-College applications are complicated, with many deadlines and moving parts. Often, my students need to complete three or more different applications, usually including the Common Application, the UC Application, and other state or private school applications. In addition to filling in basic information, they need to complete essays for each college, write activity descriptions, request letters of recommendation, send in transcripts, send in standardized test scores… and I’m just getting started. I organize this process for you.

- From the moment we start working together, I provide structure. Once you have a finalized college list, we work together to create a schedule with regular deadlines to make sure that all your tasks are completed in a timely way to minimize stress and ensure your applications are submitted well before the deadline.

-Some tasks can get a little overwhelming, like essays that need to go through multiple revisions, or organizing all your extracurricular activities to best show off your accomplishments in high school. I break down every aspect of the college application process into a series of manageable steps.

-I offer an outside, expert perspective throughout the college admissions process. Traditionally, this has been a role filled by high school counselors. Your high school counselor is still a very important and valuable resource, but often they are simply too busy supporting a large number of students to provide personal attention for all elements of your application.

-As an expert coming in from outside your family and social circle, I am able to objectively assess your background, experiences, and accomplishments, and help you build an application strategy that presents you at the best possible advantage to maximize your chances of being admitted to your preferred colleges.

-As an experienced counselor I can help you discover new and unexpected options and possibilities: new extracurriculars and opportunities to pursue your interests, new colleges and majors, new approaches to writing essays, new ways to show off your accomplishments on applications.

-From the time I graduated from high school until I started working full-time as a college counselor, my life has been closely tied to higher education. I have the experiences of being an undergraduate student, a graduate student, a teaching assistant, an instructor, an administrator, and a student research coordinator at very different universities. These roles have given me a unique perspective on the college experience itself and how it differs between institutions, which informs the recommendations I make to students.

-High school and college admissions can be very stressful. Teenagers are put under increasing pressure to balance advanced courses with time-consuming extracurriculars. While I encourage students to challenge themselves, I also recognize that their physical and emotional well-being will form the core of their future success, and can advise on maintaining a balanced lifestyle while working towards your dreams and goals.

-As someone outside the family, I can help diffuse disagreements or tensions by providing objective input and support. Parents can be relieved the anxiety of worrying about whether their kids are finishing their applications, and students often feel more comfortable talking about college, applications, and essays in a counseling space.

-During the college application process, I am someone you can talk to for reassurance. Many of my students worry about whether they are completing their applications correctly, applying to the right colleges, and writing effective essays. Sometimes, they get overwhelmed by the pressure to “get into a good college” that they perceive from their families, peers, and society in general–and perhaps most difficult of all, from within themselves. I have been through this myself, and talk students through this stress every year. You don’t have to do it alone!