The College Admissions Superstar

By Aruna G.

February 11, 2022

As a senior in high school, college applications and admissions are sometimes all-consuming. It goes far beyond just the frenzy of essay writing into my everyday life; everything seems to have a college-colored tint to it. Just a couple of days ago, I was watching Uncharted, a show where Gordon Ramsay adventures across the globe learning to cook authentic native dishes and my first thoughts were: “This guy would have such a great college application,” and “imagine the personal statement this story could make!” 

I definitely do not recommend seeing everyone's lives as college applications. But honestly, it could have been even worse for me without the thoughtful support of our counselor, Brennan Barnard who has worked hard to combat the “transactional” relationship between students and colleges. 

That being said, as I heard his life story, I couldn’t help but put my college tinted glasses back on. He has everything high school seniors have come to know as the “recipe for college admission” — a passion for his work that translates to actual impactful projects, meaningful extracurriculars, and an inspiring plan for the future. Of course, Brennan is past college now, but he really walks the walk when it comes to the advice he gives us college applicants as our counsellor.

Brennan grew up as a self-proclaimed “mama’s boy” on a small farm just outside of Philadelphia. He was quick to explore the world and in early grade school traveled across the country in a boys’ choir, visiting every state except for Alaska and Hawaii. He continued his musical passion throughout middle and high school, performing in the musical theater at his Quaker boarding school and later at Franklin and Marshall where he got his degree in Psychology and Spanish. At the University of Vermont, he started his path as an educator bridging the gaps between students and college admissions, and got his Master's in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration. For over 20 years now, he has dedicated himself to helping students through the college process.

His passion for counseling comes from a deep commitment to helping students express themselves and their accomplishments. His philosophy stems from his conviction that “if you can truly know yourself, you will end up in a place that is right for you.”  

Brennan uses his skill in writing to promote this positive message. Over the past 20 years, he has been a successful college admission journalist, writing for Forbes, the Washington Post, New York Times, and Huffington Post. He’s also the co-author of the book The Truth of College Admissions, a guide for families and students which tries to combat the so-called “beat the game” mentality with something that focuses on making the process purposeful and intentional.

However, Brennan’s work goes beyond just messaging to students and families. He also takes the challenges of their application experience to better the admissions system itself. With Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Making Caring Common Initiative, he works to change communication between colleges and high school students to encourage them to pursue what they really value instead of what they think colleges want. 

It is sometimes difficult to picture our teachers doing anything other than activities directly related to their job in the classroom. So try to picture this: your college counselor, in yellow and neon fire gear, busting through the door with a fire axe. Brennan has been a volunteer firefighter for over 25 years, a rewarding job he says, “is a way to give back to my community and help people… and it keeps me on my toes!” 

And though the job isn’t always glamorous, especially during the dead of winter in New Hampshire, when he has to wade through hip-deep snow, Brennan has found meaning in work helping his community. “It’s a different side of humanity,” he says, “you see some of the pain but also some of the joy and ways that what you're doing supports people and impacts lives.” 

When asked about his plans for the future, Brennan was quick to respond: “I’m going to build a tiny house… and I want to travel!” But most importantly, he wants to keep doing what he’s doing in college counseling at KLHS, and “continue helping students dream.”