TESTIMONIALS
As a single parent, finding a partner who could support my child’s educational journey was of the utmost importance, given the high stakes involved. Ellen was not only a trusted sounding board and mediator, but also a valuable friend. Her meticulous attention to detail played a crucial role in helping my child remain on track, and providing a level of support I would have never been able to navigate all alone. I am forever grateful!
~Student admitted to: Georgetown, Univ of Michigan, UCLA, Berkeley, UCSB, UCSD, Northeastern, Wisconsin, and others
Class of 2029 - Georgetown
You're the best. Keep being you. It works!
~Parent of three Students.
Acceptances to Stanford, Cornell Univ, Univ of Southern California, UCLA, Berkeley, UC Santa Barbara, UC San Diego, Univ. of Michigan, Univ. of Florida, Boston Univ., Univ. of Wisconsin, and others.....
Class of 2028 - Stanford
Class of 2026 - USC Marshall
Class of 2024 - USC
Ellen played an instrumental role in helping my son achieve his dream of getting into his first-choice school through Early Decision. Ellen's dedication, expertise, and unwavering support have made all the difference in this challenging journey. Throughout the entire process, Ellen's guidance was invaluable. She helped my son identify his strengths, passions, and the colleges that would be the best fit for him. Her personalized approach ensured that every application was tailored to highlight his unique qualities. Ellen was always available to answer questions, provide feedback on essays, and offer guidance on every aspect of the application process. She ensured that every deadline was met and every document submitted flawlessly. Thanks to her guidance, my son's application was submitted confidently and well ahead of the deadline. I wholeheartedly recommend Ellen to anyone navigating the college application process and am forever grateful for her incredible work!
~Parent of Student accepted to Class of 2028 - Northwestern
I felt the college admissions process was exhausting and a broken system. You were able to work with the process in a systematic and educated fashion. Your structured organization was excellent. What makes you extra special is your EQ. You were able to set high standards and motivate our son to rise up to the best of his ability. You were able to squeeze out the parts of him that make him special and articulate them onto paper. Your understanding of Mira Costa HS is exceptionally helpful too. Navigating the teachers and administrators there is a difficult feat. You really taught my child how to approach situations and maximize the experience.
~Parent of Student accepted to Wake Forest, Clemson & others
I am so grateful beyond words for the concerted effort and hard work you put into bettering my future. From the beginning, I have been so appreciative for the warmth and thoughtfulness in helping me brainstorm my essays, and simply being the best guidance I could ever ask for. I will never forget the hours and time you took to help me be the best version of myself in my college apps. You truly made me feel like I did the best possible job in each application. You will not regret working with Ellen. She is the most thorough, helpful person and the best to have in your corner through such a difficult process.
~Student, Class of 2028 - Wake Forest
Ellen has been an invaluable resource and support system for our family as we navigated the college search and application process for our son. Having someone like Ellen to help create a realistic and exciting 4-year plan, prioritize academic excellence, and ensure our son's well-being was well-rounded was a significant advantage. Ellen pushes in a positive way. She obviously cares about achieving straight A's, but when our son was struggling, her main concern was his happiness and emotional well-being. College applications are a daunting process, but our journey was much smoother with Ellen's guidance. She always returned calls, offered solutions with tutors, consultants for SAT/ACT testing, and most importantly I felt that she treated our son like he was her own. Caring is an understatement when describing Ellen. Her dedication to our son's success and happiness is commendable.
~Parent of Student accepted to Pepperdine, Loyola Marymount, Southern Methodist, and others.....
