College Consulting

Saying that Andrew is an incredible college advisor would be an understatement. He has a way with words that made my writing sound flowing and focused while highlighting my character. When I needed first-hand information about a school or program, Andrew had all the connections to students at Harvard, Yale, MIT, etc. so I could receive unique insights for my Why School? essays and college decisions. During the moments when I lacked inspiration, I reached out to Andrew for a brainstorm session and he showed me creative essays from other students that helped me find my direction. But most of all, Andrew is someone who genuinely wants his students to succeed not only in the college application process, but as people. He doesn’t simply edit essays, he teaches his students so they can become better writers in the long run. Whenever I felt frustrated or uncertain, I turned to Andrew for advice and always felt like I could safely share any of my personal thoughts about college or life. To me, the college application process was a time to reflect on my past interests and future directions; and through these vulnerable, personal conversations with Andrew, I gradually discovered the elements I loved about life and the ways I wanted to continue those elements in college as well.

I give Andrew a huge amount of credit for my Yale (early), MIT, Vanderbilt (full-scholarship), UVA (full-scholarship) and Berkeley acceptances. He allowed my essays to shine as he guided me to find my genuine interests and confidence in my abilities. Even after I’ve finished my college application process, Andrew’s been connecting me to various people at each of the schools to talk about college life, host for revisits, and help me make the most informed decision possible.

Somehow, I’ve found my college application process to be enjoyable and refreshing—the opposite of what I initially expected. Andrew was there every step of the way to guide me to the right people and find inspiration. Because of Andrew, there’s not a single part of the process that I regret.

Andrew has been so helpful throughout my college application process in both helping me paint the best version of myself and helping me discover the aspects of myself that I either loved or felt that I could improve on.

Andrew has an incredible way with words and is refreshingly honest. He was able to provide me with clear feedback on specific phrasings as well as overall sentence and essay structure that seemed to exactly capture the ideas I wanted to convey. He’s also incredibly knowledgeable with big-picture thinking—he has a magical sense of generating cohesive and compelling narratives in college essays, as well as stylistic choices to amplify my talents as a student and eliminate any potentially negative connotations. Everything he provides—from his perspective on college admissions to his edits for my common app activities to the essay samples he provides—is genuinely far better and more specific than anything else I’ve seen about college applications on the internet.

Andrew also goes above and beyond what I’d ever expect from a college counselor. Whenever I had run out of ideas or wanted another perspective on my essay drafts, Andrew could provide a call, where he’d make sure all my concerns and questions were fully addressed. Throughout every conversation with Andrew, he took special care to understand me as a person, and left me so much more confident about my applications. The application process was much less stressful than I expected, and I hugely credit Andrew for that.

Overall, I think Andrew has had a tremendous influence on me—not only by helping me craft the most compelling possible narrative for colleges, but teaching me to become more reflective and finding enjoyment in writing and the world around me.

Andrew was instrumental in my college application process. For several of my essays, he helped me drastically with the big-picture direction along with assisting with grammatical and sentence structure revisions. Additionally, he was extremely knowledgeable about the entire process. Andrew always knew how I could best present myself on the CommonApp in terms of awards and extracurriculars. Overall, I am very appreciative not only of his expertise, but also of how eager he was to help me throughout this entire process.

Andrew was an exceptional mentor to me in my college app process. He's very well versed in the common app structure and ready to help in all aspects. Over the course of several sessions, Andrew was able to piece together and understand the scattered ideas that I had originally and guide me towards an essay that I was proud to submit. In the activities and awards section, not only was Andrew knowledgeable, but he was able to help me present my best self in elegant, concise phrases. Throughout, I felt comfortable sharing my ideas and asking questions, to which I always received insightful feedback and answers. Andrew receives my highest recommendation, and was a great pleasure to work with.

I am honestly at a loss at how to present him best because he is honestly the best person I have worked with on college apps and is clearly really involved and cares about what he does.

