Tutors
Barbara Connolly
Barbara Connolly received a BGS degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Detroit School of Law. She has been counseling students and families in the college and graduate school admissions process for more than 18 years. She was an admissions reader at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. She is a Certified Educational Planner (CEP), a professional member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), and a member of the Michigan Association for College Admission Counseling (MACAC). She is also an attorney. Her skills as a lawyer are fully utilized as she helps students advocate for themselves in the competitive college admissions process. In addition, Barbara and her husband are the parents of four children. All of Barbara's children were admitted to Ivy League and other selective colleges. Her experience as a parent has been a tremendous benefit to the families who have worked with College Choice Counseling.
Her students have been admitted to many fine colleges and universities, including:
Amherst College
American University
Babson
Barnard College
Baylor University
Boston College
Boston University
Bradley University
Brandeis University
Brown University
California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
Carnegie Mellon University
Chapman University
Clemson
Colgate University
Columbia Business School
Columbia University
Cornell University
Cornell Law School
Dartmouth University
Denison
Drexel University
Duke University
Eastern Michigan University
Emerson College
Florida International University
Fordham
Georgia Tech
Georgetown University
Georgetown Law School
Grinnell College
Hamilton College
Harvard College
Illinois Institute of Technology
Indiana University
Indiana University - Kelley School of Business
Ohio State University
Ohio Wesleyan
Johns Hopkins University
Kalamazoo College
Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles
Loyola Marymount University, Manhattan
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
McGill University
Miami University, Ohio
Michigan State University (MSU)
Middlebury College
New School, New York
New York University (NYU)
Northwestern University
Notre Dame
Pace University
Princeton University
Rice University
Riksumeikan University, Japan
Rochester Institute of Technology
San Diego State University
Santa Clara University
Stanford University
Southern Methodist University (SMU)
Syracuse University
Texas A&M University
The College of Wooster
Tufts University
Tulane
United States Air Force Academy
United States Naval Academy
University of Arizona
University of California, Berkeley
UC, Berkeley - Haas School of Business
University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)
University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC)
University of California San Diego
University of Chicago
University of Colorado, Boulder
University of Denver
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
University of Michigan Ross School of Business
University of Pennsylvania (UPenn)
UPenn, Wharton
University of San Diego
University of Southern California (USC)
University of Texas at Austin
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Vassar College
Washington University St. Louis
Washington University St. Louis Law School
West Pointe
Williams College
Yale University
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Carol
Carol has over 12 years of higher education experience in admissions, recruitment and program management. She is a former Assistant Director of Admission at Stanford University, where she evaluated thousands of applications, conducted admissions presentations to prospective applicants and participated in admissions committee reviews. Carol is the former Acting Executive Director and Director of Operations of the Berkeley-Columbia Executive MBA program at UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business. Her role included evaluating applications and interviewing applicants in conjunction with Columbia Business School. She is currently an alumni interviewer for London Business School and sits on the Board of Directors for an entrepreneurship nonprofit. In addition, Carol was the founding Chief Operating Officer of Draper University, a leading entrepreneurship program in Silicon Valley, where she set up and led the admissions process.
Carol has a comprehensive understanding of highly selective college admissions and the undergraduate and graduate level. She specializes in helping students differentiate themselves and create a compelling application highlighting their strengths. Carol provides expert guidance and structure throughout the process, helps students find the best fit schools for their longer term goals, and develop impact for their interests. Carol received a BS in Business Administration from UC Berkeley and an MBA from London Business School. She has worked in Consulting and Finance in addition to Education and has expertise in helping students apply to business programs.
Jennifer
Jennifer is an experienced college counselor who has had success with many College Choice Counseling students. Jennifer also volunteers as a college coach for ScholarMatch, a non-profit organization serving high achieving/low-income students.
With her business background, Jennifer has developed expertise with business school applications, including applications to top-level undergraduate business schools. Jennifer holds two degrees from the University of Pennsylvania – a BA in East Asian Studies and an MBA in Finance from The Wharton School. She also earned the CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) designation. Jennifer worked for eight years at Lehman Brothers as a corporate bond analyst before leaving the workforce to focus on raising her children.
Jennifer is also a highly effective tutor for the SAT and ACT, as well as math.
Jennifer serves on several non-profit boards, as well as the Bronxville Board of Education. She also works with students as a docent at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Cloisters location. Jennifer lives outside New York City with her husband and two teenage daughters.
Brandon
Brandon has been a college counselor and SAT/ACT tutor for more than a decade. Brandon’s caring and thoughtful approach to working with his students, coupled with his deep knowledge of the application process and of a vast number of colleges and universities, has produced great results for his students over the last decade.
Brandon also has expertise in working with students on business school applications, including U of M Ross, Wharton, and many others.
