Why me?

 Why You’ll Succeed With Me

Heading off to college is often the most important transition in a young man or woman’s life, and I’m here to make sure it goes well. I established my practice so my students and their families could have access to someone who could offer help and advice on every part of the college-admissions process. Here’s a brief summary of what I have to offer you:

Firsthand expertise. As a public-school senior (Garfield HS ‘06), I was admitted to Penn, Pomona, the University of Chicago—and Columbia, where I graduated in three years. I had a 1590 SAT and a 3.99 GPA, but the strength of my application went beyond the numbers: my college essay also got me into the Penn honors program.

Writing skills. I’ve written for the Columbia Spectator, the Seattle Times, the Daily Dot, Kotaku, and several other large publications, while also working with dozens of students to conceptualize, draft, and polish their college essays.

A relaxed atmosphere. The last thing anyone needs right now is more pressure in their lives. My students report that working with me takes most (but not all!) of the stress out of the admissions process.

Experience with a diverse clientele. Many counselors tend to cater to a single demographic. I went to a public high school and have worked with students of different talents, who want different things out of life—and college. With me, you’ll go to the college you want to go to.

Focus on you, not me. If you want to apply to Dartmouth—or Harvard, or Amherst, or somewhere else that might be a “reach”—I’ll help you do it. It’s not about my record; it’s about you. We’ll apply to safeties, too—but only ones you’re interested in attending.

My Philosophy

When I applied to college, in 2005, I received a fair amount of advice—some good, some bad, much contradictory—but I ended up figuring most of it out myself, without knowing what I was doing, or colleges were really looking for. After I graduated, I noticed that the college-counseling industry had grown—but, despite the extra support, my students were just as confused as I’d been. Why?

School-assigned college counselors are well-meaning, hard-working people, but they’re usually too busy to offer much individualized guidance—even private-school counselors often discourage their students from taking shots at their dream colleges, instead urging them to apply to schools they don’t want to attend. This boosts the private school’s rate of acceptance, but does little for the students—who would be better off with someone focused exclusively on helping them.

Unfortunately, many private college counselors also care more about their “own record” than maximizing their students’ chances for success and happiness. Alexandra Robbins’ The Overachievers begins with an engaging, multi-talented high-school senior telling her private counselor she wants to apply to Dartmouth. The counselor, certain she’ll get rejected, drops her as a client. In the end, she gets in—without the counselor’s services.

There are several important lessons here:

—The college-counseling industry claims to possess exclusive and valuable insider knowledge, which counselors like the one above tout at fabulous prices. But the truth is: distant connections with a Harvard dean, or experience working in an admissions office in the ‘90s, don’t ensure a good (or bad) outcome. There’s a lot of contradictory (and, oftentimes, misguided) advice in college counseling partly because we never know with certainty what’s going to happen. The admissions process has a lot of luck—maybe she will get into Dartmouth, and, if not, at least we tried. 

—The best way to get lucky is to have a strong application, which consists mainly of a good GPA, high test scores, and compelling essays. Other factors, like balanced extracurriculars and good recommendations, are also more important than inside information—so we’ll work on make your résumé as strong as possible, then I’ll sweat the small stuff.

—The most important lesson is: college counseling should, above all else, serve students and their families. I became an educator because today’s teenagers, who are under great social pressure, could all use an advocate with no agenda beyond helping them. It is in this spirit that I offer my services as a college counselor.

I’m not guaranteeing that you’ll get into your top choice. But I can guarantee that, with my services, you’ll give yourself the best possible chance of getting in to your dream school—and that you’ll get in somewhere you can flourish.