Through the long but successful meetings, you helped me become more familiar with the admissions process, while also giving me help and insight to be a successful high school student. Being the one who "moved the needle," you taught me important lessons about connections, relationships, and how to straight up work hard to succeed. I don't think my college application process would've been as successful as it was. Resume review taught me the right way to write my resume while also making me realize what I have achieved. The To-Do's kept me on track. Thank you for treating me like your own child. I am forever in debt for what you've done for me :)
~Student, Class of 2028 - Loyola Marymount University
I reached out to Ellen at the start of my son's freshman year and she was already full. For three more years, I interviewed and met with numerous college counselors, and in my opinion, none of them compared to Ellen or her vast knowledge and pulse on the ever-so-competitive college admissions landscape. The more I interviewed others, the more I knew that Ellen was the one for us. When we scheduled a 2-hour strategy session at the start of my son's junior year, my son was convinced that Ellen was the ONLY counselor with whom he wanted to work. After numerous phone calls and an opening in her caseload, Ellen agreed to work with my son. Her software and email reminders to keep my son on track with his tasks made the application process manageable. Ellen's suggestions and wording/formatting on his resume and common app activities sections were invaluable. Ellen took a rather daunting application process and broke it down into tangible tasks. She was able to help him craft a narrative based on my son's extra curriculars and courses and that helped with his essays and the strategy he utilized for college admissions. Her handouts and database are a wealth of valuable information. More importantly, Ellen truly cares. The more she got to know him, the more invested she became, and I felt as though he had the greatest cheerleader and advocate in his corner. She'd find useful information on extra-curriculars or specialized programs for my son and share them. She was there every step of the way. I'm forever grateful to Ellen for so many reasons, but I sincerely believe there is no one better who truly cares and wants the greatest outcomes for her students.
~Parent of Student admitted to: USC, UCLA, Berkeley, Univ of Michigan, UNC Chapel Hill, SMU, TCU, Indiana Kelley School of Business, Tulane, Wisconsin, and more.
Class of 2028 - Berkeley
I reached out to you during my son's 8th grade year because my friends with older kids created this sense of urgency that if I didn't have a counselor now I was already behind. I met with four other counselors who I thought were good until I met Ellen, and then it was game over. It's like meeting "the one"--you KNOW. Every single area--what classes to take and when, the types of extracurriculars, the narrative, the personal "brand" of your child, how to differentiate yourself, and then the actual college application sections--Ellen was thoughtful and added incredible value. She puts A LOT of info into the handouts and if you do not read them thoroughly, you can miss valuable info. She OVER-explains, so the process is clear and you know what you are up against. Many parents say the college admissions process is just hype and BS and become so out of control, but the reality is -- this is the way it is. I can see why so many students get rejected without the right guidance. Ellen can be intense, but if you want someone who is going to get the best out of you, and really help differentiate you in a uniquely personal way that plays to your child's strengths, then there is no one better. All you need to do is have a conversation with Ellen and you know immediately the difference.
~Parent of Student accepted to USC, Berkeley, and others
Ironically, I felt like I went to college and majored in college admissions and I had the best professor guiding me, teaching me, and really dissecting the process in a way I could digest and understand. There were so many things about the process and application I had no idea about that were just eye opening. I thought the software Ellen uses was extremely easy to use and very helpful to have everything in one place. Ellen is extremely organized and forces you to have your act together.
~Student, Class of 2028 - USC Annenberg
I was soooo scared about applying to college and I thought it was this horrible process, but it turned out to be so much less scary than I would've thought. You were able to help me understand and approach the process by slowly giving me more and more information throughout high school. Although you pushed me to work hard and get my TO-DOs done on time, I thought that the extra push was really helpful, and I don't think I would have been nearly as prepared for the whole college process if I didn't use your help.
~Student accepted to Univ of Colorado Boulder, Auburn,
Univ of Mississippi, Southern Methodist,
Univ of Utah, Univ of Alabama,
Class of 2028 - Univ. of Colorado Boulder
Ellen is the most organized person I have met and worked with. Not only did she listen to what interests my children had, she helped them achieve their goals. Ellen has worked with two of my children who both got into their dream schools and would not have without her help. We started early, which I believe is the key, where we were not cramming and rushing. My kids were both done with all their college applications way before their friends had started. She stayed on top of my kids and kept them focused. She made them realize the importance of getting ahead and staying on top of their work. I have no idea how people do this without Ellen's help. I would have been lost, that is for sure.
~Parent of 2 Students accepted into 9 &11 business schools
Class of 2028 - UT Austin McCombs
Class of 2026 - USC Marshall
Ellen's knowledge related to the college admissions process is infinite. She clearly does her research. Each application Ellen worked on with my daughter was strategically packaged to play to my daughter's strengths. Ellen is passionate about her work, generous with her time and feedback, dedicated to her clients, a miracle worker. My daughter got into her first choice college. Thank you Ellen!