Andrew was exactly who I was looking for in a college consultant! As a STEM applicant, he made writing essays and the college application process less stressful for me. From being someone I could ask for honest advice, to going over essay macro and ensuring that each essay portrayed a different aspect of my personality, Andrew was committed to helping me put forth my best self in my application. I could feel myself becoming a stronger and more confident writer after working with Andrew, and I appreciate how he was flexible and accommodative throughout the application season. Andrew earns my highest recommendation not just as an excellent essay reviewer, but as an informed mentor about the college application process.

I couldn’t be more grateful for Andrew’s support and guidance throughout my MIT application process. Initially, the world of college essays seemed daunting, and as someone not used to writing, Andrew’s clear guidance gave me more confidence. He encouraged me to rethink sentence structures for a more natural tone, and also helped me condense information in ways I hadn’t thought possible. I improved my writing skills gradually thanks to him.

Andrew’s standout quality is his commitment to preserve my voice and what I really think in the essays. Despite my occasional stubbornness in wanting to add sentences I thought the Admission Officers might expect or like, Andrew consistently emphasized the importance of staying true to myself.

Being someone whose first language isn’t English, I sometimes found it hard to express my ideas clearly. Every time I was blocked, Andrew’s assistance in wording some phrases was invaluable.

With numerous essay deadlines looming, Andrew provided realistic timelines, enabling me to progress steadily and worry less about time management. Additionally, Andrew is also well connected. Thanks to him, I got the chance to meet MIT students and other experts for diverse perspectives of my MIT application. I’m genuinely unsure if I would have achieved this without Andrew’s help. I highly recommend his work.

Above all, Andrew is sharp and honest. His comments have a way of making themselves obvious in hindsight, for pointing out blind spots and subtle elevations; his attention to detail and flexibility made working with him incredibly easy and effective. Beyond college essays, he was able to point me towards an advisor for my art portfolio and consistently gave good advice on interviews, LOCIs, and college lists, ensuring that I never felt stressed through the college process. I cannot recommend him enough - anyone would benefit hugely from his help.

I could not give a higher recommendation to Andrew as a college consultant—his expertise as a writer and editor, as well as his ability to navigate all aspects of the college process, helped me get into my top schools.

Andrew is objectively the best college admissions guide and reviewer. Andrew has the process fresh in his mind as someone who recently went through the admissions cycle himself. His strongest suit is essay revision. He will make sure you are using every word to its fullest potential and he teaches you how to add just enough quirk to your stories. Because of Andrew, my admissions process was short and sweet, ending with an early decision acceptance! I highly recommend his services.

Andrew is incredibly efficient and helpful. Within our first ten-minute conversation, he cleared up my confusion about so many aspects of my essay, like how I should structure my writing and what I should be trying to accomplish with it. Generally, I didn't know if I was on the right track until I talked to Andrew, and I got feedback that gave me a direction I could work towards. Within the process, I appreciate that he gave me creative space to write in a voice that was still mine--he actually helped me be more genuine in my application.

Andrew made the application process as human as possible, and I am forever thankful for that. At first, I kept writing my essays mechanically, trying to emulate the overused college essays tropes I grew up reading. Andrew pulled me away from that and encouraged me to write exactly what I wanted. He then helped me edit and turn my bare writing into something interesting and high quality. He is sharp and insightful, and beyond just guiding me in the editing process, he also made a point in making comments that eventually turned me into a better writer. I feel much more at ease when writing other college essays now, and it is all thanks to him.

As someone who was initially planning to go about the college application process without a consultant, I am beyond grateful and glad that I had Andrew guiding me along the way. His expertise was reflected by everything he did, from giving clear and concise feedback on my essays to helping me prepare for interviews, all of which I found tremendously beneficial. I was a much stronger applicant because of him.

When I was applying to college, Andrew reviewed my application essay for MIT, to which I was later accepted. He gave me clear, honest, and actionable feedback that really helped me center my message and say what I wanted to say. I trusted Andrew to have my best interests at heart, and I trust now that he would be the same for any applicant he's helping.

