Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced independent educational consultant? MEET OUR GUEST Meet Shannon Bergeron, the Founder of Core College Consulting, based in Austin, Texas. Shannon is a highly experienced and compassionate counselor, skilled in helping students understand their own strengths and goals in order to develop a balanced and realistic college list. Her whole child college counseling™ approach focuses on synthesizing a holistic view of the self for the college application journey, helping students and families reduce stress throughout the process while also helping them come to terms with personal identity and various educational needs, making her highly in demand. Shannon earned a BBA in marketing from the University of North Texas and an MEd in counselor education from the University of Maine. She is a member of NACAC, TACAC, IECA, and AICEP.  Shannon began her career as a school counselor in 2003 and started her IEC business part time in 2016. She transitioned to full time IEC in 2019 and has since doubled her business and added a full time consultant. She is also a Certified Educational Planner. Most recently, she was the Lead Counselor at the Liberal Arts & Science Academy High School in Austin, Texas. In that role, Shannon worked with district officials to change policies to protect privacy issues related to gender. She led a Bootcamp for New Counselors for more than 30 new counselors and leader of the Summer Melt program. Additionally, she was a finalist for the Austin ISD “Counselor of the Year.”  As a volunteer with the Matchlighters Scholarship program, Shannon provides college counseling for high-achieving, low-income students. She also volunteers with Ally Parents, serving as a friendly and empathetic resource for transgender/nonbinary youth (and parents).  Shannon loves to travel and hike with her husband. In her spare time, she trains for and runs marathons. Find Shannon at www.corecollegeconsulting.com or shannon@corecollegeconsulting.com.. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.