What Our Clients Say About Us

Our past clients have been kind enough to share their experiences with us below. As you can see, we have students spanning many years. Their testimonials are but a snippet of their journey experience. If you’d like to know more, please approach us for more on that student’s story (with their identity kept confidential, of course!).

N.b. Different students are comfortable with different levels of sharing, which explains the variance in their background data.

I worked closely with Ally during my university application process. During this time, she worked attentively and thoroughly with me. In particular, Ally spent a great deal of time trying to understand my interests and passions and guided me towards numerous schools that I had previously never even considered, for programs that I had previously never even heard of. She and the team also provided insightful advice when I was developing my application and helped me tune my write up for all the schools that I applied to. It was with her help that I managed to not only get into an Ivy League school but also properly understand what I wanted to get out of my college experience well in advance of my peers. If I were to go through the entire application process again I’d definitely choose to work with Ally!
J.C., CIS, Class of 2013, Cornell University
What makes Ally different is that she really tried to understand me and listen to what I wanted. She was not just a consultant; she was a mentor who steered me to believe in who I am and to find a path which matched my interests. Looking back, it was truly ironic that I avoided having my college on my application list until I was convinced at the last moment that it was for me. Ally allowed me to come to this conclusion on my own, because she knew that only if I am true to myself, would I have a chance of being matched with the right schools. I am now enjoying a career as a mechanical engineer in the Bay Area and I think Ally played a big part in taking me there. I owe a big thank you to her!
H.C., A boarding School on the East Coast, US, Class of 2015, MIT
The college admissions process has certainly been one of the defining challenges of my life; however, I can only imagine how much more difficult it would have been without Antonia. She was always ready to help with the numerous hurdles I faced, including (but certainly not limited to) questions about the process and brainstorming ideas. I was struck by the candor and openness with which she approached our discussions; she incorporated intriguing personal anecdotes to transform what would be a boring old meeting about college into an animated conversation that propelled me through the application process. Moreover, she encouraged me to deeply explore aspects of my own identity throughout the process, which is something that extends far beyond college. Having someone to rely upon in such a rigorous and important procedure was infinitely important—thankfully, Antonia has played that role excellently for me!
C.C., A boarding School in Massachusetts, US, Class of 2020 , University of Chicago
Antonia has been a great help to our son in his search for college. She's knowledgeable, attentive and always responds promptly to our questions. We are happy that our son has an early offer from U of Chicago.
Parent of C.C., A boarding School in Massachusetts, US, Class of 2020, University of Chicago
Ally really invested time into getting to know my children well. She tried to understand what motivated them, and to identify strengths and weaknesses. She also encouraged them to pursue their passions outside of academics, which helped to develop their confidence and made them more interesting as individuals in a sea of applicants. Ally’s in-depth knowledge of different universities and their programs helped my kids to zero in on institutions that would be a good match for them. Her past experience with many counsellees gave her a sharp sense of each school’s selectivity, which enabled my children to have a realistic picture of their chances of admission to different institutions. In the end, my kids were more than thrilled that they had the opportunity to enroll at one of their top three choices, and were accepted to many others. It was a perfect fit for all three of them!
Parent of C.L., N.L. and E.L., An international school in Hong Kong, class of 2013, 2014 and 2015 respectively, UCLA Engineering, Princeton, USC Cinematic Arts Respectively
Throughout the years building up to university applications, Ally has become more than my consultant - she's become a family friend. She pushed me to dream bigger and aim higher. She helped me realise my passion for both art and engineering, and I wouldn't be where I am today if she didn't both nurture and yell at me for not giving it my all. Also had the pleasure of working with Antonia and Conrad when writing personal essays. It was fun bouncing off ideas with the trio, and they would always give me honest and constructive feedback. In all, I love all three of them!
F.Y., An international school in Hong Kong, Class of 2018, University of Pennsylvania
Thank you so much for helping me with my college stuff in the past 4 years. There is no way I can get into Cornell without your help. Before meeting you, I have no ambition on anything. My only goal was to graduate high school and get into a random college that would accept me. However, you helped me to discover my potential and passion in engineering and I realized that I could do so much better than simply graduating high school. To be honest, without you, I would never push my own limits and would be satisfied with an SAT of 1420 (hahaha). I am very grateful for everything you have done for me such as planning my summer, preparing for summer camp stuff, as well as editing my college applications. I am soooooo HAPPY.
J.C., An international school in Hong Kong, Class of 2020, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, Cornell University
帶着我的offer來給我的中介打廣告了！他太好了，是我申請季的👼!人好nice，特別靠譜，文書一流！吹爆！UCAS和CommonApp 的文書都得到了[school counsellor]的誇獎！英美申請都可！

I am grateful to have had Conrad’s guidance during my college admission process. He provided me with useful information, constructive feedback and kept me in check in terms of deadlines. I appreciate his encouragement during this stressful application season, he inspired me with many examples and supported me thoroughly in writing my essays. He is very professional and knowledge, especially when it comes to picking the right college and the right degree.
