University of Michigan – Ann Arbor

As a first-generation college student and a daughter of immigrant family, I had to navigate the college process on entirely on my own. I am eager to work with students in search of extra support as they embark on a pivotal moment in their journeys. I believe in encouraging students to embrace their creativity to highlight their strengths and their stories while marketing themselves to their schools of interest. As a Michigan graduate, I am a Wolverine at heart and embrace the title trailblazer in my work with high school students everyday.

Tayla is a junior at Michigan Ross pursuing Business Administration and a minor in User Experience (UX) Design, with the goal to work in consulting post-graduation. She is heavily involved with professional business organizations on campus, specifically her business fraternity and professional consulting club. Tayla interned this past summer with United Airlines in Chicago, IL and will be working in consulting this upcoming summer in New York City. Tayla is experienced in essay writing and revisions, activity and extra-curricular selection, and the financial aid/scholarship application process! She currently works on-campus as a student ambassador and career peer coach at the Michigan Ross School of Business Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

My name is Sara Whitelaw and I am a graduate from the University of Pennsylvania. I studied cognitive neuroscience and criminology and completed an honors thesis in my final year surrounding the effects of militarization on protest outcomes. Throughout university, I worked as a research assistant at the Center for Autism Research connected to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, while also being actively involved in student groups on campus. In my free time, I worked as a marketing intern for a woman-owned small business in Philadelphia. I have previous advising experience through working with Matriculate: a non-profit college advising company that helps low-income students and first-generation students apply to successful and financially accessible universities. I loved this experience and cannot wait to continue my advising journey for CollegeAdvisor. I have advised students who were successfully admitted into top programs such as USC's Annenberg School for Journalism & Communication with a full-ride scholarship as well as Stanford University. I look forward to building a connection with eager students excited about the college process!

I hold a Bachelor’s degree from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master of Business Administration from The University of Michigan – Go Heels & Go Blue!! After graduating from UNC, I started my career as a college advisor where I helped guide students through the college application process, both in-person and virtually. As a first-generation college student, I am passionate about ensuring that students feel supported, uplifted, and encouraged through the college application process. I enjoy helping students craft their story to allow their strengths, their passions, and their authentic selves to shine in college applications. During my time as an advisor, I have had the honor of successfully advising students who have been accepted into top colleges and Ivy League schools across the US. Throughout my professional career I have gained experience as a College Advisor, an MBA student, a digital marketer, and a product manager. Understanding the importance of exploring your passions and pursuing your interests, I have had the opportunity to pivot and explore different opportunities – and I want to encourage you to also explore different pathways as you begin your college journey! The college application process doesn’t have to be stressful – I look forward to working with you to find colleges that are the best fit, craft your essays, and submit strong applications that you are proud of… and ensuring that we have fun along the way!

Getting into college is becoming increasingly difficult day by day. With more students getting top scores and developing strong extracurricular backgrounds, it's extremely tough to set yourself apart. However, I can help with the nuanced components of each individual application, helping to build a cohesive, unique story that can maximize your chances. I have extensive experience advising students on undergraduate admissions, running my own independent admissions consultancy for multiple years. I have helped students get into many of the top schools in the United States, such as Northwestern, UChicago, Duke, and more. I view the college admissions process as holistic in nature -- meaning I will work with students to optimize each and every component of their application. Whether it be maximizing impact on the resume, crafting school-specific essays, or applying for competitive scholarships, I know what it takes to build the "complete package" necessary for admissions in today's age. I have a particular interest in writing, something I've been passionate about for as long as I can remember. I specialize in helping brainstorm, plan, and edit essays that are impactful for top-school admissions.

I graduated from the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor with a High Distinction Honors B.S. in Computer Science. I applied my education to a successful career in Information Technology Consulting at Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) and Strategic Management Consulting at Deloitte and Touche (now Deloitte). Following my consulting career, I took years off to be a stay-at-home mom of my four children. As my oldest was applying to college, I became fascinated in and took a deep dive into the college application process. With my depth and breadth of information, I have worked as a CBO College Counselor for the past 9 years—first at Evanston Scholars and then at Chicago Scholars. Through my CBO work, I have the privilege of developing solid rapport, personal connections, and trusting relationships with students and families from a variety of backgrounds. In addition to my CBO College Counseling, I am a member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association and provide Independent Educational Consulting by referral. I stay current on shifting trends in the application process and versed in colleges’ academic climates and landscape. I understand, as a parent of four college graduates—University of Michigan Ross School of Business ('16), University of Michigan Ross School of Business ('18), University of Michigan Ford School of Public Policy and Ross Minor ('20), Massachusetts Institute of Technology Mechanical Engineering ('22) and Stanford University ME PhD (anticipated '27), how to inspire and motivate teenagers while creating a supportive and nurturing environment. My professional qualities are based on a faculty for meticulous research and analysis as well as organizational, written, and interpersonal communication skills. These traits translated well from a consulting career to a college counseling career. In my free time, I love to travel to Philadelphia, Miami, and Palo Alto to see my kids. I am an avid reader and I am addicted to pickleball.

