Jay completed his Bachelor’s degree from Duke University on a full merit-based scholarship. He also holds a Master’s and PhD from the University of Oxford, completing the latter on a Rhodes Scholarship. During his time at Duke, Jay served as an Alumni Interviewer and the lead student organizer of Duke's undergraduate merit-based scholarship selection process. Jay has over 10 years of experience coaching students applying to college. He also has extensive experience coaching students applying to graduate school with a particular focus on prestigious post-graduate scholarships and fellowships such as the Truman, Rhodes, Marshall, and Mitchell programs.
Jay is passionate about helping students unlock their full potential during this formative and challenging transition to college. He firmly believes in instilling habits of self-reflection and curiosity, ensuring students are prepared for success in all their future endeavors.
As a coach, Jay excels in helping students identify their strengths and transform them into a compelling narrative that enhances their college applications and fosters critical reflection and self-discovery. He possesses a unique ability to see the big picture while paying attention to intricate details. With a strong background in writing and editing, Jay has published multiple academic articles and contributed to public-facing writing in venues such as The New York Times.
Throughout his coaching career, Jay has witnessed the transformative power of reflection and narrative creation in students' application journeys. He firmly believes that writing goes beyond merely transmitting beliefs; it is a bidirectional process that shapes convictions and inspires introspection. He values maintaining a warm and approachable personality and believes in combining high standards with unwavering support when working with students.
Jay looks forward to collaborating with applicants and their families, providing guidance and expertise as they embark on the college application process. Over the past decade, Jay has successfully coached numerous college applicants, facilitating their acceptances into renowned institutions such as Oxford University, Dartmouth College, Duke University, and the University of Virginia.
Outside of his professional pursuits, Jay enjoys leisurely walks with his beloved St. Bernard, Betty, exploring new parks, experimenting with new recipes, and indulging in reading and writing.
Rachel has a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University. She also has a JD from Boston College Law School.
Rachel's educational experiences are invaluable to her, which is why she decided to use her talents to help others achieve their educational aspirations. Rachel understands how overwhelming and anxiety-ridden applying to college can be. She loves taking the complicated college application process and breaking it down so that it becomes straightforward and understandable. Her goal as a coach is to reduce stress from applicants and their family members, allowing students to focus on highlighting their strengths and achieving their educational goals.
When working with Quad applicants, Rachel strives to keep the mood light and the environment calm and relaxed. Once Rachel has achieved a relaxed environment and the trust of her students, she works to break down material so it is manageable and can be completed in an organized and efficient manner. Rachel’s greatest strengths as a coach include creating realistic timelines and organized schedules and helping students create stand-out personal statements and resumes.
In her spare time, Rachel enjoys home decoration and organizing, trying new exercises, and spending time with her husband, daughter, and dog.
Alec has a Bachelor’s degree in both Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Asian Studies from Rice University and an MBA from Stanford University. He has several years of experience helping college candidates get into their dream schools.
As a coach, Alec enjoys helping others find confidence and pride in what sets them apart. Essentially, he loves to see students embark on journeys to further cultivate their individuality. His greatest strength when working with Quad applicants is his ability to help them find their confidence and voice. Alec understands the difficulty in articulating the “why” behind your experiences and decisions when applying to college. He prides himself on his ability to help students dig deep so they can determine the motivations behind their choices, whether it's their reason for pursuing an activity, a school, or a program.
Students Alec has recently coached have gotten accepted into UC Berkeley, Yale University, Princeton University, MIT, Stanford University, Washington University St. Louis, Rice University, and Vanderbilt University.
In Alec’s free time, he enjoys taking courses online, making up games, and solving computer science problems.
Alec’s Pro Tip?
Students do better in the interview when they answer extemporaneously from the heart rather than when they memorize what "should be said".
Harley has a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Yale University and a Master's degree in Education from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. Harley has also served on Yale's admissions team as an Admissions Counselor, reviewing and evaluating applications to determine which applicants should be offered admission to the college or university. This involved reviewing various materials, including transcripts, test scores, essays, activity lists, and letters of recommendation, and assessing each applicant's academic and personal qualifications. Additionally, Harley conducted interviews with applicants and provided feedback and advice to help them improve their applications. Overall, Harley's role was to help the college or university identify the most qualified and promising applicants and to make admission offers to the students who would be the best fit for the institution.
As a first-generation low-income student, Harley understands the challenges and obstacles that students from similar backgrounds can face in the college admissions process. He is passionate about helping first-generation low-income students navigate the complex, sometimes daunting, college application process. He believes that every student should have the opportunity to pursue higher education, regardless of their background or circumstances, and is committed to providing the guidance and support that these students need to succeed.
As a dedicated coach and teacher, Harley is passionate about coaching college applicants because he believes in the transformative power of higher education. He has seen firsthand how a college education can open up new opportunities and experiences for students. He is passionate about helping students find the right college or university that will allow them to thrive and succeed. Harley also enjoys the challenges and rewards of working with college applicants, who are often at a critical juncture in their lives. Helping them make informed decisions about their education and career paths is incredibly fulfilling, and he takes great pride in seeing his students succeed. Additionally, Harley finds that working with college applicants allows him to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and developments in higher education and to continually learn and grow as a coach and teacher.
As a coach, Harley's greatest strengths are his ability to break down complex problems into manageable and simple steps and provide clear and concise guidance and instruction. Harley believes that the key to helping students succeed is to provide them with the tools and knowledge they need to tackle any challenge. He is passionate about helping students understand and overcome any obstacles they may face. Harley is an excellent communicator and listener and can clearly convey his thoughts and ideas to students in a way that is easy for them to understand. He is also patient and supportive and is committed to helping Quad applicants achieve their goals. Harley welcomes the opportunity to work with you and help you on your journey to success.