Andrew was incredibly helpful in the process of writing the personal statement. His methodical review refined my entire essay, from general sentence structuring to elevating the content to bring out my thoughts and personality. I found Andrew's revisions, which happened in the span of half an hour, far more insightful and helpful than those that my [other] essay consultant gave.

Andrew is the GOAT! He helped transform my writing to become compelling and artful—a quality I hadn’t recognized before I started working with him. (Work with him, and you’ll find out too :)) When he crafted ways to restructure my essays, he somehow managed to incorporate most ideas from my initial word jumble, finding value in even details I thought were too minor. I’d always imagined that I’d cringe at my college apps, but with Andrew’s help, my essays have evolved into something I’m happy with and proud of.

Above all, I appreciated Andrew’s honesty. From shooting down 9 of my ideas for a 150-word essay to patiently answering a million of my concerns (some of which needn’t have been concerns), he was someone who I could comfortably share my ideas and concerns with and whose opinions I could trust. His advice always kept honesty first—preserving my voice and me.

Andrew also genuinely cares for his students. Before he helped me as a college consultant, I was flailing around with my common app. I showed it to him for fun, he read it, two days later he was still thinking about it (it was terrible), so he sent me some BANGER sample essays to get me started. Without his help, I would still be flailing around—so to Andrew I’m endlessly grateful.

It was a true pleasure to work with Andrew on my college applications this year. With a comprehensive understanding of the application process, Andrew quickly gained my confidence as a highly professional consultant. He diligently worked alongside me to perfect my application essays, parsing through each sentence to transform them to best fit admission standards while maintaining my voice. I greatly appreciated Andrew’s expertise and I am certain that working with him made me a stronger applicant.

Out of anybody I could've ever met, I was lucky that Andrew helped me. He took so much time to get to know me as a student, helping me craft my identity as a student and present the best version of myself. Having recently been through the process, he knows its ins and outs, and can answer the most specific questions. He was always available in crucial moments, and has a magical ability to zoom in and out, capturing both a larger picture and more subtle details.

I can't stress how pivotal Andrew has been in my college applications. Being an international student, I was fully prepared for the process to be stressful, but where do I even begin? Andrew's resources helped me narrow the overwhelming amount of information online, to manageable sizes. Whether it's through his guide for the common app, or the really unique examples of supplemental essays (with analyses on why they're good), I found the writing less daunting.

Writing is not my strong suit, but Andrew's comments and suggestions on my essays helped me elevate it in standards that I wouldn't have imagined for me. And it really shows when I look back at my first drafts. He also doesn't hesitate in pointing out what doesn't work, but he always provides options in how to improve--be it through the content or style. Not to mention, his response times are remarkable. Perhaps it's the benefit of the time difference, but I'd send him my drafts before I'd go to bed, and when I awoke, I'd see new suggestions.

His support in my applications has been invaluable, and I honestly could not have done it (to a good enough standard at least) without him!

Andrew was such a huge help when I was applying to colleges! He always helped me craft honest essays that reflected my true self. Rather than stifling my own voice or message, he just helped me articulate them better. Andrew's help really took away so much stress from a very difficult process, and I'm extremely grateful for it!

What really made a difference was how Andrew did not make me feel judged in the slightest. He created an environment where I felt safe and encouraged to express my thoughts. No matter how silly or cliched they felt at first, he helped me realize the merit in them, and I felt overall more confident not only in myself as a writer, but in my ideas and perspective as a whole. While Andrew is clearly technically skilled and passionate about writing—every one of his suggestions had a clear, actionable "Why?"—he obviously cared about the stories underlying the words and wanted them to shine through in my own voice. Our conversations were something to look forward to instead of dread—which is saying a lot considering the topic. He was endlessly patient, and always ready on short notice to help with any extra material/advice. Overall, he provided a strong support system that I could not imagine having access to before, and for that I am immensely grateful.

