Admission Consultants
Our admission consultants have admissions committee experience at the top universities and private schools in the country and have read countless personal statements and applications.
They advise applicants on strategic positioning, personal statements, helpful extracurricular activities, and overall admissions applications.
In short, they have unique insight as to what distinguishes the acceptances from the borderline rejections.
Vitaly Borishan
Georgetown Law
Vitaly is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley, and has a Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University Law Center. He is the recipient of the prestigious Warren Christopher Scholarship Award, established in honor of the former U.S. Secretary of State.
Prior to founding Solomon Admissions Consulting, Vitaly worked at two major Am Law 100 international law firms as a Corporate Attorney. Vitaly has extensive experience working with talented high school and college students to perfect their admissions applications to Ivy League and other top institutions in the country. He has assisted and consulted applicants with regards to personal statements, theme development, strategic positioning, and overall applications. He has also prepared both high school and college students for various examinations, including the PSAT, SAT, GRE, GMAT, and LSAT.
Dan Lee
Georgetown Law
Dan is a graduate of the Georgetown University Law Center and studied engineering and worked as an engineer prior to law school. Dan has also worked as an Intellectual Property Attorney at a major Am Law 100 international law firm.
Dan has over a decade of experience helping talented students gain admission to the top undergraduate and graduate institutions in the country. He has personally edited countless personal statements and has advised applicants on proper structure, language and tone. Dan has also done extensive work with students on strategic positioning consulting to position applicants in the most advantageous light possible. His clients come from all walks of life and have come from California, New York, Virginia, Massachusetts, and as far as London and Singapore. Dan is also a former SAT and LSAT prep instructor for Princeton Review.
Founders
College Admissions
Tamy-Feé Meneide
Director of College Counseling
Solomon Admissions Consulting
Former Assistant Director of Admissions Massachusetts Institute of Technology Former Assistant Director of Admissions Dartmouth College 2 Years in Dartmouth College Admissions 1 Years in MIT Admissions 6,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated Ms. Meneide is an educational counselor and college coach (both graduate level and undergraduate level), and graduated with her Master's from Boston College in Higher Education Administration. Prior to her consulting work, Ms. Meneide worked as the Assistant Director of Admissions at some of the most selective institutions such as Dartmouth College and MIT. She truly believes in access and equity in education and works within many diverse communities to make this a reality. Tamy-Fee has conducted research at Harvard Medical School and she now brings her expertise from her research and career experiences to diverse constituents ranging from CEOs of non-profit organizations to individual parents and students. She works to empower her audiences to navigate the nuances of educational institutions to achieve maximum potential.
Cathleen Sheils
Senior Associate Director of College Counseling
Solomon Admissions Consulting
Former Director of Admissions Cornell University Former Executive Director of Enrollment Management SUNY 12 Years in Cornell Admissions 20,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated Cathleen earned her MPS degree in Policy Analysis and Management and her BS degree in Science and Economics from Cornell University. She conducts research, writes and speaks on higher education enrollment and selective admissions trends. As Director of Admissions at Cornell University, Cathleen was personally responsible for reviewing several thousand applications per year and making admissions decisions for highly selective colleges and academic programs. Based on this experience she has a comprehensive understanding of the college admissions selection process and how to assemble an application that gets attention. Cathleen impresses on students and families, the importance of breaking down the college admissions process into manageable steps. She provides expert guidance and structure throughout the process
John Birney
Associate Director of College Counseling
Solomon Admissions Consulting
Former Senior Associate Director of Admissions for Selection & Constituent Relations, Johns Hopkins Former Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management Wofford College Former Senior Enrollment Associate University of Lynchburg 13 Years in Johns Hopkins University Admissions 7 Years in Wofford College Admissions 5 Years at Lynchburg College 75,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated Mr. Birney earned his Bachelor’s Degree in history and his Master’s Degree in Education from Lynchburg College, now the University of Lynchburg. Like many admission professionals, John began his higher education career at his alma mater where he focused his efforts on students from the Mid-Atlantic region, athletic recruitment, and building strong personal relationships with his families. In his role as Senior Associate Director of Admissions and Selection at Johns Hopkins University, John evaluated and had final authority on admissions decisions on all applicants to the Whiting School of Engineering and the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences. He also worked to recruit and evaluate applications from all student-athletes in both their Division I and III programs. In addition, Mr. Birney was responsible for all merit scholarship reviews, and was responsible for the office’s public relations efforts, working with over 30,000 students and families annually to help ensure a successful college visit. John’s 25 years of admissions and selection experience at selective and highly selective colleges culminated as the Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management at Wofford College, Spartanburg, South Carolina. Mr. Birney was responsible for implementing the recruitment and admission decisions for all undergraduate, international, and transfer students, allocation of need, and merit-based scholarships and financial aid. Additionally, Mr. Birney was fully responsible for the Admission and Financial Aid Office’s communication plans, marketing, and event planning. 25 years of enrollment experience has allowed John to understand the nuances of application review, rendering admission decisions, student positioning, and leveraging admission decisions to secure enrollment targets. John is well versed in strategic planning, athletic admission, financial aid and scholarships, and most importantly, building relationships with families to secure a favorable admission outcome.
Will Giles
Associate Director of College Counseling
Solomon Admissions Consulting
Former Admissions Officer Duke University 2 years in Duke University Admissions 4,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated Will Giles is a Senior Admissions Consultant. He earned his Bachelor's Degree from Duke University (graduating with distinction) with majors in Political Science and Public Policy and a minor in History. He first worked in the admissions office at his alma mater, being responsible for many application reviews and evaluations. Additionally, he served as the office's liaison to the Pratt School of Engineering and as a member of the QuestBridge scholars selection committee. Will enjoys getting to know his students and their interests/passions to help find the best college fit, and he looks forward to helping them put their best foot forward during the admission process.
Marisa Herrera
Associate Director of College Counseling
Solomon Admissions Consulting
Former Assistant Director of Admission Stanford University 17 Years in College Admissions 6,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated Dr. Marisa Herrera has an undergraduate degree with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and Applied Science with an emphasis in Agribusiness, a Master of Business Management (M.S.M) with an emphasis in International Business and a Doctorate in Higher Education Administration from the University of Southern California. Dr. Marisa Herrera has worked in higher education for over 17 years at several highly selective institutions including UCLA, Stanford University and USC. As the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions for Stanford University, she oversaw the largest admissions territory for Stanford, which included Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties. In addition, she worked with community-based organizations and independent private schools in the Los Angeles area on annual case study programs designed to prepare high school students for competitive college admissions. After a stint traveling the world with Archbishop Desmond Tutu as an Assistant Dean for the Semester at Sea program, she returned to Stanford Admissions to work as an admissions reader for the San Francisco Bay Area.
Senior Consultants
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Nicholas Accrocco
Former Auxiliary Application Reader
University of Pennsylvania
Former Admissions Counselor Vanderbilt University Former Assistant Director of Admissions Kogod School of Business, American University 1 Year in University of Pennsylvania Admissions 1 Year in American University Admissions 3 Years in Vanderbilt University Admissions 7,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated Combining years of admissions experience at both the graduate and undergraduate level, as well as helping hundreds of students apply to selective colleges and universities, Dr. Nick J. Accrocco has a passion for helping students in the admissions process. Nick's experience during his time in admissions has given him insight as to what is valued within admissions committees from his work at Vanderbilt University and the University of Pennsylvania. He has helped countless students with understanding the nuances of selective college admissions, fine tuning all aspects of their application, as well as preparation for college interviews. Additionally, he has been a guest speaker and lecturer for high school students, their families and education practitioners on many aspects of the college search process.
Haley Artime
Former Admissions Counselor
Washington University in St. Louis
Former Admissions Reader Washington University in St. Louis Former Transfer Admissions Counselor Lindenwood University 4 years in Washington University in St. Louis Admissions 1 year in Lindenwood University Admissions 2,000+ Applications Read & Evaluated After graduating with her B.S in Communication from Millikin University, Haley worked in the finance industry, before pursuing her passion in higher education. Haley worked in Washington University Undergraduate Admissions for a little over 3 years, then served as a file reader for the 2021-2022 application season. She has read applications and essays across the US- reading and evaluating applications for all undergraduate schools including Olin Business School, McKelvey School of Engineering, and the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts. She has also read scholarship applications for Olin Business School and Annika Rodriguez Scholars Program. Her favorite part of the application is seeing a student shine through the paper- after all, every student has a name and story. Haley has experience in multiple aspects of the college search process, including financial aid processes, advising, 1:1 interviews, large group information sessions, and more. As a first-generation college student, Haley was left to do the college application process on her own, with little help from her high school counselor and family. Through her own experiences, she became passionate about helping others through the college application process. She is dedicated to making, what can seem like an intimidating process, one of ease.
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Lindsay M. Bigoness
Former Senior Assistant Dean of Admission
Princeton University
Former Admissions Officer Harvard University 4 Years in Princeton University Admissions 5 Years in Harvard University Admissions 10,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated Lindsay Bigoness is former Senior Assistant Dean of Admission at Princeton University. Lindsay served on Princeton’s Admissions Committee and evaluated thousands of student admission files annually. She was a team leader for various regional areas during the Committee’s work. Lindsay specializes in working with students with a range of interests and backgrounds seeking admission to highly selective schools. At Princeton, Lindsay’s responsibilities also included directing “Princeton Preview,” the University’s admitted student overnight programs each year. She also organized a number of other academic, advising and recruitment programs. Prior to joining the team at Princeton, Lindsay worked at Harvard College Admissions for five years. Her responsibilities at Harvard Admissions also included supporting visitor, communications and outreach programs and serving as a member of the Board of Freshman Advisers at Harvard College. Lindsay received her Master’s in Higher Education Administration from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 2009. At Harvard, Lindsay was involved in student leadership activities and served as student member of a University Faculty Search Committee. Lindsay holds her undergraduate degree, magna cum laude, from Wellesley College. At Wellesley, Lindsay served as student director of first-year orientation and was an instructor for the campus study center.
Ryan Bouziane
Former Senior Assistant Director of Admission
University of Southern California
Former Assistant Dean of Admission Pomona College 3 years in USC Admissions 2.5 years in Pomona College Admissions 10,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated Ryan is an alumnus of the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism, where he completed undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Following the completion of his undergrad, Ryan began working for USC’s central office of undergraduate admission while working part-time as a screenwriter and journalist, though he quickly fell in love with the experience of guiding students through the college admissions process and moved into an admissions leadership role. At USC, he primarily worked with students from California and Arizona while overseeing USC’s legacy student transfer program. While working at USC, he completed a master’s program in Communication Management. His thesis focused on organizational trust factors in education settings. Following his graduate studies and the birth of his first daughter, Ryan transitioned to the admissions office at Pomona College, a premier liberal arts institution and member of the Claremont Colleges. At Pomona, he worked with students from California, the Midwest U.S., and Asia. Ryan has dedicated countless hours guiding students and their families through the nuances and intricacies of the admissions process. These days he works as a college counselor in Los Angeles. Inspired by his background as a writer and journalist, he is a firm believer that every student has a unique and compelling story just waiting to be uncovered, and he sincerely enjoys the opportunity to help students discover and articulate their own narratives. His college counseling philosophy centers on authentic, reflective self-authorship and “fit” discernment – the identification of colleges where an individual student’s values and priorities correlate with the mission and culture of the institution.
