Cath Howard has a gift for connecting with teens. Since graduating from UC Berkeley, her life’s work has been in education. Cath was an Outward Bound instructor leading teens on multi-element twenty-one day wilderness trips where students discovered their strength, independence, self-reliance, and compassion for others. Cath also worked with several organizations that focused on introducing students from diverse racial and socioeconomic backgrounds to the outdoors.
As a public school teacher, Cath connected with her students on a personal level as well as inspired them to excel academically. Today Cath has found joy and purpose as a college admissions counselor. In addition to working with Magellan College Counseling, she volunteers as a counselor to first generation students with ScholarMatch and at Truckee High School.
Cath attended Middlebury College for 2 years before transferring to UC Berkeley. She earned her California Teaching Credential from Sierra Nevada College, and her Certificate in College Admissions and Career Planning from UC Berkeley. In addition to her experience as an educator Cath was the founder and executive director of a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and ran a photography business.
Cath lives in Truckee, California which is a rural mountain town in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. Her two boys have found colleges that are perfect fits for each of them. Her oldest son is studying pre-medicine and international relations at UC Davis in the Honors College. Her youngest son is in Oberlin College’s dual degree program, where he will earn a Bachelor of Music in Performance Trumpet from Oberlin Conservatory and a second Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Oberlin College.
Cath believes that the college admissions process is a journey of self reflection, and is especially qualified to help students who are interested in social justice, visual and performing arts, music, biological sciences, and collegiate athletics.
A parent of one of Cath’s students articulated what Cath brings to the college admission experience:
I can’t thank you enough for talking with Ruth about her essays. For the first time, she’s feeling a sense of optimism and excitement about writing about herself. You have provided her space to learn how to write this type of reflective essay in such a safe and caring way. No matter the outcome, I think the entire effort has made her a deeper thinker, a better writer, and a stronger communicator! Your work with her is what has made all the difference.
