Advisors

As a Bill and Melinda Gates Millennium Scholar and Columbia's Arthur Zankel Fellow, I am a successful first-generation college and master's graduate raised in the Philippines & Alaska. I am currently based in Washington, DC after completing my master's in sociology and education policy from Columbia University (2022). I graduated with my BA in Political Economy and Sociology from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington (2019). Since 2015, I have experience as an educator and a writing/narrative coach where I have been mentoring high school students in college, scholarships, summer fellowships, and job applications from Alaska, Washington, and New York City. I also have 3 years of experience as a scholarship reader with the APIA Scholarships. Some of the students I have worked with have gone on to pursue a bachelor's degree at Cornell University, University of Pennsylvania, a master's degree in Taxation at USC, and a medical degree at the University of Washington. As an academic, college, fellowships, and scholarship advisor, some of my students are majoring in Biology, Chemistry, Kinesiology, Hotel and Restaurant Management, Business Taxation, Public Health, Political Science, Arts and Humanities, and Business. Students I've worked with have won the Taco Bell Liv Mas Scholarship, Coca-Cola Scholarship, McNair Scholars, and APIA Scholars. With over 7 years of experience in higher education, I am deeply committed to supporting you with compassion and kindness as you explore your pathway out into the world and make your dreams a reality. As an immigrant myself, I value the skills and lived experiences that come with the struggles and triumphs of first-generation college-bound immigrant scholars in finding and applying to value and purpose-driven college fit. I will be there every step of the way as we dedicate our time, energy, writing juices, and laughter to reach your dreams. At the core, I want you (your body, mind, and soul) to enjoy the process of putting your ideas into a compelling narrative and connect with yourself and the schools that will be lucky to learn about you and be part of your growth as a future leader of our society.

I am a current senior at Dartmouth College and will be graduating in June of 2024 with a B.S. in Neuroscience and a double minor in Global Health in Anthropology and Human Biology in the pre-medical track. I am also a proud QuestBridge Scholar and Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar, both amazing programs that have guided, supported, and funded my undergraduate experience. In addition, in July of 2024, I will be starting medical school at Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth as an early assurance MD candidate. Consequently, I have plenty of tips and hidden knowledge to share with anybody interested in these highly selective programs and scholarships, as well as the pre-health track, and would love to connect with anybody interested in exploring these opportunities and/or paths! In terms of my advising and mentorship experience, I began tutoring for regular subjects in early high school and later, during the latter half of my junior year, I tutored for the ACT and SAT. Today, I continue this work, but have also been working as a college counselor since June of 2020. Through my 5+ years of experience, I have learned to form close connections with my students as a student myself, meeting them where they are while guiding and supporting them through their college-preparation and application processes. In the past 3 years, I have worked with over 15 students in their college application process, all of which have received at least 3 college acceptances and most of which have been accepted into some of the most competitive colleges and universities in the country. While some of these students have been interested in the pre-health track, I have also worked with various students interested in law, engineering, computer science, humanities, performing arts, aviation, finance, business and entrepreneurship, and psychology. This has offered me the opportunity to become familiar with different colleges that have specialized programs as well as unique scholarships that students interested in certain academic areas can take advantage of! With my years of experience in the field in addition to my personal successes, I am knowledgeable of the curricular demands and extracurricular expectations of various disciplines. Furthermore, I have also had the privilege of working with 2 international students! Working with them helped me grasp the perspective of applying to college in the US as an international student, considering the financial, academic, lingual, and sociocultural challenges that come with being a foreigner. All in all, I am extremely passionate about mentoring and advising students who are going through what can be a very overwhelming and challenging process. I love listening to stories, asking inquisitive questions, giving constructive feedback, and forming close relationships with those I work with. Working hand in hand with both the students and their families, I hope to serve as a good resource that can answer questions, settle uncertainties, and find solutions. With these and the many more tools I have put under my belt, I help students figure out how to best express their goals based on their interests, talents, and values and guide them in effectively sharing their story - their who and why - to curate a wholesome and impressive application.

