I See Your Student
Great Colleges Will Too
Yale-educated college admissions counselor serving families in the US and internationally
In our work, you and your student will be my focus. But it may help you to know my own story as we endeavor to write your student’s together.
I went to Andover and Yale, and I know what it feels like when a school is the right fit — and how much that can shape the years that follow. Interviewing applicants for both schools over many years has given me something I find genuinely useful: a feel for what makes each student distinctive, often in ways they wouldn't think to highlight themselves.
Earlier in my career, as an executive at Pearson Education and Oxford University Press, I worked closely with the people who shape how students learn and how colleges think. Paired with my visits to more than 400 college campuses across North America, Asia, Europe, and South America, I bring real, firsthand knowledge of how the college admissions process actually works.
As a literary agent, I helped writers find the heart of their story and present it with clarity and voice. That instinct now shapes how I help students present themselves across every part of their application. Across my executive roles, I mentored younger colleagues from their first jobs into flourishing careers, leaving them feeling more empowered and capable than before we began.
My husband is a professor at NYU Stern and NYU Shanghai. Our family has a global vantage point on education. Our daughter is a doctoral student in school psychology. Seeing her develop her professional purpose and learning about the field alongside her has given me an even deeper appreciation for the social, emotional, and developmental sides of adolescence, alongside the academic and cognitive ones.
All of these life experiences have culminated in my signature approach: one combining a genuine understanding of who your student is, a real knowledge of how this process works, an honest and clear communication style, and a belief that this can be a process that your family will look back on with pride.
“When we started the process of considering US universities for our daughter, an athlete in the UK, it all seemed extremely daunting. There was so much to consider, not least the variety of universities and their approaches to academics and athletics. Barbara was fantastic in helping us understand where our focus should be.”
Clare, parent, Duke University
Education
Phillips Academy Andover, cum laude
Yale University — B.A. cum laude, Classical Greek
University of California, Irvine — Professional Certificate, Independent Educational Consulting
Professional Background
Senior Executive, Pearson Education and Oxford University Press
Founder, Barbara Rifkind Literary Agency
Professional Associations & Leadership
Professional Member, IECA (Independent Educational Consultants Association)
Member, HECA, NACAC, NJACAC, NYSACAC
Chair, IECA Business Practices Committee; Member, IECA Finance Committee
2025 IECA "Making a Difference" Award
Certified Wow Essay Coach
Civic & Board Service
American Foundation for the Blind
Association to Benefit Children, New York
CUNY Graduate Center Foundation, New York
Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston
Theatre for a New Audience, Brooklyn
The Winston Foundation
My Core Values
These values anchor every interaction I have with you and your student.
Wholeness
Every decision we make together is built around who your child is and who they’re becoming.
Partnership
I’m in this with you. As our relationship deepens, our work strengthens.
Growth
Watching your student build self confidence and trust is one of the great privileges of this work.
Joy
My greatest goal is facilitating a journey your family will remember fondly and with pride.
Professional Standards
I hold myself to the ethical standards set by each professional association I belong to — standards grounded in honesty, transparency, and putting your student's and your family's best interests first in every part of our work.
The Arise Advising Approach
My approach to college admissions advising is simple: a clear strategy, a process that really works, and helpful coaching along the way.
Strategy is the why.
I always start with understanding what your student is working toward and why it matters to them (and to you). I will carefully consider their strengths, academic profile, and goals to develop a tailored plan, including a list of recommended colleges where your child can thrive.
Process is the how.
I know how this works: the steps, the timelines, the requirements, the choices that come up at each stage. I’ll guide you through the process smoothly and help you realize every opportunity.
Coaching is the who.
I’ll work directly with your child to build their confidence, sharpen their thinking, and encourage them to find their own voice along the way. I’ll also work directly with you, helping you navigate when to support, encourage, and step back as your child moves through the college admissions process.
“Barbara introduced Erica to schools and opportunities our family would never have found on our own. She pushed our daughter to consider options well outside the handful of names we already knew, and some of those became real possibilities for her.”
Xinyu, parent, Johns Hopkins University
Kind Words
I’m Excited To Meet You
I’d love to begin our conversation with a complimentary consultation. Tell me about your student, your family, and where you are in this process, and I’ll guide you on what I believe to be your next steps.