A Bright Future
Is On Your Student’s Horizon
Experienced, empathetic college admissions counseling
The college admissions process should give your child room to grow into the best, smartest version of themselves.
As an admissions advisor, I know this process. I’ll also get to know your student. I bring a supercharged combination to my work with your family:
A real feel for who your student is, combined with experience and knowledge of the college admissions process
Clarity about where your child will thrive, and support for helping them get there
The conviction that you and your student will enjoy this process.
Matriculations
I’m Barbara Rifkind,
Founder of Arise Advising
There's nothing I find more meaningful than helping students like yours figure out who they are, what excites them, and how they’ll get from here to there. I’m honored to have a front row seat to your child’s exciting future as I provide one-on-one admissions advising tailored to them, from course planning in the earlier years through the college application and admissions process, and beyond.
That sense of purpose comes from a career rich with experiences your family will benefit from: as a graduate of Andover and Yale, a longtime alumni interviewer, an executive at Pearson Education and Oxford University Press, and a literary agent who helped writers find and tell their best stories.
How Can I Help Your Family?
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8th – 10th Grade Students
Your student will build self awareness, make smart academic choices, and select extracurriculars that support their goals.
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11th & 12th Grade Students
Your student will build a balanced and strategic college list, present their unique stories through thoughtful essays and other application components, and manage each step with clarity and confidence.
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Transfer & Graduate Applicants
You will identify schools or programs suited to your goals, craft a personal statement grounded in your experience, and navigate credit transfers and deadlines with confidence.
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Strategy Sessions
You will receive expert answers to your most pressing questions and a clear, focused plan to take your next right step with confidence.
How I Work
The Arise Advising Ands
Perception and Empathy
Before lists of schools, strategy, or anything else, I get to know who your child actually is.
Analysis and Experience
My insight — into what your family values, how colleges think, how students develop, and how this process unfolds — gets put to work.
Candor and Confidence
Clear, direct communication, every step of the way. It's what lets you feel steadier and more confident as we move forward together.
Joy and Plan
The thrill of what's possible, backed by a plan that actually works. Let’s build a future your family will feel proud of.
“I appreciate how dedicated Barbara is to her students. She continued checking in and providing resources even after I committed to a school, making sure I was prepared beyond just my acceptances.”
Erica, student, Johns Hopkins University
I’m Here To Help
College advising starts with a conversation.
Tell me about your student and where your family is in this process, and we'll figure out together whether Arise Advising is the right next step.