Claudia Connell

Claudia O'Connell is an Independent College Admissions Consultant and founder of CO College Consulting, where she has been raising students' confidence and helping them discover their true selves during the college transition since April 2018 in Los Angeles, California. Her unique approach focuses on exploring students' essence to unveil their distinctive stories, laying a foundation for their metamorphosis from high school to independent college life. She works with students to break away from formulaic writing and discover their authentic voice, fostering critical thinking skills essential for college success. Her immediate area of interest is working with public school families, drawing on her deep experience navigating the complex LAUSD magnet system and her belief that public education's rich social fabric allows students to thrive at schools aligned with their interests.

In addition to her private practice, Claudia has served as a volunteer College Admissions Counselor with ScholarMatch since June 2020, supporting first-generation low-income high school seniors through application, essay and financial aid processes. She also volunteers at Hamilton High School's college counseling office. Her professional background includes roles as Managing Director at Cole Holdings from April 2013 to April 2019, Vice President of Fundraising at Community Magnet Charter Elementary School from June 2012 to June 2014, Education Coordinator at the Los Angeles/Tel Aviv Partnership from January 2007 to February 2008, and Market Development Manager at Getty Images from January 1994 to August 2001.

Claudia is a Los Angeles native and alumna of North Hollywood High School. She started college at UC San Diego in 1987 before transferring to UC Berkeley, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Film/Cinema/Video Studies in June 1990. Her personal experience as a transfer student gave her a strong understanding of socio-cultural and academic differences between universities and the benefits of finding the right fit school. She completed a 2-year College Counseling Certificate program through UC Riverside to professionalize her passion for helping families navigate educational systems.

Services Offered

• Independent college admissions consulting
• Student discovery and personal narrative development
• Authentic voice essay coaching and writing support
• College list creation based on student interests and fit
• Application strategy and presentation
• Transition support from high school to college independence
• Public school system navigation guidance
• Support for first-generation and low-income students through ScholarMatch
• Financial aid process assistance
• Critical thinking skill development for college readiness