Big Fish on Campus LLC

Do You Want to Be a Big Fish in a Small Pond or a small fish in a big pond

With the dramatic demographic shifts within our country, more families are seeking assistance from an independent educational consultant (IEC) to help navigate the college admissions process.

Navigating the complex path to higher education. We simplify the admissions process for high school students and their families to ensure a stress-free journey.

Whether you’re a “Little Fish” starting early or a “Goldfish” seeking premium placement, we help you find the college where you will truly thrive.

Ready to find your child’s dream school? Book your free initial consultation via CALENDLY and let’s start planning your student’s bright future.

Through Career Exploration,I work with students to identify their strengths, explore career options, and create a clear direction for their college and future goals.

ABOUT

Let’s Navigate the College Admission Process Together

College admissions is “unpredictable,” and students of this generation are already stressed out. They are inundated with taking AP and/or dual enrollment classes, seeking out extracurricular activities and studying for exams while navigating relationships, social media, trying out for their favorite varsity sports team, and dealing with other stressors such as the latest incident in the news. Some students are reluctant to talk about college at all during the years leading up to senior year, while others tell their parents they will only discuss college one day a week.

The more anxious and stressed out your student is, the more it affects his/her/their mental health and yours. “You’re only as happy as your least happy child.

Some students are reluctant to talk about college at all during the years leading up to senior year. Others tell their parents they will only discuss college one day a week or maybe even one hour a week.

Consulting Experience

0 Years

Providing expert guidance to families navigating the complex college admissions process.

Our Process

0 Levels

Choose the perfect “Fish” package that fits your specific consulting needs and timeline.

Helping Students Reach Top Universities

We take pride in guiding our students toward acceptance at some of the most prestigious colleges and educational institutions across the country.

Big Fish on Campus LLC

Working with Denise will alleviate that daily stress.

Colleges are becoming increasingly selective when it comes to admission rates.

Ivy League acceptance rates are at an all-time low. For the Class of 2029, Harvard and Columbia admitted just 4% of applicants, while Brown 5.45% and Dartmouth's acceptance rate was 6%. What else contributed to these significant changes? With the pandemic creating testing opportunity challenges for students, many colleges, including the Ivies, allowed students to apply with the option to submit standardized test scores. While “test-optional” is not a new concept, colleges are grappling with the idea of test-optional permanently and with the pandemic behind us, many have reversed course to a rigid test protocol once again requiring test scores. Some colleges are announcing these changes later in the year, creating different admissions procedures depending on the application cycle, causing additional stress for students and families. Admissions counselors are tasked with reviewing a student’s application holistically by applying more weight to the other pieces of the application, such as the Common App essay, supplemental essays, and extracurricular activities.

Colleges have also become increasingly expensive for tuition, fees and room and board.

According to the College Board, the average cost for a four-year in-state public university increased to $25,850 for an in-state public school for the Class of 2029, and $45,780 for an out-of-state public school. A four-year private university now ranges between $60,890 to almost $93,000 for tuition, housing and fees. The investment that you make in your student’s future is a large financial obligation similar to the purchase of a new home. Big Fish on Campus, LLC helps you save not only time and money, but also family stress and hardship by carefully considering your financial picture while determining fit. Did you know that the average high school student receives 38 minutes of college advising from their guidance department? Having launched her own kids, Denise has the flexibility to meet with your student virtually without significant conflicts. Meetings are scheduled at mutually available times including after-school hours, in the evenings, or during the weekends.

What would you like to study?

Some students know exactly what they want to major in at college and others will apply Undecided. Big Fish on Campus, LLC leverages its expertise in working with students to help them understand the college application process, including how choosing a major can impact admissions decisions and opportunities at different schools. Depending on the college or university, students may have the opportunity to apply directly to a specific major or academic school. Common examples include business, engineering, performing arts, nursing, and science programs. Another important consideration is whether you are interested in attending a liberal arts college. Liberal arts colleges provide a broad-based education that develops critical thinking, communication, and analytical skills, while also preparing students for graduate and professional schools or for entering the workforce directly after graduation.

What type of college environment are you looking for? What size campus is best and where?

Using a personalized and guided approach, Denise will take you through a process of self-discovery to help answer all these questions!

OUR EXPERTISE

Tailored Guidance for Every Student

We offer specialized consulting packages designed to meet students wherever they are in their journey. From early high school planning to final college applications, we ensure every "fish" finds its perfect pond.

