My experience with Ilumin was amazing from start to finish. My counselor was incredibly knowledgeable and had excellent connections for tutoring, summer programs, afterschool activities, college essay revisions, etc. They are also really consistent. My brother worked with Ilumin 10 years before I did, and they were so competent and supportive that our family came back a decade later and received the same high-quality counseling. They also provided so much support throughout the school year, and especially during college application season. They helped me stay on track, reduce my stress, and even finish my applications early. read more

If you are looking for college admission support, I cannot recommend ILUMIN Education enough. Our consultant, Danny has been working with my son since junior year, and his help during the application process was invaluable. He was extremely dedicated and provided advice that my son actually listened to and follow - which is a huge win for any parent! Seeing him get into his dream college was proud moment for us, and we know Danny played a big part in that success. We are so appreciative of the care and effort put into his journey. read more

Navigating today's college admissions process is completely different from when my husband and I went to college. We both attended public universities in California, but we quickly realized we didn't feel equipped--or have the time or energy--to guide our son through the competitive and often overwhelming landscape of applications, essays, and deadlines. On top of that, the dynamic between my son and me made it difficult to help him directly. That's when we decided to look for a college consultant. After an initial consultation with another firm, we hesitated. The cost was high, and we weren't convinced about the value. Around that time, we remembered Elton, whom we knew through our church. Years ago, I had attended a free workshop he gave and was struck by his message: helping students find the right fit--not just chasing prestige. That stuck with me. Knowing his character and his heart for young people and families gave me confidence in Ilumin's mission. Ilumin Education has a stellar team of experienced counselors, and we were given the chance to interview several coaches. We chose to work with Kelly because of her warmth and energy. She made an immediate connection with our son, and the fact that she had a child going through the process as well gave us added reassurance that she truly understood what families like ours were experiencing. Kelly built a trusting relationship with our son and always acknowledged his strengths--even though he didn't have a top SAT score. She structured meetings to fit his personality, keeping them productive and under an hour, and helped him stay on track without overwhelming him. Thanks to her encouragement and guidance, he completed his essays with confidence--many of them even ahead of schedule. He participated in Ilumin's summer essay bootcamp and later told us, "I can write really good essays now." He was so confident, in fact, that he submitted essays to additional schools outside our package on his own. The growth we saw in him was incredible. He was motivated, driven, and even helped friends who weren't working with a consultant. I had never seen him work so hard--and I never once had to nag him about his essays. Kelly helped him apply for selective summer opportunities, one of which was a month-long program at UCSB that turned out to be an amazing experience. Ultimately, our son was admitted to several great schools--including Purdue, University of Washington, Santa Clara University (with merit scholarships), and several selective state schools. He was even waitlisted at a highly selective Ivy League school, which he never would have considered applying to two years ago. While he didn't get into all his top choices, we were incredibly proud of how far he reached and how much he grew through the process. Beyond her work with students, Kelly supported me as a parent. During moments of panic (and there were many!), she responded to my emails promptly and thoughtfully--even after hours. On one occasion when Kelly was unavailable, Elton stepped in right away. That kind of responsiveness and care made us feel like more than just clients. We truly felt like they were part of our team. Working with Ilumin was one of the best decisions we made. I've spoken with other parents who hired consultants from other companies, and I can honestly say--we had the best experience. We are so grateful to Kelly, Elton, and the entire Ilumin team for their support, wisdom, and care during this journey. read more

I had an incredible experience with ILUMIN Education! I've known Elton for a while and when the time came for me to apply for graduate school, I knew who I'd be going to for help. Kyra was so kind and prompt in her responses with regard to meeting with me for consultation and helping me schedule meetings with the essay specialist. I had a meeting with Greg, who offered much-needed support, along with subtle changes to my writing that significantly improved the overall flow and readability. In being the first person in my family to go through the college application system in the U.S, it was so helpful and encouraging to have the entire team support me in putting together an application that allowed me to put my best foot forward. I'm so grateful and excited because I was accepted to pursue my Master's in Electrical Eng and Comp Sci at UC Berkeley, which was my top choice! I'd highly recommend working with Elton and the ILUMIN Education team. read more

