Advisors

Hi! My name is Megan, and I was born and raised in Orange County, California, and currently live there as well! I received my Bachelor of Arts in European Studies from UC Irvine (Go Anteaters!) and my Master of Science in School Counseling from the University of La Verne. During my undergrad experience, I spent a semester living and studying abroad in London, England. I have worked as a high school counselor for the past 5 years, and prior to that worked in higher education for 8 years in both advising and in study abroad roles. I have also been an admissions reader for a UC school in the past. I am extremely passionate about helping students achieve their goal of attending college. As a high school counselor, I am confident in working with any student, no matter your major/interest. In my free time, I like to read, go for walks with friends, play board games and cook. I can't wait to work with you!

Hi my name is Maxx and I am a Senior Advisor based in the great city of New York! My love of teaching and experience in college admission stems from a lifelong passion to support students in realizing their educational goals. Growing up I attended Greenwich Academy, an intensive college preparatory school. There I gained a comprehensive experience in the college process that serves as the foundation for my admission work. I hold both a B.A. and B.S. from Tufts University in Spanish and Biopsychology respectively. While at Tufts I was involved in a myriad of activities including an outdoors club, a GOTV political organization, greek life, a comedy troupe, and a writing group. This breadth of experience gives me a unique insight into the different facets of campus life as well as the curricular demands for both STEM and Arts and Language majors. After graduation, I worked in the development and admissions office of University of the People, an education non-profit with over 100,000 students that focuses on accessibility to higher education. In addition to my grant writing work, I assisted students in navigating the admission process to schools such as NYU, LIU, McGill, Effat University, and Edinburgh University. My strength as a writer and work in psychology helped students find and bring unique voices to paper. It also gave me exposure and familiarity with international schools and international students. By nature, I am an outgoing, fun and passionate individual. I bring the whole of myself and my expertise to students. While this process can be at times overwhelming and intimidating, I am here to help empower students to take the driver's seat. Together we will delve deep to discover who they are and what they want from their college experiences. Through this process, I help their confidence and unique experiences shine both in and out of their application

Hi everyone! My name is Mattia Mahmoud, and I am a Harvard College graduate (Class of 2020) and a current MD/PhD student at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. I am excited to help students get accepted into their dream colleges! I have extensive experience in advising premed and public health students about college decisions, essay editing, standardized test prep, and preparation for college interviews. I know that the college admissions process can seem very daunting, but I am here to both alleviate the fears of and instill confidence in parents and students that a top tier school is in reach for them!

Hello! I am a recent graduate from Cal Poly SLO's blended Bachelor's/Master's program in Computer Science and am excited to help guide you through your college application process. I am fluent in French & English and have additionally earned a minor in Spanish during my undergraduate studies as I studied abroad in Valladolid, Spain. Throughout my time in university, I cultivated a background in STEM research including publishing and presenting research at the International Conference for Advanced Learning Technologies, entering a Boeing-sponsored project at the collegiate Team Tech engineering competition, and designing, programming, and defending my master's thesis in natural language processing. I was the first in my family to attend college in the United States and am therefore intimately familiar with the uncertainty that often shrouds the college application process. I have learned that every student has a unique blend of strengths, skills, and interests that set them apart from the rest - I am here to help you identify your brightest qualities and prepare you to put your best foot forward. Let's do this!

I have over 20 years of experience as a college counselor working with domestic US students as well as international students applying to US colleges. I lived abroad for 10 years and worked at 2 premier international schools guiding and advising students with applications to the US as well as Canada, the UK, and Europe. My jobs have allowed me the opportunity to visit close to 200 college campuses across the globe. I am passionate about career development and guiding students to tell their stories through essays and other aspects of the application. I live and breathe college admissions on a daily basis and stay current with the changing landscape. The most enjoyable parts of my job are working directly with young adults and helping them to uncover their talents and how those are related to their futures - college and beyond!

I grew up in northwest Ohio and always knew I wanted to go out of state for college. I looked for colleges all along the east coast, and although I was a bit uncertain of what I was looking for, I am so glad I ended up at Lafayette College. My liberal arts experience provided hands-on opportunities for both of my passions: STEM and theater. I studied geologic history in Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, and abroad in Scotland. I learned about sound design and played roles in the college's musicals and plays. Since graduating college, I have experience working with a non-profit that seeks to support students in applying to and succeeding at highly selective liberal arts colleges. My experience has helped me learn how to best advise youth and families in understanding their college options and best fit. Currently, I am earning my Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in the hopes of becoming a therapist for high school aged youth. I feel confident in my ability to work with students interested in STEM programs and performing arts programs in college. I look forward to meeting you!