~Parent of Student admitted to Tulane
Before working with Ellen, I was terrified of the college admissions process, feeling overwhelmed and confused about where to start. She helped me in so many ways I never would have figured out on my own. After she helped me figure out what I was actually interested in and what I wanted in a school, it was so much easier to build a strong college list. She also taught me how to research colleges the right way. My resume ended up being super detailed and strong, and I know it really helped my application stand out. The way Ellen edited both my personal statement and supplementals was amazing! She was always there for me and always answered all my questions. She really knows the ins and outs of the college application process and is an incredibly valuable person to have on your side. Working with Ellen made me feel so confident and prepared!
~ Student admitted ED to Tulane
Class of 2029 - Tulane
Before working with Ellen, I had little knowledge of what it took to get accepted into top colleges. Ellen is going to push you to take hard classes and sign up for ambitious projects, but you will do things you enjoy, develop great work habits, and --if you put in the effort-- get results you are happy with. She explained every part of the college process very well and has immense knowledge of historical patterns and acceptance statistics. This coaching helped me get an idea of what I needed to do to set myself up for success. The resume we built together during Sophomore year was very advantageous. Having it prepared so early helped me identify gaps in gaps in my activities and secure competitive leadership positions. Furthermore, Ellen gets through college essays in a very timely manner and provides incredibly helpful feedback. Every essay came back with detailed, insightful feedback that significantly improved my writing. Her suggestions were so thoughtful and intelligent that they made me very grateful for her guidance and wonder how students manage this process without help. The writing platform was easy to navigate and made the process more organized. I found it especially helpful that it prompted me to group essays by experiences and select topics for planning, which helped make my workflow more straightforward and kept everything structured. In every part of the process that I worked with Ellen, she provided immense value.
~Student accepted ED to Northwestern
Class of 2029 - Northwestern
Both of our daughters worked with Ellen and achieved great success in the college admissions process. Ellen worked with our daughters throughout high school and helped them frame their academic and extracurricular pursuits into holistic applications. Her resume meetings are invaluable, and helped our girls showcase their deep and sustained commitments and interests. This formed the foundation of their application essays and served as the focus of their Common Application honors and activities sections. We were in awe of how Ellen has mastered the Common Application! She knows how to use every part of that application to highlight an applicant. Her attention to detail is unmatched, and she goes the extra mile to find out everything she can about colleges of interest to her clients. We trusted Ellen implicitly, and we know she was instrumental in our girls' admissions to their top college choices. We highly recommend Ellen!
~Parent of Students admitted to: Vanderbilt, Berkeley, UCLA, Georgetown, UMichigan, UT Austin, Tulane, and Wisconsin
Class of 2026 - Berkeley
Class of 2029 - Vanderbilt
Before I began working with Ellen, the college admissions process seemed daunting and extremely confusing. I was the oldest child and the process has significantly changed since my parents applied. The biggest way Ellen helped me understand and approach the admissions process was through our long meetings. It definitely was a lot at first, but the long information dumps were best for a tight sports schedule. In these conferences, she helped me define what I wanted in a college and what steps I needed to enhance my resume. She provided the step-by-step process I needed to take in order to get into my dream college. I thought the college planning software was really helpful with the TO DOs. The writing platform was crucial in my essay process, and it made things very simple and easy to combine essay questions and my ideas. I think Ellen provided excellent and timely feedback on every submission. If you are the type of person who is dedicated and willing to put in the effort in all aspects of the application process, then it's a no-brainer…Ellen has your back.
~Student admitted to: UCLA, USC, Univ of Michigan, UNC Chapel Hill, UCSB, UCSD, Syracuse, Wisconsin, Indiana
Class of 2029 TBD
Working with Ellen, you get a 1:1 experience. Ellen fights for you and pushes you to achieve things you never thought possible or even existed. She helped me build my background by getting more involved and stay on track. She was most helpful in the resume process and completely helped me navigate all aspects of Common App. She understands the stress students face and is there every step of the way, always giving support whether it is for school or just life. Even when I was overwhelmed, she ensured me that it would all be worth it and it definitely was.
~Student accepted to 19 schools including UCLA,
UC Santa Barbara, Univ. of Miami, and Wisconsin
Class of 2027 - UCLA
Ellen has impressed me with her thoroughness and insight into the application process. She assisted my daughter by focusing on her interests and aligning her activities into a compelling story line and stay on track during the overwhelming application season. She also identified colleges that were a good fit with her academic background, desires and needs. Thank you, Ellen, for pouring your heart and soul into helping your students excel and move onto the next chapter!