A.W., Shenzhen College of International Education, Class of 2020, Emory University
It is my honor and privilege that I was a student of Ally and Conrad. They have taught me more than university applications. To me they are my “life consultants”. They have provided me not only consultation to construct my essays but also new insights and wisdom to how I should view the world and those around me. As a result of their mentorship, I received Ivy League and other top university offers. I am currently a year 2 student in Chinese University of Hong Kong studying International Business and Chinese Enterprise (IBCE). The reason why I decided to choose CUHK is because both my parents graduated from this university. My dad, whom I idolize, believes CUHK is a place where I can mature and propel as not only a student but also as a person.
G.H. ISF, Class of 2018, CUHK (Also received an offer from Cornell)
I don’t think I’ve written anything of substantial length to you that is not returned loaded with amendments, strikethroughs, and red text that occasionally is in capital letters and decorated with exclamation marks. So writing this becomes more unnerving than it ought to be. There were countless times I metaphorically banged my head against the screen at your brutally honest and hence terribly useful comments, which reminded me of how much I’ve learned from you in terms of writing, communicating, looking at the world, and understanding myself. I remember feeling frightened by your no-nonsense attitude and the verbal/intellectual challenges you casually throw at me, but my uneasiness soon turned into respect and a desire to live up to your pace and standards. I’m proud of myself for surviving your comments and making something out of it. And I thank you for bearing with me and pushing me to do things I never thought I could. What I took away from the last 2+ years I spent with you was a university offer, a lifelong aspiration, and an attitude towards working and learning. As I think of you now, I can see you working, simultaneously, on your laptop and phone, probably at either 2pm or 2am. You’re probably swearing at some student’s writing either because it’s too shxx or it’s brilliant. As I leave for the US, I will remember this scene as one of the main driving forces that brought me to my dream school.
L.H., An international school in Hong Kong, Class of 2019, Engineering, Duke University
Thank you for helping me so so much in the admissions process and without you I would never have made it into my US schools. I also learned a lot more about myself after meeting you and you helped me in seeing what I really want with my life. I also really enjoyed spending time with you as friends after the admissions and you gave me someone I could really trust for an honest opinion when needed. Talking with you is always really insightful and rewarding. Thank you for believing in me all the way even when I didn’t believe in myself!
J.L., ICS, Class of 2017, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University
I was one of the many people who had no idea what they were doing at the beginning of the college process. I was also one of the many people who believed I could navigate the process on my own. Upon my first consultation with Antonia, I realized that experience and industry insight can tell you what university websites can’t. She helped me build a college profile that was unapologetically me and fit well with the colleges I was applying to. Antonia’s perceptiveness and attention to detail not only enabled her to help find fitting colleges for me - and more importantly with me, but it also helped bring out the essence of my character in writing my personal statement and supplements. Under her guidance, I managed to get into my first choice college that I firstly would not have applied to had I not consulted with Antonia, and secondly would never have dreamed of getting into. The college process was by no means an easy one, but having an admissions counsellor definitely streamlined the journey and I cannot imagine having gone through it successfully without Antonia’s direction.
S.M., CIS, Class of 2018, Barnard College
I've been a student of Ally's for almost three years now. Throughout the whole process, Ally has helped me mature and align my interests with my goals. Ally and her team helped me find my dream school - a STEM-focused liberal arts college, and helped me achieve my goals. I could not have done it without them.
J.L., Oundle School, UK, Class of 2019, Harvey Mudd
I am grateful to have had Antonia’s guidance through this labyrinthine process -- I felt well-supported and sure-footed throughout the entire process. I appreciate her acute and thorough feedback while brainstorming my personal statement and when preparing for interviews, most of all her efforts in encouraging and bringing out my own voice.
A.L., St. Paul’s College, Class of 2020, Oxford, Lady Margaret Hall
We want to express our gratitude to Antonia for her professional, experienced and caring service in guiding my son to pursue his dream and got offers from those leading law universities in UK. He would not be able to achieve this without her help.
Parent of A.L., St. Paul’s College, Class of 2020, Oxford, Lady Margaret Hall
Antonia could not have made me feel better prepared and confident in my college application process. Using both an extensive knowledge of the industry and an instinct for what I wanted in a essay, she structured a one of a kind admission journey for me. Everything I produced and prepped was met with sharp and constructive feedback - a no frills approach I highely valued in my college process. Not only did I come out of meetings with Antonia with application specifc knowledge that my school counsellors had not shared, she also provided insight into current events, politics, and finding a job post graduation. Thanks to Antonia, I’m in my dream school - but I also have an understanding of various paths my future career could take. This holistic, above and beyond approach included feedback and email responses all hours of the day - something I really valued in the last minute essay crunch and preinterview nerves. Overall, I had a wonderful experience working with Antonia and I cannot recommend her enough.