He is a graduate of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he concentrated in Marketing and minored in French. Brandon is also a graduate of University Liggett School in Grosse Pointe, where he was the highest scoring SAT test-taker in his class. After living in the Northeast for six years, he is now based back in Metro Detroit.
Leah
Leah graduated with a B.S. degree in Mathematics and Secondary Education from Vanderbilt University. After teaching high school math for two years, Leah returned to school, earning her M.Ed in Prevention Science and Practice and her C.A.S. in School Counseling from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Leah currently works as a guidance and college counselor at a well-regarded public school in Massachusetts, providing academic, social-emotional, and college counseling to approximately 240 students throughout their four years of high school. Leah believes that each student has their own path and provides counseling that is specific to each student’s dreams and aspirations.
Rita
Rita has 19 years of medical school admissions experience, including reading personal statement essays, going though primary and secondary applications, as well as sitting on the panel that accepts applicants at Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (KCOM).
Rita graduated from Michigan State University’s honors program with a Bachelor of Science in Physiology. From there, she went to KCOM where she graduated top five in her class. She was a student ambassador for medical admissions during her time there.
After graduating, she attended the Detroit Medical Center/Wayne State University for her Anesthesia residency. During her time there she was an alumni ambassador for medical school admissions as well as helping with residency admissions. She currently is a practicing board certified anesthesiologist. She has three little girls and enjoys traveling with her husband, playing golf, and practicing yoga. She also speaks Arabic and Japanese.
Zack
Zack is an experienced MCAT tutor on our team. He also tutors biology, chemistry, mathematics, and psychology. He is a practicing physician, having earned his M.D. from Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, NY. Prior to that, he graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in biology and minors in chemistry and psychology from SUNY Fredonia, where he earned the prestigious Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence (three students are selected per SUNY institution graduating class).
At SUNY, Zack tutored at the learning center at Fredonia, specifically in biology, chemistry, psychology, and mathematics. While in medical school, he tutored first- and second-year medical students in the basic sciences and anatomy. He has tutored well over 1,000 hours in his career, and many of his students have enrolled in prestigious universities.
Zack also provides medical school consulting, both with admissions counseling and application prep, as well as where to focus efforts in undergraduate education to increase the likelihood of admittance to medical school.
Zack’s approach with students is to best understand each student’s style of learning and personal goals, and then to individually tailor the tutoring sessions to meet the student’s needs.
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Chase
Chase graduated from Yale University with a BA in philosophy. He began tutoring with a boutique Connecticut test prep firm while an undergraduate and has spent the past ten years tutoring students in the SAT, ACT, SSAT, numerous SAT Subject and AP tests, and various academic subjects including history, English, all levels of math through AB/BC calculus, philosophy, economics, and government. Soon after launching his career as a tutor, Chase expanded his repertoire to include college essay coaching. Chase is equally comfortable with math and humanities and particularly enjoys helping students become stronger writers. He has a long track record of guiding students to achieve significant gains in tests and excellence in the classroom. His mentees have gone on to attend such prestigious schools as Cornell, Columbia, Brown, Bard, and NYU. His greatest strength as an instructor lies in his ability to genuinely connect with students, maintaining high standards while boosting morale through humor and copious encouragement. When not tutoring, Chase enjoys writing and reading fiction, cooking, and running with his Australian Shepherd, Abbie.
Joe
Joe has over 30 years of experience teaching in higher education and operating an art services business. He is currently an adjunct faculty member at College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan, in the Foundation department. His students are primarily first and second year, working in both 2D and 3D design classes. His approach of “finding opportunities” in solving art problems has helped his students enjoy completion of successful works of art. Joe also has extensive experience curating art exhibitions and permanent collections in the Detroit area and beyond. His art services business experience brings together his art practice sensibilities with the art patron’s practicalities.
Joe received a Master of Fine Arts from Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. He also earned a Master of Science and Bachelor of Fine Art from Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois. While his expertise resides largely in drawing, painting and printmaking, he has extensive experience in 2D and 3D design. Joe is uniquely aware of what art faculty members look for in student artwork. His ability to find opportunities in existing examples of work can help an art school applicant fine tune their portfolio.
Sam
Sam graduated magna cum laude from Brown University with degrees in Chemistry and Hispanic Studies. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Honor Society. He has taught and tutored math, chemistry, biology, Spanish, and ACT/SAT test prep for over six years. Instead of making students memorize formulas and plug-and-chug to get out answers, he encourages them to understand the principles behind each problem. His favorite teaching moment is helping students create their own examples and analogies to achieve that "eureka" moment when everything clicks. Currently Sam is conducting analytical chemistry research at UNC Chapel Hill, interpreting at a healthcare clinic for Spanish-speaking patients, freelance writing about Spanish and second language acquisition, and studying German, Italian, and Python in his free time.