Hi all! I'm proud to announce that I am a Neuroscience PhD Student at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Over the last several years I have gone through the college admissions process three times. I received a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience (2020) and a Master of Science in Chemical Biology, where I graduated Summa Cum Laude (2022). Both degrees I received from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. While I am most familiar with the University of Michigan and their admissions I have been accepted to other top universities and have guided fellow students in their admissions process as well. I pride myself on taking a transparent approach to admissions and equipping students with the tools they need to succeed. This means highlighting their individuality and accomplishments to admissions faculty. As an aside, I am a non-traditional student, a military spouse, and Federal Pell Grant recipient. As a former pre-med student, I have completed the required coursework, extracurricular activities, and essay preparation needed to be accepted and succeed at a top 50 university. I have expertise in volunteering, research, and employment in the STEM field. Additionally, many of the students I have advised are from underserved populations in science. Over the last two years I've taught as a Graduate Student Instructor for a neuroanatomy course and an upper-level molecular biology lab. As an educator and mentor, I continuously look forward to deepening these skills and meeting the needs of students. Supporting students in the pursuit of their dreams is truly my passion and I aim to provide ample resources and essay preparation. During my undergraduate career I had the privilege of tutoring peers in cellular, molecular, and developmental biology as well as animal physiology. Through diversity, equity, and inclusion training I've worked with the Science Learning Center and the Office of Academic and Multicultural Initiative to provide tutoring and advising support to a variety of student demographics. At the same time, I served as Coordinator for the Office of Enrollment Management's Student Advisory Board. This office encompasses the sectors of Financial Aid, Admissions, Registrar, and New Student Programs. Additionally, I have direct experience mentoring first-generation and non-traditional students. As a Kessler Presidential Scholar, I have direct knowledge of first-generation scholarship programs and financial aid. Furthermore, I have experience navigating need-based as well as merit-based support systems. This list is comprised of all the extracurricular activities I engaged in during my time in college. Some directly related to mentoring/advising and some not. However, the college application process is holistic and navigating studies while growing your personal and career interests is essential to a successful and rewarding life. I am happy to discuss any of these extracurricular activities, how to pursue them, and the importance of having a broad range of experiences throughout your high school and college journey!

• Undergraduate Researcher (2018) to Summer Fellow (2019) to Graduate Student Researcher (2021) to full-time Laboratory Technician (2022) to Neuroscience PhD Student, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor (2023)
• Coordinator for the Office of Enrollment Management Student Advisory Board
• Graduate Student Instructor for Neuroscience 470: Neuroanatomy and MCDB 429: Upper-level cellular and molecular biology lab course
• Course facilitator for ALA 171: Making the Most of Michigan
• Tutor for cellular, molecular and developmental biology and animal physiology at UM's Science Learning Center. Awarded Tutor of the Year, Biology (2020).
• Tutor and Peer Mentor in the Office of Academic and Multicultural Initiatives (OAMI) at UM
• Hospital Eldery Life Program (HELP) volunteer and Team Lead
• Student Government chair of the Subcommittee on Technology, Advising, and Academic Resources (STAAR)
• Kessler Presidential Scholar, program peer mentor, and community service representative
• Ginsberg Social Justice Cord recipient and student advisory board grants committee representative
• Doors of Opportunity Secretary
• America Reads Tutoring Corps
• Barger Leadership Institute Fellow
• Founding member of the Omicron Pi chapter of Alpha Omicron Pi

Hello! My name is Conrad. I am a lifelong learner and come from a family of educators. My parents always emphasized the importance of a balanced learning approach. As a result, I place a large focus on fundamentals and motivational coaching with my students. I have my B.S and M.S in Materials Science and Engineering from Stanford University. During undergraduate and graduate school, I acquired multiple teaching assistantships in the engineering and psychology departments for a total of 5 years. I am also trained in non-violent communication. Since graduating in 2017 I have taught engineering workshops for students across the Los Angeles area with the Two Bit Circus Foundation and served as a professional tutor and advisor at A1 College Prep. My primary objective with students is to cast the light that allows them to shine. Telling a student's story in a way that is authentic to them is very important to me, and what I believe to be a core feature of any strong application. This process involves developing a holistic profile showing not just how far students have come, but how far they dream to go. It also means applying the most modern approaches to the college admissions process available, with emphasis on rapidly growing data and analysis. I value our young minds and am excited to work with you to reach your goals! I graduated with a degree in engineering, which required me to take advanced courses in math and sciences. I have also worked in a professional capacity as an engineer at several companies where I was accountable for STEM competencies. Companies include but are not limited to Texas Instruments, Amazon Lab126, and Sensel Technologies. I look forward to learning your needs and developing a custom system that will work for you. Together we will strive for excellence.

