About Cameron (she/her), Founder

Cameron believes every student has a story worth telling. She can’t wait to help your family take the next step toward finding it.

Cameron grew up in a family that believed deeply in the power of education. Surrounded by books, ideas, and lively conversations, Cameron learned early how education can open doors and shape a life.

Cameron majored in English at Wesleyan University in Connecticut and later earned her MFA in Writing from Indiana University. Working as a teacher, she guided students in writing and literature at the high school and middle school levels as well as at Yale University. Gearen Consulting was born in 2012. Since then, Cameron has helped hundreds of families find clarity and confidence in the college application process.

Cameron often laughs that part of her motivation comes from her own messy college application experience. As a strong-willed seventeen-year-old, she refused advice from adults and applied only to highly selective schools. When the results came in, she had one acceptance and one waitlist offer. That experience taught her how stressful and unpredictable the process can be, and it’s why she’s committed to making the journey smoother for every student she works with.

Today, Cameron lives in River Forest, Illinois, with her husband and their dog, Cookie. Outside of her work with students, Cameron loves writing, reading, pickleball, and travel. She is also a songwriter who performs and records in the Chicagoland area.

PHILOSOPHY: “As a former teacher, I’m interested in setting my clients up for success and in fostering independence. I believe that the person who does the work does the learning. By working with me and my team, students develop skills they will take with them to college and beyond. To achieve this goal, we break large tasks and projects into smaller assignments to make the learning process manageable and to remove stress. Meetings are only with students, but communication with parents/guardians is open, frequent and collaborative. This high-touch and highly supportive method leads to relaxed learning and great results!” —Cameron Gearen