When I was applying to universities, I did it alone. Not because my parents weren't educated — they are both engineers, one with a master's degree, the other with a PhD — but because they simply weren't familiar with how the North American system worked. The Canadian undergraduate applications were straightforward, and I got in everywhere I applied. The US ones were a different story — I didn't get in anywhere. Once I understood how the system worked, I applied to the best graduate programs in my field and got into all of them.

I figured it out. But you shouldn't have to figure it out alone.

Today, it's not just the top US schools that demand more from applicants anymore. Many of the most selective programs at Canadian universities do too, requiring supplemental essays and video interviews as part of their admissions requirements. The strongest students are all competing for the same spots, and the difference often comes down to how well you can tell your story in a way that will resonate.

That's where I come in. I work with motivated students and families on high school course selection, extracurricular and summer activity planning, application strategy, financial aid application assistance, essay coaching, interview preparation, scholarship applications, and offer comparison and decision support. Every student gets a strategy built around them. Not a template, but a plan that reflects who they are, where they want to go, and where they may need help.

Fit and prestige are not mutually exclusive. If you are aiming high, let's talk about what that looks like for your student.