Who is College Coach Paul?
I have been in the field of education for 22 years. I have worked in both private and public institutions as an educator. I’ve had the opportunity to work in New Jersey and in Texas, engaging with every grade level from Kindergarten through College.
I earned my Master’s degree in Educational Counseling from Texas Christian University and am a Licensed Professional Counselor. Currently, I am a College and Career Counselor for Keller Independent School District in Fort Worth, Texas.
I’m married with 2 children and reside in Fort Worth, Texas. In my free time, I like to hang out with my wife, children, and friends, learn, read, be outside, travel (to college towns), play disc golf, ski, golf, and hike.
Licensed Professional Counselor (Texas)
Certified Career Services Provider (NCDA)
Texas School Counselor K-12
This journey started with a parent-teacher meeting when I attended middle school. My teachers told me and my parents that I was not a “college-bound” student and that I should look into vocational schools. My parents said that was not an option because their expectation for me was to obtain a college degree. I enrolled at Don Bosco Preparatory High School which is a “college prep” high school in the New York City metro area. Fast forward to senior year—> I had my senior meeting with my guidance counselor and was given a book with tabbed pages for possible colleges for me to attend. These colleges had been chosen based on my current SAT score and class rank.
I chose Manhattan College, a small liberal arts college in the Bronx. After changing my major 3 times, I then transferred to another college, St. Thomas Aquinas College (NY) because I thought it would be a better fit based on some of their majors, like “Sports Management” and “Recreational Therapy.” I completed my degree in 4.5 years.
Upon graduation, I had no career guidance and started getting a bunch of random licenses. NJ Real Estate License, Series 7 & 11, Alternative Teacher Certificate. I also worked a lot of random jobs: substitute teacher, paparazzi, retail sales, bartender, and municipal recreation director. As you can see, I was motivated to make money no matter how, but I was aimless in terms of matching my college degree with a stable job. I started teaching PE full-time and enjoyed the relationships I developed with students outside the conventional classroom.
After a few years of teaching, I decided I wanted to get my master’s degree and wanted to help students in a way that my guidance counselor didn’t, and I wanted to “do college” the right way. Through my research looking for full scholarship opportunities, a Counseling Master’s degree program, and a “good fit,” I moved 1500 miles away from my hometown to become a graduate assistant/academic advisor for Texas Christian University Athletics. After completing my master’s degree and becoming a licensed professional counselor, I became a middle school counselor and then a college and career counselor for Keller Independent School District in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, while also working as a counselor/advisor for Tarrant County College District (2 year Community College).
I have traveled to 47 of the lower 48 states in America. As I have reflected on my travels, my education, my experiences, and my passion to help others, I realized that my favorite towns and cities are mostly “college towns”, and my experience is helping students and parents navigate the post-secondary world of higher education.
College Coach Paul was born!