OUR TEAM
With 10+ years of experience in college counseling, Ellen has helped hundreds of families launch their kids into life. She has guided motivated students through their high school journey and the college application process with confidence, clarity, and success. Committed to excellence and ethics, Ellen stays abreast of admissions trends from visiting campuses, attending conferences, and networking with professional groups. Using a highly individualized, student-centric approach and with her background in analytical reasoning, she advises students how to showcase their unique strengths and strategizes their application narrative so they can stand out.
Ellen earned her...
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BA with distinction from Barnard College, Columbia University
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MBA in Finance and International Relations as a Stern Scholar at New York University
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Certificate in Independent Educational Consultant from UC Irvine
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"Advising the College-Bound Student-Athlete" and Wow Writing Workshop "College Essay Experience" certificates
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​​Having parented three children, Ellen understands the complexities and nuances of the high school journey. Her children are all college graduates from WashU in St. Louis-Biomedical Engineering (now a technology consultant), Duke University-Economics (now an investment banking associate), and Univ. of Pennsylvania-Cognitive Science (now a child behavior and executive function specialist). As a single parent and mother of two recruited athletes, her knowledge of the athletic recruiting and financial aid processes is also helpful to her families. Her guidance extends beyond high school, and she has assisted her children and some former students on career advice and positioning for graduate school. ​
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Principal Advisor
Ellen Chao
Essay Coaches
Margot is a working playwright and a writing instructor with over ten years experience teaching students from middle school to college about writing, story telling, and theatre. She received her MFA at the University of Iowa Playwrights Workshop and is a recent graduate of the Lila Acheson Wallace Playwrights Program at The Juilliard School. She loves helping students figure out how to share their stories and write creative essays!
Margot
Jainita
Jainita is a fisheries scientist, freelance writer, and editor with 8 years of experience in editing and publishing. She has worked as an assistant editor for various literary agencies and publishing houses. She graduated cum laude from NYU with a double major in English and Environmental Science and has published a book. On the science side of things, she pursued an MS in Marine Science (biology) from William and Mary. Her goal is to help students share their experiences through a clear and exciting story!
Emma
Emma attended Carnegie Mellon University’s prestigious drama conservatory, where she earned an interdisciplinary degree in Directing, Dramaturgy, and Spanish. After graduating, she moved to Madrid, Spain, where she spent two years as a Fulbright Scholar teaching English, tutoring, and visiting as many places as she could. While there, she was privileged to lead Madrid’s Model UN program across 144 public schools, inspiring thousands of students to become young leaders.