Ariel Ahlers, MA

Hello there! My name is Ariel Ahlers, and I am the heart behind Ledge Advising. With an undergraduate degree in career and life planning and a master’s degree in higher education, my life passion is helping others navigate tough transition periods (specifically, college). I have been excited about college and career counseling since undergrad when I started my first career column in my college newspaper, The Working Wildcat.

As a first-generation student (the first in my family to attend), I know how scary and overwhelming the process can be. My goal is to help you navigate it with ease, make educated decisions that make personal and financial sense for you, and remove as much stress as possible from this journey so you can actually ENJOY high school.

I have blended experience working in career services and advising, serving as a college advisor in K-12 and teaching career planning at both the university and high school levels. I have an MA in Education with an emphasis in Higher Education and a BA in Social Science with an emphasis in Career & Life Planning. Additionally, I am Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and Strong Interest Inventory (SII)-certified. Lastly, I am a member of the IECA, which means I am a professional with “…proven expertise, is fully vetted, and demonstrates the highest standards in education, training, ethics, and experience.”

I am always learning and researching to stay up to date on the latest in admissions and financial aid. I frequently attend conferences, trainings, webinars, visit colleges and attend college fairs often, doing all the research leg work so you don’t have to.

I look forward to learning about your unique goals and helping to support you along this exciting transition!