For three years, I coordinated two college access programs (i.e., I AM and SummerTIME) that focused on increasing college access among low-income L.A. Unified high school students by providing them tools and knowledge to ease their transition to college life. I have conducted research on digital interventions in high school and postsecondary settings, program evaluation of college access programs, and how skateboarders experience mental health and community. Prior to overseeing the college access programs, I served as the college advisor at Bell High School through the USC College Advising Corps where I supported the senior class of 670 students to successfully enroll in two- and four-year colleges by applying to college and for financial aid. I received both a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Southern California and a Master’s degree in Postsecondary Administration and Student Affairs. I am currently in a doctorate program at USC. My current role is a researcher at USC and admissions evaluator at UC Irvine. I have worked as an admissions evaluator for the last five years.

I hold a B.A. in Communication from the University of Southern California, as well as minors in Journalism and Film. While at USC, I participated in a variety of research projects, including the Media, Diversity, and Social Change Initiative (MDSCI), which has since been renamed the Inclusionists. I graduated Summa Cum Laude, with additional honors, and a GPA of 3.93. Following a year gap at work, I began studying for an Master's of Science in Global Communication from the London School of Economics and Political Science; I followed this degree with an additional Master's of Arts in Global Media from USC. During this time, I published original research and two dissertations, and volunteered in the admissions office, gaining critical experience needed to navigate the admissions process in high-performing institutions. I completed my graduate education in 2019, shortly before the pandemic, and decided to open my own college advising and academic coaching company. I have had students admitted to Ivies, Stanford, USC, all UCs, and some international schools primarily based in the UK and Europe. I regularly work with my clients not only to determine which schools would be best for their intended major, financial status, and personality, but also work closely to develop a narrative for the admission process. With my guidance, they refine this narrative in their essays, and use a template system for supplemental essays in order to maximize efficiency. My students have applied to majors from business to environmental studies, computer science to theatre, nursing to pre-law. I am an excellent writer and storyteller, with a passion for editing, and the most enjoyable part of my day is hearing from students that they have learned something new about writing during our sessions. It is a joy to work with this generation of students; they are whip-smart, hilarious, and ambitious. I love to bond with them over shared passions, get to know them through in our sessions and through their writing, and refine their skills to become the best writers, storytellers, and students they can be. Although the task of finding and applying to colleges is daunting, I believe that together, in concert with some hard work and a little humor, the process can be as fun as it is challenging.

Chelsea Mariah is based in downtown Chicago, Illinois. She completed her undergraduate education at The University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) with a BA in International Relations. She wrote her research thesis on “The Effect of the Emerging Chinese Middle Class on the European Luxury Goods Sector” while interning with the Foreign Policy Research Institute and World Affairs Council. She has been interviewed by Best Company, Learn Psychology, College Covered, Northwestern Mutual, and Your Teen Mag. In 2015, she moved to Singapore and began working as an Admissions Consultant. She has worked with hundreds of American and international students to garner acceptance to universities on five continents. She completed the UCLA College Counseling graduate certificate program with a 4.0 GPA. For the program, she completed her practicum working with students in urban public schools with iMentor. Chelsea Mariah partners with students and their families to explore their passions, amplify their voices, and identify their best-fit opportunities in higher education and beyond. In her free time, she likes to read and learn languages. Her apartment always has a furry foster companion. She has also mentored hundreds of first-generation and low-income students.

Hi all! I am a first-generation college graduate from Columbia University. I studied English and Psychology during my time there with a brief stint on a pre-medical track. Upon my graduation from Columbia, I served as a College Advisor with New York University's chapter of College Advising Corps. During this time, I served as a College Advisor to students in New York City; students that came from all walks of life. Many of my students have gone on to colleges and universities such as Columbia, Cornell, Boston University, New York University, Princeton - the list goes on and on. My goal is to ensure that students find their right fit and have the support along the way to express their own dreams and anxieties. I have my MA in Counseling and Guidance from NYU and continue to support students as a School Counselor. My background in counseling allows me to help students identify the best parts of themselves to highlight on their applications. I ground my work in narratives and helping students find their own.

