About Strategic College Consulting

Dr. Jeffrey Haig, founder of Strategic College Consulting, completed his B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and MBA and Doctorate in Education (on scholarship) from the University of Southern California (USC). Dr. Haig has served on the UCLA Scholarship Admissions Committee for 15+ years as an application reader, District Chair, and has overseen the Orange County regional area. Additionally, Dr. Haig educates families, schools, and organizations at workshops, seminars, schools and corporate events on the extensive and competitive college planning and admissions process.

Dr. Haig is a national education expert and has been featured in many of the top television, radio, and news publications including CBS and KCAL News, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Boston Herald, McGraw Hill, Huffington Post, and many others. He has been a featured education expert for the Orange County Register, writing on diverse topics of college planning and admissions. Additionally, he is a contributor to media outlets throughout the country on current college planning and admissions news topics.

Dr. Haig also hosts a show on Apple iTunes called, “The Ultimate College Admissions Podcast,” with his twin brother, Dr. Brian Haig. The show covers a diverse range of college planning topics and also features many of the top education experts from around the country.

His educational book, “Unlock Your Educational Potential,” has been greatly received in the United States and internationally, and has helped students to succeed in school to their fullest potential. The book won 20 international awards, winning in many of the most prestigious book awards competitions in the country including Disney’s iParenting Media, Pinnacle Book Achievement Award, the National Parenting Center of Approval, Family Review, USA Book News and many others. The book has been endorsed by school principals, college professors, superintendents, Olympic gold medalists, parents, students, mayors, and teachers.

A former lead instructor at Kaplan Education (SAT/ACT, Subject & AP tests), Dr. Haig is passionate about education and making a positive difference in students’ lives. He has researched, developed and implemented curriculums to help students maximize their educational success as well as taught numerous classes on topics including education, career and personal development. Jeff has taught students at both the domestic and international levels.

Dr. Haig is also a college professor where he teaches both business and student success courses on topics including learning strategies, career development, communication, writing, resume development, marketing, and interviewing.

He received his college counseling education from the Harvard Institute on College Admissions at Harvard University, the UCLA College Counseling program, and the Summer Institute from the Independent Educational Consultants Association.

An active member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling, the Higher Education Consultant Association, and the Western Association for College Admission Counseling, Dr. Haig has also sat on the education committee for the Irvine, California Chamber of Commerce.

Aside from helping families in the college planning and admissions process, he produced and directed an educational documentary that was featured both nationally and internationally. His film won 12 international awards, playing in some of the most prestigious film festivals. It was acquired by the Documentary Channel.

Dr. Haig is currently an education consultant, national education contributor, college professor, and 20-time international award-winning author. When he is not in the office, he enjoys spending time with his wife and son. He maintains a healthy and active lifestyle and is an avid traveler, having explored all seven continents.

Dr. Brian Haig is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in neuroscience and graduated at the top of his class. Having earned acceptance to multiple Ivy-League doctorate programs, he then chose to complete his doctorate studies at the world-renowned UCLA.

Dr. Haig received his college counseling education at the UCLA College Counseling Program where he was honored as one of the best, most dynamic, and interesting students in the program. Additionally, he is a Certified High Performance Coach and has trained in high performance strategies under Growth, the world’s leading high performance coaching authority. He also has served on the UCLA Scholarship Admissions Committee for the last ten years as an application reader where he helps review top applicants for UCLA’s prestigious scholarship awards.

Co-author of the 20-time international award-winning book, Unlock Your Educational Potential, Dr. Haig is the recipient of some of the most prestigious book awards in the country including Disney’s iParenting Media Award, Pinnacle Book Achievement Award, the National Parenting Center of Approval Award, Family Review, USA Book News and many others. His book has been endorsed by school principals, college professors, superintendents, Olympic gold medalists, parents, students, mayors, and teachers.

Dr. Haig is passionate about helping students achieve educational success. He has developed courses, programs, and workshops that have helped students get into the college of their choice, and succeed to their fullest potential. His unique interest is to create programs that inspire, motivate, and empower students for educational success.

Aside from being a college planning and admissions expert, Certified High Performance Coach, and 20-time international award-winning educational author, Dr. Haig enjoys spending time with his wife and three young boys, and is an avid health and fitness enthusiast.

Ashley Hannah received her B.A. in Art Practice from Stanford University and is currently an M.F.A. candidate in Photography at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). With a knack for compelling, concise, and authentic storytelling, Ashley gained admission to numerous Ivy League institutions, received competitive grants and awards, and began guiding high school students through the college admissions process in 2017. With an extensive background in computer science and fine art, Ashley masterfully helps students of any interest reach for their dreams.

Ashley has served as a youth mentor at Curious Cardinals and photography instructor at Dougherty Arts Center (Austin, TX). She is currently a Lead Teaching Artist at Venice Arts (Los Angeles, CA) and a Teaching Assistant in the Department of Arts and Architecture at UCLA. Through these roles, she has helped high school and college students craft compelling narratives, prepare portfolios for college admissions, and find (and sustain) intrinsic motivation for long-term projects.

As a college admissions consultant, Ashley has a talent for curating holistic applications that showcase her students’ many strengths. By investing in her students as unique individuals, Ashley helps transform their lived experiences into narratives that are not only enjoyable to read, but also highlight their candidacy, contribution to, and preparedness for institutions of their choice.

When she’s not helping others refine their stories, Ashley is busy creating photographic narratives of her own, hiking California, or attending art exhibitions.

Ryan is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she earned her B.S. in Biology. During her time at UCLA, Ryan graduated at the top of her class in Asian American Studies where she helped develop student programs alongside the department.

Having earned acceptance to multiple Ivy League master’s programs, Ryan chose to pursue her Master of Public Health (MPH) at Dartmouth. There, she became a two-time published lead scientific researcher for her work in Cardiovascular Outcomes for Transgender Patients and Health Outcomes for Ingesting Microplastics.

Because of her top marks at both universities, Ryan became a teaching assistant in rigorous academic courses. At UCLA, she taught undergraduate biology labs; at Dartmouth, she taught multiple classes in the Master of Public Health program.

Ryan is passionate about supporting students in achieving their academic and college success. Her college counseling education is from the University of California, Berkeley, where the most up-to-date information is taught on the college planning and admissions process.

Furthermore, Ryan is an active member of the Western Association for College Admission Counseling. She also serves on the UCLA Scholarship Admissions Committee and Dartmouth’s MPH Admissions Committee as an application reader and interviewer.

During her free time, Ryan volunteers at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach and loves cooking with her family.