academically, emotionally, and socially—while building deep, lasting relationships with families across the country.

Meet Our Founder: Eydie Balsam, MSW, EdM

By combining her professional expertise in social work and education, Eydie founded Beantown Advising in 2005 with a compassionate and innovative approach to college admissions. She believed then—and still does—that adolescence is not a phase to endure like the terrible twos, but a powerful season of growth and opportunity. As the company expanded to support students nationwide, Eydie rebranded the practice to College Bound Advising (CBA) in 2020, reflecting both its broader reach and its commitment to personalized guidance for every family.

This personal perspective allows her to provide guidance that addresses the academic aspects of college admissions, empowers her students to be their best and most authentic selves, and nurtures strong communication and collaboration between parents and their children.

As a seasoned professional and a mother of three young adults, Eydie intimately understands the dynamics and complexities of the parent-teen relationship during this transformative period.

Eydie’s academic background includes a Master’s of Education from Harvard University and a Master’s of Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania. These qualifications, combined with her Certification in College Counseling from UC Irvine, Certificate of Coaching Teens and Parents for Counselors, and membership in the National Association of College Counselors, Independent Educational Consultants Association, and Higher Education Consultants Association, along with her prior positions in Student Affairs at the University of Pennsylvania and Bentley University, provide her with a comprehensive understanding of the academic, emotional, and social aspects of adolescence involved in the college admissions journey.

When she’s not working – or actively parenting – Eydie loves walking her dog, Yogi, reading her stack of books, writing her blog for Half-Baked, and thinking about ways to strengthen her non-profit Working Towards Change.

Learn more about what Eydie loves most about her work in her National Association for College Admissions Counseling Member Spotlight!

Meet The Team

Lesley Colognesi

Director of Counseling

Maggie Bland Ross

Assistant Director of College Counseling & Jr Year Grade Coordinator

Kirsten McKinney

Performing Arts Admissions Coach

Shweta Bhatt

Writing Specialist, Glimpse Coordinator

Class of 2027:

Get Your College Apps DONE This Summer

Don’t let senior year start with a blank Common App. Our workshops help students finish their applications, not just plan them, before school starts.

Join our summer workshop mailing list now!