Rod Bugarin
Former Assistant Director of Admission & Fin. Aid
Columbia University
Former Assistant Director of Financial Aid Brown University Former Assistant Dean of Admission Wesleyan University Former Sr. Assistant Director of Admission Hampshire College 4 Years in Columbia University Admissions 2 Years in Brown University Financial Aid 2 Years at Wesleyan University in Admissions 3 Years at Hampshire College Admissions 10,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated Rod is unique among independent college admissions consultants. Not only does he have extensive hands on experience in selective admissions at several institutions, he is fluent in financial aid and enrollment management policies, particularly for international candidates. Featured in The Gatekeepers (Steinberg, 2002) and Crazy U: One Dad's Crash Course in Getting His Kid Into College (Ferguson, 2011), his career in undergraduate college admissions started as a tour guide and student interviewer at his alma mater. Since then, he has amassed fifteen years of experience at selective institutions and scholarship committees, with particular expertise in working with athletes, legacy candidates, those who seek merit scholarships, and helping students finding which highly selective institution is the right fit. A graduate of the University of Rochester (BA) and Teachers College-Columbia University (MA), Rod looks forward to sharing his experience as a scholar/practitioner in college admissions.
Delphine L. Byrd
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
University of Michigan Ann Arbor
Former Associate Director of Admissions University of Michigan Law School Former Assistant Dean for Admissions University of Florida College of Law 18 years (combined) in University of Michigan Ann Arbor Undergraduate and Law School Admissions 2 years in University of Florida College of Law Admissions 20,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated Delphine has reviewed more than 20,000 applications, and has read well over 30,000 personal statements, and essays throughout her professional career. She has held decision-making positions at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor, and the University of Florida. Moreover, she received the University of Michigan Distinguished Diversity Leaders Award, and a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition of Outstanding and Invaluable Service to the Community for her efforts in admissions and recruiting. During her tenure at UF Law, Delphine made all final admissions decisions, and was the Ex-officio member of the Faculty Admissions Committee. She was also responsible for all scholarship allocation determinations, including scholarship negotiations. Delphine has traveled domestically and internationally as an ambassador for the University of Michigan Ann Arbor, the University of Michigan Law School, and the University of Florida Levin College of Law.
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Charles Adams Cogan
Former Assistant Director of Undergrad Admission
Northwestern University
Former Associate Dean of Admissions/Director of International Recruitment Carleton College 5 Years in Northwestern University Admissions 15,000+ applications read and evaluated Charlie earned a bachelor’s degree in History from Carleton College and a master’s degree in African and Middle Eastern History from Northwestern University and was a Ph.D. Candidate in African History for several years before leaving the program to take a job in the admissions office at Northwestern. He has worked in admissions for twenty-two years, starting at Northwestern and then leaving to become the director of international recruitment at Carleton when the college received a multi-million dollar grant from the Starr Foundation to increase its international student presence. When he began, Carleton had less than 1% international students and when he left in 2017 the college’s international student presence was above 10%. At Carleton, he was also a member of the steering committee of the Cross-Cultural Studies minor and served regularly as a guest lecturer and as a Designated School Official (DSO) for international visa and immigration matters. Charlie has taught college courses in African, Asian, World and US Immigration History and keeps in touch with the students whose applications he reviewed during his 22 years of college admissions work. A former Peace Corps Volunteer and Fulbright Scholar, he keeps his international connections alive through his local Rotary Club (especially international development projects and polio eradication) and as a member of the board of directors of Books For Africa, the nation’s leading shipper of new and gently-used educational materials to Africa.
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Alexis Colbert
Former Assistant Director of Admission
Rice University
Former Senior Admissions Fellow Dartmouth College 4,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated Alexis earned their B.A. in Anthropology at Dartmouth College. They then received a M.A. in Social Anthropology at the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies with a fellowship award from Dartmouth College. As a Senior Admissions Fellow at Dartmouth College, Alexis conducted outreach, wrote admissions blog posts, and evaluated over 100 applications. Alexis has professional experience in college admissions at Rice University where they recruited students from across the country with an emphasis on the Midwest, evaluated over 4,000 applications, offered sessions on applying to highly selective universities, and advocated for students in admissions committees. Alexis served on Rice’s Access and Inclusion team focused on outreach and recruitment of historically excluded populations. In addition, they participated in strategic planning, and assisted in creating vibrant campus programming for admitted students and visitors.
Kelly Connors
Former Admissions Reader
Duke University
Former Undergraduate Advising Coordinator George Mason University 4 years in Duke University Admissions 2 years in George Mason University Admissions 1000+ Applications Read and Evaluated Kelly earned a Masters of Education at George Mason University where she also engaged in student advising support. Kelly joined the undergraduate admissions team at Duke University where she reviewed and evaluated hundreds of applications per year and provided admit recommendations for committee review. As a Solomon Admissions Senior Consultant Kelly uses her extensive admissions background and expertise to help students navigate the often overwhelming admissions process and strives to assist her clients in shaping a compelling application for highly selective colleges and universities. Her passion and commitment in helping students identify the best university fit is evident in the relationships that she builds with each of her clients.
Maura Connors
Former Senior Admissions Counselor
University of Chicago
2 Years in University of Chicago Admissions 4,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated After graduating from the University of Chicago with a major in Geographical Studies and a minor in Art History, Maura joined the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at UChicago. In her two years there, she recruited students from across the country, evaluated more than 4,000 UChicago applications, offered information sessions on applying to highly selective universities, led educational essay writing workshops, and advocated for students in the admissions committee. Maura served as a member of UChicago’s outreach team, writing content for print and digital marketing pieces. She has also conducted interviews, served on merit scholarship committees, assisted students in planning a gap year, and helped select UChicago’s essay prompts. Maura has a comprehensive understanding of the overall admissions process and recognizes the importance of storytelling in the college application. She utilizes her admissions and marketing experience to help students fine-tune their writing, illuminate their personal brand, and find their perfect college fit. Maura has been a team member at Solomon since 2017 and has assisted clients in 500 applications to universities across the country.
Carla Crooker
Former Associate Director of Admissions
Cornell University
13 Years in Cornell Admissions 20,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated With more than a dozen years of experience in higher education admissions, recruitment, and program management in both graduate and undergraduate studies, Carla is committed to empowering students to reach their greatest potential through higher education. Carla earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Washington in Comparative Literature and Film Studies and spent many years teaching and working in human services non-profits before beginning in the world of admissions. At Cornell University, responsible for reviewing thousands of applications each year, training a team of application readers, and ultimately selecting candidates for admission, Carla cultivated a unique and comprehensive understanding of the admissions process and the application components that make students truly compelling. Her years of conducting information sessions for young people and their families, and raising two children who successfully went through the college admission process, provided her a unique perspective on helping students navigate the complex world of college admissions from both sides. Carla provides students with structure through the process and an opportunity to discover their unique voice on their path toward higher education.
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Danielle Crowe
Former Admissions Reader
New York University
Former Admissions Reader University of Michigan Ross School of Business Former Admissions Counselor & HR Generalist University of Michigan 6 Years in New York University Admissions 1 Year in University of Michigan Ross School of Business Admissions 3 Years in University of Michigan Admissions 4 Years inWestern Michigan University Office of Admissions 5,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated Danielle holds a BBA with degrees in HR Management and Spanish from the Lee Honors College at Western Michigan University. She also has a master’s degree in Development Administration from WMU. Danielle’s experience in undergraduate admissions began as a student, progressing through various positions over four years in the Office of Admissions at WMU. After the Peace Corps, Danielle continued her career in higher education working as a full-time Admissions Counselor for the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at the University of Michigan. Among other things, Danielle recruited and evaluated student applications from across the United States and South Asia. Danielle has continued to work in admissions as a seasonal reader for the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business and New York University’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions. In all, Danielle has more than 14 years of experience in college admissions.
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Adriana Diaz-Granados
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
Johns Hopkins University
Former Admissions Officer Georgetown University Law Center 1 Year in Johns Hopkins University Admissions 2 Years in Georgetown Law Admissions 2,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated Adriana is a Senior Admissions Consultant at Solomon. She earned her BA in Information Communication Technology from Florida State University, where she graduated with honors and is in the process of earning her Masters in Higher Education Administration from Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies. After working at an educational best practices firm specializing in enrollment, Adriana began her admissions career as an Admissions Officer at Georgetown University Law Center. She later became the Assistant Director of Admissions at Johns Hopkins University. Adriana has experience in reading both domestic and international applications of various majors and backgrounds. Adriana has a commitment to assisting students in finding their “why” throughout the admissions process and ensuring that all students matriculate into an academic environment where they will thrive.
Angela Dunnham
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
Dartmouth College
1 Year in Dartmouth College Admissions 1,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated Angela Dunnham is a graduate of Dartmouth College, where she majored in English Language and Literature. She is earning her master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Policy at Beijing Normal University in China. Angela has considerable experience advising students and families throughout all stages of the admissions process. She’s worked with students living in the United States and China. She has hosted workshops for US high school guidance counselors and youth development organizations to deepen their understanding of the admissions process. She currently works as a college counselor at a British international school, where she advises students studying IGCSE and A-level curriculum. Angela is passionate about using her skills to bring out the best in her students. She has helped students gain admission to Top 30 colleges and universities, including Yale University, Brown University, John Hopkins University, University of Michigan, UCL, LSE and more. Angela is also specially prepared to help less competitive applicants improve their admissions chances.
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John W. Enyart
Former Director of MBA & Graduate Admissions
Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
Former Director of Admissions and Financial Aid Katz Graduate School of Business, University of Pittsburgh 11 years of undergraduate admissions directorships for engineering, sciences and liberal arts 9 years of graduate admissions directorships for business and natural sciences 26,000+ Admissions Decisions (final authority) Mr. Enyart draws on his experience with a wide spectrum of select academic programs and admissions processes as a teacher and director of admissions. Prior to launching his own technology companies, he spent over 20 years leading both graduate and undergraduate admissions programs. Mr. Enyart retired from academia as Director of MBA and Graduate Admissions and faculty member at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to his tenure at Penn, Mr. Enyart was a Professor and Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at the Katz Graduate School of Business, University of Pittsburgh. John brings both a deep perspective on compelling admissions packages, as well as an acute awareness of current and unfolding STEM and business school communities, with a focus on integrating academic and professional opportunities. Throughout his career, John has been a dedicated mentor to hundreds of students and professionals, and is distinguished by the extensive advising experience he brings to his consulting clients. Mr. Enyart holds undergraduate degrees in Engineering and Physics from the University of Pennsylvania, and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh.
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Stephanie Fernandez
Former Assistant Director of Admission
Northwestern University
3 Years in Northwestern University Admissions
6,000+ Applications read
Stephanie earned her B.A. in Sociology from Northwestern University and her M.Ed in Education Policy from the University of Washington. As a first-generation college student, Stephanie became passionate about helping others through the college application process and finding the best fit school.
Stephanie became an Assistant Director of Admission at Northwestern University in 2014, where she spent three years working on the undergraduate admissions team reading and evaluating applications. During that time, she read approximately 6,000 applications and 12,000 essays from the Southeast region of the U.S., with the majority of her applications hailing from Texas. She was also the Coordinator of the Alumni Admission Council, where she oversaw approximately 6,000 interviews domestically and internationally. She also participated in many alumni interviews for Chicago-area applicants.
Chennery Fife
Former Admissions Counselor
University of Pennsylvania
2 Years in University of Pennsylvania Admissions
3,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Chennery Fife earned her Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Pennsylvania in Political Science, with a minor in Consumer Psychology. She graduated Magna Cum Laude and went on to earn her Masters in Environmental Studies from the University of Pennsylvania with a Resource Management concentration.
Chennery worked as an Admissions Counselor for two years in Undergraduate Admissions at the University of Pennsylvania. She read thousands of applications from New Jersey to Michigan and Montana to South Korea. She advocated for students during the committee process to inform final admissions decisions. Chennery traveled around the US to give information about Penn to prospective students and school counselors. She has since worked as a travel guide and on a research base in Antarctica.
