Collegewise was easily one of the best things that happened to me last fall! I know that I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for Collegewise. I recommend it to any student that needs help with the process and doesn’t want to be stressed out when January comes around.
VAL
WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
Working with Collegewise was a very personalized experience. I felt a lot more confident about my college search thanks to my Collegewise experience.
JULIA
CLARK UNIVERSITY
Our Collegewise experience was fabulous! We highly recommend (and have referred others to) the Collegewise family.
LORINDA, PARENT OF MADISON
BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
There is no way I would have been able to get through the college application process without Collegewise. Collegewise helped me find my first choice school (that I didn’t really know much about at first), write an amazing essay that was reflective of me, and kept me on top of all my to-do lists.
JACK
COLBY COLLEGE
While working with Collegewise, the stress of college applications just melted away! Although the writing and research took some time, it was absolutely worth it because, in the end, I knew I had sent in the best application I could and the college I picked would be the perfect fit for me!
ELYSSA
GUILFORD COLLEGE
Before Collegewise, I had no idea what to do with my application—or even where to start! I didn’t even know which colleges I wanted to apply to, but Collegewise’s college elimination process cleared that up completely. I’ve been accepted to five of my colleges so far, and I’m still awaiting a response from the other schools!
ALEXIS
UT AUSTIN
Kavin Buck, Visual and Performing Arts College Counseling Specialist
With over 25 years in the arts as an educator, administrator, and practitioner, Kavin has helped hundreds of young artists and designers find their best-fit college or university, as well as assisting them with portfolio preparation for competitive college admissions and scholarships. Since 1998 Kavin has held the positions of Director of Admissions at Otis College of Art and Design, Director of Enrollment and Outreach at the UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture, and most recently as Vice President of Enrollment and Student Services at the Pacific Northwest College of Art.
Kavin is an art world polymath; in addition to his expertise in college admissions and student services, he has also been an exhibiting artist and curator for over 30 years, taught studio art and portfolio development at UCLA Extension, and was the co-chair of the Arts Mentor Program at Santa Monica Community College. He studied studio art and art history for a year at the American University in Paris and completed a year of post-graduate work with the Whitney Museum of American Art Independent Study Program in New York. Kavin has exhibited work at galleries in both New York and Los Angeles and was the founder of the South La Brea Gallery. Don't let his expertise in the visual arts fool you—he's just as comfortable helping future architects build their portfolios and theater students prep for auditions. In fact, Kavin has years of experience working with animators, industrial/product designers, game designers, graphic designers, dancers, actors, singers, musicians, and theater techs. Whew!
When he’s not counseling young artists and designers about their portfolios, auditions, and college and career options, Kavin can be found in his studio in Portland, Oregon creating work for his next exhibition.
Education & Experience
MFA, California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, CA
Former Vice President of Enrollment and Student Services at The Pacific Northwest College of Art, Portland, Oregon
Former Director of Enrollment and Outreach at UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture, Los Angeles, CAPast President of the Western Association for College (WACAC)
Professional Organization Memberships
NACAC: National Association for College Admission Counseling
Important Notice
Our counseling openings for Seniors (class of 2022) and college transfers are now fully booked. If you are a senior or older but have not already enrolled with us, we would still like to share with you some important resources to help you in your journey. Click here for helpful resources including guides, videos, blogs, and podcasts.