Amanda earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin. She has extensive admissions experience, including serving as an admissions ambassador at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. In this role, she hosted prospective student events, offered valuable advice on crafting strong applications, and created informative content for the school’s social media channels to help guide future applicants.

Amanda believes that every student has a unique story to tell—whether it’s an achievement, a life experience, or anything in between—and is passionate about helping them articulate that narrative in their applications. She is dedicated to guiding students in showcasing their true selves, crafting authentic stories that highlight their personalities, accomplishments, and aspirations. 

As a coach, Amanda excels at asking the right questions and uncovering each student's "why." She takes a thoughtful, reflective approach to every aspect of the college application process, ensuring that she fully understands the depth of a student's experiences—what they were involved in, the lessons they learned, and the impact of those experiences. This allows Amanda to highlight significant details that make each student’s story compelling and authentic, ensuring that their true essence shines through.

In her spare time, Amanda loves to try new coffees, watch The Office, and go to Disney World—a perk of living 15 minutes away from it!

Amanda’s Pro Tip?
Every student embarks on their unique journey toward higher education, and no two paths are identical. This diversity is what makes pursuing specific programs, professional opportunities, and holistic experiences so powerful. It's essential to understand your own goals and the reasons behind them!

Amethyst has earned a Bachelor's degree from Columbia University and a Master's degree from the University of Pennsylvania. She served as an Alumni Representative Committee Member at Columbia, conducting interviews and writing reports for Columbia University applicants. She has also taught and advised at high schools and coached many college applicants applying to top-tier schools. Additionally, Amethyst has extensive experience reading college application essays as an academic writing teacher.

For Amethyst, college was a landscape of great opportunity. She was a small-town girl from Kansas who could live in the beauty of New York City for four years. She feels lucky to have experienced so many beautiful moments through her undergraduate years. Amethyst wouldn't have been exposed to the opportunities that have followed without the support of knowledgeable and caring coaches who guided her through a complicated process. She is excited to help students on this journey and be one of the many keys that can help unlock doors to a bright future.

Amethyst's greatest strengths as a coach are her dedication to learning about students holistically and helping them find their passions, not just for an application or even four years, but for life. She listens deeply and cares about the impact students hope to have on the world. As a coach, she is excited to guide students as they discover their unique strengths and interests. 

Amethyst has learned that when it comes to college admissions, universities are looking for intellectually curious students who will contribute to the community, have clear values and interests, and are a good fit for the school. Amethyst understands the importance of identifying these unknown institutional priorities and helping students showcase their best selves.

In her free time, Amethyst loves to stay active with yoga, dancing, cycling, and hiking in Colorado. She also enjoys reading, painting, blasting music, and spending time with her little cousins.

Amina holds a Bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and currently works as a business analyst at McKinsey & Company. She has over 6 years of admissions counseling experience, taking applicants through the process from drafting a college list and writing the Common App essay and supplements to drafting extracurricular lists and preparing for interviews. Amina has also coached low-income first-generation students in Brooklyn, New York, through Princeton University's Brooklyn College Awareness Program. Students she has coached have been accepted into Harvard, Yale, Brown, Cambridge, Oxford, Duke, UCLA, and UPenn, among others.

Amina’s passion for coaching college applicants is driven by her own experience of applying to top U.S. universities as an international applicant. She was applying from Pakistan, did not have a lot of guidance initially, and felt quite lost. Ultimately, she decided to work with a college counseling firm who patiently helped her understand the process. The team ensured her genuine voice, passions, and interests shone through her application, and she was accepted to Princeton University through single-choice early action. Now, Amina wants to pay this forward. She believes many students with immense potential could use generous and competent coaches to help them realize their ambition of gaining admission into a top college, and she wishes to be that coach for them.

Amina believes her single greatest strength as a coach is her empathy. She realizes that college admissions can be an incredibly stressful experience, and it can feel like one's entire future hinges on a single decision. As a coach, she likes to remind students that there are more options than they realize. She also believes in gently nudging students rather than being harsh or critical. Amina works hard to give students a safe space to express themselves authentically. She gives detailed, actionable, and honest feedback and truly believes that applying to colleges can be enlightening and empowering. Amina would love to accompany students on this extremely rewarding college admissions journey. She knows how it feels and would love to give applicants the support they need to demonstrate their full potential in their applications!

Outside of coaching, Amina really likes spending time with her family and dog. She has lived in four countries and has friends scattered all over the globe, so she loves to catch up with them virtually. She has also recently fallen in love with reformer Pilates and has added that to her workout routine in addition to cycling and hiking. Lastly, Amina loves good food and good music!

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.

Amy comes to Quad Education from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where she was Associate Director. Before joining Quad Education, Amy devoted 12 years at the Wharton School, working closely with prospective students and supporting the admissions team.

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During her tenure at Wharton, Amy served as a trusted adviser to prospective applicants and admitted and matriculated students. She conducted admissions chats with applicants early in the admissions process, administered interviews with hopeful students, read and reviewed completed applicant files, and participated in admissions committee meetings. Amy also represented the school at recruiting and welcome events.

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Prior to joining Wharton, Amy spent five years as a journalist, writing and editing for a number of mid-sized newspapers on both the East and West coasts. She earned her undergraduate degree in journalism from Penn State University, and she also holds a Masters in Liberal Arts from the University of Pennsylvania.