Chennery enjoys helping students find and express their passions to gain admission into the schools that are the best fit for them.
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Nathalie Galindo
Former Admissions Officer
Harvard College
Former Admissions Director, NYU Steinhardt Former Admissions Director, UC Berkeley School of Information 4 Years in Harvard College Admissions, 5,500+ Applications Read & Evaluated 2 Years at NYU Steinhardt, 1 Year at UC Berkeley School of Information Nathalie is an accomplished admissions professional who has held admissions leadership and committee roles at top colleges and universities like Harvard College, UC Berkeley and New York University. Nathalie’s work in Admissions has led her to work with diverse undergraduate and graduate programs, including Harvard College undergraduate admissions, UC Berkeley’s Master of Information and Data Science, NYU Steinhardt’s MS in Speech Language Pathology, and NYU Steinhardt’s Doctor of Occupational Therapy. Throughout her 15 year-long professional career, Nathalie has also held leadership roles at companies and organizations Google Cloud Learning Services, Udacity, 2U, Kyros AI, and College Track. Nathalie's extensive experience in the education sector has equipped her with a deep understanding of the needs and challenges facing students in their transitions to higher education and finding their best fit schools. She holds a BA from Harvard College, and MEd from Harvard’s Graduate School of Education and an MBA from UNC Kenan-Flagler Graduate School of Business.
Adrienne Gilbert
Former Admissions Reader
Rice University
2 years at Rice University Admissions
3500+ Applications Read and Evaluated
As college admissions professional for the last 16 years, Adrienne has experience working on all sides of the proverbial admissions desk. She has read thousands of applications in her role as an admissions reader for highly selective Rice University, she has aided in the development of admissions and financial aid strategies for colleges and universities worldwide as a higher education enrollment consultant, and she has served as the Director of College Counseling in an elite K-12 school - a role that she was recognized for in 2015 when she was selected as The University of Chicago's Outstanding Educator of the Year.
Adrienne recognizes the importance of creating a persuasive narrative in the application process. She particularly loves working with students to hone in on their individual strengths and interests and help them see creative ways to bridge those in unique and creative, stand-out ways. Having worked on over 200 college campuses when she served as an enrollment consultant, also means that Adrienne has a unique ability to pair a student's personality and interests with best-fit institutions unique to them.
Sarah Godwin
Former Associate Director of Admissions
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Former Associate Director of Admissions
Johns Hopkins University
3 Years in MIT Admissions
5 Years in Johns Hopkins University Admissions
3 Years in University of Vermont Admissions
20,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Ms. Godwin earned her Bachelor’s Degree from The University of Vermont and her Master’s degree in Higher Education and Student Development from The George Washington University in Washington, DC.
Godwin has served as Associate Director of Admissions and Director of Recruitment at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In addition, Ms. Godwin led the team that welcomed prospective students and families to campus. Prior to that, Godwin held the position of Associate Director of Admissions at Johns Hopkins University where she served as a Co-Chair of the Engineering Selection Committee making admissions and scholarship decisions for all applicants to the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering. At Johns Hopkins, Godwin also served as the Director of the transfer application and committee selection process. Ms. Godwin’s first job in undergraduate admissions was at her alma mater, the University of Vermont, where she served as a member of the Vermont team, and where she traveled extensively to numerous rural areas.
Ms. Godwin enjoys working with students 1:1, helping each to uncover their unique story. Experience includes reviewing over 20,000 applications and over 60,000 admissions essays.
Sarah J. Goebel (Sally)
Former Senior Associate Director of Admissions
Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
Former Director of On-Campus Recruitment Programs
University of Pennsylvania
5 Years in Wharton MBA Admissions
3 Years in Penn Undergraduate Admissions
10,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Sally’s professional experience combines nearly a decade of Ivy League admissions work with more than 20 years advising students and parents in prestigious college preparatory schools regarding admissions and financial aid. Sally’s Ivy League experience spans Penn undergraduate and Wharton MBA admissions, and includes reading and evaluating many thousands of applications, executing final decision authority, training teams of auxiliary application readers, and conducting sessions to advise applicants.
Sally’s expertise regarding strategic positioning and compelling personal messaging helps applicants convey their achievements, talents and aspirations to yield optimal presentation and delivery. Sally holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. Sally has had a 30 year career in admissions, including more than 20 years as admissions director.
Andrew Green
Former Senior Admissions Counselor
University of Chicago
2 Years in University of Chicago Admissions 3,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated Andrew holds a B.A. in English Language and Literature and Law, Letters, and Society from the University of Chicago and an MFA in writing from the University of South Carolina. As a UChicago admissions officer, Andrew traveled extensively throughout New England conducting outreach, evaluated thousands of applications for first-year and transfer admission, and participated in and advocated for students during admissions committee deliberations. He also hosted essay-writing workshops, conducted interviews, and advocated for students in merit scholarship deliberations. His passion for writing and editing led him to serve as the head writer of UChicago’s outreach to prospective students and, alongside a team of talented colleagues, develop official communications, video projects, marketing materials, and a guidebook for selective college admissions. Following his roles in the admission office, Andrew taught writing and literature at the University of South Carolina and has worked for several years guiding and mentoring hundreds of students in navigating the selective admissions process in the United States and abroad, with a particular focus on developing and crafting student writing. Andrew draws on his teaching experience to help students explore their interests and discover their ideal future college or university and his marketing experience and writing practice to help students recognize and articulate their personal admissions narrative and craft compelling and nuanced writing. In his private admissions work, Andrew has helped students gain admission to Stanford, Harvard, UChicago, the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia, Cornell, Northwestern, Vanderbilt, NYU Stern, Carnegie Mellon, UC Berkeley, the University of Michigan, the University of Virginia, the University of North Carolina, Cambridge University, and more.
Kenya Graham
Former Seasonal Admissions Reader
University of California, Berkeley
3 Years in UC Berkeley Admissions
2,500+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Kenya earned her B.A. in Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University, New Brunswick. She later pursued her M.A. in Higher Education, Student Affairs and International Education Policy at the University of Maryland, College Park. Kenya has professional experience in college admissions at UC Berkeley, reading over 800 applications annually. She has reviewed both domestic and international student applications for candidates seeking admission to both Liberal Arts and STEM degree programs.
Beyond college admissions work, Kenya has worked in HR as a Technical Recruiter. She enjoys working with others and helping individuals strategically maximize and leverage career and educational opportunities.
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Michael Heeter
Former Application Reader
UC-Berkeley
Former Associate Director of Admission
DePauw University
Former Sr. Assistant Director
New York University
Former Assistant Director
Vanderbilt University & Ithaca College
9 Years in College Admission
10,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Michael spent the first nine years of his career in the admission
offices of a diverse group of colleges, where he learned the ins and outs of highly selective admission and transfer admission. He is also very knowledgeable about performing arts admission having served as the admission liaison to the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University and to the School of Music and Department of Theatre Arts at Ithaca College, for which he coordinated all aspects of the application process.
With a breadth of experience to draw on, Michael made the move to college counseling so that he could work more closely with students. He spent a total of 18 years at several highly regarded independent schools, including Ransom Everglades School, Hawken School, as the director, and Marlborough School, as co-director. He has worked with private clients from across the country, as well as Mexico and Germany. Michael earned a B.A. in music theory and gender studies from Ohio Wesleyan University.
Mark Hoffman
Former Admissions Reader Dartmouth College
Former Assistant Dean
Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy
Former Director of Communities
Dartmouth College Alumni Relations
Former Director of Student Center/Student Activities
Dartmouth College
Former Director of Student Activities/Student Center
Connecticut College
Former Assistant General Counsel
Chicago Board of Education
2 years at Dartmouth College Admissions
2,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
At the core of Mark’s belief in the transformative power of higher education, in his own life and the lives of thousands of students with whom he has worked, is his philosophy of centering the individual student to understand their unique identity, needs, passions, and goals to effectively assist them in realizing their dreams.
Mark brought his knowledge of student development, academic affairs, and university administration to serve as a respected admissions reader at Dartmouth. He then continued that work in alumni relations to build connections with admitted students. He continues his student-centered work managing the admissions process and academic advising for Northwestern University’s Master’s program in Higher Education Administration and Policy.
Mark earned his JD from the Chicago-Kent College of Law (where he earned CALI awards for being the top student in 3 courses and was recognized for contributions to the law school), his MS in Higher Education Administration from Iowa State University, and his BA in History from Colorado State University (where a university-wide committee selected him as homecoming king). Recently, Mark has also been fortunate to spend time in Colombia to develop his Spanish language skills.
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Aliesha Ibikunle
Former Assistant Director of Admission
Carnegie Mellon University
2 years in Carnegie Mellon University Admissions
5,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
After graduating from Carnegie Mellon University, Aliesha spent two years reading applications from domestic and international applicants for all seven colleges that make up Carnegie Mellon University. As part of her role, she traveled nationwide to major cities to meet with high school guidance counselors, juniors, and seniors to outline the competitive admission process, and advise on how to stand out. She spent two years reading thousands of applications and conferring with colleagues over applications in the most competitive schools of Business, Electrical Engineering, and Computer Science.
Her extensive experience as a tutor, Academic Counselor for English, along with her degree in English contribute to her ability to help students craft unique and distinct application essays as an Admission Consultant with Solomon Admissions.
Aside from college admissions, Aliesha continues to spend time tutoring students in English and helping students achieve their college goals.
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Aurora Kearney
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
New York University
Former Admissions Reader
Northeastern University
2 years in NYU Admissions
1 year in Northeastern University Admissions
7,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Aurora graduated from NYU College of Arts and Science in 2012 with a Bachelors in Journalism and History. Two years after graduating, Aurora began her career in education working as an academic advisor for Masters students at NYU. It was working as an advisor that she discovered her love of working with students 1 on 1, and working in an educational setting. After a couple of years of working as an academic advisor, she pursued a Master's degree in Counseling from NYU, which she obtained in 2018.
After graduation, she embarked on a 9 month trip around the world, before starting her role as Assistant Director of Admissions at NYU. In the NYU admissions office, she read first year and transfer applications for all 10 of NYU's undergraduate colleges, and managed enrollment goals specifically for Tisch and Steinhardt. She was also a member of the athletics committee which manages admission for recruited athletes, and oversaw the internal transfer process for NYU students seeking to change majors and internally transfer to other NYU schools. After two years in this role, she realized her biggest passion was working closely with students, and switched to a college counselor role at a prep school in the Bay Area. She loves helping students discover what really matters to them so that they can make the best choice when it comes to choosing their home for the next four years.
Catherine Kirkman
Former Undergraduate Admissions Reader
Stanford University
Former Executive Assistant to the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, Senior Vice Provost for Education and Vice President for the Arts
Stanford University
3 Years in Stanford University Admissions
5,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Cathy has worked in the higher education field for over a decade and brings a sincere passion and commitment to helping students maximize their opportunities for college. Before that, she was an equity partner at Am Law 100 law firm, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati in Palo Alto, practicing law in Silicon Valley for over twenty years.
As an admissions application reader at Stanford, Cathy focused on giving every application a thorough and thoughtful reading and evaluation. She read in Restrictive Early Action, Regular Decision, and Transfers, and across multiple state and international territories, becoming familiar with the admissions landscapes in major territories such as California, NY/NE, Texas, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Florida/South and internationally. In her executive work assisting senior university leadership, Cathy gained a deep understanding around institutional priorities and policies, as well as development matters, at elite institutions. She regularly supported or liaised around senior-level committees on undergraduate admissions and financial aid, undergraduate standards and policies, and president/provost office, board of trustees and faculty senate matters, and coordinated development and prospect meetings and visits.
