About
Barbara Bunnell Samples is an Independent Educational Consultant in Victoria, Texas. A native Houstonian, Barbara works with students in the Crossroads area around Victoria and in southwest Houston. She works nationwide with students through Skype® and Facetime®.
After working in education for nearly three decades, Barbara Samples decided to hone her expertise: helping students find their intellectual home. Barbara assists students throughout the entirety of the college admissions process and career planning. Barbara’s passion is to support young people navigating the college process - from the beginning stages through academic advising to graduate school or professional school. Most importantly, she helps students discover their best-fit colleges.
Since 2005 Barbara has helped students from the 8th thru 12th grade with course selection, participation in meaningful activities in school and the community, and with the college application process. Barbara’s experience with curriculum gives her a unique ability to advise students in grades 8th -12th in selecting challenging high school classes. Advanced Placement and Dual Credit courses enhance a college application, and determining which courses to take impacts individual college opportunities. She works with college students desiring to transfer between colleges in the selection of courses that meet their degree requirements.
Barbara can help you and your student research college programs including their admissions criteria, special programs, majors, athletics, housing and student organizations. She is experienced in helping students select and develop ideas for personal statements, essays (plus the revising and editing of essays), and developing a meaningful activities resume. Through her professional organizations, Barbara receives daily updates on trends in college admissions, participates in regular admissions webinars and attends annual professional conferences to keep her knowledge current on developments in university admissions and to network with other college admission professionals.
A graduate of Bellaire High School in Houston, Barbara received her B.S in Education from the University of North Texas, her Masters in Educational Administration and Supervision (M.Ed.) from the University of Houston, and has completed an additional 30 hours of education courses. She is a certified K-8th Grade Mid-Management Administrator (Principal) and Curriculum and Instruction Specialist. In addition, she is a graduate of College Board’s Admission and College Counseling Institute (ACCI).
Barbara is a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), the Texas Association for College Admission Counseling (TACAC), and the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA).
Barbara is the mother of a daughter who graduated from St. Joseph High School in Victoria, Texas and currently attends the University of Arkansas and a son who graduated from Texas State University with a degree in computer information systems. Barbara is a board member of the Golden Crescent Habitat for Humanity. She has served as a Boy Scout leader, Girl Scout leader and on the board of the Parent Teacher Association for her children’s schools. She is currently a board member of the Victoria Area Alumnae Panhellenic Association and has served as board member of the Victoria 100 Club of which she and her husband are Life Members.