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Amy was born and raised in Philadelphia but now calls San Francisco home, where she lives with her husband and two young children. If you really want to get her talking, ask her about her passion for travel and her visits to more than 40 countries on six continents!

Amy earned a Doctor of Education from Kansas State University and has over 12 years of experience in education, including serving as a teacher, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, Director of Student Affairs, and college counselor. Students she has worked with have gained admission to several top-tier schools, including UC Berkeley, UNC Chapel Hill, U Michigan, Johns Hopkins, NYU, and Caltech.

Amy is deeply passionate about coaching college applicants to help them find the right educational fit and navigate the application process confidently. Her experience working closely with students to plan their academic futures has shown her the value of a supportive, individualized approach. She uses this approach to empower each student to pursue their goals and reach their full potential. Amy believes in holistic mentorship, focusing on students academically, socially, and emotionally. 

Amy’s coaching approach goes beyond just the logistics of the college application process. She likes to create an environment where students feel safe to explore their dreams, address their challenges, and develop a clear sense of who they are and what they want in a college experience. Her goal is not only to support students in achieving their academic goals but also to help them build confidence, resilience, and self-awareness that will serve them well beyond college.

As a coach, Amy brings a comprehensive understanding of the college admissions process, enabling her to offer targeted, strategic support across every stage, from application planning and school selection to essay feedback. She is skilled at tracking progress and keeping students organized, ensuring they stay on course throughout their application journey. Amy looks forward to getting to know each student’s unique story and working closely with families to ensure this process feels supportive, collaborative, and empowering.

In her spare time, Amy enjoys reading historical fiction and traveling to experience new cultures and perspectives, deepening her understanding of the world. She also loves researching her family tree, tracing connections and stories from the past. Spending time with family and friends is a top priority in her life.

Amy earned her BS from the California Institute of Technology before pursuing a PhD at the University of Colorado, Boulder. With over 20 years of experience in academia, she served on the Board of Trustees of Summer Science Program (SSP) International for 13 years and has been the Chief Academic Officer for over seven years. Previously, she was an Assistant Professor at Brown University for three years, where she also served on the graduate admissions committee. Additionally, she spent four years on Caltech’s undergraduate admissions committee.

Passionate about helping students navigate college applications, Amy finds immense fulfillment in guiding them toward schools where they’ll thrive. Her greatest joy comes from hearing a student say, “I got into my dream school!” She understands how stressful the process can be and is committed to providing support at every step. Students she’s coached have gained admission to Caltech, MIT, Rice, Northwestern, and other top universities.

As a coach, Amy has a highly organized and proactive approach. She believes in getting things done well in advance, allowing ample time for thoughtful revisions and adjustments. This structured method provides flexibility and reduces last-minute stress, ensuring each application is polished to perfection.

In her free time, Amy likes to bake cookies and play classic video games—she also considers herself to be a big Pokémon nerd!

Amy’s Pro Tip?

It is important for every student to let their personality shine through in their application. Many applications end up sounding the same, but if a student puts in the effort, they can create something unique and personal that will catch the eye of an application reviewer.

Andrea holds a Bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and an MBA from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. She has extensive experience in higher education, including acting as Senior Director of Admissions at University of California, Davis. She has also been a part of other admissions teams as an application reader and evaluator at Cornell, UC Law San Francisco, and the University of Virginia. 

Throughout her career, Andrea has held key roles at universities across the nation. She has served as the Director of Marketing and Admissions at Babson College and Bentley University, an Adjunct Marketing Faculty member at the University of the Pacific, a Faculty Advisor and Business Professor at Sacramento College, and the Assistant Dean of Marketing at Santa Clara University Leavey School of Business. Additionally, she worked as an Online Adjunct Faculty member at Southern New Hampshire University.

As Senior Director of Admissions at UC Davis, Andrea led the admissions team, overseeing applicant evaluations, scholarship decisions, and recruiting team training. She collaborated regularly with faculty and the Dean to review candidates and ultimately made admissions decisions. Drawing on her extensive experience, Andrea has successfully guided students to gain admission to top schools such as UCLA, UC Berkeley, and Cornell.

For Andrea, helping students shine during such a pivotal stage of their lives is incredibly rewarding. She finds joy in guiding them toward long-term success and happiness, inspiring them to step outside their comfort zones, explore new opportunities, and discover their potential. For her, nothing compares to witnessing those aha moments when students realize their strengths, passions, and possibilities, lighting up with newfound confidence and clarity.

As a coach, Andrea’s greatest strengths lie in her energy and enthusiasm, which spark excitement and motivation in her students. She has a unique ability to transform “I can’t” into “I’ve got this!” by striking the perfect balance between encouragement and challenge. Andrea excels at weaving together students' strengths, challenges, and goals to craft a clear and effective strategy for success. She also deeply values compassion and curiosity, asking thoughtful questions to understand what drives each individual. This approach fosters trust, mutual respect, and a supportive environment where students can thrive.

In her free time, Andrea enjoys playing tennis, hiking, kayaking, doing yoga, reading, playing guitar, and singing.

Andrea’s Pro Tip?

When applying to any institution, it’s crucial to look at your candidacy holistically and reflect on what motivates you to pursue this opportunity. Consider your journey from multiple perspectives—academic achievements, personal and professional challenges, leadership experiences, and passions. Your role as an applicant is to share your story authentically by articulating your hopes and aspirations in a compelling and creative way. This approach not only helps you stand out but also leaves a lasting impression on the admissions team!

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.

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.