Sasha
Sasha graduated with a B.A., summa cum laude, from the University of Michigan Honors College with a double major in Creative Writing and French. She is a past recipient of the prestigious Hopwood Award for writing. She has tutored ACT/SAT, English, French and math for five years. In addition, Sasha counsels students on applications to musical and theater programs. Sasha attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, on scholarship. She was asked to be a member of the third year repertory company and was signed by the top agent Don Buchwald Associates at the showcase. She also placed into the final round of auditions (the third round), in her Juiliard application, having been selected from among the top 20 girls who applied nationally. Sasha has performed in theater productions in New York, on the West End, and at the Geffen in Los Angeles.
Katelyn
Katelyn earned a B.A. degree in English and Spanish from the University of Michigan. Having taught high school English for the past two years, she is returning to school to receive a Masters degree in sociolinguistics in education at Georgetown University. During her teaching career, Katelyn served as a journalism teacher and member of the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association, leading her students to receive outstanding recognition at state and national levels. Having instructed high school seniors on personal statements in the past, Katelyn is excited to advise students in a one-on-one setting on how to leverage their identities and experiences in order to achieve success in their post-graduation lives.
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Clara
Clara is a poet and writer who received a Bachelor of Arts in English from Grinnell College. She received the National Writers Series award in Fiction in 2014 and the Selden Whitcomb prize in poetry in 2016, and has her work featured in journals such as The Rumpus, Heavy Feather Review, The Normal School, and more. During her writing education, Clara led a writing and performance workshop and acted as a member of the selection committee for the Grinnell Review, the campus literary journal. Clara also provided one-on-one essay editing for students in beginner English courses at Grinnell College. As a former employee of the non-profit direct-action organization CODEPINK, she has put her writing talents to developing national campaign petitions, press releases, and copy-editing.
Before joining CCC, Clara worked for independent college counselors in the Traverse City area, working with their students on their college application essays. For CCC, Clara assists students with their college applications and essays, and also tutors writing, English literature, and social studies subjects.
Jason
Jason received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University and holds a minor in Chemistry and Music Theory. He later went on to obtain his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from University of California, Berkeley and was a recipient of the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. Today, he works at Ford Motor Company as a full-time engineer, reducing greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles. He has been tutoring throughout his career as an opportunity to share knowledge and help others achieve academic goals. Jason has tutored math, chemistry, and physics at all levels (middle school to college) and helps with standardized testing prep as well. His ultimate goal is to equip students with the logical tools needed to solve any future academic challenges that may arise.
Mary Ann
College Choice Counseling students have access to the resume writing and job search consulting services of Mary Ann. As a career advisor, Mary Ann draws on her experience as a corporate lawyer and chief human resources officer of a publicly held medical device company to teach career launchers how to research and target jobs and prepare to confidently present themselves in interviews. As chief human resources officer, Mary Ann reviewed thousands of resumes and was involved in the talent acquisition process for hundreds of employees. This gives her insight into creating strategic resumes and LinkedIn profiles that includes the information hiring managers want to see.
Mary Ann earned her J.D. from the University of Detroit Mercy Law School, and her B.A. from the University of Michigan. Along with earning senior human resources designations, Mary Ann is credentialed as a Certified Professional Resume writer, Nationally Certified Online Profile Expert, Certified Hidden Job Market Coach, and Certified Career Transition Coach. She also is certified to administer the DiSC personality assessment, and the Strong Interest Inventory®.
Mary Ann enjoys working with young adults to develop job search plans that provide a comprehensive roadmap to landing a job in today’s competitive market.
Alicja
Alicja graduated from the University of Michigan with a Master of Music and also from Eastern Michigan University with a Master of Arts in Learning Disabilities and a Master of Arts in Counseling. She was a teacher and counselor in the Bloomfield Hills Schools for over 30 years. Alicja provides full college counseling support to College Choice Counseling clients. She is an IECA associate member.
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Ola
With a BA in Economics and an MBA, Ola has over 20 years experience in teaching and academic counseling having taught Business and Management at the International Baccalaureate level in top schools in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. During those years she shared the experience of many parents who were trying to help their children select, apply and relocate to universities in Europe, the United States and Canada. Ola understands the college application and selection process very well and has successfully placed hundreds of students in academic institutions of their choice. Ola is based in Montreal, Canada. She is a concerned parent with college kids of her own, who appreciates the anxiety that parents and children go through when applying to universities and relocating to a new country.
