Georgetown University

Alyssa Rashaw has a strong background in education, communications, and college readiness, with a rich blend of academic and professional experiences. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies and a Master's in Public Relations and Corporate Communications from Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies. Her professional experience includes working in the charter school sector and higher education, notably as an assistant to the Dean at Georgetown University.

Alyssa is also a Strategic Communications Fellow at the DC State Board of Education, where she hones her skills in policy, advocacy, and strategic planning. At the District of Columbia Public Schools central office (DCPS), Alyssa supports the College Persists Department, working closely with college coaches and school leaders to ensure that students stay on track for post-secondary success. She is instrumental in managing data processes that track student progress and outcomes, providing crucial insights to demonstrate the program's effectiveness and its impact on DCPS graduates.

She is passionate about supporting college and career readiness, particularly among underrepresented groups, and is committed to addressing the technology and education gap in Black communities. Her experience spans advising, family engagement, and working in diverse educational settings, making her well-equipped to support students in achieving their college admissions goals as a Senior Advisor at CollegeAdvisor.com.

As a recent first-generation graduate and regents scholar at UC Berkeley, I can still remember how nervous I was for my first college admissions cycle. In 2020, I joined Matriculate with the hope of improving this experience for others, eventually mentoring over 120 high school students while managing a cohort of 60 college advisors. Through CollegeAdvisor, I have learned even more about supporting students towards their dream schools, while advocating for increased transparency and equity in the college admissions system. From conversations with many college admissions offices, I understand that colleges are not searching for the perfect student, but rather one that is able to articulate their story. My role as an advisor is to help students build this narrative by embracing their unique perspective and experiences, which I promise every student has! My previous students have been admitted to a wide range of schools including highly selective institutions, such as Stanford, Yale, Georgetown, and UC Berkeley. Currently, I work as a Research Analyst for LAVCA based in New York, where I cover investment/development projects in Latin American markets. During my time at UC Berkeley, I had the opportunity to study abroad for nearly a year in Chile, which led to my current career as an analyst. In my free time, I love performing at open mics, trying new dance classes, and spending time with my cats. Please reach out if you have any questions about anything I've mentioned here or would like to know more about my advising background, I'm always happy to chat!

I attend Columbia Law School on a full-ride, merit scholarship, where my studies focus on civil rights, education policy, and non-profit law. Before law school, I worked in philanthropy as a grantmaker on issues related to public policy, youth organizing, and technology regulations and in communications as a consultant for political campaigns. I'm a National Geographic Education Fellow and Forbes 30 Under 30 Awardee for my education policy and advocacy work. I graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Bachelor's in Political Science. I was a Robertson Scholar at Chapel Hill, a full-ride scholarship that gave me access to UNC Chapel Hill and Duke University classes. I was also a Coca-Cola Scholar and a Kevan Flagler Assured Admit. In addition to the Robertson Scholarship, I was awarded full rides to three undergraduate institutions (UK, Davidson, Wake Forest) and partial scholarships to several others. During my undergraduate studies, I interned at a political consulting firm in Washington, DC, a management consulting firm in Atlanta, Georgia, and a local community development nonprofit in New Orleans. After undergrad, I pursued a Master's in Education Policy & Management from Harvard Graduate School of Education, where my research focused on student power in the K12 education system. In high school, I founded a nonprofit organization that advocated for more student voice in the K12 education system. I also competed in speech and debate, played soccer, and practiced the cello. During my junior year, I moved to Washington, D.C., for a semester to serve as a United States Senate Page. There, I attended class in the morning and worked on the Senate floor in the evening. Outside of academic and career interests, I love live music, hiking in the woods, and a relaxing spa day. When applying to college, the key is honing your narrative to stand out to admission officers from among the dozens of qualified applications they will review.

I graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in creative writing in 2016. I find mentorship and advising truly energizing and have sought to integrate that into my career whenever possible: I've served corporate clients as an analyst for the management consulting firm McKinsey & Company; I've worked with writers and directors in the film and television industry; and I've created and run college essay workshops for local high school students in multiple cities. I've also directed my creative energy into writing three novels for young adult audiences, all of which have been published by major publishing houses. I believe in the college admissions process as an opportunity for reflection, as an act of finding one’s voice, and as a means toward self-actualization. Students are often daunted because they don’t know “what they want to do with their lives” or “what is important enough to write their essays about,” and in the overwhelming panic and pressure of college admissions they lose sight of the fact that reflecting on those questions can be tremendously valuable in and of itself. I hope to make the admissions process a process of curiosity (via collaborative reflection), pride (by highlighting all the great things the student has accomplished in their lives so far), and fun. Finally, in my role as an advisor, I think it is important to support students academically and holistically—as students, yes, but more importantly, as people. The most rewarding moments of college advising are when I am able to connect authentically with students in their passions, interests, challenges, fears, and joys.

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!

I received my B.A. from Brandeis University with a double major in Psychology and Italian. I then went on to get an Interpreters degree in Italian and French from Georgetown University and then a Master's degree in International Affairs and Economics from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. I have worked at the United Nations, for the Italian government and as a free-lance interpreter and translator. For a number of years, I have been working as an independent college counselor working both with international and American students and I now look forward to collaborating with CollegeAdvisor and to continue helping students navigate the college admissions process.