About Me...

As a former high school teacher and writing tutor, Amanda is able to combine her professional writing and editing skills with her education and experience as a college consultant. She regularly visits colleges across the country to remain current with today's admission practices and to maintain relationships with college admission counselors. She has helped hundreds of students set themselves apart in the applicant pool using their personal statements and essays and has a clear understanding of the importance of strategy in college applications.

In 2006 she began Hirko Consulting to help students find great college options, while continuing to work with them to produce thoughtful and compelling essays. After all, kids are not boring, so their essays shouldn't be!

She is proud of continuing her commitment to the American Institute of Certified Educational Planners as it denotes a level of professionalism realized by those in the field who have extensively traveled touring campuses, participated in continuous education through workshops, conferences and webinars and been a professional presenter.

Certified Educational Planner, AICEP, 2015, 2020
Certificate in College Counseling, UCSD, 2006
MA from U of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1995
BA from Indiana University, Bloomington, 1992

A mother of two, Amanda appreciates the role the entire family plays in the admission process, communicating frequently with parents to minimize anxiety and stress. She works with each student providing guidance and individual attention and personally overseeing application content. Amanda will provide her students with a plan and arm them with information to demystify the admission process. She has the experience to know what colleges are seeking and how to present students in their application packages.

Office: Hera Hub, San Diego: 9276 Scranton Road, Suite 600 (6th Floor)

Amanda Hirko, M.Ed.
Certified Educational Planner