Jen
Jen is located in sunny South Florida. She has worked in the field of education for 18 years, first as a school psychologist, and for the last 11 years as a college counselor in a private high school where she has passionately guided and assisted her students with their college journey. She has experience with all types of college applications, creating college lists, resume building, interview preparation, essay writing, financial aid applications, and scholarship search and assistance. Jen is a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), the Southern Association for College Admission Counseling (SACAC), and the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). She graduated from the University of Miami with a B.S. in Psychology and Elementary Education. She also earned her Educational Specialist’s degree in Educational Psychology from Florida International University. Jen finds much joy and pride in observing a student’s personal and emotional growth throughout the college application process. She believes that the youth of today have incredible capacity, empathy, and awareness to create a better world for the generations that will follow.
Annie
Annie graduated with a Master of Management from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. Prior to that she earned a B.A., with distinction, from the University of Michigan, with a major in Psychology and a minor in Creative Writing. Annie received two coveted Hopwood Prizes for short fiction while at U of M. She has received numerous other writing awards from prestigious organizations, including Scholastic Art and Writing. Annie scored 2350 on her SAT, including an 800 Reading and 800 Writing. She is very talented at working with students to mold and fine tune their college application essays, as well as to shape their entire college applications. She also helps students with their creative writing either for school or for contests like Scholastic Art and Writing. Annie is an associate member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) and an associate counselor with College Choice Counseling.
Jenny
Jenny received her B.A. in English in China. She has five years of experience in teaching at one of the largest English training schools in China, New Oriental School. She obtained her TESOL certificate from the Boston Academy of English in Massachusettes and later received her MBA from Walsh College in Michigan. She is currently completing her college counseling certificate program through UCLA while advising international students on their college applications to U.S. colleges and universities. Jenny loves working with students, particularly international students, to help them find their best-fit schools.
Dennis
Dennis attended Monteith Honors College at Wayne State University where he received his degree in both Biology and Chemistry. He received his master’s degree in Biochemistry also from Wayne State University. For 41 years, Dennis taught both Advanced Placement Biology and Advanced Placement Chemistry in the Bloomfield Hills school district at both Andover High School and Bloomfield Hills High School. In 2010 he received the Siemens Award as the Advanced Placement Teacher winner for the state of Michigan.
Brian
Brian is a full-time tutor from the Metro Detroit area. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Oakland University with a BS in Mathematics and minors in Computer Science and Business. Brian tutors many subjects from elementary through college. He also helps with standardized tests, including ACT/SAT, and essay writing. His focus is on a true understanding of the material. In addition to tutoring, Brian has written a full novel and programmed over a dozen video games.
Max
A former newspaper journalist, knows how to ask the "right" questions and get your child to open up about his/her/their life. A graduate of Brown University, Max enthuses his students and brings alive “dense” subjects such as literature, history and philosophy. He will employ whatever strategy necessary to interest and ignite passion in your teenager.
Max has drafted and edited numerous college admission essays – with students accepted to schools such as Princeton, Cornell, Brown and the University of Michigan. He has guided students through the college admissions process, from requesting recommendation letters and editing resumes to crafting heartfelt essays, strategizing over Early Decision versus Regular Decision and weighing financial aid packages.
He also preps students in SAT Reading/Writing and ACT Reading/English, along with most AP subjects. Max cares deeply about your student, and he yearns to establish a personal-professional rapport – to push, nudge and motivate your son, daughter or non-binary child.
Adam
Adam is a Mental Health Counselor and tutor in addition to being a brother, amateur stand-up comedian, and writer. Adam graduated magna cum laude from Boston College with a B.A. in Secondary Education and English. He was a Boston Public School teacher before continuing his education at Boston College, where he received a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling with a focus in Positive Youth Development. Adam’s skills in counseling as well as teaching have allowed him to connect with a wide variety of students, both within the content of lessons and in structuring around learners’ diverse needs. He has been a personal tutor now for ten years, tutoring a variety of subjects. His areas of expertise are in SAT/ACT Prep, English and writing composition, Algebra I, Algebra II, Pre-Calculus, and Physics. Adam has been an English teacher in South Africa, where he organized a pre-school day-program. He has also taught English in Ecuador, Turkey, and Ireland. Adam has found that his experience traveling and teaching has illuminated the value of diversity and authenticity when it comes to being a good teacher and human being.
Josh
Josh is an independent theoretical physicist. He earned a BA in physics from Williams College, an MPhil in history and philosophy of science from the University of Cambridge, and an MS and a PhD in physics from the University of California, Davis. He subsequently held postdoctoral fellowships at Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen and Bard College and a visiting assistant professorship at Bucknell University.
Josh has also advised eight undergraduate research projects and three senior undergraduate projects.
