Advisors

Natalie Tedards

University of Chicago

Hello! My name is Natalie, and I can’t wait to start working with you! I graduated from the University of Chicago in 2020 with my BA in Comparative Human Development. While at UChicago, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Rome through the Gilman Scholarship, and this upcoming year I will be returning to Italy to teach English on a U.S. Fulbright scholarship! Over the last five years, I have worked in a variety of roles supporting students in the college application process: teaching a 6-week crash course in applying to college to rising seniors in a college-prep program; working in a Chicago high school as a College Advising Corps advisor; and, just this past summer, supporting a UChicago alumnus apply to medical school. Give my history, I have experience advising at all stages of the college application process, and I am particularly well-versed in essay-editing and navigating financial aid. My advising style is focused on building a college list around discovering your personal college “fit” (from academics to community to financial aid) and then bringing your individual story to life in each part of your application. Working together, I hope to answer your questions, create a game plan, and ultimately ease your stress as you move through this exciting process!

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Nora Blake

New York University

College Access Advisor with five years of experience as an advisor, two years as a prospective student, and endless years as a student navigating higher education! Feel free to send me a message and set up a time to check in on Zoom. I can't wait to help you on your college admissions journey!

Ryan Afreen

University of Pennsylvania

I am an aspiring physician, educator, and social entrepreneur, interested in the intersection of medicine, business, and education. A rising junior at UPenn and an independent researcher, completing my BA in Neuroscience before matriculating at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. I have cumulative years of experience in education consulting, helping students navigate their passion and highlight their uniqueness on paper. The college application process can be a fun, daunting, and challenging experience. As a college advisor, I ensure that every student feels welcomed, included, and has a success story to this rigorous journey.

Jessika Baral

Washington University in St. Louis

Jessika is a first year medical student at Harvard Medical School. She graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in 2021 with a degree in Biology and Double Minors in Computer Science and Math. She loves mentoring students and looks forward to helping them pursue their passions both in academia and outside of it! Her interests include dance, mental health counseling, computer science, and painting.

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Ka’Rin Long

University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill

Hello all, I am entering my 4th of year of working as a college advisor. I love building relationships with students and making their dreams come true. I was a Sports Admin major in college but soon after graduation I fell in love with this line of work. I believe in each of you.

Shannon Kennedy

Penn State University

After 7+ years at Northwestern University in admissions, I wanted to more directly help students apply to college. With experience at University of Illinois at Chicago and Illinois Institute of Technology in addition to NU, I started counseling students in 2016. I have advised dozens of students individually and as a high school college counselor. My advisees have matriculated at the most selective institutions and a wide range of colleges across the country and internationally. I live in the Chicago area and enjoy encouraging houseplants to flourish almost as much as I enjoy working with high schoolers poised to change the world!

Sophie Norton

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Hi there! My name is Sophie Norton and I am a 3-year veteran of the college admissions advising and editing process. I graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in Political Science in 2017, so I love discussing and dissecting the argument, context, and purpose behind each essay I craft with a student. I am a lifetime Chicagoan, which makes me particularly attuned to the pressures and needs that affect urban students during this exciting and formative process. Besides working as a tutor and college counselor, I have worked in the fashion, non-profit, and ice-cream-shop worlds. I'm so excited to work together and see what we can create!

Stephen Irving

Yale University

I graduated from Yale in 2019 with a degree in Psychology am passionate about education. After graduating, I worked in both renewables and education before going back to school to pursue a Master of Management at Duke University. I specialize in writing and helping students create a consistent and coherent narrative to effectively share their story through their application.

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Suzanne Saco

Boston University

Hey there! My name is Sue and I have been in the higher ed realm for almost 5 years now. I received my undergrad dual degree from Boston University, majoring in International Relations and Sculpture. I am currently working on an MS in Data Analytics and Policy from Johns Hopkins University. During the day I work as an Enrollment Manager for the Johns Hopkins Advanced Academic Programs in Washington, DC. In my spare time I go to museums and train my 3 month old dachshund puppy, Papaya, to be a good girl.

Theodore Longlois

Harvard

Hi, y'all! I grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas and graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College. At Harvard, I majored in Folklore and Mythology with a minor in Spanish and Global Health and Health Policy. I was president of Response Peer Counseling, vice president of Harvard College Debate Union, and treasurer of Advocating Success for Kids. I was also a supervisor at Harvard Square Summer Homeless Shelter. I have ten years of experience as a teacher and tutor, including serving as a peer tutor and library educator at Harvard. After graduation, I taught high school debate and was a college advisor with Impact America, an AmeriCorps program. I also taught debate for Smith College. I then went on to teach debate at Success Academy Harlem North Central Middle School, one of New York City's top charter schools. I am currently a rape crisis advocate in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and am a member of the ACLU of Alabama's Smart Justice Organizing School. In my free time, I volunteer as a mentor with Trans Mentor Project, work on mutual aid projects across Alabama, and go hiking.

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Trinith Radhakrishnan

University of California – Los Angeles

I graduated with a Bachelor of Science Neuroscience from UCLA with a focus on pre-medical sciences. During my time at UCLA, I have been extensively involved in clinical research, leadership, and mentorship. As your advisor, I can help you navigate through your extracurricular activities, write compelling college essays, and craft a unique and cohesive application in order to get into top universities. I am particularly apt at working with students who are on the pre-med track.

