College Admissions Consulting in Boston, MA

Anna earned a BS from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and completed an MS and PhD at the University of California, San Diego, earning multiple research awards, a training grant, and a fellowship during her studies. Anna served as an MIT admissions interviewer for 15 years, evaluating prospective students from across the United States.

As the Area Representative for Oklahoma, Anna coordinated the training and assignment of MIT alumni interviewers for applicants from the state and surrounding areas. Additionally, she acted as a Graduate Student Representative for the Cognitive Science PhD program at UC San Diego, where she supported prospective students, welcomed incoming cohorts, and assisted in organizing graduate interview days.

Anna has applied her work in neuroscience to education policy, collaborating with researchers at prestigious universities including MIT, Harvard, Boston University, UC San Diego, UC Irvine, the University of Chicago, and Columbia University. As an active volunteer with the MIT Alumni Association for over a decade, Anna stays deeply connected to evolving undergraduate admissions expectations and the broader university culture. Additionally, her participation in various departmental and administrative committees at several institutions has further enriched her understanding of the unique identities and cultures of different universities, which allows her to help students build school lists that truly cater to their needs. She also advocates for making and keeping Boston-area universities more welcoming to non-traditional students and ensuring that higher education is accessible and affordable to all.

Anna is dedicated to helping learners with traditional and non-traditional educational paths confidently present their authentic selves throughout the admissions process. She believes a great college coach is both a cheerleader and a strategic guide.

As a coach, Anna’s greatest strengths lie in her ability to combine deep academic insight with practical admissions experience. She excels at helping students authentically present their unique stories, guiding them through complex application processes with clarity and encouragement. Anna takes personal stories very seriously, recognizing that discussing values, life experiences, and other deeply personal topics in admissions interviews can be challenging. She strives to create a safe and supportive space for all personal identities and cultures. Her extensive knowledge of university cultures and admissions expectations allows her to tailor advice to each student’s individual goals and circumstances, ensuring they find the best fit academically, socially, and culturally.

In her spare time, Anna enjoys advocating for the disability, mental health, military veteran/family, and neurodiversity communities through peer support and mental health coaching, engaging in volunteer work, participating in Toastmasters public speaking and speech competitions, playing tabletop role-playing games, and cooking (especially baking bread).

Anna’s Pro Tip?

There is no single formula for admission to elite universities. When institutions say they want to see the “real” student, they mean it! Authenticity is the key to standing out among tens of thousands of applicants.

Anna earned both a BA and Master’s degree from Columbia University. She is a senior editor at Hay House, a leading publisher known for its range of non-fiction books, including several New York Times bestsellers. Anna has also worked at other prominent publications such as ELLE, Teen Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Vogue. 

Anna has been a mentor at Columbia's Odyssey Mentoring Program for two years, where she shares her time, knowledge, ideas, and advice with Columbia students as they work toward their educational and professional goals. Students Anna has coached have been accepted to top schools, including Columbia and Cornell.

Anna’s passion for coaching comes from her own experience navigating the college application process. She loves witnessing the transformation students undergo as they uncover their strengths, interests, and goals through their writing and self-reflection. 

With her extensive background in writing, Anna is an expert at helping students craft compelling narratives that highlight their unique experiences and strengths. She provides detailed feedback and thorough edits to ensure each student’s application documents truly shine. Anna aims to empower students and make the application experience as manageable as possible with clear scheduling and open communication.

Outside of work and coaching, Anna enjoys reading, hiking, and spending time with her dog.

Amre has a BA from the University of Michigan (where he was a Fulbright Scholar in Turkey) and a JD from Harvard Law School. He is a practicing lawyer, researcher, and writer interested in international human rights law, law and technology, and online privacy and censorship issues. Previously, he was Head of Policy at Clubhouse and worked in content policy for violent extremism and graphic violence at YouTube. 

Amre discovered his passion for academic coaching through his experience teaching and tutoring students. He came to appreciate how fun and rewarding it was to play a part in helping students to achieve their dreams. He enjoys seeing students, often for the first time, actually voice what drives them, excites them, and even scares them. Amre believes the best part of his job as a coach is to not only help students express themselves but translate those feelings into stellar application materials. 

One of Amre's notable strengths is his ability to help students shape the narratives they wish to convey in their applications. He excels at guiding individuals in telling their unique stories, crafting compelling essays, providing unwavering encouragement, and simplifying the application process into manageable steps with clear objectives to ensure accountability.

For students aspiring to Ivy League institutions, Amre offers valuable insights based on his own journey at Harvard and his profound understanding of the requirements for top colleges. 

When he’s not coaching, Amre loves traveling and working on his own creative writing.