Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

  • To get started, simply visit my Contact page and complete the form. I’ll follow up via email to schedule an initial consultation to discuss your student's goals and map out a clear, stress-free path forward.

  • Do you need a financial advisor or a personal trainer? No. However, their expert advice and care add immense value to your life. A college consultant is similar in that students can apply to college on their own, but they often rely on poor advice, excessively use AI (a red flag in admissions offices), and may cause stress at home, as parent and student expectations and timelines often differ. At Cake College Consulting, I remove those issues by providing clear advice, enabling students to feel confident as they apply to college.

  • The ideal time to begin is at the start of 9th or 10th grade, to establish a long-term strategy for courses, extracurricular activities, and testing. However, I accept students at any stage, even in the fall of their senior year, to help with final touches on essays and applications.

  • My college consulting services are personalized and driven by years of expertise, which means the value added to your family is incalculable. You’ll find that my prices are comparable to those of other IECs, and you can find my investment cost on my College Counseling page.

  • As a former school-based college counselor, I understand the importance of this role, as it provides vital academic and emotional support. However, high school counselors typically manage large student caseloads and can’t meet with students during school because they are in class. As an IEC, I offer frequent, focused one-on-one meeting times to provide a deep dive into school research, personalized essay feedback, strategic application guidance, and more.

  • All of my meetings with students and families are one-on-one, virtual Google Meet sessions. I also communicate regularly with families via email, through our GradBetter app, over the phone, and via text messages.

  • Definitely! As a member of HECA, a member of Launch, a GradBetter user, and a subscriber to multiple higher education news sources, I stay current on data and trends in higher education, enabling me to best serve my students and their families as they navigate the college admissions process.

  • While based in Austin, Texas, I successfully work with families across the country and internationally via remote video conferencing. Regardless of your location, you receive the same personalized, high-quality college advisor expertise.

College Application Assistance

  • Applying to college is a lot of work. Besides taking the proper courses in high school, planning extracurricular activities to show a clear narrative to colleges, and properly preparing for the SAT or ACT, I help with college list building, major/career exploration, resume writing, college essays, letters of recommendation, the Common App, the University of California app, self-reporting grades systems, interviews, Honors College apps, and more.

    The ultimate goal is to help students craft authentic, memorable applications that genuinely showcase their personality and strengths to admissions officers, enabling them to gain admission to their top-choice colleges.

    See more details on my College Counseling page.

  • Yes, I provide strategic guidance on navigating the financial aspects of college. This includes advising on the FAFSA and CSS Profile, identifying potential scholarships, and understanding how merit aid is distributed at different schools. Our app, GradBetter, offers a range of valuable built-in tools to help navigate the financial aspects of paying for college.

  • No ethical college consultant can guarantee acceptance, as final decisions rest with the university admissions committees. I guarantee professional, expert guidance that maximizes your student's potential and gives them the best possible chance for successful outcomes at their dream schools.

Test Prep

  • I recommend starting with a diagnostic practice test to determine which exam format best fits your student's learning style, and I provide all my students with free diagnostic exams to determine which test is best for them. My test prep team then creates a targeted SAT/ACT prep plan, focusing on proven test-taking strategies to maximize their score increase.

    SAT and/or ACT Prep is available through Cake College Consulting for an additional fee.

  • Yes! While the tutoring is not specifically with Brad Cake, my Test Prep services include focused, one-on-one SAT and ACT coaching sessions to analyze scores, target weak areas, and develop test-day confidence for students. A typical student who utilizes my test prep team increases their score by around 200 points (SAT) or 5 points (ACT).

    See my Test Prep page for more information

  • Yes! Students can also receive one-on-one expert tutoring for their AP Exams. I also offer general academic tutoring in many subjects for all grade levels. For more information, see my Test Prep page.

  • Up to you! While I would love to be a one-stop, full-service advisor for all students, my Test Prep and College Counseling services can stand alone and serve as valuable services on their own.