College Match Guru Jeff Sibner

INTERVIEW WITH JEFF SIBNER

Jeff Sibner graduated from Penn State University with a degree in economics and trained at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. He opened a dental practice in Bucks County in 1988, where he worked until his retirement in 2023. In addition, Sibner was an educator for more than 40 years and developed education programs for high-school-aged students. He founded College Match Guru in 2014. Here, he discusses how his education consulting business can help local teens and their families.

Why did you start College Match Guru?

I never intended to be an education consultant; it just turned out to be the best fit of several ideas I had after going through the college process with two very different kids of my own. I thought that I could use my experience to help people with the confusing process of how to finance college, but it can be tough to run a business when clients are reluctant to share financial information with someone local. I realized rather than trying to work with neighbors on financial aid forms, I could work with teenagers, which allowed me to draw from my 45 years of teaching experience at Penn Dental. It’s so fun to work with students as they mature from teenage children into college students.

What are the benefits of using an independent education consultant?

My slogan says it pretty concisely: Less Stress, Less Time, Better Choices.

Most of my clients enroll in a comprehensive program that allows me to help students and their families in all aspects of the college process: selecting a major, interview coaching, summer programs, applications and essays, financial aid education—anything the student needs to find the best school for them.

Some families come into the process late or only want help in certain areas. For them, I offer a range of shorter programs that are less expensive. These run from five- and 10-hour blocks of time to college-list creation and transfer programs. I also offer a stand-alone, 90-minute seminar on how to successfully find and apply for scholarships. I’ve also helped families with complicated financial situations figure out the best way to allocate their resources to maximize financial aid.

When should high-school families contact you?

Most families need to contact me when their child is a high-school junior. The earlier in the year, the better, especially if they want to fund IRAs, 529 savings accounts, or other qualified retirement programs. FAFSA [the Free Application for Federal Student Aid] works on prior-year tax data, so the year it targets starts in January of their child’s junior year. Also, I have time to help students choose their junior and senior year class schedules and summer programs if I start working with them early enough. I know what school districts in Bucks County offer academically, such as AP and honors courses, and which clubs or sports are the best in each district.

What should families expect throughout the process?

College Match Guru crafts school lists that are ideally matched to each student, and there are several components to finding the right matches. In some ways, building a list like building a three-legged stool, with each leg essential for proper balance and comfort. The first leg is academics: We want students to be challenged and able to perform to the best of their abilities. The second leg is location and the social environment. Affordability is the final leg.

College Match Guru builds lists of value schools—schools that offer great educational opportunities at reasonable prices. This process doesn’t just consider the published cost of attendance but focuses on the net price, after grants and aid, that a student will pay to attend each school.

At the same time, I help students find and apply for outside scholarships, teaching them what scholarship committees are looking for as they review their applications. Most of the scholarships on my list are local and much easier to win than the big, nationally run ones.

How important is a college essay?

The personal statement is one of the major components of College Match Guru’s comprehensive plan, and it’s so important that some families hire College Match Guru just for the college essay. My goal is to help students write the best, most compelling essay they are capable of writing. It’s hard work, and I’m thrilled when I read the final draft of an essay and feel the student has expressed themself well.

How does it make you feel when a client receives their college acceptance?

While it’s super exciting to hear from students who get into the top school on their list, I get the most satisfaction hearing from students who tell me just how great their college is after they’ve been there for a few months, and from students who can’t wait to tell me about their first job after college and how their college prepared them for that job.

What is your favorite thing to do in Upper Makefield Township?

I love Upper Makefield’s open spaces. I hike (often with my beagle, Ginger), ride my bike along the tow path, or canoe on the Delaware River with friends. My wife and I enjoy dining at restaurants from New Hope to Washington Crossing.