~Parent of Student accepted to Villanova, Univ of Denver,
St. Lawrence, Univ of Vermont, Gonzaga,
Univ of NH, Elon, and Indiana Univ.
Class of 2027 - Villanova
The college admissions process was very overwhelming. You helped immensely by encouraging me to take steps at a time. All the activities and classes that you pushed me to take gave me many different topics to write college supplementals about and made my resume impressive. Your guidance throughout the process was great, and it was especially helpful that you showed me all the tools for college research and the essay process. The software used was amazing and the TO-DO's and email reminders were necessary so I stayed on top of everything. You taught me to become a better writer while not crushing my voice. Your constant checking in shows how much you care about your students on a personal level and how much you want them to succeed.
~ Student accepted to Cornell Univ, Purdue, Univ of Georgia, Wisconsin, Clemson, and Univ of Maryland
Class of 2027 - Cornell Engineering
Truly enjoyed working with Ellen. She is extremely knowledgeable about the admission process and has so much important information to share. She is always attending information sessions and seminars so she is top of current trends. She provides very realistic expectations on where to apply based on credentials. She gave relevant advice about how to be strategic on applications based on my child's narrative. Ellen was honest throughout the process and was not afraid to say if a school was not the right fit, or if an extracurricular was not in alignment. She was also very personable and went out of her way to get to know my child on an individual level, and therefore she was able to work with my child's strengths and abilities. My child ended up getting in to the university that was one of his top choices.
~Parent of Student accepted to Northeastern, Brandeis,
UC Santa Barbara, and George Washington
Class of 2027 - Northeastern
Before I began working with Ellen, I had no idea how complex the admission process could be. In addition to needing help with writing, I realized that I also needed experiences to pad my resume and to eventually use to fill out my activities list in applications. Ellen provided me with so many resources, helped me research schools, and brainstorm essay topics. Writing essays was so much easier than I expected because of Ellen's help. She gave amazing advice for revisions. I always knew what tasks I had and what their deadlines were which made the overall application process much less stressful. I have learned how planning ahead and setting goals for myself can be helpful in school and in my adult life.
~Student accepted to USC, Case Western ($40K merit),
Univ. of Rochester, Univ of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign),
Univ. of Vermont, Univ. of Washington, and UC Davis
Class of 2026 - USC
Before working with you, I was pretty much clueless as to what the admissions process looked like and when to start everything. Working with you helped because as I began stressing about things such as how to write my essays or when to even begin, you answered those questions. The essay process was so helpful and I really loved your platform. My favorite part about working together was the confidence I had throughout the whole process and the feeling that someone else knew what I was supposed to be doing and made sure I was always ahead. I had so many friends who felt lost and ended up regretting not starting early or applying to enough schools.
~Student accepted to 9 schools for business
Class of 2026 - USC Marshall
Ellen is amazing and really helped keep us on track and organized through a very confusing process. It was a real comfort knowing that someone with her experience and knowledge was guiding us. I would highly recommend her to anyone going through the college admissions process.
~Parent of Student accepted to Univ. of Washington, Fordham, George Washington, Rutgers, and Seattle Univ.
Class of 2026 - Univ. of Washington-Seattle
Thank you so much for all your help with my college applications. You were always very patient, thoughtful, and encouraging. I appreciate your dedication and really admire your work ethic. I enjoyed our many zoom meetings, and although I didn't love the essay writing, I was grateful to have you to guide me through the process. I am so lucky to have had you as my counselor.
~Student accepted Georgetown & Berkeley
Class of 2026 - Georgetown
When I entered my freshman year, I was a minnow among sharks, an unprepared kid trying to navigate a new world. With Ellen's help, I transformed into a more confident individual with more initiative than ever. She provided me the resources to not only earn straight A's in junior year and engage in extracurriculars, but also grow as a person and learn life lessons. She pushed me hard, and it was stressful at times attempting to manage everything regarding the college admissions process. However, with Ellen's guidance and constant communication, I was able to navigate the process and get accepted into somewhere I thought was impossible. She worked so hard to help me on every step of the process, and simultaneously gave me freedom to write essays true to myself and engage in what I wanted to pursue. I appreciate Ellen so much for everything she has taught me and the resources she has provided me with, which will aid me far beyond college.
