Hobsons Acquires College Confidential

Cincinnati (PRWEB) June 4, 2008

Hobsons, a company that aids colleges and universities in elevating their recruitment, enrollment, and retention strategies; has acquired College Confidential, the leading Web community for college-bound students and their parents. Together, Hobsons and College Confidential will bring together an unrivaled set of resources for students and parents from across the country and around the world.

“By combining Hobsons’ and College Confidential’s proven expertise in delivering quality resources, students and parents will have increased access to an expanded set of college information options,” said Craig Heldman, president, Hobsons U.S. “College Confidential is an unparalleled resource to help students select the right educational experience, plan for admissions tests, explore ways to pay for their education, and prepare for the college experience. We are proud to welcome College Confidential into the Hobsons family to expand our single source of end-to-end recruitment and enrollment planning and support.”

College Confidential is a trusted and popular destination on the Web for many college-bound students and their parents to find valuable information from college experts and to interact with each other in the Web’s most popular discussion community related to college admissions. At College Confidential, students and parents from across the country and around the world discuss important topics, including financial aid and scholarships, test preparation, the college admissions experience, study abroad, and more. College Confidential has individual forums for over 400 colleges and universities, and has a popular “college visits” section where members can relate their campus visit experiences.

Professional college counseling services currently provided by College Confidential will now be provided by College Karma, an independent college counseling firm, founded by Dave Berry (former College Confidential director of counseling) and Sally Rubenstone (former College Confidential senior counselor).

The integration of College Confidential and Hobsons will enhance the overall portfolio of college information resources that students and parents have at their fingertips. Institutions will have exciting new channels to assist students and their parents in their college search and admissions process.

“This unique dialogue between student and school will help universities better understand students’ needs so that they can provide a valuable, successful educational experience for all students,” said Heldman. “We seek to offer students and schools greater options for even more extensive resources that only Hobsons can provide.”

“We’re pleased to be able to partner with an innovative company like Hobsons to improve the student experience,” said Roger Dooley, president and co-founder of College Confidential. “College Confidential was founded to be the best source of free college admissions information on the Web, and this combination supports that goal. Our vibrant community will benefit from Hobsons’ 30 years of helping students prepare for college, and from their vast store of institutional data.”

Dooley, architect of the College Confidential site and community, will continue to manage it as the Hobsons U.S. vice president of online community development. “The members and volunteers are what make College Confidential special – I’ve known many of them for years. A key part of bringing the two companies together was that I’d be able to stay involved with the community,” Dooley said.

Terms of the transaction, which was finalized on June 4, 2008, were not disclosed. College Confidential was advised by ClearCreek Partners.

About Hobsons

Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Hobsons U.S. partners with colleges and universities to enhance and empower institutions’ enrollment and admissions efforts. Through domestic, international, and graduate publishing products for students, as well as Web sites and enrollment technology solutions for schools, Hobsons helps colleges and universities to elevate their enrollment strategies efficiently, effectively, and easily. Hobsons U.S. is the North American division of Hobsons Global, which is the leading provider of global education and careers information, services, and research. For more information, please visit http://www.hobsons-us.com.

About College Confidential

College Confidential was established to meet the need for free, accessible college search and admissions information on the Web. From information on Ivy League admissions and college rankings to tips on obtaining financial aid, College Confidential is the best Web resource on college-related topics. The most popular feature at College Confidential is its discussion community, where students and parents come to ask questions, share their knowledge, and find support during the sometimes stressful college admissions process. It is the busiest college admissions community on the Web, with more than a half-million unique visitors each month.

ClearCreek Partners is a boutique investment bank focused on transaction advice and capital raises for emerging and middle-market companies. For more information, please visit http://www.clearcreekpartners.com.

Media Contact:

Sara Snyder/Laura Teeter

Hobsons U.S.

(800) 927-8439

###