Jill Harper

Founder and Consultant Muse
Jill Harper
FOUNDER & CONSULTANT MUSE

                      giftedness and 2E expert                       disability rights advocate
access to education for all
financial aid guru

BIO

Jill Harper is an educational consultant and a homeschool expert passionate about educational choice and finding a path that works for each student. She has been homeschooling her own children since 2003 and has been an advocate in the homeschooling community for years. She was a founding member of SEA Homeschoolers, a national support group for secular homeschoolers, and has been blogging for years at TAD Town.

Jill began breaking away from the educational norm and deciding her own path when she took the California High School Proficiency Exam at age 16 and enrolled in community college. She went on to the University of California, Santa Barbara, and graduated with honors with a B.A. in film studies. She completed the multi-subject credentialing program at National University.

Jill is well-versed in all things related to homeschooling, including the various curriculum choices and homeschool styles. She is an expert in homeschooling gifted students, twice-exceptional students, and students with disabilities, including both learning and physical.

Jill has extensive knowledge in helping homeschool families navigate the college application process. She has been counseling parents and students since 2016. Over the years, she has become very familiar with all areas of the college application process. She especially enjoys working with families to make sure their homeschooler's unique story is presented to the colleges and universities they apply to.

Jill has experience working on transcripts and course descriptions specifically for homeschoolers. She has experience guiding families through the financial aid process, including the FAFSA, the CSS Profile, and the CalGrant. She is very familiar with different college applications, including the Common App, the UC application, The Coalition App, and for low-income, high achieving students, the QuestBridge Application.

Jill has completed the Independent Educational Consultants Association Summer Training Institute and is a member of the Potomac & Chesapeake Association for College Admission Counseling. In addition, she has completed the financial aid certification program from SCOIR.

Outside of Simplify, Jill teaches on Outschool. She loves to lead book clubs for homeschoolers and has been doing so for over ten years. She is also an educational consultant for Global Learning Labs providing support for an upcoming global educational platform.

Jill has been through the college application process with all three of her children. She currently lives in Virginia with her youngest son and her much-loved dog Kingsley.

I was so overwhelmed with the college process. I was unsure how to approach it as a homeschooler and was in need of help. My teenager was also in need of guidance. Working with Jill was such a wonderful experience for both of us. We are so happy that we found her and thankful for all she was able to accomplish for us.

a homeschooling parent in Southern California