Illumin Education Review The summer after my high schooler's sophomore year, we researched and interviewed several college admissions coaches/companies. Ultimately, we did not find a good fit and decided to enter the college application season on our own (researched colleges, fit, requirements, admissions data, admissions strategies, etc.) and worked with our high schooler on a plan. By the middle of junior year, our high schooler was struggling to manage the process and was falling behind set milestones. Parents were stressed out. Child was stressed out. There were heated ... discussions and unhappy times. We re-opened our search and eventually set up a consultation with Elton Lin at Illumin Education. We discussed our family's current goals, such as focusing primarily but not exclusively, on University of California schools (large publics, in-state tuition, nice weather), our challenges (balancing all the high school life responsibilities), etc. Elton set up calls with our high schooler and a couple of their counselors. The calls went well and we landed with Anna as our college consultant. Anna was a great fit for our high schooler. They had monthly calls to work on strategies and goals and targets, which eventually transitioned to weekly calls during the Fall. Anna was knowledgeable about the various schools we were already looking at (and why) and suggested a few others that she felt would also be good fits. We were able to stay the course as well as pivot when necessary. Anna also was able to help our child bring their authentic self to the essays and be portrayed as they wanted to be seen, while balancing the rubrics which each school's admissions offices use. Especially helpful: Illumin's Week-long College Essay Bootcamp in June Anna's 1:1 calls with our high schooler Management of the various college application deadlines (ED/EA/RD) Application crunch time calls with essay specialist Greg SAT/ACT test date management Activities and Summer Programs recommendations Fun Anecdote: For Reed College, the kid wrote a supplemental essay on religion, Faust, and video games. People were like: I have no idea what this essay is about. Anna: It's perfect. Hit submit! (and the kid got in!) Conclusion: Our child applied to a mix of UC, CSU, out of state flagships, and a couple private schools. We were happy with the colleges the kid was accepted to and super excited for our kid to enroll at UC Berkeley for Fall 2025. There is a saying, "You can't teach your own kid to swim" and that was true for us. While you can research all the information about the college application process and strategies (and we did), for us having a knowledgeable partner to work with our high schooler to cross the finish line was a critical piece of the application journey. read more

I had an amazing experience with my counselor and the ILUMIN team throughout my 4 years of high school. I received personalized guidance on navigating my academics, extracurriculars, and beyond. We worked on planning better time management, summer research opportunities, job apps, personal projects, resume building, and so much more. Initially, I didn't know what field of study I wanted to focus on, but these steps helped me discover my interests and also explore various learning opportunities that were crucial to my development in high school. The ILUMIN team was incredibly helpful with every step of the college application process. From participating in the essay bootcamp to receiving prompt, detailed feedback on every essay draft from multiple counselors and specialists, I felt confident in my work despite the complexities of the process. I am very satisfied with the results of my application process and have just finished an incredible first year of college! Truly grateful for all of the support and guidance I received from ILUMIN during my high school years. Highly recommend to any students seeking personalized advising for academic development in HS and/or navigating the college application process! read more

Elton and his excellent team guided my daughters throughout their college search and application processes. Most recently, my youngest received essay assistance from Kyra Jee. Kyra did so much more than provide edits. She was a cheerleader. She uncovered themes and threads that made my child realize something new about herself, opening the door for deeper self exploration and, ultimately, career goal refinement. Kyra brought out the best version of my daughter's writing and helped her grow in confidence and hope during a daunting time. Kyra was kind, compassionate, encouraging, empathetic, and responsive. She helped with both UC applications as well as private school applications, which require very different approaches. Kyra is an outstanding editor and writing coach. Both of my daughters were accepted into several excellent colleges and attended their top choices -- UCSD and UCSB. Words cannot express how grateful I am for Elton, Kyra, and the ILUMIN team for their counsel, mentorship, and care. read more

