Meet Caitlin!

Caitlin Harper, College Counselor

Caitlin’s career in higher education began in the admissions office at Lewis and Clark, where she had a work-study job as an undergraduate student. Over the next decade, she took on increasing responsibilities within the office, eventually rising to the role of Senior Associate Director of Admission. She has reviewed thousands of applications, visited high schools across the country, and developed strong relationships with admissions officers from a wide spectrum of institutions. 

Caitlin joined Collegewise in 2022, and since then her students have been accepted to more than 150 colleges and universities, including Stanford, Georgetown, Northwestern, Notre Dame, University of Michigan, University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill, Northeastern, Boston University, Lewis and Clark, Reed, University of Puget Sound, and multiple universities in the UK. 

Caitlin is the editor-in-chief of our 66-page Collegewise Guide to the Common Application, a free resource that’s been downloaded by more than 15,000 students, parents, and educators. She is also a frequent Collegewise webinar presenter and one of our CTY Scholars Program counselors in partnership with Johns Hopkins University, serving students from limited-income households.

While some counselors prefer the project management work associated with applications (which Caitlin enjoys, too, as evidenced by her color-coded deadline spreadsheets and detailed checklists), Caitlin particularly relishes the opportunity to work with younger students who are at or near the beginning of their high school years. She loves helping these students just starting their journey discover their talents and learn to talk about themselves—a necessary skill for college applications. As Caitlin puts it: When I start with a student in 8th grade, I get to tag along on that growth and self-reflection for four years. It's such a treat!

Testimonials from Caitlin’s Collegewise families frequently describe her as “kind,” “patient,” “calm,” “organized,” and “timely,” all adjectives Caitlin’s Collegewise colleagues who know her best would endorse as appropriate descriptors. 

An Oregon resident who was raised in Kansas and has heard every Wizard of Oz joke imaginable, Caitlin can often be found blasting the latest Taylor Swift album, loudly cheering on the Chicago Cubs, or visiting Disneyland (which she is convinced is actually the happiest place on earth).

Education & Experience

Lewis & Clark College, B.A.

Director of Admission Marketing & Events, Willamette University

Senior Associate Director of Admission, Lewis & Clark College

Professional Organization Memberships:

NACAC: National Association for College Admission Counseling

PNACAC: Pacific Northwest Association for College Admission Counseling