28,096Leland Reviews

When I first opened the Common App and added the schools I wanted to apply to, I was completely lost. I felt overwhelmed when it came to recalling and penning my accomplishments, and no matter how hard I tried my essays always lacked voice. My best friend recommended that I work with Audrey—looking back now, that was possibly the most important decision that I made during the entire application process. Audrey was everything that I could have wanted in a writing advisor and Common App navigator, if not more. Every meeting, she was able to bring out the best in me as we worked to refine my writing skills. With her help, I was able to write stellar essays that surpassed the expectations I had in mind. Some of the lessons she taught me about writing and authorial voice carried over into my academic life, as I learned to remove passive voice from my essays and avoid vague descriptions. Every meeting I had with Audrey was driven by her ease in conversation and her extraction of the essay-worthy parts of my character (such as my multi-cultural background and quirky passions) that even I myself did not recognize. My teachers and parents were impressed with the sudden spike in my writing skills, with my father pointing out the improved sentence structure and word choice in my essays. I myself was flabbergasted by my own newfound ease with schoolwork when my writing improved. Audrey brings out your voice in writing like no other. I had encountered many times where I felt as though I could not convey the emotions and thoughts I wanted to put down on paper; however, after my time with Audrey, I am proud to say that I truly believe I have found my voice. My time with Audrey blessed me with the opportunity to attend my dream school, the University of Southern California, where I plan to major in Economics at the College of Arts and Sciences to explore the contemporary problems of economic underdevelopment in countries around the world. There are very few people in my life that I have met who I define as a person who is true to themselves, and I can confidently say that Audrey is one of those few people. I cannot recommend Audrey highly enough as a college counselor, friend, and overall person who has benefited me in so many aspects of my life. Beyond her infectious confidence in her ability to help you no matter how lost you feel, Audrey has something truly special: a genuine, curious literary spark, which turns every project she tackles into a showstopping one.

Audrey and I connected on a deeply personal level and she gave me the attention that a normal college counselor would simply not be able to. She fully engaged in our conversations, empathized with everything I said while also offering her own perspectives, and sought to understand me as a person, separately from my college interests. By listening to what I was saying and being engaged, Audrey made me feel heard and understood, which allowed me to open up and share a lot about myself (a lot of this stuff ended up in my college essays!). Ever since I was little, I have been obsessed with the Royal Family because my grandmother is English. I have stacks of magazines about Kate and William and have stood in the Welsh rain to meet Prince William. My college essay was about Princess Diana and how she’s become a role model for me. Additionally, I’ve always wanted to go to school internationally because I’ve grown up traveling with my family and have been intrigued by living outside of the United States. Next year, I am attending the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, where both William and Kate went. It feels like a full-circle moment to tell people I’m going to St Andrews when I’ve spent my life drinking tea every day, obsessing over the Royals, and dreaming of going to school in the UK.

Audrey has been the guardian angel of my application process. She is a bright inspiration, a powerful but not over-imposing guide, and most of all an empathetic companion who always helped still the stormy waters of stress and illuminate a concrete path to ascend the Everest that seemingly characterized my admissions process. I started working with Audrey later than normal, but her transparency, confidence-inspiring structure, decisiveness, and beaming kindness immediately led to a special relationship that always lit up my day and empowered me–we just clicked. I never felt like Audrey was planting ideas in my mind that didn’t stem from my own thoughts, and she truly worked with me, not for me, which allowed me to find my best and own voice. As a writing coach, her numerous specific tips helped me block out third-party descriptions of myself and focus on precisely what I thought of myself alone, which in turn brought the most authentic and vivid illustrations of my life into the words of my essays. I will always cherish my time working with Audrey, the undying optimism and confidence she inspired within me, and the lessons she taught me along the mountain path we climbed together. Developing my friendship with her was the first of two highlights during my admissions process (getting into Cornell was the second)!