She has continued her professional development in college admissions with coursework at the USC Center for Enrollment Management and through NACAC/WACAC involvement. Cathy is an alumna of Harvard College and Stanford Law School.
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Gabriel Lazarin
Former Admission Counselor
Stanford University
2 Years in Stanford University Admissions
3,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Gabriel Lazarin holds a BA in Human Biology from Stanford University and a MS in Genetic Counseling from the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston. He worked for two years as an Admissions Counselor in the Office of Undergraduate Admission at Stanford, where he reviewed approximately 3000 applications from across the United States, met with candidates in individual and group settings, and delivered information sessions in local communities.
Separate from his admissions consulting work, Gabriel has extensive experience in health care and health care technology, working in clinical and early-stage startups. In this work, he has authored nearly dozens of scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals and textbooks and has presented at national and international medical conferences.
Patty Lydic
Former Admissions Reader
University of Michigan
9 years at University of Michigan and read 9,000+ applications; Admissions Application Reader at University of Colorado Boulder 1500+ applications read University of Colorado Boulder Recruitment and Admissions Coordinator Assistant Director of Admissions and Enrollment at The Ohio State University, Assistant Director of Admissions at The College of Wooster, Patty has worked in college Admissions for over 20 years at highly selective colleges and universities. She has spent time working closely with Undergraduate Admissions in the College of Business, Engineering, and Liberal Arts. She has read thousands of applications in her career from students all over the United States and world. Her passion is working with students to pursue their educational goals. She brings passion to working with students and families in understanding the landscape of college admissions and preparing them for the application process. She likes to work with students to create an application profile that highlights their unique qualities and focus on their strengths to convey their background in a way that engages and excite college admissions readers.
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Ariel Mazel-Gee
Former Admissions Reader
Stanford University
5 Years in Stanford Undergraduate Admissions
2 years as an Ambassador for University of Southern California Graduate Admissions
4000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Ariel Mazel-Gee is dedicated to empowering young people to reach their greatest potential. Her insider's view of college admissions stems from Stanford University, where she worked for five years evaluating thousands of applications on Stanford's Undergraduate Admissions committee, as well as conducting tours and presentations for prospective applicants from around the world. During this time, she gained an in-depth understanding of the components that make college applications truly compelling, and of how students can maximize their applications in each area. She continued her admissions trajectory at the University of Southern California, where she presented campus opportunities and insights to prospective graduate students.
Ariel specializes in guiding students to communicate the best selves within their applications through honing personal narratives and ensuring that each student's application materials present their strongest side to their admissions committees. As a lifelong learner, Ariel holds a bachelor's in Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity from Stanford University and a master's in Occupational Therapy from the University of Southern California. She has been guiding students through the college admissions process in a multitude of capacities for over a decade and has extensive experience counseling students in college admissions strategy including extracurricular development, school selection, interview preparation, refining essays, and ultimately developing college applications that expose unique personal and intellectual potential.
Janine McGuire
Former Admission Officer
Princeton University
2 Years in Princeton Undergraduate Admissions
2,500+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Janine attained her undergraduate degree from Princeton University and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Pennsylvania. She has devoted her entire career to higher education having worked in Higher Education Publishing at Prentice-Hall, Undergraduate Admissions at Princeton, internships in Law School Admission and the Student Financial Services Office at UPenn, and over twelve years of Development and Advancement Office experience at Princeton University.
While at Princeton she served as an Admission Officer for two years interviewing applicants, offering admission information sessions, traveling, and reading and evaluating applications. For two years and while in graduate school, Janine returned to the Princeton Office of Admission to work as a summer Admission Officer. For the past 29 years, Janine has served as a volunteer on the Princeton Alumni Schools Committee, conducting over 1,000+ alumni interviews for both public and private high school applicants in states ranging from Vermont to Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York, and New Hampshire.
While completing her Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Pennsylvania, Janine she spent two internships as a part of her master’s degree with one in the Law School Admission Office reading and evaluating applications and meeting with prospective students, and the other in the Student Financial Services Office. As a doctoral candidate, Janine worked for the University of Pennsylvania’s Institute for Research on Higher Education in a variety of capacities. Her doctoral dissertation was the 2004 recipient of the Council for Aid and Support of Education (CASE) Alice L. Beeman Research Award for Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation.
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Roscoe Nicholson
Former Admissions Counselor and Admissions Reader
University of Chicago
3 Years in University of Chicago Admissions
3,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
In addition to his undergraduate admissions work reading applications and interviewing applicants, Roscoe spent many years teaching undergraduates and graduate students as a Lector in the University of Chicago’s Academic and Professional Writing Course (a.k.a. “The Little Red Schoolhouse”). As part of the University of Chicago’s Careers in Health Professions office, Roscoe provided feedback on all University of Chicago pre-med students’ medical school application essays and taught writing as part of its MCAT prep course. As a Preceptor in the University of Chicago’s Master of Arts Program in the Social Sciences (MAPSS), Roscoe advised his students on graduate school applications, provided feedback on their application essays, and reviewed applications for the MAPSS Program itself. Roscoe also worked as a PRISM Preceptor for the University of Chicago’s Career Advising and Planning Services department to provide career counseling and to organize career planning events. Prior to coming to the University of Chicago, Roscoe also graded MCAT essays for Measurement Incorporated. Roscoe also brings a varied academic background, as an undergraduate humanities major (Religious Studies at Carleton College), with significant graduate work in both neuroscience (University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill) and the social sciences (Human Development at the University of Chicago).
Roscoe has a breadth of experience to draw from. He is dedicated to working with students to assist them in identifying and reaching their goals, and is passionate about imparting in concrete ways how writing can help accomplish this.
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Gaelle Pierre-Louis
Former Admissions Officer
Georgetown University
2 Years in Georgetown Undergraduate Admissions
2,500+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Gaelle Pierre-Louis earned her Master's in Education Policy at Harvard University and her Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service at Georgetown University.
Gaelle Pierre-Louis joined the Admissions team at Georgetown University in 2018, where she spent two years reading and evaluating applications on the undergraduate team. As an admissions officer, she assumed full responsibility her admission region and organized the recruitment of prospective students by counseling applicants and their families about academic programs, student life, financial aid, and admissions standards.
She traveled with undergraduate admissions officers from five of the country's leading universities (Duke University, Georgetown University, Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University) to host special informational programs to help students prepare strong and reflective applications. Further, she assumed responsibility for advising accepted students to enroll by co-leading efforts for revisit days and consulting students one-on-one on next steps after receiving offers of admissions.
Based on her experience, she can help students navigate the college admissions process from start to finish and prepare students to successfully complete their college interviews and application forms in the competitive admissions landscape.
Vanessa Pius
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
Dartmouth College
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
Sarah Lawrence College
2 years in Dartmouth College Admissions
2 years in Sarah Lawrence College Admissions
2,500+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Vanessa has five years of selective college admissions experience and has worked with students all over the country as both an admissions officer and consultant. Vanessa believes the college application process can be empowering: she helps students identify what they value in a social and academic community, and consider mutual fit with every school they add to their list. She has deep experience in every step of the admissions process, including shaping school lists, interview practice, finding a compelling essay topic, and employing in-depth research to align an application story arc with what colleges are looking for. Vanessa led marketing and communication efforts at both Dartmouth and Sarah Lawrence and loves putting those skills to use helping students shape their stories and share their voices.
Vanessa graduated with the highest honors from Smith College and has taught college essay writing workshops for low-income and immigrant communities.
Matthew Pohl
Former Associate Director of Admissions
University of Pennsylvania
Former Assistant Dean of Admission
College of William & Mary
Former Admission Counselor
Sarah Lawrence College
3.5 Years in University of Pennsylvania Admissions
3 Years in W&M Admissions
4 Years at SLC Admissions
20,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Matthew has an extraordinary range of admissions experience at three highly selective colleges and universities, managing both domestic and international admissions. He has read, evaluated and selected students from thousands of high schools across the world -- most recently at the University of Pennsylvania where he managed the 2nd most voluminous recruitment and application review territories of the mid-Atlantic U.S., southern U.S., Canada and China. He was also a voting member of admissions committees for all 13 undergraduate programs, including coordinated dual-degree, accelerated, and specialized programs at Penn (M&T, VIPER, Dental, and more). His international admissions work began at William & Mary where he oversaw applicant review and selection from China and co-coordinated the review process for the St. Andrews-W&M joint degree program. Matthew began his career at Sarah Lawrence College with an 11-state territory covering New England and the Midwest.
Matthew earned his MS.Ed. in Education Entrepreneurship at the University of Pennsylvania and his Bachelor of Arts at Tufts University with a Political Science major, with a focus on Hebrew and Arabic languages.
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Edgar Preciado
Former Admissions Officer
Princeton University
3 Years in Princeton University Admissions
4,000 + Applications Read and Evaluated
Edgar earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish & Portuguese at Princeton University in 2018. After graduating with highest honors, Edgar returned to his alma mater to work as an Admission Officer. He served on Princeton’s Admission Committee and evaluated thousands of student applications annually. He was a member of Princeton’s Diversity Outreach Team and oversaw the recruiting and reading process for New Mexico, Western Pennsylvania, and several cities in Los Angeles County, California. His portfolio includes co-teaching an admissions class through the Princeton University Preparatory Program, planning and leading various professional development events regarding diversity and inclusion, managing student ambassador blogs, and voting in Early Action and Regular Decision committees.
As an undergraduate at Princeton University, Edgar developed a skillset in coaching students in writing and oral advocacy. He served as a debate coach to middle and high school students and worked as a writing center fellow to undergraduate and graduate students. Edgar is currently pursuing his Juris Doctorate at the University of Southern California, Gould School of Law, which has allowed him to develop his oral and writing skills further. At Solomon, Edgar hopes to help students find, design, and skillfully present their application narratives as they navigate the stressful admission process.
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Charis Ralko
Former Associate Director of Admissions
Former Application Review Team Supervisor
Washington University in St. Louis
8 years in Washington University Admissions
8,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Charis earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Washington University in St. Louis with a major in Political Science. She graduated summa cum laude and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest academic honor society in the United States. As an Associate Director of Admissions at her alma mater, she reviewed over 1,000 applications per year and managed the recruitment of students from states such as New Jersey, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Florida, and Mississippi. As part of the office leadership, she oversaw admissions decisions within regional subcommittees, as well as the hiring and training of new admissions officers. She also regularly conducted information sessions and interviews of prospective students and guided students and their families through the application process.
Charis has also served as supervisor for the application reading team at Washington University. In this role, she trained and provided regular feedback to members of the team, coaching them on the intricacies of the application review process. She provided a second review of thousands of applications completed by the team, ensuring all files were prepared for committee review.
From these years of experience in admissions and in-depth involvement in the application review and committee process, Charis has a comprehensive understanding of selective admissions and an eye for what makes applicants stand out in an extremely competitive applicant pool. Charis also brings three years of corporate experience, having worked for Google as an advertising Account Strategist prior to returning to her alma mater.
McKenna Rogan
Former Admission Officer
UCLA
Former Admissions Reader
Northwestern University
Former Associate Director of Admissions
Lake Forest College
2 years in UCLA Admissions
1 year in Northwestern University Admissions
3 years in Lake Forest College
6,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
McKenna Rogan began her career in admissions as an undergraduate student at Washington University in St. Louis, where she studied Psychology-Neuroscience-Philosophy (PNP) and Drama while working in the Admissions Office. She went on to earn an M.Ed. in Higher Education from Pennsylvania State University and has worked in a variety of admissions roles at UCLA, Lake Forest College, and Northwestern University. This combination of experience has given her insight into the highly selective admissions processes at public and private institutions of varying sizes. She has evaluated applications from first year and transfer students in all 50 states and all continents (except Antarctica).
