Personalized Johns Hopkins University Counseling Focused On Your Success

Gabriel has a BA in Economics and International Relations from Brown University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. At Brown, Gabriel was a leader within the Brown International Scholarship Committee, partnering with the Admissions Office in efforts to recruit international students and source funding for international student scholarships. In working with the Admissions Office, Gabriel provided application feedback to numerous prospective students from around the world and different socioeconomic backgrounds and helped them prepare for interviews. Gabriel is also an experienced alumni interviewer for Brown, interviewing a variety of prospective students from Latin America for admission. Beyond undergraduate admissions, Gabriel also possesses extensive experience in graduate admissions for top MBA programs. Through these experiences, Gabriel has worked with dozens of students and gained extensive training in application development and review and interview coaching.

As a college admissions consultant, Gabriel seeks to gain a deep and comprehensive understanding of students' stories, strengths, and interests to design a compelling applicant persona and coach students to write structured, thoughtful, and authentic essays. Throughout the process, Gabriel works on building meaningful connections with students and their families to build trusting relationships.

Gabriel has also built nearly a decade of experience in strategic positioning, storytelling, and persuasive writing through his roles across finance, management consulting, and branding at companies like Goldman Sachs, LVMH, and Oliver Wyman. 

Gabriel is based in New York and loves to exercise, play volleyball and cook in his free time. He is bilingual in English and Spanish.

Kevin has a JD and LLM in international and comparative law from Duke University School of Law. He has over 15 years of experience in university admissions, including serving as the Assistant Director of Recruitment and Admissions for the University of Chicago Booth Executive MBA program and in international admissions for WashU Law’s LLM program, the American University of Paris, and the Savannah College of Art and Design.

Kevin earned his BA in French and political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After graduating from Duke, he briefly worked in the legal field and later worked as a headhunter for a top legal recruitment company. He then transitioned into the field of international higher education, where he discovered his true passion for helping students achieve their educational goals. Before returning to Raleigh, Kevin lived in Hong Kong for over a decade, where he helped local and international students with applications to undergraduate, law, LLM, Master's, MBA, and other graduate programs. 

Kevin is passionate about coaching college applicants because he believes in the power of education to transform lives, especially for students who may not see themselves reflected in elite institutions. He finds guiding students to discover and confidently share their stories incredibly rewarding, especially when they realize their full potential to earn life-changing opportunities. As a former admissions officer, Kevin has reviewed thousands of applications, giving him unique insights into the admissions process. Students he has worked with have successfully gained admission to top schools such as Yale, Princeton, Brown, NYU, UCLA, Berkeley, Duke, Columbia, USC, Stanford, UVA, UNC, and WashU.

As a coach, Kevin prioritizes a collaborative and personalized method. Recognizing that each student possesses unique strengths and aspirations, he dedicates time to thoroughly understanding their individual profiles. By taking time to develop a rapport with students, he is able to guide them toward crafting an authentic application that truly reflects their personal journey and academic potential. His goal is to empower students by highlighting their distinct qualities and experiences, ensuring their application stands out in the competitive college admissions landscape.

With years of admissions experience, Kevin brings a seasoned perspective to the application process, which allows him to offer strategic, insider guidance that’s both honest and effective. He has worked skillfully with students from a wide range of academic and personal backgrounds—from STEM to business to the humanities—helping each one find their unique voice. Kevin is deeply committed to being responsive, thoughtful, and encouraging throughout what can often be a very overwhelming journey.

In his free time, Kevin enjoys running, traveling, baking, and spending time with his dogs.

Samir earned a BS from the University of Chicago, followed by an MA from Columbia University and a PhD from Princeton University. He has held several academic roles, serving as a Robert Wood Johnson Health and Society Scholar at the University of Pennsylvania, Assistant and Associate Professor at Dartmouth College, and later as Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Samir also served on the admissions committees at Columbia and the University of Chicago, where he reviewed applications, interviewed students, and made admissions recommendations.

Over the past 15 years, Samir has developed and applied advanced quantitative methods to leverage big data for meaningful insights in industry, public health, and public policy. He has authored over 80 peer-reviewed articles and op-eds, with his work being published in outlets such as The New York Times, The New England Journal of Medicine, and Health Affairs. After earning an MA from Columbia University, Samir served as a military officer in the United States Air Force for four years. 

Samir is deeply passionate about advising students and helping them discover and express their authentic selves during pivotal moments in their lives. He guides students through the process of reflection, helping them clarify their values, articulate their goals, and craft compelling narratives that showcase who they are beyond grades and test scores. With his background as a college professor and firsthand experience on admissions committees, Samir understands what resonates in the application process and uses these insights to help students present their stories with confidence and clarity. His goal is to empower students to take ownership of their college admissions journey and envision the future they want to build. He has helped students gain admission to top schools such as Columbia, UChicago, UPenn, Dartmouth, Duke, Northwestern, Cornell, Johns Hopkins, Barnard, UCLA, UC Berkeley, Washington University in St. Louis, USC, and UMichigan.

As a coach, one of Samir’s greatest strengths is his ability to connect deeply with students. He creates a space where they feel heard, supported, and motivated to do their best work. Samir asks thoughtful questions that prompt reflection and help students uncover the values and experiences that define them. With a strong foundation in writing and years of experience evaluating applications, Samir helps students craft essays that are both strategic and sincere. He also brings a structured, organized approach to the process, breaking it down into manageable, purposeful steps, while adapting to each student’s unique needs and working style.

In his free time, Samir loves to swim, bake with his young daughters, and chase after his two-year-old golden retriever.

Samir’s Pro Tip?

A well-told, authentic story can be incredibly powerful. Beyond grades and test scores, what often sets an applicant apart is their ability to reflect on their experiences with clarity, depth, and purpose. It’s crucial for students to present a cohesive narrative—one where academic interests, extracurricular involvement, and personal insights align to tell a clear story of who they are and what they hope to contribute to a college community. Every part of the application, including essays, letters of recommendation, and extracurricular activities, works together to create a full picture of the student.