University of California – San Diego

I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Relations from the University of British Columbia (UBC) with over 10 years of experience in higher education and specialization in International Education, supporting and guiding international students. My professional journey has taken me through various roles at UBC and the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), where I have developed a robust expertise advising and guiding a diverse group of students for admissions and study abroad. As a first-generational transfer student, my career is defined by a deep passion for fostering global perspectives and supporting students through the admissions process. Having worked top international schools, my experiences shaped my understanding of diverse educational systems and cultural contexts. I am dedicated to helping students navigate the complexities of the application process. I enjoy spending quality time with my family, trying out different cuisines and traveling around the world! I have previously visited, Ireland, UK, Spain, France, Portugal, Philippines and hope to add more to the list soon! In my spare time, I find joy in finding gems at the thrift store and exploring local coffee shops. Overall, my approach to guide and support is rooted in a genuine passion for global education and a student-centered philosophy. The college admissions process is a transformative journey, and my goal is to guide students through this pivotal time with clarity and confidence. I am dedicated to helping students find environments where they can thrive academically and personally, and I am committed to providing the tools and support they need to present their best selves. Together, we will craft compelling applications and open doors to exciting opportunities, ensuring a fulfilling and successful admissions experience!

In terms of my educational background, I received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Asian American Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Later, I became a double Bruin, and received a Master of Arts degree in Asian American Studies. Recently, I completed a Master of Fine Arts degree at New York University (NYU) in Creative Writing with an emphasis in Fiction. Between my undergraduate career and graduate career, I gained nine years of professional experience in Student Affairs at UCLA – serving in different capacities at the Student Retention Center. During my first three years, I was the Project Coordinator of the Southeast Asian retention project (SEA CLEAR), a program that provides peer counseling, skill-building workshops, and mentorship opportunities to support underserved students. In this role, I helped students with strategic course planning, goal setting, and campus resource referrals. In the following three years, I served as the Program Manager of the UCLA Writing Success Program (WSP). WSP provides 1-on-1 counseling to help undergraduates brainstorm and revise academic essays, graduate admissions materials, scholarship materials, and job applications. My experience in both roles led to my promotion to the Retention Advisor position from 2017-2020. As Retention Advisor, I supervised the overall operations of the UCLA Student Retention Center, including its seven retention programs, study hall services, and campus wide events. Over the years, I have interacted with hundreds of students, administrators, faculty, and community members, which allows me to work with people of diverse ages and backgrounds. Following my nine years in Student Affairs, I continued to gain experience in writing instruction during my time as a graduate student in UCLA’s Asian American Studies Master’s program, where I worked as a Teaching Assistant (T.A.) during the 2021-2022 academic year. I was assigned to the Asian American Studies writing courses and taught a weekly discussion section focused on developing writing skills and helping students critically discuss classroom material. During my time in the MFA program at NYU from 2022-2024, I worked as a Graduate Assistant at NYU’s Preprofessional Advising Center, which helped me gain familiarity with the academic support structure at NYU. In this capacity, I gained experience working with pre-med and Post-baccalaureate students. In addition, I taught an undergraduate introductory course to poetry and prose, which has given me exposure to syllabus planning, undergraduate instruction, and administrative tasks as it pertains to classroom upkeep.

Throughout my education, I have worked as a freelance tutor, guiding students in reading, writing, SAT Verbal preparation, and college admissions essays.

Hi! I’m Adonis, a 3rd-year PhD student studying Immunology at Stanford University School of Medicine. I graduated from Stanford in 2021 with a degree in Biology, focusing on microbes and immunity. Initially, I entered college as a pre-med student and completed the first two years of pre-med coursework before discovering my passion for biomedical sciences and deciding to pursue a PhD. Throughout my undergraduate years, I conducted research on viruses and vaccines at renowned institutions, including Stanford, the Pasteur Institute in France, the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub in San Francisco, and Genentech. These experiences have given me a deep understanding of the field and a global perspective on biomedical research. Before joining CollegeAdvisor, I worked at CollegeVine for two years, where I helped students secure admissions to prestigious schools like Stanford, Brown, and UC Berkeley. I’m here to answer your questions about the college application process, campus life, interviews, internships, studying abroad, and more. I’m excited to meet you all and am committed to being highly accessible as we work together to find your dream school!

A Duke honors grad with neuroscience training from Stanford, I help leaders thrive in our changing world. I started my career in global education over a decade ago and have been publicly recognized by Melinda Gates and 4x NYT bestselling author Marianne Williamson for my work in education and whole-person development. My training, knowledge, and professional experience across marketing, education, and coaching make me a highly insightful, innovative, and integrative college advisor. Prior to CollegeAdvisor, I worked as an advisor in a small college advising firm, working with over 20 students on a team of advisors. Our students received admissions from Stanford, Harvard, Princeton, Northwestern, Duke, Dartmouth, Berkeley, and MIT. I was lucky to learn the ropes from former Stanford admissions directors; entrusted with each student's applications and resumes, I realized I had a talent for showing what was unique about each student. I have become a sought-after essay advisor since. I help students get an edge in college admissions while enjoying the process and growing as a person. My students note how I help them succeed as themselves rather than striving for someone else's notion of "success" at their own long-term expense. This means that I work best with families who are interested in helping their student discover and unfold their whole selves and willing to do the challenging inner work that can entail. I'm interested in what makes you different! Fun fact: I have been fortunate to continue my involvement in higher education long after graduating. I have spoken at Duke, NYU, and Harvard conferences, served as a staff and alum career coach at UC Berkeley and Duke University, and am also a fractional executive coach to higher education professionals. These engagements give me another view into colleges and their evolving priorities. As an advisor, I am energetic, insightful, compassionate, entertaining, and rigorous. If you are willing to be seen, heard, challenged, and emboldened through the college application process, then you've found the right person. I hope I will shape your experience to be one where you can reach your goals, find your place in the world, and honor your humanity and inherent value.

