Kate Cleary established College Match Plus in 2014 to provide families practical advice and guidance in the college search and application process. Kate brings a wealth of experience and a unique insider perspective to college counseling. Prior to founding College Match Plus, Kate was a recruitment marketing and branding consultant for more than 25 years to colleges and universities nationwide as a senior consultant at the Baltimore-based firm Art & Science Group, one of the leading strategy consulting firms to higher education.
Through this experience, Kate developed extensive knowledge about college admissions working with private and public colleges and universities in every region of the country. As a consultant, she spent time on more than 150 college campuses working closely with college administrators, senior admissions officers, faculty, and students. In addition to gaining first-person insights and information about a wide range of colleges, Kate also developed a keen understanding of the inner workings of the modern admissions and financial aid office and how applications are evaluated and admissions decisions made.
Over the last several years, Kate has continued to visit college campuses, recognizing the importance of providing clients up-to-date information about a college’s academic offerings, student body, facilities, campus culture and other distinctions unique to that institution.
Since founding College Match Plus, Kate has worked with more than 70 high school students helping them develop a targeted and realistic college search list, navigate the complexities of applying for financial aid, develop and write strong admissions essays, and provide other college-related advice key to making sure students find the college best suited to their interests, needs, and aspirations.
Kate holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Colorado College and is a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and a professional member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), the nation’s largest and most recognized organization of independent educational consultants.
Among some of the institutions College Match Plus students have attended or are currently attending: University of Chicago, Carnegie Mellon University, New York University, Vanderbilt University, Georgetown University, Boston College, Johns Hopkins University, George Washington University, University of Maryland, Penn State University, Trinity College, Villanova University, George Washington University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Pratt Institute, California College of the Arts, Colorado College, American University, Barnard College, and Middlebury College.
Send us a message to schedule a meeting or phone call with Kate, or if you have questions about our personalized approach to and strategy for admission to competitive colleges.
