Your Guide

JOHN M. POWELL

I launched Expedition College to meet the needs of students who do not have access to personalized, high quality college counseling. I believe the transition from high school to college is one of the most exciting intersections in life and guiding families as they navigate this process is a gift that I’ve been fortunate to call a career.

I am uniquely qualified to act as your guide during the college search. I have visited countless colleges and universities throughout my career, I attend one of the two top national admissions conferences annually and have helped over 700 students find exciting colleges from California to Maine. Each student’s journey is unique, and I tailor my counseling to fit individual needs and interests.

My Background

Education
A native Minnesotan, I attended Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, where I majored in art history and English. I also hold a J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law.

Admissions Experience
After graduating from college, I remained at Bowdoin for two years, working in the dean of students office. I then returned to Minnesota and worked in the Macalester College Admissions Office, traveling to high schools around the country, interviewing prospective students and evaluating applications.

School Counseling

After 5 years in the Macalester Admissions office, I joined the Prairie School in Racine, Wisconsin as its Director of College Counseling and remained there for 18 years, ultimately combining college counseling with serving as Associate Headmaster and Development Director.

Independent Counseling

I left the Prairie School in 2012 to begin my own college counseling practice and once again focus solely on serving students and families. My practice is national and I am familiar with colleges and universities in all regions of the country. I’ve also pitched in at Breck School in Minneapolis and St. Paul Academy in St. Paul, filling in several times for counselors taking maternity leave.

College Counseling Philosophy

I hold a number of core beliefs when working with students and parents

The job of a college counselor is to help you find the right college for YOU. There can be a lot of noise around the college admissions process and it is easy for students and parents to feel as if their college choices are confined to a narrow group or geographical location. The college counselor’s job is first and foremost to listen, but also to challenge assumptions and open up new possibilities.

When application season begins, I want to help each student find ways to reveal their best selves and present colleges with a true picture of what makes them unique and special.

I believe the job of the college counselor is also to ensure that a student maintains a sense of balance and perspective during his or her college search. We should never allow college preparation and the college search to overshadow the other aspects of high school, including just plain having fun.

No single college or university is worth obsessing over, nor is a certain type of college or selectivity band. My goal is to find each student a broad list of schools to research and consider.

Finally, my job is to make the college process an enjoyable adventure, filled with discovery and, whenever possible, humor.

The Offer of a College

TO BE AT HOME in all lands and all ages;
To count Nature a familiar acquaintance,
And Art an intimate friend;
To gain a standard for the appreciation of others’ work
And the criticism of your own;
To carry the keys of the world’s library in your pocket,
And feel its resources behind you in whatever task you undertake;
To make hosts of friends…
Who are to be leaders in all walks of life;
To lose yourself in generous enthusiasms
And cooperate with others for common ends —
This is the offer of the college for the best four years of your life.

Adapted from the original “Offer of the College” by William DeWitt Hyde, President of Bowdoin College 1885 – 1917

John was invaluable throughout my daughter’s college process. He was knowledgeable about a variety of schools all over the country and encouraged her to look at some non-east-coast schools that she would otherwise not have considered, including the one she ended up applying early to (and getting in!). He helped her brainstorm a terrific essay topic, which she then wrote up and felt very proud of, and he made sure she finished up all the other supplement essays on time. Through it all, he was a perfect balance of demanding and understanding and he knew how to employ humor when the going got tough. We are so grateful to have found him and would recommend him very strongly.

Emma, New York City
Colorado College
From my first contact with Bowdoin College to the day I received my acceptance letter, John Powell was an instrumental part in helping me through the entire college process. In hindsight, there was no way I would have been able to navigate the recruiting process without him. From simple things like editing my essay or reviewing my common application, to complicated things like preparing me for my interview, John gave me the confidence and reassurance I lacked. John had such an influence on me that he was the first person outside of my immediate family that learned of my acceptance.

Rachel, Crested Butte, CO
Bowdoin College, ME
A simple recommendation can’t express the outstanding experience my daughter and I had with John as her college counselor and coach. John’s expertise, intuition, and relationship skills created the perfect resource as we navigated this new world of college admissions. He nudged my daughter at the right times, delicately challenged her assumptions, and I was able to step back and let him help her think about what she really wants out of college. He has a terrific, light-hearted personality and his humor and candor was a great fit for your family. John is no cookie-cutter kind of counselor.
Four key things stand out: 1) Ability to understand my daughter and provide appropriate ideas and input; 2) Develop individual relationships with the student and the parent(s); 3) Strong ethics and integrity around letting the student do the work while he provides appropriate input (John doesn’t just “edit” the essays—he asks questions; makes comments, and talks with the student to bring out their personality and strengths); and 4) Expertise and resources.
Hiring John was one of the best decisions in my daughter’s college journey. He became a non-parental, independent voice of authority that my daughter truly appreciates. He has become her mentor and I suspect John may find that his years of counsel with our family are not yet over. Thank you John!

Tammy & Alex, Minneapolis
Georgetown
Working with John during the college process was amazing. He made a very overwhelming and hectic time much easier to handle. I was able to rely on him to help look over my personal statement as well as numerous writing supplements among many other aspects of the college process. I found that it was better to get feedback from someone who didn’t really know me as well as my parents or friends because he could provide the perspective of an admissions officer who would read my application. He’s also such a nice and funny person who is truly dedicated to the students he works with, and that really comes through in all the phone calls, Facetimes, and emails.

Julia, New York City
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Your Guide

JOHN M. POWELL

My Background

College Counseling Philosophy

The Offer of a College

Emma, New York City

Rachel, Crested Butte, CO

Tammy & Alex, Minneapolis

Julia, New York City