Duke University

A Duke honors grad with neuroscience training from Stanford, I help leaders thrive in our changing world. I started my career in global education over a decade ago and have been publicly recognized by Melinda Gates and 4x NYT bestselling author Marianne Williamson for my work in education and whole-person development. My training, knowledge, and professional experience across marketing, education, and coaching make me a highly insightful, innovative, and integrative college advisor. Prior to CollegeAdvisor, I worked as an advisor in a small college advising firm, working with over 20 students on a team of advisors. Our students received admissions from Stanford, Harvard, Princeton, Northwestern, Duke, Dartmouth, Berkeley, and MIT. I was lucky to learn the ropes from former Stanford admissions directors; entrusted with each student's applications and resumes, I realized I had a talent for showing what was unique about each student. I have become a sought-after essay advisor since. I help students get an edge in college admissions while enjoying the process and growing as a person. My students note how I help them succeed as themselves rather than striving for someone else's notion of "success" at their own long-term expense. This means that I work best with families who are interested in helping their student discover and unfold their whole selves and willing to do the challenging inner work that can entail. I'm interested in what makes you different! Fun fact: I have been fortunate to continue my involvement in higher education long after graduating. I have spoken at Duke, NYU, and Harvard conferences, served as a staff and alum career coach at UC Berkeley and Duke University, and am also a fractional executive coach to higher education professionals. These engagements give me another view into colleges and their evolving priorities. As an advisor, I am energetic, insightful, compassionate, entertaining, and rigorous. If you are willing to be seen, heard, challenged, and emboldened through the college application process, then you've found the right person. I hope I will shape your experience to be one where you can reach your goals, find your place in the world, and honor your humanity and inherent value.

Hey y'all! As an avid reader, I've always appreciated the power of storytelling to inspire, educate, and change lives for the better. As a college advisor, I love helping students craft their stories into compelling, clear, and personal essays for college applications! During college, I studied animal behavior and English literature. I also worked as a writing tutor, assisting students and professors at all stages of the writing process. After college, I worked as an Americorps College Adviser where I assisted over 214 students and families during every part of the college application process. Many of my students pursued career paths in the medical field, from nursing and physical therapy to respiratory therapy and pre-med. While the majority of the students I worked with pursued a 4-year degree, I also assisted many students and their families through alternative, and just as viable paths, including the military, trade schools, and community colleges! I look forward to helping you continue your story and pursue further education after high school! Outside of my advising role, I am an aspiring filmmaker, writing screenplays, filming, and working on film sets.

Joshua Ford attended UNC-Chapel Hill as a Morehead-Cain Scholar in the Honors Program. Upon graduating, he received a Fulbright scholarship to study entrepreneurship in Mexico. He spent several years as a management consultant before moving to startups. He previously worked for Candid and Uber before becoming the CEO & Founder of HipTrain. HipTrain was acquired by FORME which Joshua helped bring public on the NASDAQ exchange in April 2023. He now serves as the Global Head of Redesign Health.

Hello! My name is Sydney, and I am a proud Midwest native, first-generation college student, and Tar Heel! I received a B.S. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master of Environmental Management (MEM) from Duke University. As a high school senior, I was accepted into all 13 schools I applied to and I earned over $1.7 million in college scholarships, including the prestigious national Gates Millennium Scholarship and Morehead-Cain Scholarship at UNC. Along with being a Senior Advisor with CollegeAdvisor.com, I am also a Webinar Moderator. I used my undergraduate experience as a time to explore different subject areas. I entered college with the hopes of attending veterinary school, so I am familiar with pre-health tracks and requirements. During a required introductory computer science class, I fell in love with programming and ended up pursuing a minor in Computer Science and working as a Teaching Assistant for several semesters. I also earned a minor in Education because of my passion for educational equity and access. Outside of my academics, I played club rugby and acted in Company Carolina productions. After graduating in December 2020, I applied to a variety of marine and environmental science graduate programs at schools like Scripps Institute of Oceanography at UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, and University of Miami. I ultimately decided to go back to North Carolina where I pursued a Master of Environmental Science with a specialization in Coastal Environmental Management at the Duke University Marine Lab. My Master's Project compiled community art projects and individuals' creative representations of the word "entanglement" for a digital zine. I also have experience with research, as I have traveled to places like the Galapagos and Australia to work in the field on a range of research projects. Currently, I have a science communications fellowship with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). I am excited to work alongside students to showcase their authentic self to colleges and can't wait to see all of the amazing schools they are accepted to!

Hi! My name is Nannette Beckley, and I’m super excited to work with you! I recently graduated from Princeton University in May of 2023 with a B.A. in the School of Public and International Affairs and earned a certificate (minor) in Global Health & Health Policy. As a student, I participated in several organizations, including Matriculate, a college access program. Through my work as an Advising Fellow for Matriculate, I gained several years of experience advising high-achieving, lower-income students on the college application and financial aid process. I am also a member of the AP Alumni Council through the College Board. I enjoy helping students form their college lists and reviewing students’ essays. Outside of CollegeAdvisor, I serve as a Research Associate at NORC at the University of Chicago in their health-adjacent departments.

I look forward to guiding you through the long, complicated, but fulfilling college admissions process!

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!

To give you an idea of who I am, I graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with my Bachelor of Science in Biology & Exercise and Sport Science in 2016. I then went on to become a College Advisor aiding over 1500+ students in their college process. Some of my most rewarding experiences have been supporting students to be admitted to Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Columbia, NYU, Duke, and many other top universities. I’m very passionate about the sciences and education. I currently work as a Senior Instructional Designer for a cable provider! I’d love to be a part of your journey!

I am a First-Generation college graduate from a small rural town in North Carolina. After attending Duke University, I worked as a college advisor for the Duke College Advising Corps for 2 years, and I currently serve as the program coordinator for the same organization. In my 4 years of working with students, I have gained a deep understanding of navigating the college admissions process and helping people make the most out of their college experience. Students that I served have enrolled in top 50 colleges/universities, received highly-selective merit scholarships, and pursued a variety of academic interests. I look forward to helping students discover their passions and achieve their college aspirations!

I recently graduated Cum Laude from Princeton University with a bachelor's in public policy and international Affairs and a certificate in American Studies. During my time at Princeton, I was an advisor for Matriculate on campus where I guided high achieving high school students to entry at top universities and colleges through essay workshopping and applicant consulting. Prior to College Advisor, I have worked with another mentoring agency directed towards international students seeking to develop writing and personal aspect of their application such as personal statements, resumes, supplement essays, and college interviews. I also worked as an academic coach for a company that uses teaching techniques to help bright students with learning difficulties and conquer their academic struggles. This experience exposed me to varying learning and working styles to elevate the performance of bright students with great potential. I have worked with students who major in the Arts and Humanities, Communications and Media Studies, Computer Science, Engineering, Pre-Law/Political Science, and Gender and Sexuality Studies. My mission while advising is to bring any student to life on paper while making the experience as enjoyable as possible for the student, the family, and eventually the admission officer that eventually receives the final product. Applying to college can be overwhelming, but maintaining a healthy mindset and figuring out an approach that works for you can make the experience as exciting as approaching this new chapter in life should be. I am currently working as a Technical Account Manager at an Education Software company based in New York and aspire to attend law school in the future. My love for education started in my home in Jersey City, NJ as I helped my busy parents with homework as I balanced my own pursuit for a higher education and my extracurriculars. Outside of academics and career interests, I enjoy rollerskating, reading, and spending time with friends having interesting conversations and making fun memories in the city.