When teaching physics, Josh aims to instill a thorough comprehension of the concepts underlying the physics that his students are learning. He wants his students to understand how physics describes a breathtaking array of phenomena on a foundation constructed from merely a few core concepts. He matches rigorous instruction with an easygoing temperament, prodigious patience, and inclusive sensitivity. Josh most enjoys teaching physics in one-on-one and small-group settings. In these settings students learn more thoroughly by actively engaging and applying physics concepts, and he teaches more effectively by addressing the specific needs of his students.
Gordon
Gordon enjoyed a 30-year career as a health care administrator at academic and community hospitals, including 11 years as an administrator at University of Wisconsin Hospital and 15 years as Associate Dean for Administration of the UW School of Medicine and Public Health. He also served for many years as a co-instructor in a Master of Public Health course regarding the American health care system as well as lecturing in numerous courses on health care financing, reform and other topics. Gordon holds a bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College and a master’s degree in health care administration from the University of Michigan. Gordon officially retired from the university in 2014 and remains active in health science teaching.
Carolyn
Carolyn graduated from Stanford University with a B.A. with Honors in Classics and a minor in German Studies. As a homeschool student using a classical curriculum, she encountered Latin at a young age, and it quickly became her greatest academic passion. She started coaching and tutoring other Latin students early on and has tutored high school Latin throughout and beyond her time at Stanford. After a year working in the Washington, D.C. area in education policy and programming, Carolyn has just returned to academia to pursue graduate school in medieval studies at the University of Toronto, and plans to teach high school Latin after she completes her M.A.
Charles
Charles has over 12 years of teaching and thousands of hours of tutoring experience in AP economics. He has taught AP economics in international schools in Hong Kong, Vietnam, and public schools in the US. AP certified and IB trained he holds a bachelors degree in finance from the University of South Carolina and a Masters in Secondary Education from The College of New Jersey. Charles is a former Marine, has worked in fortune 500 companies, owned a couple of small businesses, spent 10 years being a stay at home dad, and now lives comfortably in Mesa Arizona with his wife (a teacher also) and his two high school daughters. Charles can provide not only rigorous training in mastering the AP Micro and Macro curriculum toward the goal of achieving a 5 on the AP exam but also guided help with online economics homework, lessons and general anxiety reducing understanding of economic principles.
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Hanna
College Choice Counseling students have access to the services of Hanna, who has been an independent educational consultant specializing in crisis management for almost two decades. She has helped students overcome virtually every kind of educational interruption, from mental illness to academic failure to disciplinary and criminal consequences.
Based in Chicago, Hanna serves families from California to Maine. Whether your goal is to overcome
a problem on your permanent record or simply learn more about the educational options available to you, Hanna can help.
Hanna Stotland is a professional member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association
and a member of the Higher Education Consultants Association, the National Association for College Admission Counseling, and the Illinois Association for College Admissions Counseling.
Francisca
Francisca received her Masters in Education from Wayne State University and her Bachelors in Spanish from Michigan State University. She is fluent in English, Spanish and French, and has a basic understanding of Italian, Catalán and Russian. She grew up in Mallorca, Spain and moved to Michigan to go to college. She is certified to teach Spanish and French, and has taught both for over 20 years. She has also tutored one on one for 15 years. She currently teaches Spanish at a public school and tutors middle and high school students using technology, conversation, and study skills. She has taught ESL to business executives in the automotive industry. She is passionate about sharing her love of languages with her students and has a great rapport with them, as well as excellent outcomes teaching grammar, vocabulary, and conversational skills.
Konnie
During 25 years in administration at a private college prep day and boarding school Konnie worked for 17 years coordinating standardized testing and for over 10 years as an SSD Coordinator. She enthusiastically applies her knowledge and experience to advocate for and lead students and parents through the SAT and ACT accommodations process. Konnie has a BGS from Oakland University with a focus on standardized testing and adolescent social issues.
Brian G.
Brian graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. of Mathematics with a concentration in pure mathematics from the University of Toledo Jesup Scott Honors College. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Mathematics from Louisiana State University with an interest in number theory and abstract algebra. Brian has experience tutoring middle school and high school students from his time at the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth summer program. He tutors for mathematics courses at all levels from middle school to college calculus and beyond. Brian strives to instill confidence in mathematics with his students.
Lee
Lee graduated Princeton with a A.B. in Comparative Literature. He loves to teach - he has been tutoring SAT/ACT prep for more than 10 years. Lee is also expert at working with students to develop and perfect the essays for their college applications. His study of literature and his writing while at Princeton give him a deep foundation to help students with their essays.
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Teagan
Teagan graduated magna cum laude with a joint A.B. in Social Studies and African Studies from Harvard. While at Harvard, his senior thesis received the Hoopes Prize, a selective award recognizing outstanding academic performance. After graduating, he worked as an Associate Consultant for Bain & Company. He has worked with numerous students to find their ideal writing voice for college applications, critical essays, and research papers. He also helps students prepare for standardized exams, improve their study habits, and master high school subjects.
