“It matters less where you go than what you do when you’re actually there.”

So says my guest, Marisa Gonzales Silverstein. She said it in the context of deciding on where to go to college. She should know. After all, she’s the founder of MGS Educational Consulting, a firm dedicated to helping prospective college students design their own path, no matter where it takes them and especially if it leads them beyond the nation’s top college and university “brands.”

MGS differs from other college counseling services because of its focus on matching prospective students to the programs that are best able to cater to their unique learning styles and interests. That’s something most high schools cannot do if only because of a lack of resources; the average high school college guidance counselor has an average case load of 400 students.

Marisa is more than just an educational consultant. She’s also an artist, mother, and wife. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone considering college or parenting someone who’s preparing to take that step. Her story also will appeal to those who are contemplating a second (or third or fourth) career act, for Marisa will be the first to admit that she finally has found her passion after several career stops along the way. She loves what she does, and it shows.

Show notes:

• Books Marisa recommends:
  • Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges, by Loren Pope.
  • Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions, by Jeffrey Selingo.
• Video:
  • “Why Did I Say “Yes” to Speak Here?” by Malcolm Gladwell, speaking at Google.
• Marisa’s art:
  • Her work drawing attention to gun violence in the United States, called “92 Americans. Every Day.”
  • The website that showcases her work.