I genuinely don't think I could've had such a great experience with college apps without my counselor. While all my friends were stressing out about their essays and what to put into their applications, I was coasting through the process. Having clear cut directions and someone to guide me through all the different aspects of applying truly made my application journey an enjoyable and manageable one, providing everything from feedback on essays to drafting descriptions for activities. I cannot recommend Ilumin enough, and I'm eternally grateful, especially for the assistance and guidance my counselor gave me during this milestone year. read more

I am posting this review to express a huge thank you to Dayna Meyer and her support and guidance through our daughter's college application journey. Her advice and direction were invaluable and her warm and caring support was very much appreciated and a reason why our daughter's attitude throughout the process was very balanced. We are thrilled that she will becoming a Bear and going to WashU Class of 2027. Thank you to Dayna and Ilumin for outstanding support. We could not be more pleased. read more

Our family in Bay Area had a high school senior working with ILUMIN Education for colleges list and college applications since last summer for Fall 2021. The work includes UC and some out of state universities. The educational consultant and the whole team is very helpful from day one to decision making. There are a lot of work for college applications and my son got a lot of help from him. My son spent a lot times on the applications but he told me he is not stressful. The consultant is serious about the applications and cover everything needed to complete them. He also invited other experienced consultants to review my son's essays to get opinions from different angles. Everything was finished on time with days to spare. We are very happy that he got admitted to the school he loves the most. read more

I cannot thank Ilumin Education enough for helping me through the college admissions process. Even now, having completed my undergraduate and masters studies at the University of Southern California, I am humbled by the challenges high school students face. As a senior in high school, it is easy to feel overwhelmed with the many choices ahead. Ilumin mentors helped me make a full game-plan for my admission process - from efficiently picking a diverse set of universities where I would best pursue my passion for computer science, to guiding me all the way to essay submission with motivation and life advice that reached beyond the process. Just like most high school students, I did not have the experience to know how to best market myself and to identify what unique qualities I should put forward in my essays and applications, but those same students student have experiences that sets them apart from the thousands of peers. How each unique story is conveyed is what's key. John and the rest of the Ilumin team thoroughly and skillfully led me through the difficult process and helped me achieve my dream! read more

- I worked with Yichen for my college application process and I can't thank her enough for the help she offered me. As someone who doesn't know much about the process, Yichen led me along the way with extreme patience. The college list was super detailed and tailored to my preference(location, student-faculty ratio, private/ public, diversity, major, and programs) and it was critical for my application process since it gives me a general idea for the colleges I'm applying to. Throughout the application process, we were able to have at least one hour-long check-in per week where we: - discussed our plans and improvise my college essays, which was extremely helpful since I got stuck a lot - researched about college programs - talked about majors and college programs - caught up on deadlines and scheduled more meetings if needed - talked about grades & ways to improve Most importantly, since the pandemic has changed the application process for colleges, Yichen would help walk me through them step by step, including: - filling out activities on Common app & UC app - making sure my transcript and documents are submitted - filling me out on specific events like webinars and Q&As - where to submit my art portfolio - checking my art portfolio and helping me improvise descriptions for art pieces - reviewing my application before I submit them to my colleges Yichen has helped me tremendously in this process. Under her guidance, I was admitted to Boston University with a slightly below-average GPA. Without her help, I wouldn't be as close to where I am now. read more

I worked with my Ilumin Education consultant, Yichen, during my junior and senior year of high school, and I cannot thank her enough. The college admissions process is extremely confusing and stressful, but she made everything very clear by laying out all the steps I needed to take in order to succeed. As someone who applied to college in 2020, admissions were extremely unpredictable and competitive my year, but I ended up getting into my dream school, USC! Yichen is a very friendly, supportive person who clearly cares about her students. She always made time for me in her busy schedule and answered all my (many) questions in a timely manner. She gave me countless helpful tips about formatting my college application and what admissions officers are looking for, which I never would've learned otherwise. When I was feeling overwhelmed or anxious, her pep talks never failed to lift my spirits. I think the most beneficial part of this experience was being given a clear outline of when to start/finish certain things. It is very easy to procrastinate and fall behind on test prep or writing college essays, but Yichen helped me come up with an organized schedule. I ended up taking 10 SAT practice tests during sophomore year, and I got a 1530 on my first try the summer before junior year. Junior year, she also encouraged me to engage in more extracurriculars related to my major, which landed me a research assistantship alongside graduate students. These major-related extracurriculars were a great basis for my "why" essays, and I probably never would've pursued them without her encouragement. I wrote a first draft of every single one of my college essays (I wrote 30 essays in total) the summer before senior year. College essay prompts can be very daunting, but Yichen helped me brainstorm when I had no clue what I wanted to write about. Knocking out these first drafts was very beneficial because it gave me more time to revise and focus on my senior year commitments. Beyond essays, she also gave me a timeline with reminders for other miscellaneous things like when the Common App opened, when to ask for letters of recommendation, brag sheets, scheduling alumni interviews, sending transcripts, and more.  Yichen helped me with literally every single aspect of the convoluted college application process. I cannot thank her and the Ilumin team enough! read more