Sam L
Sam is an emeritus tutor for College Choice Counseling who graduated cum laude with an A.B. from Harvard. He also graduated summa cum laude and ranked 1st in his class with a Juris Doctorate from Washington University St. Louis Law School. He has been a participant in the Harvard Alumni Interview program since 2012. Before he retired to practice law, Sam tutored ACT/SAT for over ten years for College Choice Counseling.
Drew
For over 35 years Drew has lived on boarding school campuses in Connecticut, Maryland, and Michigan where he has taught, coached, and been director of admission. Sports has always been a big part of Drew’s life. He played soccer, squash, and lacrosse at Hamilton College where he majored in Economics and Anthropology. His sons attended Ivy and NESCAC schools where they played Division I hockey and Division III lacrosse. After graduating from Yale, his older son has been playing hockey professionally. Drew loves advising students how they can leverage their athletic talents to gain a great education and further their playing careers.
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Kevin
Kevin graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a BA in Psychology and Computer Science. While at Penn, he was a top-rated computer science TA and worked as a research assistant developing STEM teaching methods. With over 10 years of experience as a tutor, Kevin likes to employ his unique background to create a personalized, data-based approach to help students in the most efficient way possible, whether that's raising standardized test scores or improving school grades.
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Andrew
Andrew is the Western Michigan Associate of College Choice Counseling. He has a Masters of Education and Bachelor of Science from Grand Valley State University. Andrew has experience working with a diverse range of K-12 and higher ed students through his work with substitute teaching, coaching, and working athletic events at the middle school and high school levels. He also has been working in the Housing and Residence Life and Recreation departments the past two years at GVSU and Brown University. Andrew has a passion for helping guide students along their education, athletic, and career journeys. Andrew is excited to focus his efforts on aiding western Michigan high school students in the college admissions process. He works with students and their families in conjunction with Barbara as he develops his expertise in college admissions.
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Katie Jo
Katie Jo has over ten years of teaching and tutoring experience. She specializes in tutoring physics, mathematics, and astronomy, but she can also tutor French, English, psychology, chemistry, and standardized test prep (SAT, ACT, GRE.) Katie Jo graduated from the University of Chicago with dual master’s degrees in physics and astronomy & astrophysics. She also took five quarters of collegiate French classes during graduate school and passed the Associate Carillonneur Exam offered by the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America. An Indiana native, she graduated with highest distinction and Phi Beta Kappa from Purdue University, where she double majored in honors physics and mathematics with a minor in psychology and played vibraphone in the American Music Repertory Ensemble and Lab Jazz Band. Inspiring others to discover their own passion for knowledge has always been Katie’s dream, whether that manifests through mathematics, movement, or music. Besides tutoring, she also teaches yoga and coaches field hockey.
Louise
Louise earned a B. A. in Journalism and English and a Law Degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After practicing law in Colorado for many years, Louise began to work in the education field and earned a Master’s Degree in Secondary Education from Regis University. She is a fully licensed teacher in secondary English and Social Studies. Her love of high school students and education led her to college counseling, and she has been active in the field for over 10 years. Louise visits many colleges and attends multiple consulting conferences and trainings annually. She is an active member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), the Rocky Mountain Association for College Admission Counseling (RMACAC), Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA), Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) and College Consultants of Colorado.
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Jeremy
Jeremy is a tutor and teacher as well as an actor and musician who recently transplanted from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Born in Rhode Island and a Harvard University graduate, he has been tutoring for 15 years in New York City, Los Angeles and San Francisco. He has also taught Chemistry, Precalculus, and Algebra II Honors at Marlborough High School in Los Angeles. He has recorded two full-length albums and has toured extensively as a singer-songwriter as well as guitar and bass player for various acts. His film-score work has garnered great praise, including the Monte Carlo International Award for Best Film Score.
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Jacob
Jacob graduated from Tufts University, with a bachelor of arts degree, including semesters at Harvard University, Balliol College and Oxford University. He attended grad school at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London. He has had four years of personal executive function training with Dr. Ned Hallowell, author of Driven to Distraction. He has worked as a tutor for academic subjects, test prep, and executive function coach for 15 years. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two children, where he also works as a writer.
Wolfgang
Wolfgang graduated from a German university (Humboldt University, Berlin) with an M.A. in English and English as a foreign language (ESL) and a B.A. in German. At the University of California, Santa Barbara, he earned an M.A. in German language and culture. In Germany, he taught in the public school system and tutored English as a foreign language. Since his relocation to the United States, he has been teaching German in the Texas public school system and tutoring German and ESL to students ranging from 8 to 78.