I am a proud immigrant, first-generation college student. My professional career started upon earning my B.A. in Geography from the University of Texas at Austin in 2019. A few months after graduating, I started working for Advise TX (a partnership program between UT and the College Advising Corps, the nation's largest nonprofit in college access) as a college adviser at a high school in Austin. My caseload for the 2 years I was a college adviser was 600+ students each year so I've advised all types of students with all types of interests (Engineering, Pre-Med, Humanities, Business, etc.) get into all types of schools (Ivies, Highly Selective Schools, Private, Public). I advised students (and their families) who were interested in out of state schools, but my expertise is concentrated in Texas colleges and universities. I have a passion for getting students to and through college, so much so that I went back to school to earn a Masters in Higher Education Administration in 2023. I currently work full-time as an academic advisor for a Student Support Services-Disability (SSSD) Program where I help college students with disabilities persist and thrive in their university setting. Previous students appreciated me for my enthusiasm to help and my knowledge base on everything college related. I highly value higher education and together, we can make sure that you can go on to receive a quality education, too!

My name is Manuel Stefano Castaño. I am an international student that graduated with honors from the B.A. Politics program in Princeton University, and with the LExS Award in the M.P.A. program in Leiden University in The Hague, Netherlands. I am currently a PhD Candidate at the same school. Throughout my academic career, I have been fortunate to have won multiple awards and honors. I have been advising high school, university, and adult applicants for over 7 years, specializing in College Admissions Counseling, Applications, Essays, English/Verbal sections of standardized testing (ACT, GRE, etc.), Interviews, and related areas. I have helped applicants stand out and be accepted into schools like Harvard, Columbia, U Chicago, Berkeley, and UCLA, amongst others. During my time at Princeton University, I founded the "College Crash Course," a service initiative in cooperation with an NGO called MIRA USA. This was a service initiative based on helping vulnerable student populations understand the application process and succeed in it. I worked as the coordinator of this program for four years, helped hundreds of students apply to their choice universities, and it is still running to this day. Outside of College Advising, I am a self-motivated and results-oriented international consultant, political advisor, editor, writer, translator, and interpreter with knowledge and experience in national and international governance. I have professional experience with international organizations like the United Nations, as well as political parties in Colombia. I have founded and led public service projects, as well as cooperated with NGOs in various human-rights related programs. Facilitating intergovernmental cooperation, sacrifice, and change through diplomacy to increase the normative and socio-political legitimacy of people's welfare are my prime motivators. I was born in Colombia in 93', where my mother and I escaped the Armed Conflict in 99'. Knowing the struggle of those who are most vulnerable, my passions are justice, peace, and honest governance.

I graduated from the University of Virginia in May 2023 with a Bachelor’s in Sociology and a minor in Entrepreneurship. I loved it! I spent my first year of college at Occidental College, where I was recruited to play lacrosse, and after I realized my academic and personal goals had changed, I transferred to the University of Virginia; with this in mind, I am familiar with recruitment admissions as well as transfer admissions processes. Prior to joining CollegeAdvisor.com, I served as a college advisor at College Contact, where I helped students craft creative, authentic, and compelling essays. I have also served as an Entrepreneurship Advisor for the University of Pennsylvania’s Social Innovators Program. At the end of the day, I am passionate about working with students to craft essays that both creatively tell their authentic stories and allow them to stand out in the college admissions processes. The college admissions process requires self-reflection and authenticity, and I am here to prompt such introspection and help students achieve their true dreams…and have fun doing it!

Hi there! My name is Madeline Schloss and I am a former admission officer and college counselor. I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and then earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from The Ohio State University. After graduating, I worked on the international admission team at Ohio State and then at Northwestern University, supporting students through the application process, reviewing thousands of applications, and learning the ins and outs of the university admission landscape. I then switched sides of the desk, working as a college counselor at a high school in Guatemala, prior to joining the CollegeAdvisor.com team. My experiences at two very different universities, and on the other side of the admission desk, have given me a unique insight into the university admission space. Throughout my career, I've had the pleasure of working with domestic and international students applying for both freshman and transfer admission to universities in the US and abroad. I can't wait to support you and your family in the college admission process as your Admission Officer through CollegeAdvisor.com!

