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What is “inquiry based” College coaching?

Inquiry is a teaching method that uses strategic questions to help people better understand who they are, how they define success, and how to align their actions with their core values. Drawing upon my experience as a university professor, school principal, and inquiry-based practitioner, I use inquiry methods to guide students as they prepare for college, all while developing skills that will sustain them for life.

About Kimberly

Kimberly is a respected global leader in inquiry-based instruction. She is the Founder of Inquiry Partners, author of Experience Inquiry, and a sought-after keynote speaker and coach to students, schools, and school leaders around the world. This is her eighth year coaching students with college applications.

In her over 30 years in education, she’s held a variety of roles. She was a popular professor at the University of Washington's College of Education, a Senior Program Officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation leading education strategy grants in several U.S. states, and Director of Partner Engagement for Teach For All in Buenos Aires, Argentina. 

Kimberly was also a Vice Principal at Chief Sealth International (IB) HS in Seattle, WA and Elementary Principal at American Community School in Athens, Greece, where she successfully launched the International Baccalaureate (IB) PYP program in 1998. Kimberly started her career with Teach for America (TFA) in 1991 as a corps member in Compton, CA. After TFA, she continued teaching in Compton before moving to Colegio Americano in Quito, Ecuador and Hollenbeck Middle School in East Los Angeles where she also trained for and ran marathons with her students.

Kimberly is the past Chair of the International Baccalaureate Americas Regional Council and an Honorary Chair of the Ambassadors Board at the University of Washington College of Education. She holds a BA from Skidmore College in History and Philosophy and an MA from Stanford University in Administration and Policy Analysis.

She is a member of the National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC), the Pacific Northwest Association for College Admissions Counseling (PNACAC), Associate Member of Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), and Seattle Area College Consultants (SACC). She was selected to teach the College Readiness Workshop for Summer Springboard students at the University of Washington in 2025.

how i got started in college coaching…

Like many Independent Education Consultants, I started college coaching with my own daughter and her two friends in 2018. We met every weekend at a local café and engaged in reflective writing, active research, and some happy soul-searching. In between these meetings, I offered feedback on their essays, asked a lot questions, helped them manage disappointment and successfully navigate decisions. It was this experience that made me realize that the very inquiry strategies I use in teaching were a perfect match for college coaching.

While all three of their high schools provided some kind of college counseling, I noticed a paucity of deep conversations about who they are as students and people, a lack of understanding about the many colleges (hidden gems) and non-college options (gap years, internships, research fellowships) available to them, as well as a missed opportunity to strengthen some of the most important “adulting” skills needed in college and beyond, like self-advocacy, effective networking, time management, stress management, prioritization, efficient writing, and self-love.

My own post-secondary journey

I remember as a high school junior sitting with Bruce Bailey, a respected college counselor and cherished family friend from the Lakeside School in Seattle, talking about my dreams for the future. It was such a rare event to encounter an adult truly curious about my vision for the future. Even with two parents who attended college, I felt lost. I only knew the places where my friends attended college, or from the glossy brochures that came through the mail. Everyone’s choices felt very random, superficial, and uniformed.

I needed someone in my life who could start fresh with me; someone who could see me for who I was at that moment in my life. The focused attention on my future from someone who was not my mom or dad made an enormous impact on my life. I am forever grateful for this opportunity.

Now I see what a difference thoughtful college coaching makes. Students who followed a path that may have been right for their friends or expected by their family, but not the best fit for them, often miss out on the transformational experiences we hope they have at this time in their lives. It doesn’t have to be this way. The process of choosing a college and applying should not be the stressful, anxiety-producing experience it’s become either. Every student should feel excited and confident about their next steps. This is the ultimate goal of my practice. Come walk with me!