I am a proud former first-generation college student who is now a first-generation professional. I have 6+ years of professional experience working with students and their families to navigate the higher education system. I recently (within the last 5 years) obtained a master's degree in education with an emphasis in Student Affairs from UCLA. I attended University of California, Berkeley for my undergraduate education and my major was Psychology with a minor in Chicano Studies. My passion is to assist students and their families on their higher education journey. A skill I feel I have while working with students is truly listening to their wants and needs and adapting my advising from there. I approach my work by honoring my students' lived experiences. On a one-on-one basis I’ve assisted with creating college school lists, academic road mapping, how to choose and change a major, financial aid, and career prep. Outside of student affairs I enjoy reading, cycling, and spending time with my family and friends.

Hello, my name is Yesenia. I was the first in my family to attend college. I went to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and graduated with a degree in Psychology with a minor in Labor and Workplace Studies. I then earned a Master's Degree from California State University, Long Beach in Counseling - Option in Student Development in Higher Education. I am passionate about helping students with their higher educational goals to ensure they are able to get accepted, attend, and ultimately graduate from college to obtain a fulfilling career. For the past 10 years, I have been working in college access and success programs and have served hundreds of students with their college-going journey! It would be a pleasure and a privilege to support you in your goals. Let's work together to make that goal a reality!

I am a first-generation Latina college graduate and I hold my B.A. in Social Welfare from the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley). I have held positions as a College Advisor, Student Services Advisor and Academic Mentor where I have advised students with the college application process in both 1-1 and group settings (virtual and in-person), organized and coordinated college access and leadership workshops to support students and families from diverse backgrounds, and supported with post-secondary education and career planning. As a first-generation student, I was never exposed to resources to support me with the college access process. This taught me how to seek out resources on my own, which supported me throughout my time at university. After graduating from UC Berkeley, I further developed my passion of helping others because I believe everyone should have equitable access to attain higher education. I believe everyone has a unique story to share and with my passion to support and experience in advising students, I am excited to get to hear our students' stories and continue advocating and ensuring students receive the support needed to attain higher education.

I have a strong commitment to college education access, matriculation, transition and retention. I am currently in the pursuit of my PhD in Higher Education and Organizational Change at UCLA, have an MEd in Higher Education Student Affairs, and International Education Policy (University of Maryland, 2022) and a BA in Sociology and Ethnic Studies (UC San Diego, 2018). Throughout my undergraduate career, in addition to obtaining a minor in Education Studies, I actively worked with high schools by providing campus tour, hosting student for overnight programs, facilitating classes for a summer bridge program, presenting during high school conferences, conducting research at a high school and being an active mentor to high school students that were connected with me via personal networks. From 2018-2022, I was a College Advisor for the University of Southern California College Advising Corps where I worked predominantly with senior students and advised them based on their goals, aspirations and circumstances. I have given presentations on various topics (A-G, FAFSA, CalGrant, scholarships, transition programs, on-campus resources, etc.), have extensive resume, statement of purpose, and personal statement editing experience both for the college admission process and scholarship applications. I am a proud recipient of the Gates Millennium Scholarship (2013), which has an award rate of under 1% and has funded my bachelor’s, master’s, and is now funding my doctoral degree. In my 10 years of working with high school and college students in summer bridge programs, college access programs, outreach, programming, fraternity and sorority life, residence life, and research, I have developed an advising style that meets students where they are based on their knowledge. The premise of my advising style is to meet the needs of the student and their families/guardians with integrity and resourcefulness. I like to provide students with information to facilitate taking ownership of their decisions and can similarly have the confidence to answer questions and discuss topics with their families and guardians. I have enjoyed the process of involving parents to ensure they are equally informed as their students and together support students in their college-going process.

Hello and welcome to my page! I have a BA in Sociology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. I hold my MS in Educational Counseling from National University. I have eight years of counselor experience in the academic, college, and career needs of diverse high school student populations:

• Students with Disabilities,
• English Learners,
• Homeless/Foster Youth,
• Low Income and/or First Generation,
• Gifted and Talented Students

My experience in the college application process ranges from college eligibility requirements for various college systems to guiding students to apply to college and financial aid. In between this process, providing guidance to students, but not limited to:

• Developing their college lists and college majors based on their interests and research,
• Step-by-step college application process,
• Essay brainstorming and editing/revisions,
• Applying to scholarship/internship/volunteer opportunities.

What drives me to continue being a counselor/college advisor? It is the students!

This is a major step in their lives that can be filled with a lot of emotions and uncertainty at times. With the student and their family leading the way in the college application journey, I am a resource of support and guidance to make this process as pleasant and exciting as possible.

I look forward to working and guiding your students on their college application journeys.