E.M., An international school in Hong Kong, Class of 2020, Oxford University, Wadham College
Working with Ally and Antonia was a wonderful experience. Having worked with them for three years, I benefitted tremendously from their expert guidance, whether that be with high school course selection, planning my extracurricular activities, scheduling my standardized testing, and creating my college application portfolio. The numerous one-on-one sessions I had with Ally where we discussed my interests and personal stories really helped me find an essay topic for my US applications that would allow admissions officers to gain a clearer understanding of who I am. Likewise, Antonia helped me navigate the UK application process and ran me through several mock Oxbridge interviews so that I was well-prepared for the actual thing. Most importantly, throughout the entire essay process, Ally, Antonia and Conrad all provided me with very insightful comments and scrutinized every little detail to make sure that I was set up for success by the time I finally decided to press ‘submit’. I would recommend their services to anyone.
D.Y., HKIS, Class of 2019, Oxford University, Oriel College (Also attained offer from Williams College)
My college admissions journey was typical - tough, painful, fraught with deadlines and immense academic stress - which makes me ever so grateful that I had Antonia as my college counsellor throughout this process. From narrowing down possible reach, target and safety schools to churning out essays and reworking drafts, Antonia always offered me both sound, practical advice and a shoulder to cry on if needed. Together, we worked through endless revisions of my Common Application essays, and there were many errors I wouldn’t have spotted without the guidance of her careful eye. Even when I made last-minute changes to my game plans (like attempting to write my UCAS essay within two days, which was unwise), she helped me complete my tasks smoothly and efficiently. Most notably, when we went through the grueling mechanics of Cambridge interview training and I was on the verge of giving up, she insisted I push through and encouraged me endlessly. I definitely wouldn’t be where I am at today if it wasn’t for her - both in terms of the college offers I have, and in terms of my emotional and mental maturation.
B.C., A local school in Hong Kong, Class of 2020, Cambridge University, Magdalene College
From the moment I met Ally my heart just settled. She intently listened to my litany of woes and scheduled an appointment to meet with my daughter. My daughter was definitely not going to study math or science and a liberal arts degree was most likely not going to retain her interest. This teenager, however, had many non-academic gifts wrapped up in an outsize personality that needed to be channeled. Ally saw that. I didn’t. Instead of trying to fit a square peg in a round hole, Ally set out to find the right fit for my square peg daughter. She ran a series of tests to better understand my daughter’s strengths, determine where she could potentially thrive, and made suggestions that neither my daughter nor I would’ve ever considered. Although Ally’s work is college counseling, it is so much more than that. The impact of her work resonates far beyond the college application process. A better description would be life counseling. This testimonial simply does not do justice to the depth of our gratitude to Ally and all she’s contributed to our family.
Parent of I.P., SIS. Class of 2012, Les Roches, Switzerland
My gap years and mild ADHD made it hard not only for me to find colleges but also for college counselors to help me. Conrad doesn't only provide assistance here both in college search and in writing skills, I'm particularly grateful of his incredible insight to higher educations across the U.S. which allowed me a seamless transition into Boston and return to academia. Thanks to his consistency and strong communication skills I find him a reliable solution for my college application process.
F.C.,CIS (Gap Year), Class of 2018; Emerson College
I was lucky enough to work with Conrad for three years. He supported me in all aspects of my college application process, from helping me brainstorm essay ideas to revising drafts as deadlines drew near. Through our meetings and his detailed feedback of my essays, Conrad pushed me to think deeply about who I was as a person and helped me refine my ability to communicate myself authentically. With his guidance, I was able to express aspects of my character to admissions officers that would otherwise be left unsaid. Moreover, he has extensive knowledge of individual school cultures, which he used to help me target my essays uniquely for each of my choices. I can say with confidence that my admittances to the University of Chicago and the University of Cambridge would not have been possible without him. Conrad worked very hard to help me achieve my dreams (including numerous last-minute edits and late-night calls), and I highly recommend him for anyone looking to put their best foot forward for their top choice universities.
C.T., Some International School in Hong Kong, Class of 2015, University of Chicago (also attained offer from University of Cambridge)
Despite the stress and confusions during my college application process Conrad had been a well-positioned light house guiding me through and made sure that I navigated on the right path. He gave me a lot of support and advice in constructing additional materials that could help my application stand out. His patience and guidance helped some one like me, who has a wide range of interests, to better identify what I wanted to study in college. Conrad is also really detailed in recommending which colleges would be a good fit for my personality and interests. When I was trying to nail down my final choices, Conrad was also very helpful in analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the colleges, as well as referring alumni contacts that I could talk to and to gain a better understanding of the schools. With his help, I was able to secure different scholarship offers from a number of colleges. He also encouraged me throughout the two years of my IB diploma studies whenever I felt stressed and anxious; he is really attentive and a great mentor you can rely on! 🙂
W.L., An international school in HK, Class of 2020, Wesleyan University (Freeman Scholar)