North Carolina State University

Hi! I am a proud graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Maryland, College Park, where I respectively earned my BA in Psychology and M.Ed. in School Counseling. I am a first-generation college student and have made it my life’s work to help students like me navigate the college-going process. After completing my Undergraduate degree, I joined the College Advising Corps and worked as a college advisor in a public high school in North Carolina, where for two years I was the sole College Advisor for 2000 students and guided them throughout their college application processes. I then went on to gain almost a decade of higher education experience working as an Undergraduate Admissions Counselor, and Program Coordinator/Advisor for First Year College Students. I have worked with students through the pipeline, and I have a passion for helping students to find their best fit. I believe that college is one of the best experiences of your life, so it is an honor for me to help students navigate their way through this monumental milestone.

I hold a Bachelor’s degree from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master of Business Administration from The University of Michigan – Go Heels & Go Blue!! After graduating from UNC, I started my career as a college advisor where I helped guide students through the college application process, both in-person and virtually. As a first-generation college student, I am passionate about ensuring that students feel supported, uplifted, and encouraged through the college application process. I enjoy helping students craft their story to allow their strengths, their passions, and their authentic selves to shine in college applications. During my time as an advisor, I have had the honor of successfully advising students who have been accepted into top colleges and Ivy League schools across the US. Throughout my professional career I have gained experience as a College Advisor, an MBA student, a digital marketer, and a product manager. Understanding the importance of exploring your passions and pursuing your interests, I have had the opportunity to pivot and explore different opportunities – and I want to encourage you to also explore different pathways as you begin your college journey! The college application process doesn’t have to be stressful – I look forward to working with you to find colleges that are the best fit, craft your essays, and submit strong applications that you are proud of… and ensuring that we have fun along the way!

Hello all! My name is Ryan Byrd, and I graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in May of 2017, with a degree in Sociology and Religious Studies. After my undergraduate studies I became a college adviser for the Carolina College Advising Corps, where I specialized in, but am not limited to match & fit, financial aid/ FAFSA completion, as well as assisting in college essay preparation. I believe encouraging students to become more self-aware and exploring their passions early on helps them fully connect with a college and/or future that best serves them and the world around them. Fun facts about me: I am a 27-year-old, entrepreneur living in Los Angeles, California. I enjoy singing/rapping, writing, and playing chess!

Hi! My name is Cecilia, and I can't wait to start advising you. I come from a low-income immigrant family background and was completely lost during my undergraduate college application process. After discussing financial aid options with my parents, I attended my state's flagship university, the University of Georgia, and graduated debt-free! Following undergrad, I served as an AmeriCorps College Adviser for underrepresented, low-income, and minority students at McDonough High School. I supported 1000+ juniors and seniors with college/career prep and provided individualized assistance to 500+ seniors as they navigate the college admissions process, including registering for exams, completing college applications, and verifying financial aid eligibility. I focused on attainable post-secondary planning and the affordability of college for students. Over the course of two years, my students earned over 7.3 million dollars in scholarships, college enrollment increased by 20%, and the school established a college-going culture. I'll continue my passion for college access by pursuing my M.Ed in College Student Affairs Administration at my alma mater.

Additional Specialties: Georgia Colleges, Financial Aid for Non-traditional Families, Homeless/Foster Youth, Undocumented Students, ROTC Scholarships, Military Families, Low-Income Families

Hello! I'm Favor, currently a graduate student at Princeton getting my M.Arch. My advising experience is with Matriculate; I went through their program when applying to university and became an advisor for the program at Penn! I, along with two of my peers, helped set up Penn's Matriculate chapter as the advising fellow leadership team. During that time, I advised three students through the college application and enrollment process, with acceptances from University of Miami (with a full tuition scholarship), University of South Florida, Penn State (with Provost award), Rutgers, Stony Brook, and more! I especially love essay brainstorming and writing due to my heavy writing background in philosophy and general love for crafting compelling, memorable personal narratives. I've also informally talked with students applying to the Ivies; as a Penn student, I can share my experience applying, and speak to the culture, workload, extracurriculars, etc. of an Ivy-league institution. I look forward to meeting you!

Greetings! I am a graduate of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where I was a Psychology major, African American Studies minor, and a Ronald E. McNair scholar. I earned my Masters in Counseling Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (D.C. campus). For the past 10 years, I have worked in secondary and higher education as both a college access and mental health professional. I spent two years serving in the College Advising Corps at one of North Carolina's largest public high schools and spent a year as the lead Academic and College Advisor at a private International Baccalaureate (IB) academy in Northern Virginia. During my career, I have assisted more than 700 high school students from diverse backgrounds in navigating the college admissions process with acceptances to universities including Yale, Emory, UNC-Chapel Hill, Georgia Tech, Duke, John Hopkins, Howard, and many more. Most recently, I spent four years at a liberal arts university in North Carolina serving as an Academic, Financial Aid, Graduate, and Mental Health Counselor where I also assisted undergraduate students in applying to graduate school programs. I am excited to bring a holistic approach to working with you during this critical period in your academic and personal journey, and serve as a dedicated resource to you as you pursue your dreams!

Hello! My name is Isabella, and I am a 4th-year student with a Mechanical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering double major and minors in Entrepreneurship and IST for Aerospace Engineers at Penn State. At Penn State, I hold several distinctions, including being a member of the honors college (Scheyer), the honors engineering scholars' program (Leonard Scholars), and a recipient of the Provost Award. Professionally, I interned at SpaceX in Spring 2021, Lockheed Martin Space in Summer 2021, and a hypersonic start-up called Hermeus in Summer 2022. During my senior year application cycle, I gained admittance to several top universities, listed on my profile. I also earned several national, regional, and local scholarships including the Lockheed Martin STEM Scholarship, and I have totaled over $150,000 in scholarship money to date. While in high school, I was active in several STEM extracurricular events, including the Summer Exposure Engineering Experience Program at the University of Michigan (received a scholarship to attend the summer camp and won the summer camp's $20,000/year Engineering Scholarship of Honor for use at UMich), MOSTEC at MIT, and CE^2 at Columbia University. One of my areas of strength is scholarship applications and essays, both specific to a university or in a national or local application. I also thoroughly understand how to frame a college application in the best way possible by creating cohesive activity descriptions, essays, and short answer responses. I have worked with students in the Pittsburgh area and with international students prior to joining CollegeAdvisor. This is my second year with CollegeAdvisor, and I’m so excited to continue helping students meet their goals!