Hello! My name is Madeline and I cannot wait to help you on your college journey. I was an early decision student at Northwestern University, where I received a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Psychology, receiving minors in Dance and Theatre for Young Audiences. While at Northwestern, I directed 10 theatrical productions, was the president of two theatre organizations, and produced the largest student-written musical in the United States. Prior to attending Northwestern, I grew up in the international school system, attending Shanghai American School and The American School of The Hague. I worked at the admissions office of Northwestern University for three years, first as a tour guide and then as a senior admissions counselor. My strong suits in the college process are essay development and, for non-seniors, learning how to fill in any of those blank lines in the extracurricular space. I have a particular affinity for the performing arts, both as a performer and as a director who worked in casting at an educational and professional level. I hope to help my students in making the best decision for them, whether that be in selecting their university or cultivating the most attractive application to have a host of schools to choose from.

I earned my B.A. from Davidson College, where I graduated Cum Laude in 2020. I am currently working towards my Masters of Social Work at UNC-Chapel Hill and plan to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker after graduating. I spent two years (from 2020-2022) working as a College Advisor through College Advising Corps. I served at a rural, Title I school in North Carolina, where I guided approximately 200 seniors (and their families) each year through the college application process, both remote and in-person. I helped them consider, prepare, and apply for college, while striving to increase the number of low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented students who enter and complete higher education. While working in this role, I helped my students research different schools, create their school lists, write and edit essays, fill out applications, claim residency, prepare for interviews, and more. I also helped my students fill out the FAFSA, apply for scholarships, and consider loans. I helped hundreds of students receive federal, school, and scholarship funding. My students were accepted to schools such as UNC-Chapel Hill, NC State, and Elon, often with generous scholarships. In my second year with AmeriCorps, I was selected as a Team Leader for Davidson's group of College Advisors. In this leadership role, I assisted in advisor training and recruitment and was a point person for other advisors to come to for help. I love working with students and their families and helping them get through this process that can so often be murky and confusing. I find joy in assisting students in sharing themselves with the world, starting with their college applications. This is an exciting time in students' lives, and I hope we have fun working towards their futures together!

I graduated with my Master's in Higher Education from Boston College Lynch School of Education and I currently work as the Admissions and Recruitment Specialist at the School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2) at the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to receiving my Master's, I worked in Japan for a couple years teaching English to students from ages 2-18. I have also worked for Boston College's TRiO program in supporting first-year, first-gen students in pursuing their interest in research and graduate school and Middlesex Community College Program for Asian American Student Advancement (PAASA) with organizing events for Asian/Asian American students in their academic and career development as a Graduate Assistant. My undergraduate experience at University of Vermont has inspired my interest in working in Higher Ed. As a first-generation, Chinese American, I want to assist and support students on their college process journey.

Hi! I am Lisa, a First-Generation Columbia University graduate. Originally from Brazil, I've been working as a college advisor for about 4 years. Using the knowledge I gained during my own college application process, I've directly helped more than 23 ambitious and determined students get admitted into the top 20 schools. I was an Advisor Fellow Leader at the non-profit Matriculate for over two years, managing a community group of 15 advisors and a total of 50 students. I have helped students with all steps of the college process, including financial aid and scholarships. Particularly, I have extensive experience with essay writing, college list building, standardized test prep, application questions, mock interviews and career advising! I am passionate about helping students pursue their passions and achieve their higher education goals!

I hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Media Promotions from Greenville College (now Greenville University). I also hold a Master of Arts degree in Communication from University of Illinois Springfield and a Graduate Certificate in Higher Education & Student Affairs from Indiana University. I started working in higher education in 2011 at the University of Illinois Springfield as an Admissions & Records Representative, later moving into an Admissions Officer role and specifically assisting those applying for freshman admissions to our institution. Later on, I became an Associate Director of Admissions for a competitive graduate online MBA program at Indiana University. While I enjoyed assisting students with the admission process, I wanted to see what working with matriculated students looked like and had the opportunity to advise both undergraduate students throughout their freshman through senior years, as well as graduate students. I have worked in higher education as a whole for 10 years. Some fun, extra tasks that I got to take part in while in these roles were acting as a Designated School Official (DSO) processing international documents, reviewing paperwork for visas, and issuing I-20's for students; participating in professional development to achieve the Administrative Professional Certificate in 2017; regularly meeting one-on-one with a student on academic warning as a Progress Counselor; conducting New Student Orientation for freshmen and transfer students; and teaching a First-Year Seminar class to freshmen students. I'm here to help! I remember when applying to colleges, I didn't really feel like I had much guidance or knowledge of various schools or programs to know where to even apply. I found out though that I enjoyed researching this information and later in life, encouraging and helping others in their admissions application process. It doesn't have to be daunting, and I can help you keep organized, focus on goals, and prepare your application to be strong, complete, and to stand out. Let's work together to find a school that will be a great fit for you and where you can thrive, then let's get you admitted!

