College Admissions

I'm a former undergraduate admissions officer at BYU, a former Assoc. Director of the MBA program at UC Irvine, and a full-time college prep coach.

I was the first in my family to go to college in the United States. I know what it's like to navigate a system with no roadmap — and I know what it takes to stand out. Since then, I've read over 600 personal essays and life stories through my mentorship program and coaching work. I've helped students articulate what makes them unique — not what they think admissions wants to hear. My clients have gone on to land roles at Big Tech, the White House, and top startups. I was Instagram's first hire in Latin America and built my career by learning to tell stories that cut through noise. I bring that same approach to your essays and interviews: find the authentic and cutting-edge story, then make it impossible to ignore.

I've spent over a decade on every side of the admissions table — as a Harvard PhD who taught over 30 courses to more than 1,000 undergraduates, reviewed admissions applications, and served as a Senior Advisor on the Tutorial and Advising Board. I've worked alongside Nobel-winning faculty and nationally recognized writers, and I know exactly what the candidacy profile of a student who gets in looks like. More than 300 of my students have been admitted to Stanford, Princeton, Brown, Vanderbilt, Cornell, NYU, UC Berkeley, UChicago, and many more. My approach is personal and narrative-driven. I help students uncover what makes them distinctive and build a cohesive application story — from Common App essays to activity lists to interview prep. I speak five languages and work especially well with international and multilingual families navigating an unfamiliar system.

Welcome to my profile! As a medical student who previously attended Duke University and the University of Oxford, I bring a strong academic foundation to my coaching. I am well versed in the college application process and have received the full-ride Angier B. Duke and Rhodes Scholarships. Furthermore, my experience on the Duke University scholarship selection committee has given me valuable insights into the college admissions process. I have successfully coached 5 students, helping them navigate their college applications and secure spots at their desired institutions. My professional background includes impactful roles at the Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where I honed my skills in research and policy analysis. I'm here to help you craft a compelling application that highlights your unique strengths. Let's work together to achieve your college admission goals!

I’m a Harvard-educated admissions consultant who helps high-achieving students stand out. Over the past 14 years, I’ve guided more than 600 applicants to top U.S. colleges and graduate programs — including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, MIT, and other Ivies — through strategic storytelling, school list curation, and essay coaching. My clients have earned acceptances to top-25 schools and, in many cases, significant merit scholarships — even without perfect grades or conventional résumés. If your family is aiming for a top-tier school — and wants strategic, honest, high-impact support — I’d love to connect.

My approach to coaching comes from lived experience, not theory. I recently navigated the graduate admissions process and earned offers from the following top programs: The University of Toronto Masters of Science in Applied Computing, Carnegie Mellon Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence Engineering, Columbia Dual MBA/Executive MS: Engineering & Applied Science, UC Berkeley Electric Engineering & Computer Sciences Master of Engineering, and Carnegie Mellon Master of Science in Machine Learning program. I have confirmed my decision to attend the Machine Learning program at Carnegie Mellon this fall. Before that, I graduated Summa Cum Laude from UT Austin with a 3.96 GPA in Computer Science. I know firsthand what it takes to build a compelling application because I have done it across both technical and business programs. My strength is narrative strategy. I help you identify the through line in your experiences, position your story for the specific program type you are targeting, and write essays that are punchy, defensible, and free of inflated claims. Beyond admissions, I bring real-world credibility as someone that has worked at startups, big companies, and nonprofits as well as research experience. I will give you honest assessments, not validation, and I will work with you draft by draft until every word earns its place.

Welcome to my profile! As a Stanford Law student with a rich academic background from the University of Oxford and Columbia University, I bring a unique perspective to college admissions coaching. My diverse experiences, from interning at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian to working with the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, have equipped me with the skills to help students craft compelling narratives for their applications. I have coached numerous students, guiding them through the intricacies of the college admissions process and helping them gain acceptance to their dream schools. Whether you need assistance with personal statements, extracurricular profiles, or interview preparation, I'm here to provide tailored support. Let's work together to make your college application stand out!

Hello and welcome to my profile! With a rich background in college admissions and a passion for increasing college enrollment among underrepresented student populations, I am here to guide you through the college application process. As the Founder and CEO of Shani on Campus, I have been dedicated to coaching college students and recent grads to achieve their personal dreams and career aspirations. My experience includes serving the office of admissions at the University of Michigan, leading international recruiting and admissions efforts for 10+ elite private schools, and working as a DEIB & Admissions Consultant, where I have helped countless families and community groups navigate the complexities of college admissions. I specialize in providing personalized 1-to-1 counseling, essay writing coaching, and advocacy, particularly for women in STEM, Black and Latinx students, first-generation, and low-income students. Let's work together to make your college dreams a reality—reach out to start your journey today!

Dr. Corinne Smith is a former Ivy League admissions officer with 15+ years of experience in higher education. Corinne completed her BA in Political Science and Sociology as well as her MS in Higher Education at Northwestern University. She also holds a Doctorate in Education through the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Corinne spent 12 years working in undergraduate admissions at four highly selective institutions: Yale University, Brown University, Northwestern University, and the University of California. During her eight years at Yale, Corinne covered admissions territories across the U.S. and around the world, voted in hundreds of admissions committees, and oversaw all domestic recruitment. In addition to her work as an admissions officer, Corinne has served as a consultant for the Caltech admissions office and is the co-author of the College Essay Journal: A Mindful Manual for College Applications. Throughout her time in admissions, Corinne covered both domestic and international admissions territories. Her domestic territories included: California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. Corinne's international territories included: the United World Colleges, Canada, China, Greece, Russia, South Korea, Turkey, southeastern Europe, and the Middle East.

I've been through the college admissions process twice—and found success both times. The first time, I was accepted or waitlisted at nearly every top-15 school I applied to. I chose my state school to save money throughout Zoom University and took the calculated risk that I could do it again. The second time, I had to figure it out almost entirely on my own; I transferred to Brown during the most selective cycle in history by navigating a process that's far less supported and far less understood than traditional first-year admissions. That experience taught me more about what actually moves the needle at top schools than anything else could have. At both IU and Brown, I turned that knowledge into action by advising students on the transfer process and helping others craft narratives that landed them at Ivy League schools. Along the way I've also helped friends build compelling applications for medical school, law school, and competitive scholarships. Admissions at every level comes down to the same thing: knowing how to tell your story in a way that makes someone want to say yes. That's what I'll help you do—whether you're a first-time college applicant or prospective transfer.