Advisors

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.

I am a First-Generation college graduate from a small rural town in North Carolina. After attending Duke University, I worked as a college advisor for the Duke College Advising Corps for 2 years, and I currently serve as the program coordinator for the same organization. In my 4 years of working with students, I have gained a deep understanding of navigating the college admissions process and helping people make the most out of their college experience. Students that I served have enrolled in top 50 colleges/universities, received highly-selective merit scholarships, and pursued a variety of academic interests. I look forward to helping students discover their passions and achieve their college aspirations!

After completing an undergraduate degree and graduate degree in business and working in industry for several years, I began my career in higher education as a faculty member at Mary Baldwin College. I served as an Assistant Professor of Business at Mary Baldwin College as well as St. Andrews Presbyterian College, both are small church related liberal arts schools, and I fully enjoyed and value the residential liberal arts experience. I joined the University of Virginia McIntire School of Commerce as an Assistant Dean of Students in 1990. McIntire has consistently been rated as one of the top undergraduate business schools globally while UVA has consistently been rated as a top public research institution. During my time at UVA, I served in a variety of roles related to student development, student services and admission and founded the first Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the McIntire School of Commerce, serving as the first Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at McIntire. I served for over twenty years as the Director of Undergraduate Admission, advising and counseling students as well as reading, reviewing and making decisions on admission applications. I was a member of the University Undergraduate Admission Committee for over a decade and love working with prospective college students to help them find the right program, school and location for their higher education journey. I developed and taught a very popular University Seminar for first year students on Managing Diversity and was instrumental in the founding of the McIntire Commerce Cohort program which supports and guides first and second year students interested in pursuing a degree and career in business. I have extensive knowledge, experience and a passion for working with students from diverse backgrounds including first generation, low income and under-represented. As the parent of three young adults all with college degrees, I understand the challenges, anxiety and joy of parenting through the college search and application process. Finding the best college should be viewed as an individual process of self-reflection, learning and exploration not a contest or competition. I'm excited to support students through this journey!

Hello! It's a pleasure to "meet" you.

With over 20 years of professional experience in both undergraduate and graduate level admissions, I truly enjoy my career. I have held director level roles at several school which include, the University of Georgia, Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, the Rollins School of Public Health, Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business and Spelman College. As a director, I have sat in "the room where it happens" and had to make the tough decisions. In Spring 2023, I served as an adjunct Admissions Office for Brown University which included reading applications and participating in the Admissions Committee. I have expertise in women's colleges, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, graduate business schools, Ivy League admissions and public health programs.

Assisting students and their families as they navigate the college admission process is my passion. I look forward to supporting you through your college search process.

Hi there! My name is Sena and I look forward to working with you during your college application journey. I have recently been serving as Research Analyst at the International Monetary Fund in Washington D.C. A few months prior to joining the IMF, I received my Bachelor’s degree magna cum laude in Economics with a minor in Psychology from Columbia University in 2017. During the third year of my undergraduate studies, I studied abroad at the University of Oxford, Pembroke College in England. I previously worked as a research assistant at Columbia University, and as a summer intern at the Ministry of Economy in Ankara. I also worked as a journalist at Hurriyet Newspaper of Turkey, and have a publication that received a prize in fiction at New York Book Festival 2011. In my free time, I enjoy reading, writing, singing, traveling, and acting in local film and TV productions. Being originally from Turkey and having completed my high school education in England I am especially interested in hearing from international students who would like to come to the United States for their undergraduate education.

