About
Who We Are

We are Perkins & Murphy
In 2005, we set out to put our skills and ideas to work, and to help a few families with the complicated endeavor of college admissions. Since then, we have seen hundreds of students achieve admission to the universities of their dreams, and their parents make informed, strategic and confident financial decisions.
What can we do for you?
- Guide you through the maze of the college admissions process.
- Save you time and resources.
- Give you peace of mind.
- Prepare students for the college admissions process in writing and in-person.
- Work with your busy schedule by offering convenient virtual meetings.
- Provide the most options for students and families.
A few reasons to choose Perkins & Murphy
- A proven record of success!
- We pride ourselves on providing personalized service, no matter where you live.
- Our packages are all-inclusive and affordable. Families can be confident that the process is under control and that the student is prepared for each step.
- We reduce the stress of this unfamiliar process by making a plan for each student, based on our years of research and experience.
- We offer comprehensive financial aid guidance and advice.
- We focus on making this experience positive and exciting for students – as it should be!
- Our clients make important decisions based on facts – not anecdotal information and half-truths.
- We help students assertively pursue institutional and private scholarships.
- We open communication and clearly identify expectations between parents and students.
About the founders of Perkins & Murphy

Betsy Perkins
Betsy has worked in the field of college admissions and financial aid for over 20 years. She is a certified school counselor, and she has provided guidance for hundreds of students through the college admissions and financial aid process. Betsy also led financial aid programs at private colleges and public universities before she became an independent consultant. She has served on regional scholarship boards and advised youth development programs in the Connecticut area. Her reputation as a college admissions expert and dedicated educator is well-known to college professionals around the country. Betsy holds a Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Connecticut.

Tim Murphy
As an administrator, educator and consultant, Tim has helped hundreds of individuals from diverse backgrounds achieve educational and professional success. He specializes in communication and development. Partnered with Betsy’s admissions expertise, Tim assists students with preparation of essays, portfolios, interview strategies, and correspondence with athletic coaches. Tim has led successful programs in higher education, employment & training and scholarship development. He has also volunteered with Special Olympics CT for over 20 years. He holds a B.A. in English from Eastern Connecticut State University.
This is why we do what we do...
We both would like to thank you so much for all your incredible time, care, and patience for the past 2+ years! We have NO DOUBT that hiring you two to coach our daughter was the BEST THING EVER. No way would college apps and planning be done without you.
My time with you guys has gone by so fast! But I just wanted to say thank you so, so, so, so much for every bit of guidance, counseling, editing, and talking me through the process. I wouldn’t have had such success and easy journey without you guys.
You both have been amazing to work with and I’m so sad to be finished for now but will definitely keep in touch!
Thank you both for truly lighting the way on this most important journey in our lives. We have all learned so much and felt secure in your capable, knowledgeable hands. Thanks for always giving your all. Go Syracuse!
Thank you so much for all you guys have helped me with over the past few years. I could not have done it without your constant support and guidance.
I wanted to thank you guys for all that you have done to get me to where I am now. It really is incredible that you help out so many students in such an in-depth way, and deal with the uniqueness of each student’s situation. I’m really looking forward to school at the University of Vermont, and I owe you guys all the credit in the world.
With both of us working full time, we wanted to make sure that our inexperience with the college application process didn't affect our son's goals. Perkins and Murphy have far exceeded our expectations. From helping to find schools that matched our son's interests, resume building, essay tutorials, application submittal, scholarship searches, and financial counseling, they have been so knowledgeable and professional! Our son was accepted to his first-choice school! Now, it's our daughter's turn!