Star Map gives you the coordinates — and the counselor.
A self-paced college planning course with live Q&A access to Robin Colt, covering every stage from 9th grade through move-in day.
Your student's application is a constellation. The grades, activities, essays, and recommendations are already there - individual stars waiting to be connected into a single, coherent picture that admissions readers can recognize and remember. Star Map is the course that teaches them how to do that, from 9th grade through decision day, built by a UCLA-trained college counselor with 15 years in the classroom and one-on-one with students.
Star Map's curriculum has been adopted by college prep institutions from Colorado to Connecticut. The same content is available here, directly to students and families.
$950
One-Time Purchase, Lifetime Access
✓ 8 modules covering every stage, freshman year through decision day
✓ 5+ hours of video instruction, self-paced, watch anytime
✓ Three live and recorded Q&A webinars with Robin senior year — September, November, and April
✓ Student Guidebook with in-depth exercises, reflection prompts, and step-by-step checklists for every stage of the process
✓ Essay Guidebook covering the Personal Statement and Supplemental Essays
✓ College Research Tracker with dedicated tabs for every stage — school research, campus visits, testing, essays, financial aid, and more
✓ 8 Special Topics lessons to choose from
SOUND FAMILIAR?
Most families don't know where to start — or what comes next.
The college process spans four years and involves dozens of decisions: courses, testing, activities, essays, applications, and financial aid. Most students figure it out as they go, which means missed opportunities and last-minute scrambles.
Star Map gives students and families a clear sequence from the beginning — so nothing falls through the cracks, and no deadline catches you off guard.
WHAT SETS STAR MAP APART
A self-paced course with a real expert in your corner.
Most online courses leave you on your own once you hit play. Star Map includes three live Q&A webinars with Robin, held at the moments in the admissions calendar when families need answers most.
INSIDE THE COURSE
Eight modules. Every stage of the process.
Star Map covers the full arc of college planning across 8 modules and 5 hours of video. Each module includes a student guidebook, exercises, and clear action steps.
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Robin walks students and families through the full course, showing how it's organized and where to find each guidebook, template, and video. Families leave with a clear plan for pacing the lessons and using the resources together, so the course works as one connected system from the first week.
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In five lessons, students begin by identifying what matters most to them: their values, goals, academic strengths, and interests. Using guided exercises, they build their personal North Star, a clear statement that connects their story and carries through the rest of the application.
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In six lessons, students learn how to evaluate colleges beyond rankings, using a framework built around People, Place, Passion, and Price to define what fit actually means for them. From there, they build and narrow a balanced college list of reach, target, and likely schools.
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In three lessons, students build a testing strategy suited to their goals, learn how to write a resume that works across college applications and beyond, and prepare strong letters of recommendation by giving teachers the context they need to write something specific and memorable.
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In four lessons, students learn how financial aid works, including need-based aid, merit aid, and how to compare award letters across schools. The module also covers what to do if an offer needs a second look, so families can make informed decisions about cost.
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In six lessons, students learn how to brainstorm strong essay topics, choose the right structure, and develop their own writing voice. The module also covers supplemental essays, the shorter pieces required by most selective colleges alongside the personal statement.
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In five lessons, students learn how to complete the Common Application section by section, choose the right decision plan for each school on their list, and build a strong activities list. The module also covers interviews, Glimpse videos, and final submission steps.
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In three lessons, students prepare for every possible outcome, acceptance, deferral, waitlist, or denial, and learn how to compare offers and make a final decision using the Four P's. The module closes with practical guidance for the first weeks of college.
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A flexible module where students choose the lessons most relevant to their own circumstances, including UC applications, gap years, community college and trade school pathways, mental health resources, student athletics, learning differences, LGBTQ+ students, and ROTC/military academies. Students select only what applies to them, personalizing their college application experience.
LIVE WITH ROBIN
Three Live Q&A Webinars - Included with Enrollment
Bring your questions. Robin answers them live. All sessions are recorded and available to every student who enrolls.
September
Application season kickoff — strategy, timelines, and what to prioritize now
November
Deadline crunch — early decision, regular deadlines, and what's next
April
Decision season — comparing offers, financial aid, and committing with confidence
Recordings included for all enrollees — no need to attend live.
WHAT FAMILIES SAY
Students and parents who’ve worked with Robin.
"Robin's personalized approach gave us so much confidence, and her organization kept the process on track and manageable. Our daughter not only found her best-fit college but also received substantial merit aid."
— M.J., Parent
"Robin was able to get my son on track quickly, offering a clear, direct plan plus extremely valuable support. She took the stress off our plate. We couldn’t have done it without her."
— T.L., Parent
YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Robin Colt
Robin Colt is an independent college counselor based in Carbondale, Colorado. She holds a Certificate with Distinction in College Counseling from UCLA and has spent more than 15 years working with students at every stage of the college planning process — from first-generation applicants to legacy admits, from athletes navigating recruiting to students still figuring out what they want to study. She has worked with students at Colorado Rocky Mountain School and college access programs, and visits campuses nationwide each year to stay current on admissions trends, culture, and what schools are actually looking for. Her private practice is referral-based and intentionally small. She works closely with a limited number of students each year, and Star Map was built to bring that same depth of expertise to families who want a self-directed path through the process.
Star Map Course FAQs
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Star Map is built for students in 9th through 11th grade, giving them time to build toward a strong application well before deadlines arrive. Seniors also benefit, especially from the essay, application, financial aid, and decisions modules, which line up with exactly what they're facing right now.
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The course works best in sequence, but each module also stands on its own. Module 8, Special Topics, lets students choose the lessons most relevant to their own circumstances, so no one has to sit through content that doesn't apply to them.
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No. All three sessions are recorded and available to every student enrolled. Attending live gives you a chance to ask questions directly, and the recordings cover everything discussed for anyone who can't make it.
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Star Map gives students the framework, the vocabulary, and a plan they can follow with confidence. Families who want one-on-one support, for essay feedback, college list decisions, or application strategy, can add Robin's individual consulting packages separately.
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Most families spread it across a full academic year, coming back to modules as they become relevant. Each lesson is short enough to watch in one sitting, and easy to revisit whenever a student needs a refresher.
Find your North Star.
Star Map is Your Guide.
Give your student the structure and knowledge to move through college planning with confidence — from the first course selection to move-in day.