Florida State University

Hi there! My name is Rachael, and I graduated from Northwestern University in 2023 as a theatre major, dance minor, and music theatre certificate recipient, and with additional studies in choreography and acting for the screen. I now use the education and connections that Northwestern provided me as a professional actor in Chicago, IL. Online Tutoring Experience with Varsity Tutors: I have previously tutored students in College Essays and ACT/SAT prep. I helped one student brainstorm and develop her personal statement for the Common App, and she sent me a thank you after she was accepted and committed to Princeton University! I am a professional musical theatre actor who studied music theatre and dance at Northwestern University. I know well the unique college application AND audition process that prospective MT students must go through. If you are looking for someone to help you navigate that process, select and prepare your audition material, put together dance reels and self-tapes, edit your theatrical resume, prepare you for in-person auditions, etc - look no further! During my college application process, I applied to around 25 different schools - even if you are not someone looking to study fine arts, I can still be a great resource as someone with experience juggling many different applications, deadlines, and essay topics. Of the schools listed below that I myself have been accepted to, I am referring to academic acceptance. I was not accepted for musical theatre at all of those listed, but can provide insight into both the application and audition processes.

I received my Bachelor's degree in Instrumental Music Education from Florida State University. I also received my Master's degree in Music Performance, with a Euphonium concentration, from Carnegie Mellon University. With over nine years of experience working in college admissions and advising, I am deeply committed to providing tangible support and resources to marginalized populations through an intersectional lens. In my time at Florida State University, I served in multiple roles involving university admissions and student enrollment advising. I served on the Student Board of Advisors (BOA), and provided specialized academic advising to new freshmen and transfer students to the FSU College of Music. Additionally, I served the CoM Admissions Office as an admissions administrator. In this role, I was the first point of contact for undergraduates, guiding students and their families through all aspects of the admissions process including: program information, application procedures, audition days, and ensuring that students met all requirements to be admitted into the university. I continued working in admissions during my graduate studies at Carnegie Mellon, as a graduate assistant. My responsibilities in this position were the same as my previous roles, but also allowed me to also meet one-on-one with families to lead information sessions on the School of Music's undergraduate and graduate degree programs. After completing my graduate degree, I continued working as a freelance musician while also serving as a Senior Admissions Coordinator for the University of Pittsburgh's School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS). I was the first point of contact and application administrator for prospective undergraduate and graduate students at the 30 programs offered at SHRS. I guided applicants through each phase of the admissions process, prescreened application materials, hosted virtual admissions meetings with applicants and families, and distributed final decision letters. Additionally, I collaborated closely with SHRS academic leadership on using data-driven research to implement best practices for holistic admissions. I currently serve as co-founder and Director of Operations for Chromatic Brass Collective: a nonprofit organization for brass musicians that celebrates, performs, and educates in an effort to increase the visibility of racially and ethnically underrepresented women and gender non-conforming people throughout the brass world.

I hold my Bachelor of Science degree from Florida State University where I majored in Secondary English Education. Upon graduating I was selected to serve as a 2010 Teach For America Corps Member Teaching Middle School English in Houston, TX. After completion of my teaching requirements, I stayed within my placement school and moved into the college initiatives team specializing in personal statement development and ACT/SAT test prep. Upon returning to my hometown of Chicago, I continued working within the college admissions sector. I served as a program director within a local nonprofit organization providing college access and success programming that included building college lists, personal statement essay support, test prep, career exploration and development, application and financial aid/scholarship submission. Most recently, I worked as a college advisor for academically ambitious students throughout the entirety of the application process, including interview preparation for some of the top universities. As an educator and college advisor, I have worked with students who have major(ed) in Business and Entrepreneurship, Education, Pre-Health and Sciences, Engineering, Psychology, and more. With 12 years of experience within the education sector, I can provide the support and knowledge to help navigate the college application and selection process. I am passionate about providing a holistic approach to college counseling to include identifying best fit schools in which a student is going to feel academically challenged, successful, supported and happy. I specialize in working with each student's unique goals and work in partnership to provide the support and encouragement to ensure those goals are met. I believe in ensuring that students are able to have a safe space to work through the application process and a healthy mindset to achieve the goals set forth.