Selena
Selena graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.A., with a major in English. During her undergraduate years, she wrote at the nationally recognized student newspaper, The Michigan Daily. Along with her writing and journalism experience, Selena was a volunteer for Washtenaw County’s Community Action Network where she worked one-on-one with elementary students to assist with math and reading in an after-school program. Selena is currently a graduate student studying for her master’s in library and information sciences at Wayne State University’s School of Information Sciences. Here, she is a graduate student assistant and president of the student organization, Future Librarians for Inclusivity and Diversity. In these positions, Selena provides resources to prospective and current students to ensure they have everything they need to be successful in the graduate program. This includes spending time with students reviewing their application materials, including cover letters, resumes, and personal statements, while also providing guidance with scholarship and funding opportunities.
Natosha
Natosha has proctored ACT and SAT exams for more than 14 years. During the 8 years she worked in the Academic Office at a private college prep day and boarding school, Natosha was responsible for organizing the administration of a multitude of standardized tests. Natosha is familiar with the administration of ACT and SAT testing with extended time and other accommodations.
Patricia
Patricia graduated from Western Michigan University with a B.A. in Speech Communications, Theatre and English. She holds a Master’s Degree in English from Wayne State University and a Master’s Degree in Special Education with a focus on Learning Disabilities from Oakland University. Patricia has taught 36 years in the Bloomfield Hills Schools. She was the Department Chair of Communications at Andover High School for ten years. She received the Master Teacher Award and The Distinguished Service Award from The Bloomfield Hills Schools. Patricia led Andover High School’s Forensic Team to 13 consecutive Class B State Championships. She was inducted into The Speeches Coaches Hall of Fame in 1993. In 2004 The National Forensics Association chose her as the Outstanding Speech, Debate and Theatre Educator of the Year. This same year, Patricia was chosen Western Michigan University’s Student of the Decade representing the 1960’s. Presently, Patricia is an Adjunct Professor at Lawrence Technological University. She teaches Public Speaking.
Derek
Derek received his Bachelor of Science Degree with Distinction from Purdue University in the field of Mathematics and a Master of Arts in Teaching with a major in Secondary Education from Wayne State University. He has taught at Bloomfield Hills High School since 2006 where he has developed a wide variety of classes ranging from Algebra 1 to AP Calculus BC. His AP Calculus BC students have an average score of 4.3 which is well above the global mean score.
Derek presents his ideas in mathematics education at both the Michigan Council of Teachers of Mathematics statewide conference and Detroit Area Council of Teachers of Mathematics conference. His sessions over the past ten years have been well attended by educators throughout Michigan. He has tutored mathematics for five years covering topics from Algebra 1, ACT/SAT prep, through Calculus 4 at university. In addition he has been trained as an International Baccalaureate High Level (HL) Mathematics instructor and tutored HL maths.
Lisa
Lisa is a college counselor with 28 years of experience. She has an MA degree in Interpersonal and Public Communication and an MA degree in Counseling. She is a licensed teacher in English, Speech, Journalism, Theater, Radio/Television/Film and has appeared in national television and radio commercials. Lisa has worked as a faculty member for Bowling Green State University, Central Michigan University, and Oakland University and worked as an essay grader for ACT and SAT. Lisa currently works as a guidance and college counselor at the top ranked high school in Michigan. Lisa provides full college counseling and ACT tutoring for College Choice Counseling clients.
John
John taught for 31 years in the Southfield and Birmingham, Michigan Public Schools. He has reviewed large numbers of college applications and essays for his students. He also wrote numerous recommendation letters for them. Throughout his career, John has coached championship high school debate. Before becoming a high school teacher, John was a litigator and appellate attorney. John edits and provides comments on application essays for College Choice Counseling, helping students craft essays that impress colleges.
John received his B.A. from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and his Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School.
Amanda
Amanda earned an A.B. in History with honors from Princeton. Her undergraduate thesis was awarded the First Place Prize in Latin American History and the Stanley J. Stein Prize in Latin American Studies. After two years working for a major law firm in New York, Amanda attended the University of Chicago as a graduate student. At UChicago, she held a Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowship for two consecutive years before graduating with a Master’s degree in History. Amanda now lives in Berlin where she is working on her first piece of historical non-fiction. In addition to guiding college-level students through courses in the humanities, philosophy and social sciences, she has also advised U.S.-based and international students through the college essay process. She is well-versed in global studies and would be happy to support those working on World or European History and/or Literature. Amanda speaks fluent Spanish and is passionate about helping students at all levels to cultivate the individualized, skill-forming habits that will unlock their potential.
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William
William graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with degrees in architecture and business administration. He has tutored GMAT and GRE prep for over 4,000 hours during the past seven years and has delivered over 14,000 explanations to GMAT and GRE questions. He explains difficult-to-master material in an understandable way that is clear and concise he organizes and delivers a complex maze of difficult principles and practices. His many students have been admitted to several Ivy League schools as well as a wide range of others.
