Services & Pricing
Every engagement follows the AKC Admissions Intelligence Framework — a data-driven, psychology-based methodology designed for measurable outcomes.
Limited Enrollment: To maintain an intimate, high-touch format, we limit student intake each term. Due to high demand, Ariana Kim Consulting frequently operates on a waitlist-only basis. Early inquiry is strongly encouraged.
Former Admissions Officer: Ariana has worked professionally in both undergraduate and graduate admissions at a top-25 university — consulting high school students, undergraduates, and master's/PhD candidates. She also brings career consulting experience from her own diverse path through pre-law, pre-medicine, and working at a frontier artificial intelligence lab.
Consultant-Student Fit: We believe the personality and working relationship between a consultant and student is just as important as experience. Ariana builds genuine, trusting relationships so students feel comfortable reaching out for help, asking follow-up questions, and sharing the personal details that lead to the strongest possible essays.
Meeting Format: 60-minute sessions may take place at Ariana's home office in the Burlingame area. Shorter sessions — such as 20-minute introductory calls and 30-minute essay sprint sessions — are held remotely via Google Meet for scheduling flexibility. In-person check-ins can be arranged with advance notice.
Semester Packages
College & Career (C&C)
7th – 11th Grade
Starting at $6,000/semester
- 1:1 bimonthly 60-minute meetings with Ariana Kim
- Monthly 30-minute check-in sessions
- High school course selection and academic planning for all 4 years of high school
- Extracurricular development and major strategy
- College recommendation and acceptance probability analysis
- Essay topic early brainstorming
- Communication via email, text, phone, and video between meetings
- Remote editing via Google Docs
C&C + Application Support
7th – 11th Grade
Starting at $8,000/semester
Includes everything in the C&C package, plus dedicated application support:
- Summer program application support (up to 4 programs)
- Fall/winter/spring program applications (up to 2 per term)
- Letters of recommendation writing, outline, and editing support
Package Comparison at a Glance
| Feature | C&C $6,000/sem | C&C + App Support $8,000/sem |
|---|---|---|
| 1:1 bimonthly 60-min meetings | ✓ | ✓ |
| Monthly 30-min check-ins | ✓ | ✓ |
| 4-year course planning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Extracurricular & major strategy | ✓ | ✓ |
| College recommendations & probability analysis | ✓ | ✓ |
| Essay topic brainstorming | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multi-channel communication | ✓ | ✓ |
| Remote editing via Google Docs | ✓ | ✓ |
| Summer program apps (up to 4) | — | ✓ |
| Fall/winter/spring apps (up to 2/term) | — | ✓ |
| Letters of recommendation support | — | ✓ |
Senior Year College Admissions
College Application Review & Essay (CARE)
12th Grade
Starting at $6,950/semester
- Strategic college list development (reach, target, and safety tiers)
- Major and academic program selection advising
- 1:1 personal statement and supplemental essay development & review
- Timeline planning, milestone tracking, and application review
- Interview preparation and mock interviews
- Demonstrated interest strategy and outreach planning
- Waitlist, deferral, and appeal support
- UC/CSU systems counted jointly as one college
- Support for up to 30 colleges maximum
- Most seniors work with 10–15 colleges
Portfolio-Intensive Majors: Additional fees apply for majors requiring extensive portfolio preparation, including art & design portfolios and engineering major portfolio requirements.
Hourly Work
Starting at $350/hr
Hourly work is available to all students and must be purchased prior to the start of service. Hours encompass all work on behalf of the student including but not limited to face-to-face meetings, video/phone calls, all communication, and all essay review and editing. Hourly work for Seniors is available on a limited basis and must be purchased in bundles. Hours are pre-paid and are non-refundable, non-transferable (with the exception of sharing hours with a sibling). Rates may vary depending on scope and consultant.
Services Included
- Course planning
- Extracurricular activity building
- Test scheduling and strategy
- Major exploration
- Summer application list (individualized list creation, and 1:1 essay and application support)
- Summer application support (1:1 student sessions covering full app requirements including interview, portfolio, letters of rec, etc.)
- Winter application support (winter programs)
- Demonstrated interest work and guidance
- Early letters of recommendation outreach and guidance
- Extracurricular strategy specific to majors including volunteer searches and internship guidance
Book Consultation
$99 booking fee · Credited toward your package when you enroll