Looking back on the four years where I've had John as my counselor, the personal development I see in myself is hard to believe. I'm nowhere near the same person I was at the beginning of high school, and much of it is thanks to John's guidance over these years. Not only has John introduced me to countless opportunities and helped me achieve my goals, he has also taught me how to be responsible and professional. During my monthly meetings with John, we would check in and discuss my academic goals. When I failed to reach them or was struggling in a class, John always pushed me to come up with strategies for myself to do better next time. By encouraging me to actually do something about my problems rather than just tell myself to "try harder", John was able to help me become a more proactive person and take responsibility for my actions. John also introduced me to many extracurricular opportunities and summer programs that helped me refine and develop my passion for business. I knew early on that I was interested in business, but would have been completely lost in navigating myself to explore the field without his guidance. Through his recommendations, advice, and help with applications, I have been able to hone in on my passion for business and strongly gear my extracurriculars towards this interest. I was very impressed with my experience in the college applications process with Ilumin. I found the brainstorming sessions with John extremely useful and productive, and with Ilumin's help, I was able to write essays that I was genuinely proud of. What I appreciated most about this experience was the attention to detail that John put into my essays. At times, the countless scrapping of ideas, restarting essays, and revisions seemed meticulous to me. Every time he asked to do another revision, I kept thinking "how are we still not done??" However looking back, I know that this process was necessary and I'm insanely grateful for John's commitment to making my essays the best they could possibly be. I really appreciate that John is so chill and that he focuses on helping me learn and grow from my mistakes. Many of the lessons that John has taught me have developed into good habits that I know will benefit me later on in college and in life. I am so incredibly thankful to John and Ilumin for guiding me through my high school journey and helping me get into my dream school, NYU Stern. I highly recommend John as a counselor and am extremely satisfied with my experience at Ilumin! read more

Having started consulting with John early on in high school, I've only recently begun to realize how transformative the process was -- for both my college application and personal development. I can safely say that without John's guidance, I wouldn't be close to the person I am today. The biggest impact that I feel John brings to the table is his unique ability to help you achieve your full potential. Like numerous other students, I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted to study at the beginning of high school. During my freshman and sophomore years, however, John encouraged me to participate in new activities and step out of my comfort zone to uncover my legitimate interests. Not only was this crucial for my personal development as I become increasingly open to new experiences, once I had an idea about what I was truly passionate about, I worked together with John to create a roadmap for the rest of high school. In monthly meetings, I would check in with John to discuss my goals and further ways to explore my passions. Whether it was starting a nonprofit or business, or applying to summer programs, John was there every step of the way assisting me to make sure I achieved my desired results -- as long as I was motivated enough to put in the dedication and effort necessary to succeed. Additionally, John's guidance was invaluable in the development of my character. He constantly encouraged me to pursue options I had never even considered, such as a summer job, where I surprisingly learned lessons that I hadn't in research positions or internships. As a result, I was able to develop a clear theme in my personal characteristics, academics and extracurriculars that really shone in my college application and conveyed my authentic self. I'm also incredibly appreciative for John and the Ilumin team's help during the college essay process. Writing college essays is difficult, and it's important to have that extra eye to provide feedback on your ideas and content. In particular, the essay boot camps and weekly essay workshops offered were extremely helpful and made my college applications relatively stressless. I would receive timely and effective comments on my college essays and supplements whenever I needed it, and with the Ilumin team's support I was able to craft essays that eloquently conveyed my individuality and passions. I'm extraordinarily grateful to have had the opportunity to work with John and Ilumin Education over these past few years. I would wholeheartedly recommend Ilumin for anyone searching for college consulting and life coaching. The Ilumin team truly has both the experience and abilities needed to propel you towards self-actualization and becoming the best version of yourself that you can be. read more

