Frequently Asked Questions

About College Companion

  • College Companion is a collection of customizable Google Workspace tools designed specifically for independent educational consultants. Products range from comprehensive student management and college planning systems to curriculum, essay, application, automation, and other tools designed to help IECs stay organized and work more efficiently.

  • It depends on what you need most. The College Companion Spreadsheet provides a comprehensive system for managing students throughout the college planning and application process. The College Companion Curriculum provides a structured counseling curriculum and can be used independently or integrated with the Spreadsheet. Additional products can be added based on the needs of your practice.

  • Yes. Flexibility and customization are a big part of College Companion. You can personalize the system to reflect your branding, counseling approach, and the way you run your practice. Many elements can be adjusted, added, or reorganized so you're not forced into a one-size-fits-all workflow.

    Because some parts of the system use formulas and integrated data, training is provided to help you understand what can be customized and how to make changes safely.

  • Not always. Many College Companion products can be used independently, while others are designed specifically to work with the College Companion Spreadsheet. Any product requirements are identified on the individual product pages.

  • No. You need a Google account to use College Companion, but it does not need to be a paid Google Workspace account. College Companion tools are built primarily in Google Sheets and other Google applications.

  • The College Companion Spreadsheet is the comprehensive system, supporting the broader student journey from planning and exploration through applications and decisions. It includes both the College Data and the Application Tracker.

    The College Data & Application Tracker is a more streamlined option focused primarily on college research, college data, and application management and is a subset of the full system.

Purchasing & Licensing

  • Unless otherwise specified, your license is for one independent educational consultant to use with any number of students in their practice. Your license does not include use by additional consultants or associates. If multiple IECs in your practice would like to use College Companion, contact me for multi-consultant licensing options.

  • A single-IEC license is intended for one primary IEC to use with any number of students. Administrative assistants, essay coaches, and other support specialists may assist the licensed IEC as part of that IEC's practice. However, the license may not be shared with additional IECs who independently manage their own students or counseling process.

    If your practice includes multiple IECs, please contact me for multi-consultant licensing options.

  • College Companion products are purchased securely through Thinkific. You'll receive immediate access to your course, including video tutorials, instructions, and links to applicable resources and templates. Most primary College Companion templates are shared separately by email, typically within a few hours of purchase.

  • Because College Companion products include proprietary digital templates, purchases are non-refundable once the template has been shared with you. Please review the product information carefully before purchasing, and contact me with any questions if you're unsure which product is right for your practice.

Data, Updates & Support

PURCHASE HERE

  • Products that include College Companion data integration include the first year of data access with the initial purchase. The data license renews annually based on your original purchase month.

    If you choose not to renew, you will still have access to your College Companion spreadsheets, but integrated College Companion data will no longer populate.

    See individual product pages for current pricing.

  • Yes. Annual College Companion product updates are provided at no additional charge. Because your existing student spreadsheets are individual Google Sheets, some updates may require additional setup to incorporate new or revised features into sheets you've already created. Instructions and training are provided to help you manage updates.

  • Your purchase includes access to video tutorials and training resources through the College Companion course site. These resources walk you through setup, customization, and using the tools with your students. Additional training opportunities, including user forums and live Q&A sessions, are also available to College Companion users.

  • Technical support is included. If something isn't working properly in your College Companion sheets, you can contact me for help troubleshooting the issue.