David Gilbert

I've spent 10+ years helping students navigate college applications, and I've coached dozens through the process with multiple admits to Ivy League and top-10 programs. My background in engineering, consulting, and medicine gives me a different lens than most admissions coaches: I think in frameworks, and I know how to help a student find the thread that makes their application coherent and compelling. I'm especially effective with students who have strong profiles but haven't figured out how to tell their story — whether that's a non-traditional background, a pivot, or just a lot going on that doesn't fit neatly into a Common App box. I work primarily on essays and strategy: how to position your application, which schools to target, and how to make your personal statement actually sound like you.