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Jamie Kocian
College Counselor
Jamie Kocian is a College Counselor at Core College Consulting based in the Austin, Texas Metropolitan Area.1 She has extensive experience in college counseling and has recently transitioned to a new professional role.
Background and Education
Jamie holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from Sam Houston State University and a master's degree in business administration from the University of North Texas.6
Professional Experience
Prior to her current role, Jamie served as a college counselor at the Liberal Arts & Science Academy (LASA) for 15 years.4 In May 2023, she announced her decision to embark on a new professional challenge, which led her to her current position at Core College Consulting.
Current Role and Activities
As a College Counselor at Core College Consulting, Jamie is actively involved in various aspects of college counseling:
- Campus Visits: She participates in campus tours and visits, such as the Virginia Private College counselor tour, where she recently visited Randolph College.2
- Professional Development: Jamie attends conferences like the IECA (Independent Educational Consultants Association) conference in Connecticut, demonstrating her commitment to staying current in her field.5
- Educational Initiatives: She has been involved in the design and founding of educational programs, such as the Pathways in Technology Early College High School.3
Jamie Kocian maintains an active presence on LinkedIn, where she shares insights and experiences related to college counseling, often using the hashtag #collegecounseling.235 Her profile indicates that she has over 500 connections on the platform, suggesting a strong professional network in her field.1
Highlights
Today I celebrate my official one year anniversary of joining the Independent Education Consultant (IEC) world after having worked as college counselor at the Liberal Arts & Science Academy for 15 years.
I realize I am extremely fortunate to be able to say I love what I do. It does not seem like just yesterday that I entered the college admissions world via admissions at Texas Lutheran University in 2002. College counseling in some form for the last 22 years and being able to advise students and invest in their success is so dear to my heart.
My journey this past year could not have been possible without the awesome support of my employer, Shannon Bergeron, M.Ed, CEP of Core College Consulting. Thank you, Shannon, for your faith in me. I have made so many new friends in the field as well as strengthened connections with old friends both on the high school and college side.
This job has not only reminded me of why I love working with high school students to find their best college fit, but it has given me the gift of time. Time to enjoy life, work on myself, strike a real balance between work and life (something I’ve never achieved before), and unleash my creativity.
Looking back at this first year, these highlights come to mind:
The opportunity to work with some amazingly talented, creative, truly kind teenagers
25 college campus visits in Connecticut, Indiana, Maryland, and Virginia
Attending the NACAC Conference in Baltimore, MD and the IECA Conference in Mohegan Sun, CT
And of course, work-from-home dog mom status. Molly couldn't be happier!
I don't often take photos of myself anymore so here are a few things I've observed and enjoyed this past year. And of course, there is Molly, my second in command.
#collegecounseling
I’m going to start with the obvious. One of the biggest selling points for Bridgewater College in Virginia is their recent decision to reset their tuition to $15,000 per year for all students. That’s a private college experience at a public college price! On top of that, they still have a number of merit scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 and even a competitive, invitation-only full tuition scholarship. Also, 100% of first-year, full-time students receive financial assistance.
But that’s not the only highlight Bridgewater College, a campus of 1500 students, has to offer. During my recent visit, I was delighted to feel the energy of students enjoying the annual Springfest activities to celebrate the last day of spring classes. Granted, the college had brought in a plethora of bouncy houses, games, and other festival fun and food. Oh, the smell of funnel cake hits like nothing else does. It was great to see a vibrant BC community out and about. On a nearby pitch, students showed up and cheered on their lacrosse team. Located in Bridgewater (voted Safest City in Virginia) in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley, there is no shortage of opportunities, musical and cultural events, clubs, sports and intramurals for students to enjoy on campus.
Finals were scheduled to start the following day so there were plenty of students holed up in the Forrer Learning Commons. What a facility! Besides multiple modern spaces for study and collaboration and Smitty’s cafe for coffee and snacks, Forrer Learning Commons houses a number of student support services, including the Center for Career Development, IT Center, Tutoring Services, Academic Coaching, the Math Center, the Writing Center, Disability Services, and the Digital Scholarship Gurus who assist students in creative innovative multimodal projects (podcasts, headshots, graphic design, content creation, etc.) These services are all included in the cost of tuition. For an additional fee per semester, Bridgewater College offers the BASE Program (Bridgewater Academic and Social Experience), “a student-centered, individual support program for those on the autism spectrum or others who feel they may benefit from the services provided.”
Bridgewater’s most popular of their 61 undergraduate majors and minors include business administration, health & exercise science, psychology, biology, and liberal studies. BC emphasizes hands-on, experiential learning in all programs and backs this up with internship, study abroad, and research opportunities. In fact, professors are enthusiastic about guiding students in research as early as their first few weeks on campus. The college has awarded more than $40,000 to undergraduate research projects in recent years.
Thank you to Bridgewater College President, Dr. David Bushman, Jarret Smith, and the entire admissions staff. The merits of Bridgewater College are evident in your welcoming staff and happy students!
Core College Consulting #collegecounseling
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Mesh is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
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Mesh is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Mesh beneficial.
Mesh offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Mesh offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Mesh's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
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