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Wendy Muskat

Case Western Reserve University

I am an experienced college advisor and retired history and economics teacher. Working with students to further their education is a passion of mine; my goal is to help make you a confident successful applicant.

Kevin Kim

Northwestern University

Hi everyone! My name's Kevin, and I plan on double majoring in political science and economics at Northwestern University. Even without super unique extracurriculars or experiences (finding the cure to cancer or starting a million dollar business at the age of two), I know that each applicant has the potential to present a unique story to the admission officers! As your advisor, I will work to help highlight the unique parts of your application in your essays. I'm excited to share the tips and tricks of the college process that I learned while applying for colleges and advising other students. I can't wait to help make these polar opposite terms (fun and the college process) seem like synonyms :)

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Gabriel Hall

Vanderbilt University

Thank you for visiting my profile! My name is Gabriel, please feel free to call me Gabe, and I'm an Senior Advisor at CollegeAdvisor.com. I hold a B.A. in Human and Organizational Development from Vanderbilt University and my M.S in School Counseling and Guidance from New York University. I also hold my M.B.A from Stratford University. I truly look forward to working with you every step of the way and navigating you through this amazing, yet time sensitive journey. Key Roles: SAT Testing Administrator at College Board; Director of College and Career Readiness Program in Virginia. Expertise in the following areas: college admissions and financial aid process, college applications, FASFA and CSS Profile submission, academic and career counseling, transcript review, NCAA Clearinghouse ,college major exploration, transfer, academic resume creation and cover letter creation, interview preparation and much more! I absolutely love assisting student's and families navigate the college admissions process and can't wait to work with you!

Dovie Siaway

University of California – Berkeley

Hi everyone! My name is Dovie! I'm originally from Alabama but I grew up in the Bay Area. I graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 2017 with a Bachelors of Arts Degree in American Studies with an emphasis in Education. (Go Bears!) While at Cal, I served as the Assistant Director of Recruitment for the Black Recruitment and Retention Center and joined Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. I have worked in education for over 10 years from tutoring/advising jobs to recruitment work for Cal to managing an Education & Careers department at a nonprofit. I love advising high school students and what I've learned over the years is that there are many pathways for students to achieve their academic goals. As an advisor, I enjoy helping students paint the full picture of themselves through their essays and assisting with career/major exploration. In my every day life I enjoy listening to music, watching movies, and reading. My latest read was "All About Love" by bell hooks which I highly recommend! I look forward to working with you to achieve your college goals!

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Diamond Williams

Vanderbilt University

Hi there! My name is Diamond, and I am a 2020 graduate of Vanderbilt University. During my time at Vanderbilt, I double majored in Biochemistry and Spanish. After completing my bachelor’s degree, I decided to pursue a master’s degree in the Medical Sciences at the University of South Florida. I look forward to working with you and helping you through the application process!

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Crystal Aguero-Norman

Wake Forest University

Hello everyone! Wake Forest University is my alma mater which is where I received both my BS and MA degrees. During my time there, I was a student ambassador for the Office of Admissions. There I was able to gain invaluable experience guiding and interacting with many prospective students over the years. Additionally, I provided mentorship to several undergrads seeking to pursue both medical and graduate schools. I was born, raised, and attended school in North Carolina; however, having new experiences and visiting new places is still a priority. It has been my good fortune to have traveled to different countries and immersed myself in various cultures. These experiences expanded my understanding of the world and the perspective of the humans who inhabit it. I hope to share that experience with others.

Corbin Chu

Williams College

College advisor with 10 years of experience supporting students from all walks of life pursuing top US universities and liberal arts colleges in various subjects, especially STEM, business, and undecided majors.

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Claire Babbs

University of Texas – Austin

Claire has over eight years of experience as an educator and college/school counselor. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin, as well as a Master's of Education (M.Ed) in Educational Psychology with a dual concentration in Higher Education and Student Affairs and School Counseling from the University of Texas at Austin. She is committed to working with adolescents and young adults in a collaborative and professional manner that fosters personal growth and academic success in both secondary and post-secondary institutions. In her spare time, Claire enjoys working out, reading Larry McMurtry novels, and spending time with her family and 4 dogs.

Cedric Jones

University of California – Berkeley

My love for college advising began at UC Berkeley where I studied Landscape Architecture and also was the Executive Director of a recruitment and retention center in partnership with Cal's Office of Admissions. Over the last 7 years, I've served in the capacity of a STEM Teacher and Principal, supporting hundreds of students with their college applications through High School & College Options programming of which I have instituted at multiple school sites in the San Francisco Bay Area. I look forward to aiding youth in their pursuits of higher education!

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Beatriz Perez

University of California – Los Angeles

Experienced Professional in education and youth development. Beatriz has over 3 years of experience working with marginalized youth primarily in Southern California focusing on leadership development, college readiness, financial empowerment, and civic education. She previously worked as academic advisors for UCR's Upward Bound Program and UCLA's Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP) to support students in their academic journey towards higher education through one-on-one academic advising, workshops, and personal development. As a HOPE alumnae, she is now the organization's Youth Programs Coordinator where she supports managing two youth development programs through advocacy, leadership, and education. When Beatriz is not working, she is managing Amor al Pueblo, a community foundation she and her mother co-founded to provide monthly food pantries to families in need in Culican, Sinaloa. She is passionate about supporting future world leaders, education, and equality for marginalized communities.

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