~Student accepted to Berkeley, Tulane,
Wisconsin, SMU and 10 other business programs
Class of 2025 - Berkeley
The uncertainty around the college admissions process was quite daunting. It was definitely scary looking at the amount of essays I was going to have to write so rapidly, but the deadlines you set made it easier. You really helped me with my essay writing, and made sure they got to the point and that there was never any "fluff." My essays would have been dull. Your attention to detail, constant communication and the TO DOs really helped me stay on schedule and work efficiently. You were always on top of me and editing essays at crazy hours of the night. Although exhausting at times, your hard work drove me to work harder. Having you guide me along every step of the college application process was extremely valuable. I can say that there is definitely no second-guessing yourself after your applications are in.
If anyone is on the fence about working with Ellen, know that every detail of your applications will be covered with Ellen and your best application will be put forth.
~Student accepted ED to Dartmouth and Univ. of Georgia
Class of 2025 - Dartmouth
I can't thank you enough for all your help these past 4 years. You helped my daughter become the best high school student she could possibly be...you helped her select rigorous classes and summer school courses. Your experience and knowledge in helping her build her high school resume was so beneficial. Because of you, she was able to enter into enriching programs early in the high school years that helped her become a better student leader. This was so crucial especially with the surprise of the pandemic. Additionally, I really appreciate how you kept her on schedule with filling out college applications and completing essays. You really streamlined the process for her. I appreciate all of your kindness and patience towards her.
~Parent of Student accepted ED to WashU in St. Louis,
Clemson, and Univ. of Georgia
Class of 2025 - WashU in St. Louis
The college admissions process is insanely complex, the standardized testing process seemed incredibly confusing, and my school’s college counseling center never gave much help. Ellen gave very clear explanations about every detail of the process. With her guidance, I'm happy I was able to receive my college decisions and see my hard work pay off. Her vast knowledge helped tremendously and made me confident about my applications. Additionally, the resources such as the extracurricular database and referral to the best math tutor were extremely helpful. My college essays improved tremendously with the constant help I received. Working with Ellen was definitely worth it.
~Student accepted to UCLA, USC, Brandeis, Reed and others
Class of 2025 - UCLA
I was completely clueless about the college admissions process but Ellen helped guide me along, providing me a lot of clarification my high school counselor didn't provide me. She made sure I didn't miss important events and provided me with many different opportunities. I learned many life lessons as well as life skills that are not only applicable to the college application process, but other parts of my life. With Ellen’s help, I was able to find success in the college admissions process.
~Student accepted to Brown, USC, UCLA and UC San Diego
Class of 2025 - Brown
The college admissions process is insanely complex, the standardized testing process seemed incredibly confusing, and my school’s college counseling center never gave much help. Ellen gave very clear explanations about every detail of the process. With her guidance, I'm happy I was able to receive my college decisions and see my hard work pay off. Her vast knowledge helped tremendously and made me confident about my applications. Additionally, the resources such as the extracurricular database and referral to the best math tutor were extremely helpful. My college essays improved tremendously with the constant help I received. Working with Ellen was definitely worth it.
~Student accepted to UCLA, USC, Brandeis, Reed and others
Class of 2025 - UCLA
I just wanted to thank you for everything that you have done for me during the college admissions process...you have rocked my world with how much you have given me and changed how I look on paper. Thank you for not only challenging and pushing me, but for supporting me throughout my whole 4 years. You are truly an amazing counselor.
~Student accepted to USC, UPenn,
UT Austin, UCLA & Berkeley
Class of 2024 - Univ. of Pennsylvania
My son accepted his spot at University of Chicago. I am so happy for him. Thank you so much for your guidance throughout his junior year and college applications. That news of the admission scandal makes us more appreciative that we worked with you. Thank you so much for your honesty and help.
~Parent of Student accepted ED to Univ. of Chicago, EA Boston College & Santa Clara, and Univ. of Edinburgh
Class of 2023 - Univ. of Chicago
Thank you for all the help and support through the college admissions process. I really appreciate everything you've done for me. Your counsel was invaluable and working with you made the process less stressful and more exciting.
Student accepted to Dartmouth College
Class of 2028 - Dartmouth