Meet Tom!

Tom Barry, College Counselor

During his tenure at Collegewise, which began in 2014, Tom’s students have been accepted to more than 100 colleges, including the nation’s most selective schools like Harvard and Stanford, small liberal arts colleges like Bates and Davidson, STEM-focused schools like Harvey Mudd and Colorado School of Mines, and large public universities such as Georgia Tech, University of Michigan, Ohio State, University of Washington, and all the UC (University of California) schools.

The best college counseling and admissions outcomes happen when the student embraces appropriate responsibility for their own college planning, with the counselor there to guide, encourage, and course correct as necessary. Asked to describe his counseling style, Tom shared:

I keep parents informed and I will always loop them in if there is anything pressing or important, or if I sense the message just isn't sinking in. But I tell most families that I try to be a "no news is good news" counselor; parents are welcome to join meetings, but for the most part, it's just me working with the student.

That balance Tom strikes between the student, parent, and counselor is what families appreciate most about him. Tom embraces his responsibility to make sure the application process progresses smoothly and thoughtfully with each of his students—that’s why parents trust him. But he encourages families to channel that peace of mind into empowering the student to be an active driver, not a passive observer, of their own college planning. Testimonials from Tom’s families frequently describe him as “calm,” “reassuring,” and “supportive,” with students often commenting that Tom felt more like a friend to them and less like a teacher.

Tom has shared his expertise on the topics of gap years and college retention at admissions conferences, as well as internal professional development webinars for his Collegewise colleagues. He is also a co-author of our Collegewise Guide to the Common Application, and he is one of a small group of Collegewise counselors selected to interview potential counselors hoping to join our team.

A cheese connoisseur who offsets that proclivity with regular visits to his local neighborhood CrossFit gym in Seattle, Tom is also a parent who has yet to find a way to prevent his children from occasionally popping in to say “Hi!” to whoever is on the other end of the Zoom screen, particularly during meetings taking place after 5:30 p.m. P.T.

Education & Experience

M.Ed., Stanford University

Former Assistant Director of Admissions, Colorado College

Professional Organization Memberships

NACAC: National Association for College Admission Counseling

PNACAC: Pacific Northwest Association for College Admission Counseling