Hi there! My name is Renee and I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Affairs from Northeastern University where I minored in both Business Administration and Social Entrepreneurship. I then furthered my studies at University College London and hold a Master of Arts in Education and International Development. After living and working in Cape Town, South Africa after the completion of my graduate studies, I have spent the past five years with Philadelphia Futures, an organization that provides low-income, first-generation-to-college students with the tools, resources, and opportunities necessary for admission to and success in college. Within my role as Senior Coordinator, I advised a caseload of 45 students and their families by sharing tools to help students find their best fit college and create a strong admissions plan. I have led admissions process and programming for these students by planning, executing and tracking all activities related to both their college admissions application and their financial aid application as well. This has included the FAFSA, CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE completion, as well as postsecondary list-building and postsecondary decision-making processes. My previous students have been admitted to a varied and diverse list of mid-range and highly selective institutions, such as Stanford, Penn, Vanderbilt, Boston University, and John Hopkins. I have worked with students who have pursued a degree in a wide range of majors including the Arts and Humanities, Business, and STEM as well. As such, I am well versed in the requirements and expectations of a wide variety of academic disciplines. Looking at my work from a financial aid perspective, I have decreased my students cash gap by an average of $25K or more per student, often to as low as $0. Additionally, I have helped students access and secure an average of $100K in external scholarships as well. As the college admissions landscape is continually shifting, I pride myself in staying up to date on the latest trends and data by attending various professional development opportunities including attending counselor information sessions, well as fly-in events across campuses around the country. I am also a NACAC and PACAC member as a classified independent educational consultant. Within this space, I have stewarded strong relationships with college admissions staff to advocate for my students and their families. Education has the power to be transformative. I know the college admissions process can feel overwhelming, but I’m dedicated to empowering students on their educational journey! I will leave no stone unturned and will provide the necessary expertise to help students live up to their greatest potential!

Hi! I have a B.A. in Government from Harvard University and earned an M.S. in Journalism from Columbia University. Alongside a career as a professional musician and songwriter, I have worked as the associate director of college counseling for a highly rigorous independent school for 11 years. I have counseled students who have gone on to matriculate at Harvard, Yale, Stanford, MIT, Cal Tech, Dartmouth, Vanderbilt, Brown, Emory, and many other top colleges across the country.

Hi! My name is Renbin. I grew up in Shanghai, China and moved to San Francisco, CA when I was 15. I went to a small public high school in SF. I did my B.S. and MEng degree at MIT, majoring in Computer Science and Engineering with a concentration in AI and applied machine learning. I applied to QuestBridge and became their finalist. I was admitted to MIT through Early Action and Stanford through Regular Decision. I now work as a machine learning scientist at Flexport. My strongest suit with the college admission process is personal statement brainstorming and giving advice for students who would like to pursue computer science major. I am particularly interested in working with students who are first-gen/low-income.

I hold my B.S. from the University of California Berkeley where I was a pre-medical student. While at Berkeley, I was heavily involved in clinical healthcare, and at various points, I held the titles of EMT, Sports Medicine Intern, and Orthopedic Clinical Assistant & Scribe. I hold my Master of Business & Science with a concentration in Biotechnology Management from Keck Graduate Institute at The Claremont Colleges. I also hold a Certificate of Bioscience Industry Law & Practice through a competitive transfer program with Southwestern Law School. In the near future, I intend to apply to top-tier MBA programs where I specifically hope to attend Stanford's Graduate School of Business. I spent 2 years advising undergraduate students applying to health profession programs as a Pre-Health Peer through UC Berkeley's Career Center. During grad school, I spent one year advising graduate students applying to full-time and internship positions in the life science industry as a Graduate Assistant through KGI's Career Services Center. While I'm equipped to help students navigate the curricular demands and extracurricular expectations of a variety of academic disciplines, I am best positioned to help students secure admission to competitive STEM programs because of my academic and professional background. I'm uniquely passionate about working with underrepresented high school students. Having grown up in East LA to a teenage single mother, I remember what it was like to navigate the complicated college admission process by myself. As your senior college advisor, I want to ensure that you feel guided and supported in your path-to-college process and beyond.