Hello! I am Linda Ayala, and I am excited to work with y'all! I graduated from Syracuse University with a B.A. in Sociology and Policy Studies in 2016. I have worked with public, charter and private schools for the past 4 years to guide mainly first-generation students through the college application process.

I am a graduate of Texas State University and have spent 5 years of my career as a college advisor and university liaison for an oil corporation helping to place students in top schools including Ivy League, State, and small Private universities. Much of my experience stems directly from conversations with admission officers from these universities and their application procedures. I am dedicated to the pursuit of helping students to obtain higher education.

Hello! I am a Houston native who is first-generation college graduate, alumni of St. Edward's University (BA in Liberal Studies with the concentrations of English Literature and Religious & Theological Studies) and Abilene Christian University (M. Ed in Higher Education), Educator at Heart, Christmas Queen, and a fanatic of Harry Potter, books, cooking, Shakespeare, movies, and traveling.

Hi everyone!! My name is Lauren! I am from the Inland Empire in sunny Southern California. I graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 2018 with a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Public Health on the pre-med track. (GO BEARS!) I am a first-generation college student who spearheaded revamping the Black Students in Health Association to increase the Black social network for pre-meds on campus. I also served as an Intern for Northern California Recruitment for the Black Recruitment and Retention Center and served as the President of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, Rho Chapter. I have been involved with college applications and mentoring students through the process for over 8 years. I love to work with students from all backgrounds and help them illustrate their uniqueness, especially those who struggle identifying what makes them stand out (I was that student). I love hearing what motivates my students and assisting them in streamlining that motivation through storytelling via their personal statement and their extracurricular activities. I love to reassure my students that there isn’t a “cookie-cutter” mold for college applicants and encourage them to be bold and authentic in their application. I look forward to working with students who want to enter STEM specifically or Pre-med. I have a ton of experience (leadership, research, clinical etc.) in the pre-med journey and am actually in the process of preparing for medical school applications. My perspective on medicine is unique and I love encouraging young students to continue to pursue STEM regardless of the barriers/ challenges. In my spare time I like to work out, hang out with friends, eat and play with my fur baby! I look forward to working with you and your family during this application process. Get ready to dig deep and put in the work!

I earned my B.A. in Psychology from Kent State University where I was a University Founders Scholar and graduated at the top of my class with a 4.0 GPA. I earned my M.A. in Counselor Education from The Ohio State University where I was a University Fellow and served as a Graduate Assistant supporting undergraduate students with major and career exploration. I have been licensed in the state of Ohio as a K-12 School Counselor for the past 14 years. Additionally, I am a graduate of the Independent Educational Consultants Summer Training Institute, an intensive, hands-on, training program designed for those seeking to become college planning consultants. Most recently, I earned a certificate as an International University Advocate through the National Association for College Admission Counseling to better support my students who are wishing to explore international options when applying to colleges. In addition to my formal training, I love staying on top of the latest data and trends in college admissions (what can I say? I’m a data geek at heart!), which is why I can often be found poring over the Common Data Set or listening to admissions webinars that I’ve converted into podcasts. In my over 15 years working with high school students, I’ve served in a variety of roles and settings including working as a school counselor in a private high school, and, for the past 5 years, serving as a college planning consultant to students across the globe. I possess a great amount of passion for the college planning journey and truly love sharing my knowledge and expertise with students and their families. I especially enjoy guiding students in developing an application that best showcases their abilities and helps them stand out in a sea of applicants. Over the years, I’ve gained experience in applying to a vast array of programs and majors (from Aeronautical Engineering to Zoology!) at nearly every kind of university imaginable. I also consider myself to be a college-funding ninja of sorts after having helped countless families secure both traditional and innovative college funding sources and having personally completed my undergraduate and graduate programs with nearly no debt. My greatest joy in all of this is being able to turn what can oftentimes be an overwhelming process into a more manageable (and maybe even a little exciting!) experience for my students and families.