Danica
Danica graduated cum laude from New York University with a BFA in Drama and a minor in Web Programming and Applications. She began tutoring during her time at NYU, eventually becoming a Teaching Assistant for NYU's Brendan Bradley Integrative Technology Lab. She now primarily works with students on their college essays, helping students through all stages of the writing process to express their most authentic and clear voice. A professional screenwriter, actor and director, Danica is also equipped to assist students through the unique elements of an arts school application, and can aid in portfolio creation, creative writing samples, and monologue and song selection.
Damian
Damian brings more than 19 years of experience in job search coaching, career-development training and executive search to clients. His experience enables him to understand the challenges of facing job seekers across industries and functions. As the Director of Career Services for the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, he led a team of 27 people who delivered career development training and coaching to thousands of students and alumni annually. Damian has presented dozens of career-related workshops around the world and advised companies on recruitment strategies, understanding from an inside perspective what it takes for applicants to succeed. Damian earned his Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Michigan and began his career as a Certified Public Accountant. He is a Gallup-certified Strengths Coach and is certified in the use of Hogan and CareerLeader assessments. Damian also holds the Associate Certified Coach credential from the International Coaching Federation.
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With a degree in Didactique du Français and a French as Second Language Certificate, Nayla has over 20 years of experience in teaching French to international students in several schools where PYP and IB programs are offered. Her teaching experience covers different age groups (from kindergarten to adults), and all French levels (from beginner to advanced).
As Director of Studies in a private Language School in Canada, Nayla is constantly looking for new material and methods to update the curriculum and the teaching approach.
Nayla is also certified by the "Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie Paris-Ile-de-France" as speaking examiner for the TEF (Test d’Évaluation de Français) which is the equivalent of IELTS or TOEFL. Her excellent knowledge of French, English, Arabic, and intermediate German and Spanish allows her to identify the difficulties of her students in terms of pronunciation or grammatical structure.
Nayla
Elisabeth
Elisabeth earned her Bachelor's of Science from Temple University in Early Childhood Education with a concentration in Special Education. While going to school, she volunteered her time teaching phonics and social emotional skills to children in the North Philadelphia community. She moved from Philadelphia to Detroit in 2019 after graduating college. She is a current Teach for America corps member and works as a first grade teacher for Detroit Public Schools Community District. Elisabeth is passionate about early literacy and instilling a love of learning in her students.
Eric
Eric is a lifelong student of literature. He is a poet, journalist, and educator who earned a master’s degree in English from the University of Iowa and a bachelor’s in English and Geography from the University of Vermont. His stories and reportage have most recently appeared in the environmental magazine High Country News, where he writes about landscapes and their politics in the American West. He’s worked as a field naturalist in the high country of Colorado, as a backcountry wilderness instructor in Montana, taught college courses on moral philosophy and environmental ethics at the Colorado School of Mines and, most recently, worked as a wilderness researcher with the U.S. Forest Service in Montana. He is also a writing coach with the University of Denver’s Learning Effectiveness Program, which supports college students with learning differences. When he’s not tutoring, teaching, or writing, he is likely reading poems (or writing them), meditating, cooking, or getting purposefully lost in the great outdoors. Eric values working with people of all ages as they find their voice—and purpose—as writers.
Heidi
Heidi joins College Choice Counseling with seven years of college counseling experience at a top- ranked private high school in Michigan. She earned a BA in Interpersonal Communication at Michigan State University and an MA in School Counseling at Wayne State University. Currently licensed as a School Counselor and Limited Licensed Professional Counselor, Heidi uses her warm and approachable nature to connect with a wide variety of students and families. She offers meaningfully curated and personalized college planning based upon each student’s strengths, interests, preferences, and needs. She has visited numerous colleges throughout the country and is very passionate about matching students to their ideal college choices. Heidi loves getting to know her students so she can ensure that each can shine and best represent themselves in the college application process.
Tarik
Tarik graduated from the University of Michigan, where he received a Stamps NR-Dunlap Scholarship, with a B.A. in Art & Design and a Bachelor in General Studies. He is currently a candidate for a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at the University of Minnesota where he serves as the 2020 Scribe for Human Rights fellow. He has received four Hopwood Awards, the 2020 Peseroff Prize, a 2020 Palette Poetry Spotlight Award, a NATAS (MI) Student Emmy Award, and a young writers fellowship from Bucknell University. Tarik has served as a writing instructor at Inside Out Literary Arts, the University of Minnesota, and as a TA at Northwestern University’s NHSI summer film program. He also served as a 2020 National Juror for the Scholastic Writing Awards.