Hello! My name is Zachariah Crutchfield, and I’m very excited to work with you! I graduated from Columbia University in 2019 with a BA in political science, from Washington University in St. Louis in 2021 with an MA in Jewish, Islamic, and Middle Eastern Studies, and from the University of Chicago in 2022 with an MA in social sciences, and am about to start my PhD this fall at Cornell University’s Department of Near Eastern Studies. University applications have become something of a second job for me, so I’m really excited to share all the tips and experience I’ve accumulated. I am passionate especially about linguistics, history, and cultural studies, and also have quite a bit of experience with young adults in high school and early college as an Arabic immersion camp counselor and a teaching assistant. I can’t wait to help all of you realize not only what your potential is, but where you want to apply it!

I hold a B.A from University of Florida in Classics ('14) and graduated from the Honors Program with Cum Laude. I hold my M.S in Educational Studies from Johns Hopkins University ('16). I am currently a Doctoral Candidate in Educational Technology in the Doctor of Education program, with an expected completion in 2023. After graduating from the University of Florida, I served as a Teach for America Corps Member in Jacksonville, Florida. After serving for two years, I became an Admissions Officer within the University of Florida Outreach and Recruitment team and served within this role from 2016 - 2021. I served as a program coordinator facilitating newly admitted student events, served on various committees, and worked with students and families from across the world. I currently work as an Academic & Career Advisor at the University of Florida within the Heavener School of Business, and in this capacity, I serve online students primary and oversee the orientation process. I love working with students from all types of backgrounds and consider myself a lifelong educator. For personal hobbies, I enjoy gaming through playing RTS and MOBA games such as Starcraft and League of Legends. I also enjoy traveling, and have been to England, Greece, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Colombia, and I hope to double the number of countries that I've traveled to within the next 2-4 years! I believe that College Admissions can be an incredibly crucial stage in a student's life in navigating a process that can sometimes be overwhelming, and my goal as a Former Admissions Officer with College Advisor is to help demystify and guide my students towards putting their best foot forward and achieving success throughout their application process. Ultimately, I hope to help my students gain acceptance into a multitude of universities and attend one which they find to be the best fit for their educational journey.

I recently graduated Cum Laude from Princeton University with a bachelor's in public policy and international Affairs and a certificate in American Studies. During my time at Princeton, I was an advisor for Matriculate on campus where I guided high achieving high school students to entry at top universities and colleges through essay workshopping and applicant consulting. Prior to College Advisor, I have worked with another mentoring agency directed towards international students seeking to develop writing and personal aspect of their application such as personal statements, resumes, supplement essays, and college interviews. I also worked as an academic coach for a company that uses teaching techniques to help bright students with learning difficulties and conquer their academic struggles. This experience exposed me to varying learning and working styles to elevate the performance of bright students with great potential. I have worked with students who major in the Arts and Humanities, Communications and Media Studies, Computer Science, Engineering, Pre-Law/Political Science, and Gender and Sexuality Studies. My mission while advising is to bring any student to life on paper while making the experience as enjoyable as possible for the student, the family, and eventually the admission officer that eventually receives the final product. Applying to college can be overwhelming, but maintaining a healthy mindset and figuring out an approach that works for you can make the experience as exciting as approaching this new chapter in life should be. I am currently working as a Technical Account Manager at an Education Software company based in New York and aspire to attend law school in the future. My love for education started in my home in Jersey City, NJ as I helped my busy parents with homework as I balanced my own pursuit for a higher education and my extracurriculars. Outside of academics and career interests, I enjoy rollerskating, reading, and spending time with friends having interesting conversations and making fun memories in the city.

Vincent graduated with honors from UCLA, where he studied biology and neuroscience. He currently is pursuing a Ph.D in neuroscience at Yale while working at CollegeAdvisor.com on the side. Vincent has worked with high school students through the application process for four years and is experienced in elite admissions inside and outside of California.

I received my bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia where I applied Early Decision, and I have a Master's in Higher Education as well as a Master of Public Administration both from Columbia University. I worked in the admissions office at Columbia for over 8 years, where I managed and made decisions on applicants to international dual degree programs. I am currently a college counselor at an International Baccalaureate (IB) school and can help families navigate the U.S. and/or international university application process. I also have experience working with students considering non-traditional paths, such as a gap year or pursuing military service, before attending college.