McKenna helps students navigate the complex world of college admissions by first developing a clear sense of what they're looking for in a school. Based on this clear vision, she then guides students in identifying their strengths and crafting an application that fully encapsulates their unique fit for a particular campus. McKenna's approach encourages a sense of agency and confidence in students as they prepare to take on new challenges in the collegiate environment.
Wesley Rosamilia
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
University of Chicago
4 Years in University of Chicago Admissions
7,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
While working in college admissions and athletics, Wes Rosamilia evaluated over 7,000 applications and 14,000 college essays. Wes’ ability to help students find their authentically persuasive voice as they share their narrative has resulted in a 75% admission rate and over $500,000 in academic scholarships at institutions such as Williams College, Amherst College, Johns Hopkins, The University of Chicago, and more.
Wes holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy & Economics from the University of Chicago. In 2011 and 2014, Wes founded two college readiness programs supporting athletes and at-risk students applying to selective colleges.
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Jordan Schank
Former Director of Enrollment
Holy Cross College at Notre Dame
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
University of Notre Dame
4 years in Holy Cross College Admissions
7 years in University of Notre Dame Admissions
8,000+ Applications read and evaluated
Jordan (he/him) earned his B.A. in Theology and Pre-Professional Studies from the University of Notre Dame. His undergraduate experience included studies in London, teaching in Tanzania, and playing the trombone in the Band of the Fighting Irish. He joined the Office of Admissions at his alma mater in 2010 where he managed a territory of 12 states including Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, and others. In addition to advising prospective applicants and reviewing applications, Jordan worked extensively in high-talent student recruitment, merit scholarship selection, and honors program admission. He also advised all undocumented (DACA) applicants.
As the Chief Enrollment Officer at Holy Cross College, Jordan oversaw all undergraduate admissions and financial aid operations for a small, liberal arts college in the tri-campus at Notre Dame. A first-generation student himself, Jordan took pride in serving underrepresented populations with a focus on access and affordability. His efforts resulted in an increased enrollment of Pell-eligible students while maintaining rigorous academic standards. At Holy Cross, Jordan also served as an advisor to students who sought transfer admission to the University of Notre Dame. With eleven years of admissions experience, Jordan is a trusted source of counsel to families as they navigate the application process.
Drew Scopelliti
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
Columbia University
7 Years in Columbia Admissions
8,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Drew earned his BA in Economics from Columbia College and his MBA from Columbia Business School.
As Assistant Director of Admission at Columbia University, Drew held regional responsibilities for Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, South Jersey, Upstate New York and Horace Mann High School in New York City. During that time, he was the athletic liaison for tennis, golf and wrestling, and developed an alumni summer jobs program for incoming students and academically advised students in their freshman and sophomore years through Columbia’s rigorous Core Curriculum.
Drew went on to lead the alumni effort that supported two of the largest fund-raising campaigns ever undertaken by Northwestern and Columbia Universities as Executive Director and Associate VP at each university's Alumni Associations.
Drew has spent years in private business developing partnerships between the nation’s top universities and banks and insurance companies. The revenue generated from these partnerships has helped fund countless higher education goals at all the top ranked schools in the nation. Not only does Drew have a highly developed sense of what the top universities seek, but also a keen sense of how to position students in highly competitive admission pools to stand out and optimize their specifically compelling qualities.
Kirsten Sharett
Former Admissions Officer
Princeton University
2 Years Former Admissions Reader Princeton University
2,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Kirsten has her B.A. from Barnard College of Columbia University, where she ranked on the Dean’s List and spent a year abroad studying European Relations at the London School of Economics & Political Science in the U.K. She has her M.S. from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, where she studied broadcast and documentary journalism and was awarded a journalism fellowship from the American Council of Germany for her investigative reporting on Germany 10 years post-reunification. She has a Certificate in International Studies from New York University and is a Certified Life Story Coach.
She has spent more than 20 years of her career in pursuit of discovery and authentic storytelling. After spending two years serving as an Admissions Reader for Princeton University reading thousands of personal statements she was inspired to counsel high school students to tell the real stories of their lives. She says that her career has always been immersed in discovery and in search of the stories that had impacts, ripple effects, consequences, wisdom, heart and soul, and ah-ha moments. All of those moments of discovery became her sources of inspiration for formulating and leading branding and marketing campaigns, presentations, and writing speeches. Discovery and story telling is what drives her.
Samantha Shepard-Guerinoni
Former Admission Counselor
Stanford University
Former Assistant Director
Simmons University
3 Years in Stanford University Admissions
3 Years in Simmons University Admissions
2,900+ Applications Read and Evaluated
After graduating from Stanford University, Samantha joined the Office of Undergraduate Admission at her alma mater. During her three years there, she evaluated and advocated in committee for up to 1500 students from across the country and led on- and off-campus information sessions for students, families, counselors, and teachers.
In addition, Samantha collaborated with the Athletic Liaison (Assistant Dean) to the Department of Athletics on all matters related to the admission process and selection, including meeting with coaches and recruits to discuss academic requirements, admission process, and student-athlete experience, and to evaluate athlete transcripts and was also the chief liaison to EPGY (Education Program for Gifted Youth) departments and online schools. After her time as an Admission Counselor, Samantha continued involvement with Stanford undergraduate admissions and alumni by serving as the 2013-2014 Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter Chair for Stanford University Outreach Volunteer Alumni Link (OVAL) and later as a Leadership Team member of the Stanford University Black Alumni Association of Boston.
Samantha has a Master of Science in Education degree from the University of Pennsylvania and was a Ph.D. student in an interdisciplinary program of History and Sociology at Tulane University.
Jessica Sibbing
Assistant Director of Admission
Rice University
4 Years in Rice University Admission
14,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Jessica has her Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from The University of Texas. She also completed her MBA while working full time in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at her alma mater before transitioning to Rice University. As a first-generation college graduate, she is passionate about helping students apply to their dream schools.
In her four years at Rice, she recruited students from across the country with an emphasis in the Southeast United States, evaluated more than 14,000 applications, offered sessions on applying to highly selective universities, led admission case studies and advocated for students in admission committees. Jessica served on Rice’s Marketing & Communication team working on branding projects and crafting marketing email communications. In addition, she managed the senior interviewer program, served on strategic planning committees and assisted in creating a vibrant campus experience for visitors.
Jessica has an in-depth understanding of the overall admissions process and recognizes the importance of crafting a narrative in the college application. She utilizes her admissions and marketing experience to help students write an essay that reflects their unique perspective and experiences, establish their personal brand, and find their perfect college match.
Frank Sierra
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
University of Chicago
2 years in University of Chicago Admissions
3,500+ Applications Read and Evaluated
After graduating from the University of Chicago with a B.A. in Sociology, Frank Sierra joined his alma mater’s Office of College Admissions to continue his passion for education. As an Assistant Director of Admissions at the University of Chicago, Frank has recruited students across the Midwest and evaluated over 3,500 applications. He also facilitated essay writing workshops for high school students and offered information sessions on applying to highly selective universities. Outside of reading applications, Frankie also worked with their in-house marketing team by coordinating their email communications and overseeing the development of their social media channels.
Frank enjoys helping students understand the power of “fit” in their college search. Combining his marketing expertise with his higher education experience, Frank understands the importance of building an application that reflects students’ personal journeys.
James Simon
Former Admissions Counselor
The University of Chicago
Former Admissions Counselor Loyola University Chicago 1 year at The University of Chicago 3 years at Loyola University Chicago 6,000+ First Year and Transfer Applications Read and Evaluated In addition to reading first-year and transfer admission applications at The University of Chicago and Loyola University Chicago, James earned a bachelor's degree and two master's degrees in Education from Loyola University Chicago. These experiences provide him with the ability to guide families through the college application process with an emphasis on highlighting each student's true potential and innate curiosity. With four years of experience in college admissions and over 10 years of experience serving as a college counselor at selective private high schools, James has partnered with over 1,000 families from all points on the national and global map. Additionally, he has participated on multiple college leadership boards providing admission and recruitment advice to national universities. James brings his experience in college admissions, college counseling, and college advisory boards to help each student create a unique application to best support each student's goals.
Hannah Skaran
Former Admissions Counselor
University of Chicago
2 years in University of Chicago Admissions 2,400+ Applications Read and Evaluated Hannah graduated with honors from the University of Chicago with a Bachelor’s Degree in English Language and Literature and a Master’s Degree in the Humanities. After graduating, she worked with her alma mater’s office of college admissions, traveling to meet prospective students and give information sessions around the country as well as evaluating applications from around the world. As an admissions counselor, Hannah also oversaw content creation for the office’s social media channels to target and attract best-fit students for UChicago. As part of the office’s in-house marketing team, she helped shape and communicate the University’s message across various forms of media. Hannah enjoys helping students find schools that excite them. She understands the importance of building a narrative with a college application and shaping each component to speak directly to each school individually. Her track record as a counselor, creator, and academic uniquely positions her as an asset to students throughout the admissions process.
Brandi Smith
Former Senior Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Admissions
Emory University
Former Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Admissions
Vanderbilt University
6 Years in Vanderbilt University Admissions
3 Years in Emory University Admissions
13,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Brandi is dedicated to helping young people navigate the ever-changing college admission landscape. She has close to 20 years of expertise in the colleges admission profession. Brandi has experience in both application evaluation and decision making, college counseling, financial aid and scholarship advising and selection, and essay review and writing. She spent the majority of her professional career at Emory University and Vanderbilt University, serving as a college counselor at an elite independent JK-12 school, and creating and leading a college counseling office in a large suburban public school. Her dedication and leadership within the college admissions field has garnered her an expansive professional network.
Brandi served as a Board Director for the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and as President of the Southern Association for College Admission Counseling (SACAC). She has also served on advisory boards for several college admission offices as they review their policies and work to make their processes more equitable and student-centered. In addition, Brandi is regularly invited to speak on trends and best practices concerning college admissions at educational institutions across the country. She also presents at regional and national conferences and has been featured in several publications, webinars, and podcasts.
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Matthew Tatelman
Former Admissions Reader
Northwestern University
Former Director of College Counseling Dwight-Englewood School 1 year at Northwestern University Admissions 2 years at Dwight-Englewood School Counselor 1000+ Applications Read and Evaluated Matthew has worked with thousands of students and families through their college process for over a decade. Matthew served as the Head of Counseling at the United States Consulate affiliate School, the American School of Dubai (ASD), as well as Director of College Counseling at one of the top independent schools in the Tri-State region. Matthew holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Northeastern University in Boston, as well as a Master of Education from Springfield College. His interest in education has led him to earn advanced degrees and certifications in Educational Leadership. Matthew is passionate in supporting his students as they learn more about themselves throughout the college process. Matthew looks to help students tell their individual story the most effective way possible to maximize their potential of gaining admission into highly selective institutions. He has successfully supported students to gain admission to each of the top 20 institutions in the US, as well as top universities in the U.K. and Canada. Each student is unique in personality, interests, and experiences. Matthew’s expertise helps students frame their application so that it is an authentic representation of their unique story.
