We know how the college admissions process works, and we’ve personally visited thousands of campuses across the nation. Let us put our expertise to work for your family and the college search journey.
College Solutions is a team of counselors with a remarkable knowledge of college admissions. They’ve seen over 250 colleges and universities and worked as admission professionals at Northwestern, the University of Virginia, and more. Each counselor brings a wealth of knowledge from a background full of admission, athletic, and academic accomplishments.
Margaret Bolton Baudinet is the owner and Chief Executive Officer of College Solutions. She also serves as the Scholarship Specialist to College Solutions clients.
Margaret graduated from the University of Virginia with the highest distinction with a political and literary thought degree, finishing her academic tenure with research at Oxford University. She holds five years of admission experience from the University of Virginia, specializing in legacy admissions. Margaret has served on the selection committee for the Coca-Cola Scholarship Program and the University of Virginia’s Jefferson Scholarship.
At College Solutions, Margaret has been a writing coach, counselor, application editor, managing director, and CEO. She is the proud mother of eight-year-old quintuplets and a busy toddler.
As a mother and a college advisor, she strives to see the whole person — motivations, fears, blind spots, and goals.
📺 Favorite TV Show
The West Wing
Steve Gaines brings more than 20 years of experience as a dynamic leader in small business operations, with expertise spanning strategy and vision, financial management, budgeting, and personnel leadership. His career has been rooted in radio, media, and marketing, with his most recent role in business and consumer banking. Beyond his professional achievements, Steve is deeply committed to his community, serving on multiple nonprofit boards and contributing through volunteer work.
In his personal life, Steve is a devoted husband and father of four adult children. In his free time, he enjoys staying active by working out, playing pickleball, and watching college sports, all while keeping his sense of humor at the forefront. Steve holds a degree from James Madison University.
📺 Favorite TV Show
Seinfeld & Parenthood
Patrick Zylka spent 15 years working in college admissions, most recently at Northwestern University. During this time, he read more than 10,000 applications and gave presentations to prospective college applicants throughout the United States, China, Indonesia, and Singapore. Patrick works with students interested in pursuing all majors in college, especially those interested in admission to highly selective schools. Patrick earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his master’s degree from the University of Michigan. When not helping students and families navigate the college admissions process, you can find him training for marathons and ultramarathons.
📺 Favorite TV Show
Six Feet Under and The West Wing
Terry is a dedicated college counselor with over 25 years in education, offering expert guidance to students and families navigating the college admissions process. With experience in college admissions, new student & family programs, and 13 years as a private counselor, she provides valuable insights into the college search process.
As a mother of two sons—alumni of the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV)—she brings both professional expertise and personal understanding to the admissions experience.
Originally from Connecticut, Terry enjoys traveling, spending time with her family and her two dogs. She holds a B.S. in Psychology from Eastern Connecticut State University and an M.S. in Human Development and Family Studies with a concentration in College Student Development from the University of Rhode Island.
📺 Favorite TV Show
The Americans & Schitt’s Creek
Stephanie has 13 years of experience in college admissions and secondary education. A native of Tidewater, Virginia, and Atlanta, Georgia, she earned a B.A. in History and Italian Studies from the University of Virginia. After graduation, she worked in UVA’s Office of Undergraduate Admission, guiding students through the admissions process and reviewing applications. She holds a Master’s in Medieval History from the Catholic University of America and has taught Latin and History at a private school in Northern Virginia, assisting students with college essays. Stephanie helps develop students’ strengths and interests and enjoys the brainstorming and essay-writing process with her seniors. She also discusses study habits and executive functioning with clients. Currently, she lives in Richmond, where she enjoys running, gardening, and raising her four kids.
📺 Favorite TV Show
Antiques Roadshow and Ted Lasso
Mattie, raised in Maui, received the Yale Book Award for character and scholarship but chose Pitzer College for its social justice commitment. She earned a Bachelor’s in English & World Literature: Creative Writing. While at Pitzer, she worked as a tour guide, helping others find their college fit. After graduating, she became an Admission Counselor, starting a 10-year career in college admissions, during which she evaluated over 15,000 applications and led the Diversity Fly-In Program. Her recruitment efforts spanned New York, Southeast Asia, India, and Latin America. A traveler, she has been to 22 countries. Students can expect a detail-oriented and empathetic counselor from her. In her free time, she enjoys decoding Taylor Swift lyrics, doing yoga, and spending time with her husband, son, and two cats.
📺 Favorite TV Show
The Walking Dead
Anna has over a decade of experience working in higher education in a variety of roles, including admissions, student affairs, and fundraising. Originally from Birmingham, Alabama, she graduated from UVA with a B.A. In English and an M.Ed. in Higher Education. She worked as an admissions reader for UVA for three years, reading in-state, out-of-state, and transfer applications. Anna feels strongly about helping students find the right fit in the college admissions process, as she transferred colleges after her freshman year. She lives in Richmond, Virginia, where she enjoys spending time with her young son, diving into a good book, and attending as many concerts as possible.
📺 Favorite TV Show
Schitt’s Creek
Taylor has over 15 years of experience working in the education field. She has worked in Rhode Island and New York City in various roles, including teacher, tutor, coach, and, most recently, high school and college counselor. A native of Rhode Island, she graduated from Providence College with a B.A. in Italian and Education and an M.Ed. in School Counseling. Taylor truly enjoys getting to know her students and building a strong connection. She encourages all of her students to realize their full career potential and advocates for their academic, personal, and social success.
