About us

Photo: Grand Traverse Bay, Traverse City, Michigan

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Michigan College Planning

Michigan College Planning is located in Traverse City, Michigan - but we can help families across the country. Our services include financial and academic support to a growing number of families. We provide each family with personalized service for their individual college and career goals. Due to our individualized approach, our students attend a variety of colleges from public to private throughout Michigan and the entire United States, as well as several other countries.
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We have helped hundreds of families through the college admissions and financial aid process. Our dedication, years of experience and support of counterparts throughout the country have helped us assist our families to achieve their goals. We continue to provide up-to-date information for students and families as they transition to college and beyond. We are committed to reducing the confusion, stress and over-whelming anxiety associated with college planning. Plus, our families receive professional advice and not just piecemeal counsel from friends or flawed online advice.

​Our relationship with our families is generally both long in nature and broad in scope,  continuing long after the youngest of their children has finished college.  

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Vicki L. Beam

Vicki,  the founder of Michigan College Planning,  has been married to Jim for more than 21 years, and helped raise his 2 grown children, John and Magan, who are busy establishing their careers in the St. Clair Shores, Michigan and Temperance, Ohio area. She has survived the college planning process! Vicki and Jim, a heating and cooling specialist at GeoFurnace Heating and Cooling in Traverse City, enjoy spending time with their Black Lab, Shelby and German Shorthaired Pointer, Gunnar. When not working or spending time with family, friends and the dogs you can find Jim and Vicki riding their Harleys as often as possible. They have enjoyed many trips to Sturgis, SD, the Kentucky and Tennessee area and Bar Harbor, Maine - while a trip to Alaska remains on their Life List. They have called Traverse City home after relocating here over 18 years ago - and enjoy entertaining family and friends that often visit. Vicki attended University of Michigan and Russell Sage College and has a BS in Computer Science and Management.

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Summer Hency

​As a lifelong resident of the Traverse City area, Summer comes to us with 10 years of experience helping clients in the Financial Services Industry. She enjoys spending time outdoors with her fiance Steve and their 3 boys,  Josh, Kaden, and Jax - who range from taking their first steps to entering college.  She is our main point of contact for scheduling and knowing or obtaining the answers for clients. Her talent for finding and eliminating inefficiencies, formulating processes, and streamlining workflows has helped many organizations be much more efficient. Summer holds our team accountable and ensures clients receive great service.

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​Jeane Peltola

Jeane Peltola is a former high school counselor, recently retired from TCAPS after 20 years.  She has more than 30 years of experience in the field of education as a adjunct college instructor, teacher, special educator and program director.  Traverse City has been home for over 30 years where she has raised two sons,  Steffan and Quentin.  Both college graduates, she has personal experience in college planning.  They are now gainfully employed and enjoying life in metro Detroit and Traverse City.  As a former high school counselor, Jeane understands the demands of having an overwhelming caseload of students.  Jeane is fortunately now in a position to dig deeper into assisting students with Career and College Planning.  Jeane is married to James who builds golf courses.  Together they enjoy traveling, hiking, camping and our beautiful Grand Traverse region.  Jeane was honored to receive in June of 2016, the Traverse Bay Area Outstanding Educator Award and is a former Zonta Woman of the Year recipient (2004),  for her work with at risk students.