Philana Tenhoff
Former Associate Director of Admissions
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Former Associate Director of Admissions Macalester College Former Assistant Director of Admissions Macalester College Former Admissions Counselor St. Olaf College 3 Years in MIT Admissions 9 Years in Macalester Admissions 4 Years in St. Olaf Admissions 20,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated Philana earned her Bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Fine Arts with a music concentration from St. Olaf College and a Master of Science in Project Management and Master of Arts in Management from St. Mary’s University in Minnesota. In her 16-plus years of admissions experience, Philana prides herself in building relationships with her students and breaking down barriers, and creating policies and programs to provide access to higher education for all students. Philana started her admissions career at St. Olaf College recruiting students, giving presentations, interviewing applicants, evaluating applications, and overseeing the overnight hosting program and several multicultural recruitment programs. She then served first as an Assistant Director and later as an Associate Director of Admissions at Macalester College. There she coordinated the multicultural recruitment program for underrepresented students, served as an advisor to the Director of Admissions and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, and participated in several campus committees. During her tenure, she implemented several initiatives leading the student population from 19% domestic students of color to consistently over 30% each year. Prior to her work as a consultant, Philana served as the Associate Director of Admissions and Director of Multicultural Recruitment at MIT. As a senior member of the Admissions team, she served as a strategic advisor to the Director and Dean of Admissions and assisted with training application readers to review applicants from underrepresented student populations. She represented the Admissions Office on campus committees and served as the liaison to several departments and student and alumni groups. Philana also worked for one year as a Part-time Independent Educational Consultant prior to joining Solomon and was successful in acquiring admissions for her students into institutions such as MIT, U Michigan Ross School of Business, Vanderbilt, NYU, and more.
Michele Thompson
Former Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions
University of Michigan
Former Director of Graduate Admissions
University of Michigan
Former Director of Admissions
University of Michigan School of Nursing
13 years in University of Michigan Admissions
20,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Michele earned her BA in English and Communication from the University of Michigan Ann Arbor and her MBA in International Business from Thunderbird School of Global Management. Michele helps students and families to break down the admissions process into manageable steps while providing expert guidance and structure throughout the process. Her early corporate experience in management consulting and supply chain management have informed her strategic approach in advising students. She outlines a clear structure for students to successfully navigate the admissions process from start to finish. Michele has a comprehensive understanding of the college admissions selection process and knows how to assemble an application that gets attention.
During her admissions career, her responsibilities included overseeing open houses for prospective students, recruitment travel, scholarship review, yield events for admitted students, creating on-campus student experiences, and communications with students throughout the application process. With her depth of admissions experience, Michele has a keen understanding of the holistic application review, creating a cohesive applicant narrative, enhancing a student’s admissibility in and outside of the classroom, and how institutional goals are considered in the admissions process.
Anna Thysell
Former Admissions Reader
Princeton University
5 years at Princeton University
7,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Anna worked as an Admissions Reader for Princeton University for five admissions seasons. In this role, she read and evaluated over 7,000 undergraduate applications from across the country including Questbridge applications.
Anna holds an undergraduate degree from Elon University and a master's degree from New York University. Additionally, she served as a Team Leader for AmeriCorps NCCC's Central Region, where she supervised a team of ten young adults. She also spent five years working all over the world for an ethnographic market research firm helping organizations and companies better understand their customers.
After college, Anna served as an AmeriCorps VISTA Member working in Program Development for a school district in the state of Washington. In this position, she also ran a weekly college readiness class for ninth to twelfth graders who were hired and employed as tutors and mentors for elementary school students. From this experience, Anna learned she enjoys working individually with students to help them navigate through the entire college application process-- from researching colleges, applying for scholarships and financial aid, writing strong personal statements and essays, and finding the schools that best fit each student.
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CJ Trinh
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
University of Washington
6 years in Admissions and Recruitment 5,000+ Applications Read & Evaluated Carol earned her B.A. in International Relations from the University of California, Santa Barbara and her M.A. in Higher Education Administration and Policy from New York University. As a first-generation college student, she followed her passions in education and served in various capacities in the college experience and process, from teaching to career coaching to admissions reading to scholarship selection. She also engaged in directly interacting with prospective students from all over world through information sessions, presentations, 1:1 interviews, advising, and panels to guide students through their application process. She has guided students through all levels of admissions, including undergraduate, graduate, and PhD programs. Her favorite parts of the application is seeing a student shine in their application and the excitement when they receive their acceptance letter!
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Jina Walker
Former Admissions Reader
Northwestern University
Former Admissions Reader
Boston University
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
Le Moyne College
1 Year in Boston University Admissions
1 Year in Northwestern University Admissions
1 Year in Saint Louis University Admissions
7 Years in Le Moyne College Admissions
6,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Jina joined Solomon Admission Consulting with over eighteen years of experience in selective college admission and college counseling. Most recently, she served on the Board of Admission for Boston University, where she evaluated applicants from a range of demographics for various programs, including Kilachand Honors College, Questrom School of Business, and Questbridge. Additionally, while residing in Chicago, Jina supported the Northwestern University Admission Committee in their assessment of freshman candidates, gaining extensive knowledge of the University’s extremely selective standard and criteria for admissions. This, in addition to eight years of admission experience with Saint Louis University and Le Moyne College, where she earned her Master’s Degree in Education, has provided her with valuable knowledge related to college admissions.
Previously, Jina committed four years as a College Counselor for St. John’s School, a nationally recognized and respected K-12 independent school known for its longstanding tradition of academic achievement, including a large percentage of National Merit Finalists and Advanced Placement Scholars, resulting in highly selective college admission. Her work continued during her time as Associate Director of College Counseling for Bullis School (Potomac, MD), where each year she counseled approximately 125 sophomores, juniors, seniors, and their parents through college research, application, and selection.
For Jina, the most rewarding aspect of her career has been building relationships with students and guiding them through a significant and important process. She has proudly helped hundreds of students and parents navigate the college search and selection process.
Timothy T. West
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
Duke University
Former Application Reviewer
Stanford University and Rice University
10 Years in Duke, Stanford, and Rice Admissions
5,700+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Timothy (Tim'm) earned his undergraduate degree from Duke University where he began his career as an Admission Officer before the pursuit of graduate degrees from The New School for Social Research (MA) and Stanford University (MA).
For more than two decades Tim'm has worked as a university professor teaching Cultural Studies, Philosophy, English, and Creative Writing which
he has also had the privilege of teaching at the high school level where these subjects are available. As a former high school instructor, Tim'm brings valuable insight to how students can translate both academic and extracurricular assets from the high school experience to colleges. His various work experiences across the United States have given him broad insights on a variety of college campuses. He takes special pride in helping students find colleges that are a good "fit".
He understands the "science of admissions" to be a balanced approach to rigorous review of academic assets and the personal qualities that are sometimes harder to communicate without the expertise of good counsel. Professionally, Tim'm currently serves as a Senior Managing Director at Teach For America.
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Peter Zimmerman
Former Admissions Reader
Stanford University
3 Years in Stanford University Admissions
2,500+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Peter Zimmerman is a Senior Admissions Consultant with Solomon. Peter earned his Bachelor’s Degree from The College of William and Mary in Art/Art History, with minors in Anthropology and Japanese Studies. He graduated summa cum laude and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa – the United States’ oldest honor society for liberal arts colleges. Mr. Zimmerman was one of the first students ever to receive W&M’s prestigious 1693 Scholarship — one of the most distinguished scholarship programs in the country, emphasizing student-led research and academic excellence. In addition, he was awarded W&M’s Martha Wren Briggs Scholarship for academic distinction in Art History. He also attended the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.
Mr. Zimmerman joined the Admissions team at Stanford University in 2012, where he spent three years working on the undergraduate admissions team reading and evaluating applications. During that time, he read many thousands of applications from 31 different countries and 26 states in the US. In 2016, he joined Solomon Admissions Consulting, after 15 years’ experience in music marketing, non-profit communications, magazine editing, copywriting, and admissions work. At Solomon, Mr. Zimmerman has worked with families from all over the country, as well as from China, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Italy, to build strategic, compelling applications for undergraduate and graduate programs.
Consultants
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Gabriel Gutierrez Aragon, M.S.Ed.
Former Admissions Reader
Yale University
Former MBA Admissions Reader The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania Former Admission Counselor Hispanic Scholarship Fund 1 Year in Yale University Admissions 1 Year in Wharton MBA Admissions 3 Years in Hispanic Scholarship Fund 2,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated Gabriel is a recipient of the prestigious Gates Millennium Scholarship completing his M.S. Ed in Higher Education at the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to joining Solomon Admissions, Gabriel read and evaluated college applications for Yale University and the Wharton MBA program at the University of Pennsylvania. He also mentored students applying to Ivy-Plus universities and worked as a residential advisor for domestic and international students at the University of Pennsylvania. As a consultant with experience in admissions as well as student affairs and residential services, Gabriel understands the importance of an informed and cohesive college application. He familiarizes himself with his student’s backgrounds and aspirations then utilizes a strength-based approach to craft outstanding college applications. Outside of college advising Gabriel is an educational researcher interested in intergenerational mobility as well as admission policies and transitions from high school to college.
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Clay Busia
Former Senior Assistant Director of Admission
University of Southern California
6 years in USC Admissions 13,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated Clay is a graduate of the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business and Price School of Public Policy where he received his undergraduate and graduate degrees respectively. As an undergraduate student, he worked for four years under the USC Office of Student Affairs in academic advising and career counseling. Following the completion of his undergraduate program, Clay spent six years working in the USC Office of Admission. While he reviewed and supported applicants from all over the world, he primarily worked with students from California (Los Angeles, Orange, San Francisco, and San Mateo counties), Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, and all students enrolled in online, non-traditional, or homeschooling programs. In addition to reviewing thousands of applications, he has conducted over 1000 one-on-one, in-person interviews with prospective students. He established long-term counseling relationships with over 200 students as they sought transfer to USC from other two-year and four-year institutions. He also coordinated the admission review process of the highly selective USC School of Cinematic Arts and acted as an interviewer and evaluator for university merit-based scholarship recipients.
Cody Busia
Former Assistant Director, Admissions & Financial Aid
University of Southern California
4 years in USC Office of Admission and Financial Aid 1,600+ Applications Read and Evaluated Cody obtained his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and International Relations from the USC Marshall School of Business. During his undergraduate career, Cody worked for the USC Office of Student Affairs in academic advising and career counseling. After graduation, he accepted an offer to join the USC Office of Admission and Financial Aid as an Assistant Director. He then went on to pursue a master’s degree in Public Administration from the USC Price School of Public Policy. During his tenure as Assistant Director, Cody conducted qualitative and quantitative review of applications in conjunction with program coordination work for the university. This required counseling of prospective and incoming students as well as their families. He developed department-wide policy and procedure workshops as a member of a standing training committee. These ranged from updates on admission and financial aid guidelines to diversity and inclusion initiatives. Cody also managed internal and external merit scholarships, athletic scholarships, and other forms of aid. Some examples of these programs and bodies are the Gates Millennium Scholars Program, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Native American tribal organizations, Tuition Exchange, and the US Department of Education.
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Taylor Caldwell
Former Admissions Review Specialist
Washington University in Saint Louis
2 Years in WUSTL Admissions 2,000+ Applications Reviewed and Evaluated Taylor is a first-generation college graduate and is passionate about serving, coaching and advocating for individuals who are under-resourced so that they may gain access and have equitable experiences at all institutions of higher education. Taylor received a B.A from Berea College and an M.S.W from Washington University in Saint Louis. Taylor first became passionate about Admissions and the admissions process when she became a Student Ambassador her Sophomore year at Berea. During this time Taylor gained invaluable insight on the wants and needs of prospective students and the admission process that several students struggled to understand. Since this experience, Taylor has spent countless hours in various capacities educating students on the ins and outs of college admissions and assisting and coaching with essays, applications, and extracurricular plans so that these students have the best chance of being accepted to the school of their choosing. After graduating from Berea College, Taylor went on to complete her Master of Social Work at Washington University in Saint Louis. While attending WUSTL, Taylor served as an Application Review Specialist for 2 years and read and evaluated applications for all undergraduate schools including Olin Business School, McKelvey School of Engineering and the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts. Taylor has experience reading, evaluating, and endorsing applications based on university initiatives and goals. During her stent with WUSTL Admissions she gained experience with early action, regular decision, and Questbridge applications and has read for all areas of the United States with particular focus on the states of Texas and California. She enjoys advocating for students and encouraging them to fulfill their potential while ensuring that they enroll in a school that not only accepts them but that they feel included and at home at. After all, access does not mean inclusion.