Taylor currently lives in Providence with her husband and two kids. She enjoys relaxing at the beach, cooking fun recipes, and traveling to new places.
📺 Favorite TV Show
New Girl
Jennifer has over 15 years of experience with secondary education and college admissions in a variety of roles including college counselor, essay reader, and instructional designer. She grew up in the Midwest and received her BA from Northwestern University and her Masters and PhD from the University of Virginia. Since graduating, she has worked in a variety of educational roles along with entrepreneurship, fundraising, marketing, and sales. When not working in higher education and helping students achieve their academic dreams, Jennifer enjoys staying active with workouts and hikes accompanied by her family and their dog. She’s also an avid reader and lifelong learner and loves cooking, traveling, and spending quality time with loved ones.
📺 Favorite TV Show
Friends
Cordel L. Faulk is a seasoned law school admissions expert with over two decades of experience in higher education, admissions strategy, and student advocacy. As the Director of Law School Admissions Counseling at What's Next, he leverages his extensive background to guide aspiring law students through every stage of the application process, helping them craft compelling applications and make informed decisions about their futures.
Previously, he served as Director of Global Admissions for Schwarzman Scholars, where he led the recruitment and selection of one of the world's most competitive graduate fellowship programs. He was also the Assistant Dean and Chief Admissions Officer at the University of Virginia School of Law, where he spearheaded efforts that resulted in the school's most diverse incoming classes. His leadership extends beyond admissions, as he played a key role in scholarship allocation, student inclusivity, and strategic planning.
Cordel’s career also includes experience in law, journalism, and higher education leadership, giving him a unique perspective on the law school admissions landscape. A graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law and Virginia Tech, he is passionate about mentoring students and ensuring they have the tools to succeed in their legal education and careers.
📺 Favorite TV Show
The Wire
Cole joins the College Admissions team as LSAT advisor for in our What's Next law school admissions advisory group. He is a graduate of Villanova University, where he earned a Bachelor’s in Computer Engineering.
Cole views the LSAT much like a foreign language: something that, with the appropriate training and practice, can be learned and mastered. Having scored in the 99th percentile of test-takers himself, Cole uses his personal strategies to equip students with the advanced reasoning, analytical, and writing skills needed to excel on the LSAT.
When he’s not working as an electrical engineer or tutoring aspiring lawyers, Cole likes to read, watch movies, and exercise.
Katie Andersen was a member of Duke University's first women's soccer team in 1988. She later worked in the software industry in the U.S. and Europe and served as an alumni interviewer for Duke in Southern California. In 2013, she launched her counseling practice, combining college advising and athletic recruiting. Katie holds a B.A. in Sociology from Duke and a College Counseling Certificate from UCLA, receiving the IECA “Making A Difference Award” in 2021. Since 2013, she has guided hundreds of student-athletes through college admissions and recruiting, helping them secure spots at Div I, II, and III institutions. Together with David Stoeckel, she created the first online training course for counselors advising college-bound student-athletes and mentors those new to athletic advising.
Amy Bryant is an 18-time NCAA championship coach and former Division III two-sport student-athlete (soccer and tennis). She is the first female in NCAA history to win the national team tennis championship as both coach and player and is an Emory University Sports Hall of Fame inductee. She holds a Bachelor's in Business Administration and an Executive Coaching Diploma from Emory, as well as a Master’s in Sports Administration from Georgia State University. Over 20 years, she coached NCAA sports, helping student-athletes achieve 7 NCAA team championships, 11 individual championships, and 98 All-American honors. In 2019, she founded Bryant College Coaching and mentored hundreds of high school student-athletes in finding their college match.
Reid chose Texas Tech University for its baseball program but found it a poor fit academically and personally. He transferred to Weatherford College and attended four colleges in four years. Ultimately, he earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Texas - Austin in sport development and youth sport policy. Reid has been working with student-athletes since 2016, when he advised his pitching clients on the admissions process in between drills. Shortly after discovering this passion, Reid founded the company that would eventually become Athletes to Athletes and started working with student-athletes in a more formal capacity all over the country. Reid is a Certified Educational Planner, currently holds a professional membership with IECA, and is a member of both TACAC and NACAC. Reid is also SafeSport Certified through the USOC credentialing program.
Joe played baseball in college at Sonoma State University, where he was part of teams ranked #1 in the nation and earned a trip to the 2008 Division 2 College World Series Semifinals. After college, he spent three years playing overseas in the German Bundesliga. In his final year, he made the switch from player to coach. He returned to the US and spent the next decade working as a coach and athletics administrator at University of San Francisco, University of the Pacific, and UC Berkeley. He has worked on every side of the athletic and academic admissions process. While working at Cal, Joe got heavily involved in the operations and recruiting for many of the most successful collegiate programs in the nation. He completed the UC Berkeley Certificate for College Planning program and decided to utilize his experience to work directly with families. He has worked with hundreds of students to navigate the complex worlds of academic admissions and athletic recruiting. Joe is a member of IECA, HECA, and WACAC and frequently speaks with sports clubs and teams all over Northern California.
The first consultation with College Solutions consultation is free and gives you a low-pressure opportunity to get to know our team, our approach, and what sets us apart.
