Charles Street College Consulting
Walking alongside your family through the college admissions journey.
Independent college admissions guidance for families across Greater Baltimore and the Mid-Atlantic — grounded in decades inside schools, and offered at the pace your family actually needs.
The Difference
Most families don't just need information. They need accompaniment.
The college admissions process can be overwhelming. Students and families are bombarded with marketing, are surrounded by hype and competition, and can lose sight of the self-discovery this process should produce. My work is to offer an expert, calming, and consistent presence for you from our first conversation until the final decision.
Steady, Not Frantic
A predictable rhythm of meetings and deadlines that lowers the temperature in your house rather than raising it. No manufactured urgency.
Student-Centered
The student drives the process. My role is to ask better questions, hold the timeline, and make sure their voice—not a template—reaches the page.
Candid About Fit
Honest conversations about academic fit, financial fit, and institutional stability.
A note on scope: Charles Street College Consulting provides educational guidance and admissions consulting. It is not therapy, family counseling, mediation, or licensed mental health treatment, and it is not a substitute for care from a licensed professional.
About
Kevin Costa, Ph.D.
Founder — Charles Street College Consulting, LLC
I have spent my career inside independent schools, including several years as a full-time college counselor and, currently, a role directing college, university, and industry partnerships at a leading Baltimore-area independent school. That combination means I have sat on both sides of the table: with families building a list, and with the institutions receiving the application.
My training is unusual for this field. Alongside a doctorate in English and years of teaching writing, I hold a certification in life coaching and have studied person-centered counseling. Those tools shape how I work—the essay matters, the timeline matters, and so does the family navigating both.
Charles Street College Consulting serves families across Greater Baltimore and the Mid-Atlantic. I take a limited number of families each year so that the accompaniment I promise is one I can actually deliver.
Education & Certifications
- Ph.D., English — SUNY Buffalo
- M.A., Summa Cum Laude — Rhode Island College
- B.A., Cum Laude — Rhode Island College
- Certified Professional Life Coach
- Person-Centered Counseling
- Psychological First Aid — Johns Hopkins
- Mental Health First Aid
- QPR Gatekeeper
- End-of-Life Specialist
Featured Services
Choose the level of support your family needs.
Essay Intensive
For students who need strong writing.
- Personal statement: brainstorming to final draft (up to 3 rounds)
- Up to 6 supplemental essays
- One 45-minute strategy call
Comprehensive Senior Year
Limited to 8 students
Full support from start to decision.
- 90-minute intake and written student profile
- Balanced list of 10–14 schools, with reasons
- Full essay support, all supplements included
- Activities list and résumé help
- Recommendation strategy
- One mock interview with written feedback
- Application review before submission
- Four scheduled parent check-ins
Application Support
For families with a school list who want expert execution.
- Everything in Essay Intensive
- Activities list and résumé help
- Recommendation strategy
- Full application review before submission
- Two check-in calls
Junior Year Early Start
Add-on
Start earlier. Adds onto any package purchased the following fall.
- Course selection guidance
- Testing plan and timing (SAT/ACT)
- Summer activity brainstorming
- Two calls, spring and summer of junior year
À la Carte
Hourly help for one essay, a list review, or a late-cycle question.
- No minimum
- Credits toward a package if you upgrade within 30 days
*Fees within each range reflect your family's specific situation—number of schools, number of supplemental essays, and overall complexity. Your exact fee is confirmed after an initial conversation, before any agreement is signed.
Concierge Option
High-touch, expedited service for a limited number of families each cycle.
Your Questions, Answered
Frequently asked questions
Do you write the essays?
No. I never write or substantially rewrite a student's essay. I ask questions, push for clarity, and edit—but the words and the story are always the student's own. This is both an ethical line and, frankly, what makes an essay actually work.
My child already has a guidance counselor—what makes you different?
My services complement what your child may already be getting at school. In many cases, dedicated and hard-working guidance counselors simply carry caseloads large enough to make highly individualized attention difficult. I provide that kind of attention to your child and, when appropriate, to your family.
Are you a therapist or family mediator?
No. I'm not a licensed therapist, counselor, or professional mediator, and nothing in our work together substitutes for those services. What I bring is decades of experience listening to students and families under pressure—a steady presence when things get emotional, and an honest voice if I think a family would benefit from professional support beyond what I offer.
Do you currently work at a school?
Yes—I hold a full-time role at an independent school in the Baltimore area. This practice operates entirely separately from that position: I don't work with students or families from that school, and nothing in our work together draws on any confidential information from my employer.
What are your credentials?
I hold a Ph.D. in English and have spent twenty-five years in independent school leadership and college counseling, including several years as a full-time college counselor. I am also currently completing Associate membership with the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA).
Do you work in person or virtually?
Both. I meet Baltimore and Howard County families in person when it's useful—an initial intake, for instance—and conduct most ongoing sessions by video, which is how I'm able to work with families across the wider Mid-Atlantic region as well.
How many students do you take per cycle?
I intentionally cap my caseload so every family gets real, senior-level attention rather than a rotating team. Comprehensive Senior Year is limited to eight students.
Can we start mid-cycle?
Often, yes. Reach out and we'll talk about what's realistic given your timeline.
Do you help with financial aid or scholarships?
That's outside the scope of my current packages. I'm happy to point you toward specialists who focus on that work.
Is our family's information kept confidential?
Yes. Everything you share—records, essays, personal circumstances—stays between us. I don't disclose it to any third party without your written permission, and I won't use your student's name or work in my marketing without separately asking first.
What is your cancellation policy?
You can cancel within seven days of signing for a full refund. After that, deposits are non-refundable, but any unused prepaid balance is refunded on a pro-rated basis if we need to part ways early.
A note on guarantees
No consultant—however experienced—can guarantee admission to any particular college, and I won't pretend otherwise. What I can promise is a process built on honesty, real attention, and writing that sounds like your student, not like a template.
Families who work with me leave the process knowing they put forward their most genuine, well-considered application.
An experienced, kind, and patient hand in a year unlike any other.
A free 20–30 minute call is all it takes to see whether we'd be a strong fit to support your child and family in what can be an exciting—if sometimes challenging—process.
Give me a call, or send me an email. I respond to every inquiry personally, usually within one business day.