I am so grateful for Audrey, because it’s really easy to believe what everyone around you is saying, but Audrey made sure I figured out what was best for me instead of what was supposedly the best. One of the things I value and prioritize with long-term projects is structure: setting deadlines for goals as well as making and following a plan for how to achieve those goals, and Audrey was absolutely a godsend for that. With college applications having so many different aspects to focus on (essays, college lists, activities, additional info, etcetera), Audrey being super clear with helping me set goals for what I should/could accomplish in a week or month was extremely relieving because I knew I was on track to finish everything in a timely manner. Her personalized plans and goals and her friendly, bubbly, and calming demeanor seriously helped with taking the absolute terror out of college apps, and instead replacing it with simply feeling as if I was developing new skills: and that is something I am most happy about. The process of working with Audrey was absolutely AMAZING.

I don’t even know where to begin. Audrey is the most amazing human being you’ll ever get the chance to interact with. I don’t know what I would’ve done without her help. She is not only an amazing college counselor and tutor, but a fantastic friend. While the words and ideas were all mine, Audrey helped me write college essays that were professional, yet personalized and fun! She is a fantastic listener and always has amazing stories to tell. I can’t count the amount of times we went over our time limit just talking about life and happy things. Audrey has the perfect balance of professionalism and getting town to business, and having fun and chatting. She is always there for you, whether it’s getting into college or picking out a prom dress. She is so down to earth, intelligent, and (to my surprise when I met her in person) quite tall! Audrey truly gives the best advice and is an absolute gem. I’m so jealous of all the high schoolers who get to begin their journey with her. Thank you so much, Audrey, for everything you’ve done for me!

The last two years of high school were tough for me, especially because of a change in curriculum. With all the extra work piled up day by day, I really didn’t think I could get through it all. When my mom suggested taking help for my essays, I wasn’t open to it because I thought I didn’t need help and I could handle it by myself. Also, it was expensive in terms of the Indian Rupee. But honestly, Audrey really made everything better. As a professional, she really knows how to handle time constraints and can help students write award-winning essays! She makes writing look effortless and that’s something I will always envy. As a person, she’s just perfect. She’s a friend I really wish I had throughout my life and some advice and comments she’s shared with me about being myself and opening up to others will stick with me forever and I want to thank her so much for that. It’s even more precious because the advice came from an unconventional source. In the end, she reduced my burdens and that’s all I could appreciate in anyone and I am extremely glad that I decided to take these essay sessions with her. Hope you make wonderful memories with her just like me!

Audrey is an amazing college counselor. During our meetings, she helped me see new perspectives regarding my experiences and how I could fit them into my writing. She kept me on track while I was juggling schoolwork, competitive dance, and college applications. Not only did Audrey help me with my essays, but she also calmed my anxieties about college and the life that lay ahead me. She is one of the most positive people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting and working with. I always looked forward to our sessions, which were productive, yet entertaining. I would definitely recommend Audrey to anyone and everyone!

You’re the awesome person who single-handedly got me back into reading again. I vividly remember you saying “If you can read this stuff, you can pretty much read anything” in regards to the boring SAT articles. Trust me, you were definitely right about that! What you taught in class, I still apply every time I read something. I have been reading anything I can find that correlates with my major in political science. I really want to get involved in environmental policy, and I apply the active reading skills that you taught me to grasp the content better when reading on that subject. It helps drop me into any moment and I am able to almost experience what the book is describing to me. I find that active passion vital if you really intend to improve the health of our world. Hopefully this testimonial can help show more of your awesomeness that you share with your students.

If you’re just glancing through these testimonials, then I’ll just say that Audrey helped me get into my first choice college! But more importantly, she supported me every step of the way with fantastic essay insights that improved my writing in general, hilarious inside jokes that took the pressure off the whole process, and genuine encouragement that gave me the confidence to even think about applying. With Audrey’s smart time-management and insightful feedback, the application process was honestly so much easier than I imagined it to be. If you don’t know where you want to go, or have no idea what to write about in personal statements, or even if you are feeling at all stressed about applying, just talk to Audrey! She makes everything better!

Audrey is no average college counselor. She treats the college admissions process as a chance to not only reflect on accomplishments but also on what each individual has to offer to any given campus. She supported all my ideas and really made the best out of each and every one. Every session with her was an opportunity to vent, brainstorm ideas, and learn more about myself. I can easily say that I have no regrets whatsoever with how the whole experience turned out because I was blessed with the chance to work with such a creative and energetic individual! All the best to the class of 2021 and beyond; you are in capable hands.