I hold over 6 years of higher education administration experience advising students on their educational and academic pursuits. I obtained my B.S. in 2017 from Bowling Green State University where I received a 4-year full-ride scholarship. I graduated from Michigan State University with my master's in Education Administration in 2019. As a higher education professional, I strive to remove barriers to education and provide support to students from all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. I believe that having access to affordable higher education is an amazing avenue to pursue, and an opportunity everyone should be able to access affordably. I have experience advising a diverse array of students from many different institution types and love connecting with students holistically and providing them support and resources to best reach their collegiate goals. As an educator the driving force behind my advising style is to provide guidance and support as well as getting to know my student goals, values, and priorities to help them make decisions best suited for their situation. My time in higher education has allowed me to gain a great understanding around academic requirements, extracurricular activities, and institution types. I am always excited to learn about the experiences that have shaped students and how they want to make their impact on the world. I am very skilled in assisting students in finding out what it is they value and how they want to "share their story" with higher education institutions. I know the application process and the search for the right school can feel daunting and overwhelming at times, but I know from experience with the right support it can be incredibly rewarding and exciting as well!

Hi! My name is Kalea O. and I'm from Manassas, Virginia (DMV area). I grew up as the daughter of a single mom and I am a first-generation/limited-income (FGLI) college grad. I graduated from the University of Virginia in 2020 with a B.S. in Youth and Social Innovation (education) and minor in Urban and Environmental Planning (architecture). During my time as an undergrad, I became an advocate for change through storytelling, and influenced by my own and friends' lived experiences, my career has largely been defined by advocating for first-generation, limited-income, and other underserved students. After college, I served for two years with Americorps as a College Adviser for the Virginia College Advising Corps. My placement was at Charlottesville High School (go Black Knights!) where I worked with over 1,500+ students, from freshmen to seniors, regarding their college apps and career aspirations. My former students have been admitted to a varied and diverse range of institutions, such as Harvard, UPenn, The College of William & Mary, DigiPenn, NYU, Johns Hopkins, Virginia Tech, and several community colleges. I have experience working with students who have pursued a wide range of majors including the Arts and Humanities, Business, and STEM. My strengths as an Advisor lie in helping students explore and find their passions and then translate those experiences in their college essays. I also specialize in Virginia college applications and have familiarity with a wide range of Virginia high schools from NOVA to central and southern Virginia. I am also well versed in the scholarship and financial aid process; in 2021 I was awarded $800 by the State Council for Higher Education for ensuring my school had the highest FAFSA completion rates across the Commonwealth of Virginia (of high schools with 200+ seniors). In total I have helped students secure hundreds of thousands in scholarships, one student alone securing $100k. As an FGLI grad, my mission is to help decrease the cost of college for every student I work with! After my service with the College Advising Corps, I worked as a Presidential Fellow for the Office of the President at UVA. Now, in addition to advising through CollegeAdvisor.com, I am a Program Coordinator for Hoos First, a new team at the University of Virginia that provides support for FGLI students. When I'm not working with students, you'll find me hosting murder mystery dinners, running, playing thrilling games of Rummikub, and hanging out with my roommate--my cat Biggie Paws!

Hi! Nice to meet you. I am an education advocate with over 7 years of experience. I currently work as a Director at UCLA Anderson Management School of Business where I lead admissions and recruitment strategies, oversee the student affairs team, and provide career counselling to students throughout their academic journey. I'm deeply passionate about creating inclusive environments that empower students to succeed and thrive in their academic pursuits. Previously, I worked at Florida International University as an Admissions Officer, where I built strong relationships with 9th - 12th grade prospective students, their families, and other key stakeholders in the community. I earned my Master's Degree in Higher Education Administration and Bachelor's Degree in Psychology at Florida International University. In addition, I earned a certificate in Academic Advising and am a member of the National Association of College Admissions Counselors (NACAC). If you catch me outside of work, I'm an adventurous traveler - 28 countries and counting. I'm an avid lover of fitness and yoga. During the summer, I earned my scuba dive certificate and hope to swim with whales one day.