Big Fish ( Comprehensive Package)

Our comprehensive college admissions consulting package is designed to guide students and families through every stage of the college planning, career exploration, and application process.

Little Fish

Perfect for younger high school students starting their college exploration and building a strong academic foundation.

The Goldfish

This package is designed to brainstorm for the Common Application essay, including topic development, critique and editing.

Catch the Wave

The senior year of high school is the most critical phase of a student’s academic journey, marked by tight deadlines and high-stakes decisions.

TESTIMONIAL

Stories of Student Achievement

Our family believes hiring Denise Karp was the best investment we could have made in our daughter’s college admissions process. Our daughter had worked very hard to earn good grades, have solid test scores, earn extracurricular accomplishments, etc. However, we quickly learned that there were a lot of other students who had done similarly; the competition for admissions into highly selective schools is tough. Our daughter was accepted into her first choice, Top Tier school & we believe that Denise helped make that happen.

Working with Denise was an invaluable experience for my son and our entire family. She is infinitely patient, readily available to help, and a voice of reason and wisdom throughout the daunting college application process. When we started this vast undertaking, we felt overwhelmed. Denise was able to break down each step into manageable tasks and ultimately engaged my son by really getting to know him as a unique individual.

Denise was an excellent coach for my son! Helped him come up with a list (with great suggestions we might not have considered!) Kept everything on track, helped manage timelines and essays, was totally available around sports and other commitments, cannot recommend her enough! Especially if you are a working mom of a teenage boy, I cannot stress this enough-

It is not often that a student is accepted into all but one of the universities they apply to, especially if they applied to 14. To put my experience and Denise’s expertise into perspective, I come from a small town school with 80 students in my graduating class, which is rarely the accepted applicant pool for well-known universities. However, Denise turned this implausible dream into a reality. Unfamiliar with the college process, guidance through every step was a requirement for my family and I.

Denise was instrumental in helping my son every step of the way from identifying colleges that would be a good fit, building his resume, completing the common application, brainstorming essay ideas and working one-on-one with him on supplemental essay responses. Denise was very flexible with meeting times and extremely responsive to my son and I during the entire year we worked together.

We were overwhelmed and terrified of the thought of missing some option or deadline that could impact our senior’s options or chances at the schools that would be right for them. Working with Denise made the process manageable and (relatively!) stress free for us and our child. Having the next steps and deadlines known, and guidance always just an easy call or message away was invaluable. The regular check ins kept everyone on-track and now here we are just a few short months from them going off to their top-choice school, thanks in no small part to Denise’s help!

I highly recommend working with Big Fish on Campus to navigate the college application process. It was a smooth, stress-free process because of her expertise. Denise was instrumental in helping my son every step of the way from identifying colleges that would be a good fit, building his resume, completing the common application, brainstorming essay ideas and working one-on-one with him on supplemental essay responses. Denise was very flexible with meeting times and extremely responsive to my son and I during the entire year we worked together.

EXPLORE CAMPUSES

College Experiences Beyond the Brochure

We don’t just talk about colleges; we visit them. Our recent tours provide students with firsthand insights into campus life, culture, and academic environments across the country.

Multi-State Coverage

From Connecticut to California, we visit top-tier universities to give students a comprehensive view of their options.

Firsthand Insights

Our tours capture the authentic vibe of each campus, helping families visualize where they truly belong.

Student Perspectives

We engage with current students during tours to get honest feedback about academics and campus social life.

Custom Tour Planning

We help families plan their own specialized visits, ensuring they see the most important parts of every campus.

OUR PROCESS

Simple Steps to Your College Success

We guide you through every stage of the admissions journey, ensuring a structured and stress-free experience from the first call to the final acceptance letter.

1

Initial Consultation

Book your free 15-minute call via Calendly to discuss your student’s goals and academic background.

2

Package Selection

Choose the perfect “Fish” package that fits your specific consulting needs and timeline.

3

Strategic Planning

We develop a personalized roadmap, including college list selection, essay brainstorming, and application strategy.

4

Application Execution

Finalizing all documents, and personal statements to ensure your application stands out to admissions officers.

5

Acceptance & Enrollment

Reviewing your acceptance letters and financial aid packages to help you make the final “Big Fish” decision.

Ready to Find Your Perfect College Pond?

Don't navigate the complex admissions process alone. Let us help you stand out from the crowd and secure your future at your dream university.