About

Karen S. Smith founded Personalized College Choice in 2010 because she knows how important the right secondary education is for every individual. Her goal is to enable students to find the best college match. As a former teacher she knows the value of a strong education after the K-12 years. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree and Teaching Credential from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo; a Master of Arts degree in Education from Cal State Northridge and a Master of Science degree in Educational Administration from Pepperdine University. Karen received her Independent Educational Consultant Certificate from UC Irvine Extension. Karen is an Associate Member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), a member of the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA), and a member of the Western Association for College Admission Counseling (WACAC). She adheres to the ethical standards of these professional associations. Karen has been and continues to be actively involved in a leadership capacity as an educator and as a business owner. She is an active member of the Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce and member of the Synergy networking group. She is a member and Education Director of the National Association of Women Business Owners Ventura County (NAWBOVC). She is a member and previous board member of her local chapter of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) where she chaired and was a member of the Scholarship Committee for several years.