Retired school counselor launches college prep consulting services

James Kiger, a dedicated school counselor with 28 years of experience in the Smyrna School District, has guided hundreds of students and their families through the complex college admissions process.

Determined to continue helping families, Kiger and his wife Anita, now Milton residents, launched the College Guidance Consulting Service and introduced the Fast Start College Planning Solution. They were motivated by their own personal experience navigating college planning for their five children. 

“Even as a school counselor, it was daunting to manage college visits, scholarship searches and application deadlines,” Kiger said. “I wish I had someone like me to help back then. Now I have the time to work with individuals way more than when I was a school counselor. My client base is small compared to 475 students to one counselor.”

FSCPS emphasizes organization first. Through a personalized portal, families can conduct school research, update lists, keep track of deadlines and store important files. The portal also allows direct communication with Kiger and his staff via email or text. 

Designed to be flexible and affordable, FSCPS offers levels of service from scholarship assistance to student portal combined with scholarship searches, financial planning and one-on-one coaching with Kiger or one of his expert team members.

Kiger recommends starting college planning in ninth or 10th grade to allow adequate time for school visits, informed decision-making and finding financial aid.

“Most parents wait until junior or even senior year, which is often too late to cover all the bases. Early planning can prevent settling and overpaying for college,” he said.

Kiger collaborates with school counselors, understanding their time constraints and heavy workloads. “The average student spends only nine minutes per year with their counselor. With our service, students can walk into their counselor’s office fully prepared, making those limited interactions much more productive,” Kiger said. “We have no desire to replace a school counselor; I just want to make their job easier.”

For more information or to schedule a free consultation, go to faststart2college.com.