Exploration. Application. Success.
Personalized College Consulting for Every Student
The College Consortium, an Independent Educational Consultant LLC, provides parents and students the invaluable benefit of personalized support throughout the application process.
The College Consortium was established in 2007, with the goal of creating a well-informed, well-connected, ethical consortium of experts and professionals in the current college admissions community. The College Consortium follows the NACAC Code of Ethics and Professional Practices and is a member of NACAC, IECA, and the Character Collaborative, which include in their memberships university admission deans and officers, independent consultants and high school counselors.
Marilyn O’Toole, CEP, Founder
IECA Board of Directors 2022-23
Working with students from exploration to application and success!
Marilyn O’Toole, CEP, is the founder of The College Consortium, which she launched to create an ethical, professional consortium of experts to advance practices in the college admissions community. Since 2007, Marilyn has also leveraged her experience to help countless students achieve their potential, guiding them through college exploration and application on a path that’s designed to be inspiring, enlightening, and successful.
With memberships and leadership positions in IECA, NACAC, and the Character Collaborative, Marilyn is a powerful voice focused on fact-based decision-making, ethical relationship-building, and elevating character-related attributes in the admissions process. Having been a teacher, an admissions advisor, a parent leadership council member, and the parent of college graduates, Marilyn brings a deep understanding to the dynamics and nuances of the admissions process and the essential role of each stakeholder. Marilyn is devoted to the power of data and understanding the analytics of a foundation for a focused college-search strategy. With higher education transforming before our eyes, this information is now considered invaluable.
Marilyn is a member of AICEP, which awards the CEP credential to professionals, working independently or in schools, who have achieved the highest level of competence in educational planning.
Marilyn’s volunteer work reflects her desire to elevate industry-wide communications and professional practices:
- IECA Board of Directors 2022-23, Independent Educational Board of Directors
- 2022 Winner of the Katz Award- awarded for outstanding service. The Katz Award is presented in honor of Irvin W. Katz, who was an IECA founder and treasured mentor to many. His life of service and commitment to young people is remembered through these annual awards, established by Irv’s family in 2006 to recognize extraordinary community service contributions by IECA consultants.
- Certified Educational Planner, The American Institute of Certified Educational Planners (AICEP) awards the CEP credential to professionals, who have achieved the highest level of qualification in educational planning. Only the best and most experienced counselors are able to become CEPs. This designation is a mark of distinction and expertise in the field.
- Co-chair, IECA College Conversations, having interviewed admissions officers, deans and directors from over 70+ colleges and universities to better understand their academic programs and institutional priorities
- IECA Liaison to Common App, which works to streamline the application for all students
- AXS Companion, Chair, Created resource with IECA Members and Oregon State University, to help students navigate Common App
- Regional Coordinator for IECA in West Los Angeles & the greater Los Angeles area
- Presenter, The Character Collaborative, Spring 2021; on the Character Collaborative and NACAC-coordinated course Assessing Character in Admission with Brennan Bernard
- 2020 IECA Service Award Recipient
- Site Coordinator, Johns Hopkins University, Center for Talented Youth, since 2005
- Keynote Speaker, Johns Hopkins University, CTY “Pathways to College” program through California
- Parent Council Member, Tufts University, Bowdoin College, Southern Methodist University, Harvard-Westlake School
Our Process… Working with Students
Working with high school freshmen through seniors, my goal is to create a detailed, personalized program for each student’s success.
Our Process… Working with Admissions
Working with colleagues and admissions offices, collaboratively allows all of us to better serve students and families.
Our Process… From College Exploration to College Acceptances
Meeting with admissions officers provides the ability to understand each colleges’ priorities, which is an invaluable resource in the admissions process by comparing and contrasting institutions.