I am a proud admission professional who enjoys helping students make their dreams a reality. As a former women’s basketball player at The George Washington University (GW) where I majored in Organizational Science, I knew early on that I was passionate about helping students achieve their goals as I worked with them to help discover their passions. Following my time at GW, I spent five years working at The University of Southern California (USC) where I served as an Associate Director of Admission for four years and as an Academic Advisor for students in the Iovine and Young Academy. After graduating from USC with my Masters of Education in Counseling, I returned to the DC Metro Area and now serve as a College Counselor to high school students where I specialize in the athletic recruitment process. One of my strong suites is interview preparation, where I take students through a mock interview with the goal of building confidence. My favorite part of the college process is getting to know my students while pushing them to their highest potential. I enjoy watching almost any sport, traveling with my partner, and trying new foods. I look forward to working with you!

I have more than 30 years of experience in academia, including 16 years at Stanford University, where I supported research faculty and authored the University's 200-page research grant Proposal Preparation Manual (legacy), which emphasized legal and ethical research policies. I've interacted with world-recognized authors and scientists, envious of and learning from their brilliance! Prior to Stanford, I was an assistant editor for a peer-reviewed academic research journal and earned certificates as a professional editor in Stanford's intensive summer Publishing Courses. I have expertise in all phases of academic publishing and style guides, as well as creative writing programs and publishing venues for high schoolers, particularly literary magazines. I am well versed in Academic Authorship as it pertains to research papers. I earned an M.A. in Education with Distinguished Achievement. After graduate school, I supported community service-learning faculty, students, and community organizations at San Francisco State's Institute for Civic and Community Engagement. I was lead author and editor for a variety of brochures, grant proposals, and national monographs. I am especially proud of the work I did to support formerly incarcerated students, and the English tutoring I did at San Quentin. For the past decade, I have served as a college admissions advisor, coaching diverse high school and undergraduate students through the application process, which includes obtaining persuasive letters of recommendation, and completing various application forms. I have deep institutional knowledge about the cultures, curricula, and admission requirements of a plethora of colleges and universities nationwide. My magic is helping students brainstorm, develop, and edit their personal stories, essays, and graduate personal statements. I love helping students discover and critically reflect on who they are and how they can contribute to the world (meta cognition), so I ask LOTS of questions! Your success is my success! I have helped students complete the Common App, Coalition App (ugh!), MIT, Georgetown Apps, UC App, and Cal Apply. My interdisciplinary academic discoveries began in Creative Writing (poetry) and English literature at San Francisco State University, which was recognized as a top English department nationwide. My professors earned their doctorates from Harvard, Yale, Duke, Columbia, Oxford, and more. Because I loved the learning journey, I also took classes in Classics, World & Comparative Literature, religious studies, and political science. Alas, too many ideas and not enough time!

My name is Bintou Sankareh. I graduated from Hunter College. During my time at Hunter, I majored in Psychology and Sociology. Currently, I am pursuing my MPA at the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs in Baruch College. The key to life is to have an excellent education, and I hope to help students achieve their full potential by guiding them. I have five years of advising experience, and I hope to make the college process fun and flexible. I love to travel, and I hope to travel worldwide to learn new ideas.

Hello! My name is Bailey (she/her) and I have over 7 years of experience in both undergraduate and graduate level admissions. I have worked in admissions offices at schools within Claremont Colleges, the University of Washington and the University of Southern California. I have served as an admissions interviewer and on the admissions committee for undergraduate, law and health professions programs. I received a BA in both Business and Visual and Media Studies at the University of Redlands. I have had the opportunity to work with numerous high school students in their college search and application process.