When you are dealing with something new, you generally need two things: someone to give you proper emotional support, and someone to give you proper technical support. As a consultant, Andrew was both for me. Besides reviewing my essays and helping me upgrade my writing to the next level, he cheered me up when I needed it the most. As an international student, I didn’t have a lot of resources or encouragement from friends and family to apply for US colleges, and I couldn’t be more grateful for Andrew’s assistance in this process. Truly game-changing.

Despite my chronic procrastination on both my Princeton REA application and my UC application, Andrew was patient and helpful every step of the way, and took the time to both provide minor, zoomed-in suggestions, as well as larger structural changes, that all worked and were reasonable to implement in the constraints of a tight schedule—his advice was thoughtful and useful (and often provided at times unreasonably late in the night for him, to be honest). Even more valuable than Andrew's direct help, I think, was the encouraging, motivating feeling of having a partner in the process of college applications genuinely as invested as I was, and no doubt having the certainty of his guidance allowed me to get into Princeton, one of my top choice schools, early.

Andrew is so based. I don't know how based he can be. I started this American college application process as an international student, knowing basically nothing other than that I needed to fill in these forms, list activities, and write some essays. So much "advice" from so many random people, so much noise. Andrew cut through the noise and gave me actual, meaningful advice that I believe presented me in the best light possible. My voice/writing was quite raw, but still needed to be presentable, while keeping my voice intact. Andrew made that possible. I don't know how I would've done it without Andrew. Not just essays. Presenting what I've done throughout the years. Keeping my voice consistent and intact. Letting the real me shine through. I believe that's one of Andrew's strongest thing. Letting the applicant shine through, instead of being presented as just another High Achieving Kid™. And in college admissions where it is very easy to fall into the generic High Achiever voice, I believe Andrew's approach made me stand out as who I am.

I literally do not have words to describe how fantastic Andrew is. He has this magical ability to pick the perfect wording that describes the way you want your application to be seen, even when you don’t really know this yet! He’s taken my half-baked ideas and raw rough drafts and turned them into polished yet deeply emotional and authentic essays that bring out the real *me*.

I am not exaggerating when I say that he has King Midas’s golden touch but for essays - looking back on my past drafts I genuinely do not understand how he made them so unbelievably good!

Everyone tells you to share your story. This is what Andrew does; he supports you through your storytelling. The thing with stories, however, is that they’re more than themes and snap shots stitched together. Andrew has this special sense for the magic that brings to life a story; this instinct combined with vision is what turns all the writing which passes his hands into essays that echo the lives of their writer. To elaborate on this, writing is not a situation where 1 + 1 = 2, the rule of three + varied sentence lengths = good writing. Luckily, writing with Andrew is never formulaic. In the process of breaking the rules (as well as following them,) I’ve learnt to become a better writer.

Andrew’s influence didn’t just begin at perfecting stories. He helped me find mine. For me, coming up with what to write was a major issue. “Andrew, I don’t have anything unique about me,” I told him. “I don’t have anything special to say.” But Andrew believed in me. Through our conversations, he discovered details and teased out some truly special tales. Andrew’s influence was instrumental in my journey of recognising my origin/uniqueness as well as expressing my voice. Throughout our rounds of editing, the essays still sounded distinctively like ‘me.’ Hence, Andrew’s support throughout the writing process is perfectly tailored to each student to maximise their potential.

What truly sets Andrew apart, beyond his intuitive sense and vision, is the care he has for his students. At random hours—dinner, or after the gym—I’ll get google doc comment notifications: comments from Andrew. A potential tweak here, a word cut there. There are countless ‘invisible’ hours Andrew pours into every piece of writing, every student, to perfect an application. Beyond the world of College Applications, I have found Andrew to be a new friend, confidant, and mentor, who would listen to my concerns or uncertainties and offer advice and realisations from his own experiences. I’ve been incredibly supported throughout my application journey in multiple aspects, thanks to Andrew. At the end of this process, I’ve gained confidence in my story and come to know myself better; quite the opposite of the draining process the college application is known for. This would’ve been impossible without Andrew; he truly is an amazing consultant.