The Atelier Mindset

Highly Individualized Support

Here at The College Atelier, we spend a great deal of time trying to get to know you and your situation.  From the beginning we come armed with a host of exploratory questions - information that we think is crucial for every stage of the work. And because the admissions process is ultimately about you, a holistic sense of both who you are and your goals are critical elements of charting a path together.  Your aspirations, challenges, personality and learning style, your strengths and weaknesses: these are all essential elements of the equation.

With our support, you can identify exactly the right messaging to convey your value, and we provide you with the tools to effectively convey the right messaging to your chosen universities, submitting applications that stand as an authentic expression of your best self, possessing full confidence they will resonate with admissions officers amidst the competition and noise. 

A creative and rigorous approach based on hands-on experience…

We are educators who come from families of educators– for whom the life of the mind and intellectual curiosity are a way of life, not just a opportunistic hustle.  Unlike most admissions advisors, both of us have taught at all high school grade levels as Humanities instructors in highly competitive educational environments. So needless to say we are utterly comfortable with the practice of pedagogy and applying it to everything we do. Consequently, college consulting for us is truly an educational practice.

Add to this educational expertise years on the frontline of global college admissions, and we believe we have a uniquely winning combination to help you achieve your goals. No one’s seen everything in college consulting but we have seen quite a bit. Indeed, we have literally worked with students across the world – from Argentina and Brazil to Korea, Japan and China.  From Australia and New Zealand to South Africa and Norway. Because we have worked with students from across the globe, we tend to have a unique insight about the admissions marketplace from a global scale, not just what’s happening in the local community of strong applicants. And, of course, we have extensive experience with students from every part of the US. 

Beyond the geographic variety, we have helped students from every academic discipline, background, and socioeconomic situation find their best fit. It doesn’t matter what type of school your targeting, we can most likely help in a host of profound ways. We work with students from all backgrounds and budgets. Indeed, some of our greatest success stories involve students with very strict financial parameters who we’ve helped accomplish stunning results. 


An expert difference….

  • Honesty and authenticity are a fundamental part of our practice. We pride ourselves in giving honest feedback and appraisals, as well as in aiding students and families make the most informed decisions they can. First and foremost, we’re actually here for your family, and we take our roles in your journey very seriously. Consequently, we pride ourselves on an ethical approach, both in what we recommend, and how we assist you with your applications.

  • We are constantly striving to help you identify those schools that have that special “fit” based on your situation and all of its essential factors. We also help you advocate for your worth in your application narrative at any school, and have your best shot at your dream scenario. We boast a 100% acceptance rate for target and reach schools in recent years, even as overall acceptances have plummeted in the post-pandemic admissions era. We are particularly qualified for niche student interests - sports, music school, art school, or an unusual prospective major. We’ve seen it all and can guide you accordingly to the right places.

  • Admissions officers want to see students who demonstrate legitimate intellectual curiosity - that means digging a little deeper than pseudo-smart, pop culture reads on organizational leadership or “thinking fast and slow.” We ask challenging questions, we dig a little deeper, we take what we learn to elevate what’s already there. We understand intimately the type of texture and grain that schools are looking for when it comes to demonstrating intellectual depth and rigor, and we can help you ensure your applications display it.

  • We think in real-time about the big picture. We will help you feel 100% confident about each and every school you apply to. You could call us immediate pin-pointers. Figuring out where to apply and how to get there is second nature to us - no algorithm necessary. Admissions officers are looking for real people, and we are real people helping you navigate the system. We will formulate a bespoke plan for your student to execute for their application strategy from the very beginning of the process, and we know how to pivot when necessary. Your school list will be ON POINT.