One-On-One SSAT Preparation To Maximize Your Score

Ellen graduated Magna Cum Laude from Columbia University. Having personally gone through the college application and transfer process, Ellen brings a unique perspective on the challenges students face and how to overcome them. Professionally, she has served as a Communications Executive at BNY Mellon and an Investment Banking Analyst at J.P. Morgan. 

Ellen's active listening skills and passion for learning about applicants enable her to help students shape their stories meaningfully and authentically. She understands the immense pressure that applicants and their families experience and is committed to making the process as smooth and memorable as possible.

Ellen's coaching approach is centered on tailoring her guidance to meet the individual needs of each applicant. Her strong organizational skills and time management abilities ensure that the process remains transparent and on track, despite the many demands on students' time.

As an expert in written responses, Ellen takes great care to ensure that every submission is of the highest standard. She is a skilled brainstormer and is always eager to help students showcase their best selves through writing. Her encouraging and optimistic personality makes her an ideal partner and cheerleader throughout the college application journey.

Ellen is committed to supporting students and their families throughout this process and takes their trust in her very seriously. Her goal is to help each applicant shine and achieve their college dreams. 

Outside of coaching, Ellen enjoys spending time with her dog Ava, practicing yoga and Pilates, attending ballet performances, and improving her culinary skills.

Krystal received a Bachelor of Science at Colorado State University and pursued a Master’s in Economics following her undergraduate degree. She acted as an Alumni and Scholarship Program Fellow and Coordinator and as a Leadership Coach for the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation. With over ten years of coaching and leadership experience, Krystal has helped her students gain acceptance into top universities such as Stanford, the University of California schools, and Harvard University, among others. 

Krystal is a prestigious scholarship expert, attaining full-ride scholarships from the National Coca-Cola, Boettcher, Intel, Rotary, Masonic, Scientific Education, and Research Institute Scholarships, the President’s Leadership Program, and Honors Undergraduate Research Scholarships for her undergraduate and graduate degrees. She has also written and received multiple multi-thousand-dollar grants to conduct and present her scientific research at international conferences. She has led product marketing teams for Coca-Cola, partnered with university admissions, and spearheaded programming for state-wide scholarship programs. 

Krystal's experience as a coach involved providing informational sessions for high school graduates, reviewing applications including resumes, short answer questions, essay questions, counselor recommendations, and teacher letters of recommendation, interviewing final candidates, and making final acceptance decisions. 

Krystal is passionate about giving students the tools they need to succeed and holds a strong belief that knowledge is potential power. She loves coaching her students as they navigate the college application process, utilizing creative problem-solving to enhance the outcomes for her students. By helping students at this stage in their lives, she helps them achieve their educational goals in pursuit of their career aspirations to help them build happy and successful lives. Krystal is extremely passionate about resume building, telling her students’ unique stories, and helping them find the university of their dreams. 

She thrives on making the application experience enjoyable for her Quad students while still holding a sense of accountability and making it one of the best experiences of their lives. In addition to acceptances to top universities, she has coached, counseled, and worked with college students who have successfully navigated and accepted prestigious scholarships, including Fulbright, Coca-Cola, Gates, Marshall, Rhodes, Dell, Goldwater, and Boettcher. Krystal is passionate about giving students the tools they need to succeed.

When Krystal isn’t coaching, she enjoys teaching Aqua Zumba, mountain biking, SCUBA diving, and painting large murals.

Krystal’s Pro Tip? 

As part of the admissions process, it is essential to demonstrate a strong through-line across one’s application. Showing a strong interest in something should go beyond taking classes in that field. Adding in volunteer experience, community service, and research in that same area indicates true passion and dedication.  

Mark earned a Bachelor’s degree from Cornell University. His passion for helping students led him to become an admissions coach, aiming to make the college application process less stressful and daunting. Professionally, he has served as a consultant at IBM. 

Mark finds coaching to be dynamic and exciting. He believes it's enriching for both himself and the students; he helps ease their stress while they reflect, ask tough questions, and grow through the process. 

As a coach, Mark compares himself to a therapist; to help students achieve success, he aims to understand each one deeply. By doing so, he can help match them with the perfect college and enable them to build a more comprehensive application narrative. If a student is involved in a club, Mike enjoys learning about what inspired that interest. If students play sports, he determines whether that interest is driven by competitiveness or a desire for community. Mark believes every application should paint a clear picture so that the admissions board gains a sincere understanding of the student.

Marks believes that inculcating a growth mindset is incredibly important. He emphasizes that nothing is permanent and reminds students that their starting point isn't fixed; improvement is always possible with effort. 

​​In his free time, Mark enjoys going to the gym, long-distance running, recreational tennis, reading, writing short stories, and spending time with his two pet bunnies, Luna and Benny!