Hello! My name is Kate (she/her) and I am so thrilled to be a part of your college search and application process. I hold an honors B.A. from St. Lawrence University, where I graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2015. I majored in Government and double-minored in Education and African Studies. While in college, I worked as a campus ambassador/tour guide, studied abroad in Kenya, and served as the President of a community service organization focused on reducing food waste and fighting food insecurity on college campuses and in food deserts called the Campus Kitchens Project. After college, I spent two years working as an Admissions Counselor at Hiram College, a small liberal arts school in Northern Ohio, specializing in experiential learning. In 2018, I received my Master's in Education, with a concentration in Higher Education, from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. While completing this program, I worked as a Graduate Assistant in the Harvard Graduate School of Education Admissions Office, and served as an advisor to five university chapter of the Campus Kitchens Project. Below, please find some relevant examples from Master's coursework:

-Inventing the Future: Building Connections from School to Career
-The Economics of Higher Education
-The College Admissions Process: Practice, Policy and Research

-Data and Decision-Making in Higher Education

After receiving my Master's, I worked as an Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admission at Northeastern University for 3 years. I evaluated over 3,000 applications per cycle, participated in committee evaluations (Early Decision, Early Action, Regular Decision), and oversaw both domestic and international recruitment territories. While in this role, I also participated in a number of college readiness workshops and informational panels. I was also involved with the Torch Scholars program, a scholarship program for historically underrepresented, low-income students. Currently, I work full-time as the Assistant Director of College Counseling at a preparatory school in Boston. I am excited to use my professional experience from a variety of institutions, as well as my academic training to help students find their perfect college match!

I hold a BA from the University of Georgia in International Affairs, a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Georgia, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Michigan. Go Dawgs and Go Blue! I started my career in the education and nonprofit space where I built a solid foundation in supporting the academic and socio-emotional development of high school students. It was during this time where I gained a foundation in College Advising. I supported the college application process of high school students across all five boroughs of New York City. As a college advisor, I excel at helping students craft their college admissions brand making sure that their transcript, essays, extra-curriculars, and interactions with admissions officers sell who they are. And I do this while ensuring that the student feels supported, encouraged, and excited by what can be a stressful process. College advising ENERGIZES me and I've successfully supported application processes for students who matriculated into Ivy, Ivy +, and other top colleges across the US! Professionally, I have experience as a teacher, a college advisor, an MBA student, a consultant, and a corporate trainer. Over my career, I have had the opportunity to pivot, reinvent myself, and try new things often, and I want that for every student I work with. Together, we will explore all available pathways and work together to build a story and a personal brand that will unlock those opportunities. The college admissions process is the beginning of your personal odyssey, and I am so excited to work with you as you embark on this journey.

Hi! My name is Joanna Cardenas, and I am really looking forward to working with you soon! I am a first-generation student from Los Angeles, CA. I hold a B.A. in African American Studies and Legal Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. Currently, I am a Ph.D. student in the African American Studies Department at Berkeley as well and have held many advising positions since my undergraduate career. Over the last 7 years, I have served many advisor and mentor positions since coming to the Bay Area. As an undergrad, I was a college advisor through East Bay Consortium, where I offered college advising to high school students across the East Bay. I assisted them with their college applications, scholarships, and financial aid applications. I was also a site director for a reading program at Berkeley, where I provided mentorship to elementary school children in Oakland, CA. Now as a graduate student, I serve as a mentor to many undergraduate students within African American Studies, Legal Studies, and abroad, to assist with graduate school applications and career advising. In addition to this role, I also serve as a graduate student mentor to students in the U.S. and internationally who are completing research projects for publication through Lumiere Education. As part of my praxis, holistic advising is essential to creating a space of care and support between my students and me. I really enjoy getting to know more about the students I work with, helping them navigate challenging, but rewarding processes, and overall, creating a system of support that will help students reflect on what they have accomplished and what's next! Outside of my advising positions, I have also engaged in a lot of community work myself and have expertise within the legal field. Through these experiences, I have provided mentorship to students inside and outside of UC Berkeley who are interested in connecting their academic trajectories to on-the-groundwork within communities through social, legal, policy, and academic work. I am very passionate about providing support for students in all stages of their academic careers! As the first person in my family to graduate from high school, graduate from college, and graduate school, I am very familiar with navigating the college process and the hardships that may arise as part of your own personal experiences. As a senior advisor, I want to be able to continue to provide holistic advising and mentorship that creates an inclusive and supportive environment for students to plan out their bright future!