Applicants Harley has recently coached have gotten accepted at Harvard University, Yale University, Princeton University, Stanford University, Brown University, UC Berkeley, UCLA, USC, Duke University, University of Washington, and the University of Michigan.
In his spare time, Harley enjoys a variety of hobbies and activities that allow him to relax and unwind. Cooking is one of his favorites, and he loves trying out new recipes and experimenting with different cuisines. He also enjoys writing and reading.
Tori has a Bachelor's degree from UC Berkeley and a Master's from Yale University. She is currently pursuing her MBA at the University of Cambridge. Over the past three years, Tori has helped numerous students with their college applications, allowing them to secure acceptances to the country's top colleges.
Tori understands that the higher education system can overwhelm students and families. Her passion for coaching stems from her desire to pay it forward by helping younger students achieve their dreams. She finds it personally rewarding and fulfilling to connect with students one-on-one and to support them along this often stressful journey.
As a coach, Tori's greatest strengths include being a great listener, flexible, and compassionate. Tori is a great listener. Additionally, she can easily extrapolate winning themes to tie together a student's college application. Tori is skilled at taking a student's perceived weakness and working on it together to turn it into a favorable narrative. She loves connecting with students and getting to know them personally to help them craft individualized narratives.
Tori's coaching philosophy is centered around a peer-to-peer approach that respects and empowers her students. While offering guidance, she expects self-motivation from her students, fostering a collaborative and empowering atmosphere. Tori meticulously plans each engagement with students to ensure they gain maximum value from their time together.
In her free time, Tori loves to go on walks, practice yoga or pilates, and catch up on the latest movies or shows.
Quad Education is committed to providing students in the UAE with the rigorous guidance they need to increase their acceptance chances. Our team offers insider knowledge, insights into Britain and America’s admissions processes, and the compassionate support you need to succeed. Our guidance extends throughout the admissions process, from choosing schools and approaching recommenders to writing essays and practicing for interviews.
Our expert admissions counsellors are well-versed in the nuances of the UK and US application processes. That’s why our team is committed to ensuring all United Arab Emirates students have original application plans constructed with their individualised needs in mind. Our project tracker means UAE students always know their next steps and when to complete them to submit their documents on time.
Each Emirati student we work with has unique interests, qualities, points of view, and experiences. Quad Education helps you bring your individuality to life through our detailed persona assessment; this exercise helps your counsellor identify the stories that can lay the foundation for impressive admissions essays. Our redline edits ensure your narrative is polished after checking for grammar errors, tone, word usage, sentence structure, and more. We preserve each UAE student’s voice while guiding you through the process.
Our admissions counsellors are also superstar interview coaches ready to help you practice for UK/US college interviews. Our team specialises in training international students to perform their best in interviews, whether you’re applying to Oxbridge, the Ivy League, or other top schools. High-level constructive feedback and skill-building scenarios ensure you’re ready to show admissions committees why you’d be a stellar addition to the class!
Wherever you’re based in the UAE, our expert counselors are available to help! Our students have worked with college counselors in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Al Ain, Ajman, Ras al-Khaimah, and more. Our top-tier admission counseling services are widespread across the United Arab Emirates, and our expert coaches are ready to work with UAE students and provide expert guidance.
We always recommend starting the application process early when possible, especially when applying as an international student. That said, we typically recommend starting at least three months before school deadlines. Crafting a winning college application takes time – you must also account for how familiar you are with the process, how many schools you’re applying to, and how proficient you are at writing and communication.
Emirati students may only apply to either Cambridge or Oxford; UCAS only allows you to apply to one school. Unsure which school suits your academic interests and educational goals? Our experts are here to help you assess your options before you apply!
Yes, we’re here to help Emirati students apply to schools in both America and Britain.
Our team of UK/US counsellors has extensive experience in admissions and mentoring, meaning you only get the best college application guidance possible. We’re passionate about staying up-to-date on cycle and intake criteria changes to ensure your application documents align with what top institutions expect while providing you with the compassionate, high-level support you deserve. Quad students are 7x more likely to get accepted!
Our expert admissions counsellors have attended some of the United States’ and the United Kingdom’s top schools and possess extensive mentorship/admissions experience. Ensuring you receive the most comprehensive, hands-on guidance is our priority; we only work with the very best admissions counsellors in the industry. In fact, we only work with 2.5% of the consultants we speak to annually. To learn more, click here to read about our selection process!
Our one-on-one online delivery model ensures you receive college admissions guidance when it’s most convenient for you. Our experts provide support across the entire admissions cycle, ensuring Emiratis are in the best possible position to apply and get accepted. From school selection and recommendation letter strategies to essay editing, interview prep, and more, your counsellor is ready to support you throughout the entire admissions journey!
If Oxbridge isn’t your goal, we’re still here to help! We’ve helped many students apply to some of Britain’s other best schools.
While we can help you apply to Ivy League schools, we’re here to fulfill all your admissions needs. We’ve helped students apply to other schools, including Duke University, Northwestern University, and MIT.
Yes, our consultants work closely with UAE students to help them build college lists and decide on the ideal US/UK college for them! Our team is very familiar with the different application processes and requirements for colleges like Oxbridge and the Ivy League and can walk you through each detail to help you make an informed decision.
Work with our expert UK/US admissions counsellors to differentiate your profile years before you plan to apply. Plan for your future early and receive strategic edits on UCAS/Common App documents before submission.
Learn MoreNot sure what you need? Speak with an enrollment team member