Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristi Harlig.
Hi Kristi, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My path here started in the classroom. I spent more than 20 years in public education as a teacher, school counselor, and school-based college counselor, working in both the Los Angeles and San Diego areas, including at a highly selective magnet high school in LAUSD and later at a public high school here in San Diego County. Over those years, I supported hundreds of students through academic planning, college exploration, and the application process, and I found that the college journey was the part of the work I was most drawn to.
Eventually, I made the leap to start Future InSight College Consulting, where I could bring that same expertise to families in a more personalized, one-on-one way. What matters most to me is helping students find colleges where they can genuinely thrive, academically, socially, and financially, with a strong emphasis on fit rather than prestige alone. I work closely with students while partnering thoughtfully with their families, and I have a particular passion for supporting neurodivergent students, first-generation college-bound students, and families navigating less traditional paths.
Along the way, I earned a master’s degree in psychology and a specialized certificate in college counseling from UC San Diego, and became a WOW Method Certified Essay Coach. I’m also a professional member of Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) and an active member of Western Association for College Admission Counseling (WACAC). All of that continues to shape how I show up for the families I work with today.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My path to becoming an independent college consultant parallels my broader life journey. It’s had its share of challenges, alongside moments that unfolded with real ease. The pivot from teaching to counseling grew out of parenting two very different kids, one neurodivergent and one neurotypical, and everything that comes with meeting each child’s unique needs. My children and I were fortunate to have excellent resources and support along the way, and that experience planted a seed: I wanted to become that same source of support for other families facing similar challenges.
Once I became a school counselor, I found myself drawn most to the college admissions process, helping students and families navigate a higher ed landscape that’s constantly shifting and can be genuinely difficult to figure out without guidance. After COVID, school counselors were increasingly pulled toward addressing rising mental health and behavioral needs, which left even less time to meaningfully support students’ college aspirations. That’s when I recognized it was time to lean into my strengths and passion and become an IEC, a role that lets me offer the kind of individualized, priority-driven support students and families really need.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Future InSight College Consulting is dedicated to helping students find colleges where they can truly thrive, academically, socially, and financially. We work closely with students one-on-one while partnering thoughtfully with their families, providing personalized, ethical, and supportive guidance rooted in self-understanding and informed decision-making.
What sets us apart is that we start with the student, not a ranking list. For some students, that leads straight to highly selective schools, and we help them build a compelling, competitive application. For others, it leads somewhere they hadn’t considered, but that turns out to be an even better match. Either way, the process is driven by who the student is, not by outside pressure or assumptions about what they “should” want. I’m especially proud of the work we do supporting neurodivergent students, first-generation college-bound students, and families navigating complex or nontraditional paths; that individualized attention is really at the heart of what we offer.
Ultimately, our mission is to reduce stress, honor diverse learning profiles, and empower students to approach the college process with confidence and clarity, with a genuine sense of fit for who they are and who they’re becoming.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
The biggest risk I’ve taken was leaving a stable job with the school district to start my own practice. I had zero business experience: no background in marketing, finance, or running a company. What I did have was a deep understanding of how to support students and families through the college process, along with a genuine passion for it. I partnered with someone who had the business expertise I lacked, and together we built something very special.
It was daunting to walk away from the security of a district paycheck and benefits, but I trusted that my expertise and my commitment to doing this work well would carry me through the parts I didn’t yet know how to navigate. And it has. I’ve built a practice that I’m genuinely proud of, one where I get to work closely with students and families in a way that simply wasn’t possible within the constraints of a school counseling role.
That experience also shapes how I think about risk more broadly, including with the students I work with. I encourage students to pursue their dream schools even when the odds are slim, because I understand firsthand what it means to bet on yourself. At the same time, I make sure they’re building a well-rounded list, so that whatever happens, they land somewhere that’s genuinely right for them. Risk, to me, isn’t about recklessness; it’s about having the self-awareness and preparation to take a leap you believe in.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.futureinsight101.com