Hello everyone! My name is Ardyel, and I am a cum laude graduate of Legal Studies at UC Berkeley with a Minor in Education. Born and raised in Metro Manila, Philippines, my family and I moved to Los Angeles, CA in 2015 where I graduated as my high school's Class Valedictorian. My background as a first-generation, low-income, and immigrant college student helped me see the value of mentorship in all aspects of my life. During my college application journey, I worked intensively under the guidance and mentorship of Thrive Scholars who helped me become a Finalist for QuestBridge and gain admissions to 8 universities in California. As a way of giving back, I worked at UC Berkeley's Nav2Cal App Support Program and Matriculate Fellowship which allowed me to mentor 5 hardworking high school students from California and New York in their college applications. They currently attend great institutions such as Tufts University, Wesleyan University, and my alma mater, UC Berkeley! I can help students who have academic interests in STEM, Law, and the Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. In my spare time, I like to listen to K-Pop and P-Pop (Pinoy Pop), play volleyball and mobile games with my younger brother, collect Funko Pops, and watch Marvel movies. I cannot wait to take part in your college application journey! Rest assured that I will be fully supporting you in your goals and helping you navigate this process with care and intent.

I came to the US as an international student from Germany and fell in love with international education. I completed a BA in Foreign Languages at Louisiana State University and continued my education at Xavier University in the MBA program. My final degree is a doctorate in Globalization in Education from USC. I have worked in international education for over 20 years as an admission director, director of residential life, and director for international student services. I am currently the Senior Assistant Director for International Admission at Fordham University as well as an immigration advisor. In this position I review high achieving student application as well as awarding merit and financial need-based scholarships. As an academic and college advisor I have worked with students domestically as well as internationally in majors such as engineering, business, law, international relations, physics, e-game design, art, and many more. With over 20 years of higher ed experience I am aware and prepared to assist students through the often-complicated college application process. I will assist them in positioning their application in the best light for the most competitive universities. I have a great passion for working with students and find joy in the successes. As a previous international student myself, I understand the anxiety and worries that are involved when families consider sending their children abroad as well as confusion about the student visa process. I have worked with families abroad as well as domestic and am happy to build lasting relationships to assist students not just in the application process but also in the academic advising and first year adjustment period.

I was born in Chile and grew up in Santiago and in Caracas, Venezuela, until the age of 12, when my family moved to the United States. As a high school student in Texas, I knew that my parents' financial situation meant that I would need to limit my college search to universities in Texas to be able to pay in-state tuition. I received scholarship offers from the University of Texas at Austin, Texas A & M, and Southern Methodist University. Ultimately, I chose UT-Austin because I liked everything the city had to offer as the "live music capital of the world," the easy access to the gentle beauty of the Hill Country, and the university's reputation and wonderful campus. Although I had originally intended to pursue a dual degree involving civil engineering, at UT-Austin I obtained a Bachelor of Arts in the Plan II Honors Program. Plan II has multi-disciplinary course requirements and strong emphasis on problem solving, critical and analytical skills, and writing. To pay for the expenses not covered by my scholarship, I worked as a news and entertainment writer at the university's highly regarded newspaper, The Daily Texan, as well as serving as the Music Director for KTSB (now KVRX) student radio. Rather than pursuing a career in journalism or broadcasting, however, I worked for two years at a low-income housing corporation in Alexandria, Virginia, before pursuing certification to become a teacher in Texas. My career in education includes 22 years teaching overseas, including in China, the U.A.E., Vietnam, Tanzania, Malaysia, Albania, and Japan before returning to the U.S. in 2019. Along the way I obtained a Master of Education in TESOL from Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia. I was an IELTS examiner for twelve years and an SAT Center Director for two. Since 2005 I have worked at International Baccalaureate World Schools teaching IB Diploma History, Global Politics, Theory of Knowledge, and MYP Individuals & Societies, as well as IGCSE History and various other courses within the social studies umbrella, while also getting involved with college counseling on a part-time basis beginning in 2012. As a part-time college counselor at my schools in Malaysia and Japan between 2012 and 2019, I helped students to navigate the application process for universities in the UK (UCAS), USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, Malaysia, and Japan. My former students have gone on to pursue degrees and careers in economics, business, law, medicine, public health, urban planning, nature conservation, psychology, graphic arts, music, and education. Thanks to social media, I have stayed in touch with many of them and have conducted extensive post-college interviews with some to find out more about their experiences in higher education and their subsequent careers. In my current role as Residential Faculty at a private IB World School in Tacoma, Washington, I continue to support students as they navigate the demanding curriculum of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program while living away from home. We currently have students from the USA, China, Korea, Vietnam, Japan, Taiwan, Ukraine, Brazil, and Moldova, and I endeavor to apply my many years working internationally and knowledge of various higher education systems around the world to help them reach their dreams.

