Customized English Language Tutoring: Learning and Confidence Starts Here

Khristy holds a Bachelor's degree from Stanford University, where she worked in the federal work-study department in the admissions office. Khristy has over seven years of experience working with students and families and looks forward to helping Quad applicants achieve their goals. 

Khristy was born in Trinidad and Tobago and faced the challenge of being an undocumented immigrant for 13 years before receiving her green card. As a first-generation applicant, Khristy was responsible for navigating the college application process with limited financial resources, which taught her the importance of access. Her experiences growing up in a specific zip code put her on a trajectory she had little support or control over. However, this fueled her passion for guiding, supporting, and providing access to other students who face similar challenges. 

Khristy is committed to ensuring that every candidate she works with (and their family) receives the best possible guidance and support throughout the college application process. Khristy learned that intentionality is key to a successful application. She helps candidates unpack their experiences into clear strengths and values, supporting them in aligning their values with schools that would be mutually beneficial. 

Her coaching style emphasizes trust, respect, accountability, and empathy, breaking down long processes into manageable steps, supporting candidates in meeting deadlines, and practicing soft skills that colleges will demand. She excels at finalizing school lists, brainstorming and editing application materials, guiding students through various scholarship applications, and supporting them with developing and nurturing their non-academic passions.

Students that Khristy has recently coached have gotten accepted at several top-tier universities, including Stanford University, Columbia University, and Duke University.

Khristy is a proud new mother and loves watching her 9-month-old son meet new milestones and discover the world. She also enjoys writing poetry, journaling, meditating, and practicing self-care in her spare time. 

Julia has earned a Bachelor's degree from Brown University. Julia loves helping students feel more comfortable and confident throughout the college application process. She remembers how daunting and stressful this time was for her as a student, so she is eager to give other students the tools to navigate this process successfully. Julia believes every student has a unique story to tell, so she loves helping students find their voice and explain their passions through their applications. She finds it very exciting when a student gets into their dream school, and all their hard work pays off.

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Julia encourages Quad applicants to take the time to think about what they want from a college; just because a college is number one on a prestigious list doesn't mean it is the right fit for them. It takes a lot of research and reflection to determine which school is a great fit for you and your goals.

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As a coach, Julia prides herself on being friendly and approachable, and through thoughtful discussions, she helps students clarify their goals. Her empathetic nature and involvement in conversations with students help them feel comfortable being open about their experiences, concerns, and questions. After getting to know a student, Julia helps them draw connections between their experiences and passions and turn those connections into thoughtful and impactful essays. She helps students engage more deeply with their experiences and tap into their emotions so they can tell an authentic and reflective story through their personal statements.

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One of Julia's greatest strengths as a coach is helping students overcome writer's block to draft essays that they are proud of. She also excels at breaking the application process into manageable steps and communicating instructions at every stage.

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Applicants that Julia has recently coached have gotten accepted into several top-tier schools, including Brown University, Dartmouth College, and NYU.

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In her spare time, Julia loves to go on hiking and camping trips (her favorite spot is Acadia National Park in Maine.) She also loves to bake and is always trying out new recipes. She plays tennis several times a week in central park and enjoys acting, improv classes, and theater around NYC.

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Julia's Pro Tip?

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You have to be truthful and authentic. Admissions officers can tell when you are selling them things you think they want to hear. It is much more interesting to come across an applicant authentically representing themselves.

Simon has a PhD from Texas A&M University. Simon has since acted as the Advising Dean at Columbia University, the Assistant Director of Advising at Columbia College School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and George Washington University. During this time, he reviewed undergraduate and graduate applications for various programs, and advised students regarding school and major choices, and professional development. 

With years of experience in college admissions and mentorship, Simon has helped students gain admission into top universities such as Columbia, Yale, NYU, UChicago, Cal Tech, Johns Hopkins, Cornell, Rice, UCLA, and many more. 

Simon is passionate about helping his students through their journey into college. As a first-in-family graduate, he aims to provide his students with valuable guidance at this pivotal stage in their lives. Simon hopes to demystify the process of choosing schools, the application process, and the journey of growth each student goes through. He draws on his experience as an undergraduate, graduate student, educator, and university administrator to help the next generation of students realize their potential and evolving life goals.

As a coach, Simon is an active listener and adaptable in his advising and mentoring work. He has proven to be an asset to students eager to learn and discover what is best for them in terms of their college experience. Having worked in various academic institutions in different geographic locations, Simon has a breadth of experiences to draw from that can help students determine their study and professional trajectory. He has helped his Quad students develop organizational and priority-setting skills while allowing them to explore where their passions and academic focus might best lie. 

Simons Pro Tip?

The applicants that stand out tend to have demonstrated genuine self-awareness, maturity for their age, humility, curiosity, creativity, and a thorough understanding of why they are applying to their chosen schools. Universities are particularly interested in how well students fit and contribute to the diversity of their student body and how applicants express what they think they can contribute during their time at that institution and, ultimately, to society in general.