I grew up in Toronto, Canada and was admitted to Stanford, MIT, Wharton, and Dartmouth — but what I remember most about that process isn't the results. It's that it was the first time I was really forced to understand who I was, what I'd been drawn to, and why. That clarity is what made my applications compelling. It's also what I help every client find first. I'm now a Stanford alum and current Stanford MBA student, a Stanford undergraduate interviewer (I've conducted over 15 interviews of prospective undergrads and have genuine insight into what the school looks for beyond grades and test scores) and a former Stanford tour guide. But my approach to college admissions coaching goes beyond Stanford. I believe the application process, done right, is one of the most valuable exercises in self-reflection you'll do at that stage of your life. The goal isn't simply to craft a story for admissions committees — it's to uncover what really matters to you, what you've been drawn to, and what kind of place will be the right home for the next four years. A compelling application is the byproduct of that clarity, not the other way around. As an international student who navigated the US college application system from scratch, I can also help students outside the US understand how to position themselves, tell their story across cultural contexts, and identify schools that are genuinely the right fit for them.