I have over four years of experience in direct college access work, helping students gain acceptance into selective colleges and universities. I also have more than four years of experience developing community education programs and building sustainable community partnerships for underserved populations.

Hello! My name is Afi, and I am passionate about helping students get into their dream schools. This is my third year as a College Advisor; After graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2019, I worked in the National College Advising Corps as a College Advisor. I have worked with students and families throughout the entire college application process, from start to finish, applications to enrollment, before, and during the Covid-19 Pandemic. I specialize in helping students and families of ALL backgrounds, including (but not limited to): first generation, low-income, high-achieving, student-athletes, rural, students of color, immigrants, international students, and students with learning differences etc., get into all types of schools (public/private, Ivy, in-state/out of state, HBCU, international, community colleges, etc.). I've helped students construct excellent admissions essays, win full rides to their dream schools, complete the FAFSA/Financial Aid, CSS Profile, Common App, the FAFSA, and the CSS profile. Let's work together to make those college dreams come true!

Hello! My name is Adriana, and I graduated from Pitzer College in 2018. I'm currently a PhD student in Sociology at Yale University, where I study topics relating to immigration, race, and inequality. Prior to Yale, I worked as an Admission Offer and have also served as a mentor for various college access programs that serve underrepresented populations. I'm a strong believer in the power of mentorship, and my goal is to give my students the tools, knowledge, and confidence that they need to pursue their educational aspirations.

Described by coworkers and former students as an engineer-meets-social-worker, Professor Berent works full-time as a professor at Northwestern University, and part-time with CollegeAdvisor.com to provide insight to not only what gets students accepted into college, but what makes them successful once there.

Why work with Professor Berent?
• Knows the full engineering experience. Zack has been an undergraduate student, graduate student, academic and career advisor, researcher, teaching fellow, and now professor at top engineering schools, so he can speak to all aspects of engineering. Whatever career in engineering you are seeking, he likely has experience!
• What makes a successful engineer? As a professor, Zack works daily with first-year engineering students. He has advised them from high school through undergraduate experiences, internships, first full-time job, and even MS/PhD graduation. CollegeAdvisor.com works to help you get into top schools; further, Zack knows what will make you successful once there.
• Engineering admissions. When Zack worked at an engineering-focused medical school he defined the admissions criteria for engineering. This work has given him great insight into not just the what, but the why behind admissions decisions.
• Engineering excellence. Zack has been awarded with multiple teaching fellowships to enhance engineering education. He has been awarded over a dozen times as a top instructor on campus. He has not only exceeded in teaching and advising, but in research as well. He has publications in top engineering journals like Acta Biomaterialia, and been received national-level grants, so his wordcraft will help with your essays succeed.

Whether you're just starting to explore engineering or finalizing your application, he has worked with thousands of engineering students, and he is eager to help you too.

Hello, my name is Roystone Martinez, and I graduated from Boston College in May of 2002 with a Bachelor of Art in Human Development, with a Theater Minor and a Black Studies Concentration. While at BC, I was heavily involved in student affairs, and served as President of the Organization of Latin American Affairs, received the Archbishop Oscar Romero Leadership Scholarship, and worked in the office of undergraduate admission, where I found my passion for this work. I went to Harvard University immediately after undergrad. I obtained a Education Masters in Administration, Planning & Social Policy to explore how colleges can do a better job of recruiting, retaining, and graduating first generation, low-income, students of color. Upon graduation, I entered Higher Ed and worked for several years, serving in roles in admission, student affairs, and first-generation student support. I went back to school and obtained a second Masters of Art in Developmental Psychology from Columbia University. My research focus then was to learn the intricacies of young gay men of color and how schools could serve as safe havens given the proper scaffolds. As a first-generation student who was admitted to several elite institutions with minimal assistance, it is my life’s mission to help students and their families navigate the overwhelming competitive college admissions process.