Grace Chee
Admissions Evaluator
Vanderbilt Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Associate Director of Admissions and Recruitment Vanderbilt Law School 4 Years in Vanderbilt Admissions 6,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated Grace Chee is an Admissions Consultant with Solomon. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Vanderbilt University in Human and Organizational Development and English, and also received her Master’s in Education from Vanderbilt in Higher Education Administration. Since receiving her graduate degree, Grace has devoted her career to higher education. As an Admissions Evaluator for Vanderbilt’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions, Grace read and evaluated hundreds of first-year applications across all four colleges, sat in on committee meetings, and offered admissions information sessions to interested students and families. Grace most recently served as the Associate Director of Admissions, Recruitment and International Student Services at Vanderbilt Law School, where she recruited and reviewed applications for competitive legal programs. Grace is passionate about increasing college access and support for all, especially for students from underserved and underrepresented communities. She enjoys working with students and coaching them on all aspects of the college application process through a holistic and student-focused lens.
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Marilu Duque, M.S.
Former Admissions Reader
New York University
Former Graduate Admissions Aid University of Michigan, School of Information Former Award Application Reader National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) 7 Years of Undergraduate Admissions Marilu holds a B.S in Integrated Digital Media from New York University (NYU) Tandon School of Engineering and an M.S. in Information from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Marilu has worked for NYU’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions, UMSI’s Office of Graduate Admissions, College Advisors, and has 11 years of freelance college and scholarship application advising experience. She has been accepted to 20+ schools and won over $1,000,000 in scholarships (including The Gates Millennium Scholarship and Buicks Achievers). As a consultant with experience across various STEM and humanities admissions criteria, she is able to provide guidance for students of all backgrounds, majors, and demographics. Marilu understands the importance of personalized and strategic guidance through the college admissions process. By understanding the student’s background and goals, she can help create a successful college application and help make your academic goals a reality. Outside of college admissions consulting, Marilu is pursuing Cybercrime research for an M.A. in Criminology from Technological University Dublin, where she was selected for the prestigious George J. Mitchell Scholarship Program by the US-Ireland Alliance.
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Breanna Echelmeier
Former Admissions Reader
New York University
7 Years in New York University Admissions 3,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated Breanna Echelmeier is an Admissions Consultant for Solomon Admissions Consulting. After graduating from Susquehanna University, where she studied psychology and music performance, Breanna began her career in higher education. She is passionate about the admissions process and specializes in building relationships with students and their families while helping them craft a strong personal narrative in order to present their best selves to admissions committees. Breanna is skilled in school selection, extracurricular advisement, essay refinement, and building an application that highlights each unique individual. She has over 13 years of experience in college admissions, recruitment, and counseling. Most recently, Breanna spent 7 years with NYU where she evaluated thousands of applications for all of NYU’s undergraduate schools. Beyond higher education, Breanna is a musician and performs with a premier choral ensemble in Central Pennsylvania, and serves as Managing Director of the group. She loves spending time with her husband and two children.
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Terry Gilbert
Former Associate Director of Admission
Carnegie Mellon University
Former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions Purdue University 2 years in Carnegie Mellon University Admissions 7 years in Purdue University Admissions 21,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated Terry Gilbert has an undergraduate degree in Management and a graduate degree in Student Affairs and Higher Education, specializing in Enrollment Management. During his nine-year college admission career, he held leadership roles at both Carnegie Mellon University and Purdue University, crafting and executing the undergraduate diversity recruitment and the domestic recruitment strategy of those institutions, respectively. His work as a professional in support of college access and student inclusion garnered recognition from both The College Board and the National Association of College Admission Counseling. Through personal interviews, financial counseling sessions, and admission credential reviews, Terry has advised countless students on the path through which to achieve their post-secondary dreams. As a reflection of the reputations of Carnegie Mellon and Purdue, he is skilled at helping students interested in the STEM fields navigate a holistic admission process.
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Kimberly Kauer
Former Undergraduate Admissions Reader
Stanford University
3 Years in Stanford University Admissions 8,600+ Applications Read and Evaluated Kimberly took her passion for learning individuals' personal stories and growth into college admissions with a three-year role as an admissions reader for Stanford. Over three years, Kimberly gave a holistic evaluation to over 8,000 restrictive early action, regular decision, transfer, and Questbridge applications from all regions of the U.S. and multiple international areas, including Australia and New Zealand. Kimberly has an understanding of institutional priorities, effective storytelling, and how to advocate for applicants. A first-generation college student, Kimberly has degrees from Northeastern University and the University of San Francisco.
Pamela Klebanov
Former Admissions Reader
Princeton University
4 Years as an Application Reader at Princeton University 5,500 Applications Read and Evaluated Pamela Klebanov was a top Admissions Reader for Princeton University for 4 admission cycles and has evaluated over 5,500 undergraduate applications. She has experience reading applications from students across the U.S. and has evaluated Questbridge and transfer applications. Pamela grew up in Hawaii and was a first-generation college student who received her BA with honors from Occidental College where she majored in Psychology and minored in Asian Studies. She continued her study of Psychology at Princeton University where she earned her Ph.D. Pamela has devoted over 20 years to research in child health and development at Educational Testing Service, Columbia University, and Princeton University. Her research has garnered over 18,700 Google Scholar citations, with her publication on school readiness and later achievement featured on the front page of the New York Times. She also served as a reviewer for 18 peer-review journals. Throughout her years in academia, Pamela enjoyed interacting with students and helping them formulate and conduct research. As a Princeton University alumna, Pamela has interviewed Princeton undergraduate applicants for the Alumni Schools Committee and served on the Executive Board of The Auxiliary to the Isabella McCosh Infirmary at Princeton. During her time as an application reader, Pamela took a particular interest in reading the personal narratives of undergraduate applicants. Pamela is excited to share her expertise with students as they navigate their journey from high school to college by identifying and honing their interests and strengths to craft a compelling narrative.
Jennifer Kolb
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
UNC at Chapel Hill
2 Years in UNC-Chapel Hill Admissions 3,300+ Applications Read and Evaluate After graduating from Harvard College, Jennifer worked in finance for five years in marketing and corporate strategy. Deciding on a career change where she could work more closely and directly with people, she then returned to school for her master's degree in school counseling at UNC-Chapel Hill. During that year, she worked closely with high school students on college and career planning. Realizing this as a passion, she went on to work for UNC-Chapel Hill in career services and then transitioned to working in their admissions office. She worked there for two years, recruiting students, guiding them through the application process, and of course reading applications. In her work with students, Jennifer blends her marketing and admissions experience to build applications that truly present the students' best to admissions committees. She enjoys demystifying the college application process and helping students feel confident and proud of their applications rather than anxious about them.
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Shayla Lebeck
Former Admissions Reader
The University of Michigan
3 years in University of Michigan Admissions 3,500+ Applications Read and Evaluated Ever since graduating with her bachelor’s degree, Shayla Lebeck knew her passion lied within supporting students. Years later, Shayla has a graduate degree in Higher Education/Student Affairs with a concentration in academic advising. Shayla is an experienced higher education professional with multiple years of experience serving at colleges throughout the state of Michigan. Shayla’s experiences in higher education include admissions, academic advising, orientation, and new student programming. Shayla uses these experiences to provide a unique lens while talking students through what happens after students get admitted to college. Shayla joined the Admissions team at the University of Michigan in 2018, where she spent three admissions cycles working within undergraduate admissions reading and evaluating applications for the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts and the College of Engineering. To date, Shayla has read and evaluated over 3,500 applications from around the world, specializing in California schools. Shayla is passionate about bridging the gap in the college admissions process from high school to college.
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Zachary McNeal
Former Admissions Reader
Duke University
1 year at Duke University Admissions Zachary McNeal graduated summa cum laude from Lancaster Bible College, and is currently a grad student at Duke Divinity School. Before coming to Duke, he worked as a program coordinator and chaplain at an historic rescue mission in New York City, working to help NYC’s homeless community achieve housing stability. While enrolled at Duke, he worked as a First Reader in Duke’s Undergraduate Admissions Office. During his time in Duke’s admissions office, he read and evaluated hundreds of applications from all over the United States, especially from the Chicago area, Pacific Northwest and Northeast. This exposure to a wide variety of college applicants has given him a keen insight into the significance of making the college application tell a compelling and focused story. While high grades and exemplary extra-curricular activities are vital to success, top colleges admit interesting people, not merely impressive résumés. He is dedicated to taking this knowledge and expertise, and leveraging it to help students and families tell their stories well. In addition to admissions consulting, Zac is an avid reader, a mediocre musician and an obsessive acquirer of historical trivia.
Eliana Melmed
Former Admissions Counselor
The University of Chicago
4 years at University of Chicago Admissions Eliana graduated from the University of Chicago with a B.A. in Public Policy and a minor in Media, Arts, and Design. Eliana served in an array of roles in the UChicago Admissions Office between 2018 and 2021. She has led virtual school visits, facilitated prospective student workshops, and served as an admissions expert for high school counselors and families alike. She has read and evaluated applications from students across the country with interests in everything from STEM to medieval history. Eliana conducted virtual information sessions for hundreds of applicants during the 2020-2021 admissions cycle and loves forming personal connections with the students she works with. Eliana is passionate about increasing equity and access in the college space. She won the Taub Thesis Prize for her honors thesis: “Equity Among Applicants: The Positive, if Limited, Impact of Test-Optional Admission.” She has volunteered at numerous college access organizations and hopes for a future in which the barriers to college entry for under-resourced students are removed.
Terri Morris
Former Assistant Director of Admission
University of Southern California
1 year at University of Southern California 1,800+ Applications Read and Evaluated Terri earned her BA in Spanish and Italian Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), a MA in Linguistic Anthropology from the University of Chicago, and a master’s degree in Museums and Cultural Heritage from the Sorbonne in Paris. Terri has always been passionate about education and helping students attain their academic goals. As an undergraduate at UCLA, she worked as a language tutor for local high school students before teaching English at a bilingual high school in Spain after graduation. Continuing her commitment to education, Terri became an Assistant Director of Admissions at USC where she read and evaluated over 1,800 first-year and transfer student applications from across the USA, including Connecticut, Vermont, New York, and California. In addition to reviewing applications, Terri was also responsible for conducting information sessions and interviews of prospective students from all around the country. Terri especially enjoys helping students craft meaningful and convincing writing. As a published translator, she relies on her comprehensive writing and editing experiences to help students produce persuasive essays to demonstrate their unique perspectives and put forth a compelling narrative.
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Tatum June Pollard
Former Admission Officer
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
6 years in UCLA Admissions 2000+ Applications Read and Evaluated As an alumna and former admission counselor for a university that receives some of the most applications in the nation, Tatum Pollard knows how to help students stand out in a competitive landscape and catch the attention of today's top universities. Tatum directed admission strategies for UCLA's most competitive territories and partnered with some of the most prestigious high schools in the nation to equip students for higher education success. Her specialized areas of expertise include essay development, major selection, GPA and test score evaluation, and extracurricular and volunteer experience planning. Tatum understands the pressure-filled complexities of the college admission process and works with students and families to provide direct, structured guidance. Also a seasoned business and marketing professional, Tatum brings her extensive writing and PR experience working with high-profile executives to help students attract top schools.