Summary of Experience: Currently the Associate Director of College Counseling at an international school in New York City. I work with 9th-12th graders to prepare IB coursework and applications to universities around the world including the US, UK, Canada, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, and more. Former Admissions Manager & Assistant Director of Admissions at Columbia University in the City of New York, led the admissions process for the international dual bachelor's programs with Sciences Po (France), Trinity College Dublin (Ireland), and Tel Aviv University (Israel). Also read applications to the post-baccalaureate pre-medical program and transfer applications from non-traditional students. Former Financial Aid Officer at Baruch College of the City University of New York.

Originally from Knoxville, Tennessee, Psalm attended college at the University of Chicago as a QuestBridge scholar, graduating with an honors BA in Anthropology. Following graduation, Psalm worked as a College Advisor at the University of Chicago Charter School and later as an Admission Officer at Claremont McKenna College, a private liberal arts college in southern California. Now a student at Yale Law School, he focuses on civil rights law and is committed to making a positive impact in the world. Psalm has also served as a teaching fellow in Yale College and a coach with Yale’s Access to Law School program, where he supports local Connecticut students in entering the legal profession. Psalm is passionate about connecting with students and supporting them in their individual journeys to and through higher education. He has worked with students of all ages and backgrounds. Having reviewed thousands of college applications and conducted over 100 college interviews with students from across the country, Psalm brings a wealth of insight into the admissions process. He particularly enjoys helping students develop compelling personal narratives, highlight their skills and leadership qualities, prepare for interviews, navigate the scholarship and financial aid process with their families, and find the college that is uniquely the right fit for them. In his free time, Psalm enjoys going on hiking trips, frequenting hip hop and jazz concerts, and trying new food.

I joined the Yale School of Public Health as Assistant Director of Admissions in 2015, during which time I spent time reviewing applications, advising prospective students, guiding admissions review teams, and traveling with partner schools around the country. I moved to a new role as Associate Director of Student Affairs and Registrar in 2018, and then finally to my current position as Director of Student Affairs and Registrar in 2020. In my current role, I continue to stay in touch with our admissions team; advise current students; develop and maintain student affairs procedures, policies and projects; and manage relevant educational technology and systems. Outside of my work at Yale, I taught in the Public Health Department at Southern Connecticut State University until 2021. As a first-generation college student, I have a passion for advising young scholars around their career and college interests and am excited to be working with students on their educational journeys.

Hey there! My name is Sue and I have been in the higher ed realm for 7 years now. I received my undergraduate degrees 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 Assistant Director of Diversity Recruiting at the Yale School of Management. I just moved to Connecticut and am enjoying being back in my native New England! In my spare time I go to museums and train my dachshund puppy, Papaya, to be a good girl.

I had the privilege of working as an Associate Dean in college admissions at Duke for over twenty years. During my summer break, I worked with a not-for-profit organization helping high school juniors and seniors navigate the college application process. I have reviewed thousands of applications and read many personal statements - I know what helps a student stand out, and how they can share their story in the best possible way. Now I continue to work with students through CollegeAdvisor and believe my specialty is helping you craft your personal narrative. This past season I advised students who received admissions to several outstanding schools including Yale, Duke, Carnegie Mellon, Case Western, University of Pennsylvania, Wellesley College, UC Berkeley and UC Irvine.

Hi! My name is Chino, and I am a recent graduate of Princeton University with a degree in Neuroscience and a minor in Global Health & Policy. Currently, I am conducting research at Yale School of Medicine prior to medical school. During my time at Princeton, I worked alongside numerous high students as a college advisor and helped many successfully navigate the application experience. Some of my former students have gone on to attend Boston University, Vanderbilt, and Princeton. I am looking forward to working with you as well!