Boston College

I am a recent graduate of Princeton University with a bachelor's in English and a certificate in American Studies. During my first year at Princeton, I worked as an English tutor with TutorOut, providing guidance in writing, editing, and reading comprehension to students in China. In the fall of that same year, I co-ran a pro-bono college admissions workshop where I worked with dozens of students to help craft their personal statements and supplemental essays with the goal of expanding accessibility to college mentorship services. Prior to Princeton, I volunteered for four years as a generalized tutor to students aged elementary through high school, working one-on-one and in group settings to foster personal development and academic growth in my underrepresented, rural school district. All of these experiences, along with my own journey coming from a town where less than one-fourth of adults hold a bachelor's degree, have strengthened my interest in admissions advising and promoting access to higher education. I am currently working in attorney development at a top-5 corporate law firm in New York City with hopes of one day attending law school. I have extensive knowledge regarding Pre-Law/Political Science, Arts and Humanities, and Communications and Media Studies. I center my advising around clearly articulating each student's voice and personal brand, using the admissions process as a chance for reflection upon not only each student's achievements and passions, but also upon their unique personal trajectory. The college admissions process is a time filled with possibilities, and my aim is to help each individual student and family realize those possibilities while recognizing the value in all the work they have done to reach this point.

I have a Bachelor of Science from the University of California, Berkeley. More specifically, my degree is from the College of Natural Resources. I majored in Conservation and Resource Studies with a concentration in Climate Science under the Environmental Science, Policy, and Management department. As an undergraduate student I was a Program Facilitator at the Lawrence Hall of Science and I interned for the National Science Foundation, performing climate science research in conjunction with meteorology and ecological anthropology faculty at Penn State. In addition to this, I worked part-time for a bay area nonprofit focused on the conservation of California's old growth forests. After graduating in 2021, I decided to go in a different direction than my field of study. I accepted a role as a corporate recruiter for the top data science and analytics recruitment firm in San Francisco. I quickly promoted to Senior Consultant, but confirmed my suspicion that corporate life was not aligned with my interests. As a result, I left this position and became an independent contractor. I find working with students in an advising capacity fulfilling, because I know the impact high-level support can have on a student's journey through the application process. I vividly remember how important acceptance into a fitting program felt when I was in that stage of life, so I have a lot of empathy for students who are currently applying to universities. I understand the path is not always straight forward or easy. I pride myself in my attention to detail and my wide range of knowledge. Over the past eight years I've developed a significant level of expertise in regard to recruitment trends and process, and I've developed unique insights from both personal and professional experience.

My journey to where I stand today, ready to mentor and inspire as an advisor at CollegeAdvisor.com, has been as unique as the students I aim to guide. Bringing my love for technology and a bit of entrepreneurial flair into the mix, I believe I can leverage my diverse background and perspective to help students navigate the challenging college application process. I, too, have once struggled with finding my true voice in essays, deciding on majors, and choosing the right school. Therefore, I am eager to lead the next generation of innovators to their perfect match school with empathy and insight.

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.

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.

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!

Hello! My name is Mary Katheryn, and I graduated from Notre Dame with my Bachelor of Arts in History and a minor in Business Economics. After graduation I worked as a Corporate Recruiter at a tech company before returning to Notre Dame to work as an Admissions Counselor in the Undergraduate Admissions Office. I have 6 years of experience evaluating applications for admission and counseling high school students through the admission process. I'm passionate about access to higher education and helping students find their fit. I know how stressful this process can be for students and parents alike. I have extensive knowledge of highly selective admissions and look forward to taking some of the stress out of college applications!

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 Mariko and I graduated from Yale University's five-year BA/MPH program in 2022 with undergraduate degrees in the History of Public Health and Ethnicity, Race, and Migration and a Master's in Public Health in Social and Behavioral Sciences with a concentration in U.S. Racial Health Justice. I deeply valued my college experience and I hope to help others find the same transformative opportunities through helping you through your college process! Outside of the classroom, I was an All-American nominated water polo player who conducted historical research on medicine and the slave trade and worked at both Yale's Afro-American and Asian American Cultural Centers. I was accepted regular decision with a "likely" letter and was a recruited two-sport athlete in high school. Now, I'm back home in Southern California continuing my work in health equity consulting and teaching at Loyola Marymount University.