Miguel Prieto-Valle
Former Admissions Reader
Stanford University
2 years in Stanford Admissions 1000+ Applications Read and Evaluated Miguel Prieto-Valle brings over 15 years of experience as an educator, college counselor, mentor, and undergraduate academic advisor to the Solomon admissions team. He is a former high school foreign language instructor and has worked internationally and back home in the US as a language specialist and coach, both in private industry and in the public sector as an adjunct lecturer at the European School of Business and German American Institute. He understands the admissions process from the perspective of students, teachers, admissions counselors, as well as university administrators, and his background and insights have helped applicants leverage their talents and passions to arrive and thrive at their top choices for study. Mr. Prieto-Valle earned a BA in Spanish and an MA in Education - Teaching of World Languages - from Stanford University, where he also served as an admissions reader in the office of undergraduate admission. His teaching, advising, and assessment experience are complemented by a commitment to increasing access to the highest quality education, with special attention to those who have been historically excluded. He will help you find your unique path towards the institution(s) that best meet your needs and goals.
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Jessica Rabalais
Former Undergraduate Admissions Reader
Stanford University
MA in Higher Education Administration Stanford University Director Of Education ICOHS College Jessica is a graduate of Chapman University with a BA in higher education and received her MA from Stanford University in higher education administration. Much of her undergraduate and graduate research was oriented toward women and students of color in STEM fields at the college level and beyond. During her time at Stanford, she worked as an admissions reader and has since volunteered her time to assist low-income students from her hometown work on their essays and applications to state schools. When not helping students achieve their college dreams, Jessica manages student services and academics at a small private school. She loves working with students directly: building a relationship, getting to know their strengths, and discussing the best way for them to market themselves. She gives direct feedback and takes time to explain when clients don’t understand to make sure they can make the necessary adjustments with context and depth.
Haley Rosenspire
Former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions
University of Southern California
3 Years at the University of Southern California 6,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated After graduating from the University of Southern California with her degree in Political Science, Haley joined Teach for America in Tulsa, Oklahoma, beginning her career in education and as an advocate for students in the college admissions process. Following her two-year corps commitment, she returned to USC as an Assistant Director of Admissions in order to better focus her work on higher education and helping students shine through the college admissions process. In her three years in the USC Office of Admissions, Haley was promoted to Senior Assistant Director of Admission, taking on a wider set of office roles and responsibilities. She read and evaluated over 6,000 applications, and excelled in working with students and families navigating the daunting process of highly selective college admissions. Outside of her work as a reader and evaluator, she took on the role of department liaison with the Thornton School of Music, providing evaluation and feedback for some 300 music students each cycle, as well as Deferral Coordinator, in which she helped to craft and oversee USC’s deferral process during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Additionally, Haley served as Alumni Volunteer Coordinator, leveraging the power of the Trojan Family to help recruit prospective students. Haley’s favorite aspect of college admissions work is getting to know students and families, and helping them craft a compelling narrative about who they are and why they belong at the schools they are interested in. Outside of college admissions work, she is pursuing her J.D. at William and Mary Law School.
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Andrea Saunders
Former Application Admissions Reader
Rice University
Former Application Admissions Reader Carnegie Mellon University 3 Years in Southern Methodist University Admissions 1 Year in Rice University Admissions 1 year in Carnegie Mellon University Admissions 1 Year in Chatham University Graduate Admissions 4 Years in Wofford College Admission 8,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated Andrea began her career in college student recruitment at the University of Maryland—College Park, Office of Undergraduate Admissions. While later living in Pittsburgh, Andrea was able to gain experience in graduate admissions at Chatham University and serve as an outside application admissions reader for Rice University and Carnegie Mellon University. When they moved again, Southern Methodist University provided yet another opportunity for Andrea broaden her knowledge of the application review process. Throughout her 15 years recruiting students, Andrea has had experience reading and evaluating the applications of elite student-athletes, gifted computer science students, BFA applicants, as well as BS/MD applicants, MBA, and MSPAS applicants. Having lived in eight states since college, her diverse geographic experiences strengthen her ability to view applications through a variety of lenses and backgrounds. Currently, Andrea and her family reside wherever the United States Air Force sends her husband.
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Hillary Teague
Former Admissions Counselor
University of Michigan
Former Director of Enrollment Communications Case Western Reserve University Former Associate Director of Admission Kalamazoo College 2 Years at University of Michigan Admissions 1 Year at Case Western Reserve Univeristy Admissions 11 Years at Kalamazoo College Admisssions 4,000 Applications Read and Evaluated A career admissions professional, Hillary has spent over 17 years working in college, as well as independent PS-12, admissions. At the University of Michigan, where Hillary earned her M.A. in Higher Education Administration, she provided a holistic review to 60-80 applications weekly. At Kalamazoo College, Hillary was a first reader for high volume territories in and around Chicago and Detroit, assisted with International application review, and served as a second reader. She twice overhauled the admissions application review process and trained new staff on application evaluation. At Case Western Reserve University, Hillary participated in an application evaluation, as well as assisted in making final decisions as part of the enrollment leadership team. Hillary currently serves as Director of Pre-Primary and Primary School Admissions at Laurel School, an independent all-girls school, where she evaluates applications for all lower school grades. Additionally, she supports the college counseling office by conducting mock college interviews with high school juniors and reviewing college essays for high school seniors.
Tiffany Tran, M.A.
Former Admissions Officer, Stanford University
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
3 Years at Stanford Admissions 3,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated Tiffany received her B.A. in Economics and Geography at UCLA and her M.A. in Educational Leadership at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Post-graduate school, Tiffany joined the graduate admissions team at Stanford University as an Assistant Director. She reviewed thousands of graduate applications and provided admit recommendations for committee review in the Electrical Engineering department. She also worked very closely with the Graduate School of Business and School of Law at Stanford University for the joint degree programs. During her years at Stanford, she facilitated a course called "Designing The Professional" at The Hasso Plattner Institute of Design. In the course, she facilitated a group of graduate students to create a generative environment to discuss activities on design thinking and provided exercises for investigating career prototypes. As a Solomon Admissions Consultant, Tiffany uses her admissions and teaching experience to provide a unique perspective on how students can find their voice and bring their best foot forward for their college application.
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Makeda Turner
Former Recruitment Coordinator and Admissions Counselor University of Michigan
4 Years in University of Michigan Admissions 1 Year in University of Michigan Architecture & Urban Planning Admissions 4,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated Dr. Makeda Turner has close to 20 years of experience in higher education working in various capacities including admissions, academic advising, academic affairs, and adjunct instruction. She worked at the University of Michigan for close to 17 years, and enjoys working with high achieving students to help guide them through the process of college exploration. Dr. Turner is a proud alumnus of Eastern Michigan University, having earned a doctorate of philosophy - educational leadership, a master of art - educational leadership & student affairs, and a bachelor of business administration - marketing. Her dissertation titled “The Essence of a College Summer Bridge Program: Voices of Students Who Completed College” explored the experiences of college graduates who participated in a summer bridge program, and contributing factors to the participant’s academic and professional success beyond college graduation.
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Heather Walmsley
Former Senior Assistant Director of Admission
Carnegie Mellon University
4 Years at Carnegie Mellon University Admission 8,000+ applications read and evaluated Heather is an experienced college admission professional with four years of experience at Carnegie Mellon University undergraduate. She has participated in all aspects of the admissions process from reviewing applications and making application decisions to managing the systems in which applications flow. She has a passion for helping students navigate admissions season and can shine light on the process for students and their families. Her experience spreads over application review for a variety of disciplines with specialized focus in STEM programs having come from a heavily STEM focused institution. Beyond highlighting academic strengths of a student, Heather finds strong value in the non-academic components of an application and knows how to help students convey their personalities and strengths. With experience in 1:1 counseling to managing large group information sessions, Heather enjoys spreading knowledge on the application process and guiding students to make the right decisions for their future. She encourages everyone to follow their academic passions! A first-generation student, she is dedicated to guiding others through the college process and understands the value of having help through it all. Heather has experience in several other aspects of undergraduate collegiate life including student financial aid processes, accounting and billing processes, educational department organization, student life and organizations, career services and career placement, and more. She earned a double BA in English Literature & Communications Rhetoric as well as her MA in Higher Education Management from the University of Pittsburgh.
Jonathon White
Former Assistant Director of Admissions
New York University
2,500+ Applications Read Jonathon White is a graduate of Cornell University with a BA in Government and New York University with an MBA in Management and Marketing. He previously worked as the Assistant Director of Admissions for NYU in the College of Arts & Science and was an active member of the national admissions association, NACAC. His professional career of 20+ years has been dedicated to student affairs in higher education, including academic advising and support, admissions and financial aid, study abroad and international programs, internship and career development, service and leadership activities, and honors programs and fellowships. While currently serving as Associate Dean of Students, he has remained engaged with first-year admissions, transfer admissions, and financial aid workshops, and regularly provides guidance on applications for students pursuing new educational opportunities. He believes in a holistic approach to learning and helps students make important connections between their academic interests and co-curricular programs. He enjoys working directly with students to establish a relationship, understand their strengths, and provide critical reflection. Instead of asking about intended majors or programs, his first question is often, "How do you want to make an impact through your academic career?" These responses offer meaningful insight about a student and help distinguish them as an applicant.
Kelly Wilcox
Former Seasonal Admissions Reader
Cornell University College of Arts and Sciences
Former Events Coordinator University of New Haven 3 Years in Cornell University Admissions 2.5 Years in University of New Haven Admissions 4,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated Kelly earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Cornell University in Human Development and her Master’s Degree from the University of Pennsylvania in Higher Education. Kelly’s experiences in higher education include mentorship programs, fundraising, student activities, admissions, and events. She has been a volunteer and co-chair for the Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network since graduating in 2013 and has counseled many students through the college process. Ms. Wilcox joined the Admissions team at Cornell University in 2016, where she spent three admissions cycles working on the undergraduate admissions team reading and evaluating applications for the College of Arts and Sciences. During that time, she read applications from California, Delaware, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington DC, and West Virginia. Most recently, Kelly worked for the University of New Haven helping to recruit new students through information sessions, planning prospective student events on campus, and supervising student tour guides. Her role also included traveling to college fairs and regional receptions as well as reviewing admissions applications. Kelly looks forward to getting to know each student and helping them craft a compelling story in their application.
Juliana Wong
Former Admissions Reader
UC Berkeley
2 years in UC Berkeley Admissions 2,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated Born and raised in San Francisco, Juliana attended UC San Diego as an undergraduate and studied Communication and Business. During her time at UCSD, she was heavily involved in educational equity work, which centered around college access, retention, and persistence for diverse student populations in the local San Diego area. After graduating, she served as a City Year AmeriCorps Member in the South Bronx in New York City, providing academic and social-emotional support through alternative educational experiences for NYC public school students. She is passionate about creating a culturally relevant curriculum to engage students that are meaningful and engaging for their own learning and knowledge production. She also received her M.Ed. in Higher Education and Student Affairs at the University of Maryland, College Park, where she held multiple roles as an advisor, counselor, instructor, and coach in both multicultural affairs and academic support services. While at UMD, Juliana served as an external admissions reader at UC Berkeley, where she read and evaluated over 2,000 freshman applications. Her holistic, personalized approach to consulting and advising empowers students to authentically share their narratives and shine a light on their assets and strengths in order to maximize their opportunities in college and beyond.