The best choice I made in high school was to start consulting with John and Ilumin education. Their system and approach are well crafted to help students maximize their potential throughout high school and the college application season. This is done through their personalized counseling method which focuses on getting to know the students, something that was lacking at other counseling firms. The thing that separates John from other counselors that I tried to work with in the past is his proactivity, communication, and experience. Every month we would create a plan together, which would include specific goals and tasks like finishing half of a bot, app, or online course. And he would continuously check-in and offer encouragement as a mentor, transcending the traditional role of a counselor. The life long skills (time management, organization, communication, etc.) that I have learned from John not only shows his dedication to get the best out of every student but also his commitment to helping accomplish the goals you set for yourself. For most students, the college application experience is very stressful, but John minimized this stress and made it much easier for me. The summer before senior year, I would regularly get the opportunity to work with John and some of the other amazing counselors to help plan, edit, and finalize college essays. With his planning, I was able to finish most of my college applications and essays before finals, which helped me focus on school. From long conversations about essay topics to the comprehensive college list he proposed, John efficiently guided me through this messy and somewhat terrifying process of college admissions. Like I said before, John is more than just a counselor. He is a mentor and a friend. Without John and Ilumin education, I definitely would not have as many college acceptances as I do now. read more

I've been working with my ILUMIN consultant since the beginning of freshman year and I just can't imagine how my high school and college application experience would have been without her. From freshman to junior year, my consultant helped me immensely with class scheduling, volunteering opportunities, summer program applications, test prep, and even less "tangible" items like time management, stress, and burnout to prepare for college apps. She was extremely knowledgeable and experienced, but beyond that she was so kind and funny and I really connected with her on a personal level-- which made working together so much more productive and enjoyable. Many of our meetings have gone overtime just from us laughing about memes; she really made time to get to know me as an individual, which I really appreciated! On a slightly more serious note, one thing I really struggled with at the beginning of high school was finding a passion--I was that kid that felt "meh" about every single subject. If this sounds like your kid, ILUMIN consultants will have you covered. My consultant helped me brainstorm and find volunteer/event/online course opportunities to explore what I liked and what I didn't. What I enjoyed in particular is that she never pushed me to do certain things in the name of "looking good on college apps"; she really took my interests and helped me develop and expand them in my unique way, no matter what they were. For example, I was interested in the science behind skin care so my consultant taught me how to apply for internships at skin care companies. She leveraged my social media experience to help me get three offers and have learned so much about marketing, product development, and PR from my internship! ILUMIN has been invaluable to my college application experience and I am forever grateful. They are extremely knowledgeable about different colleges and their programs/deadlines/requirements/etc and helped me build my college list. I was dreading writing college essays since pretty much freshman year, but ILUMIN made it a great experience! Essay workshops were held throughout the summer before senior year to brainstorm for UCs and early apps. I struggled with putting the story I wanted to tell on paper, but after trying different ideas and rounds of meticulous revising throughout the fall I can proudly say the essays I submitted represent me. My consultant plus ILUMIN's amazing essay editors helped me tie together my extracurriculars, passions, and life experiences perfectly. In terms of college apps, at the time of this review, I have been accepted to every single UC I applied to (UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara, UC San Diego, UC Santa Cruz) as well as UMichigan, NYU, BU, UIUC, and Northeastern, among others. I'm extremely thankful for everything ILUMIN has done for my high school and college app experience. I cannot recommend them enough if you are looking for an educational consultant. read more

I wish I have a better assessment of our experience. My daughter and I started out searching for college counseling to get expert guidance and a peace of mind that we are in good hands. I expected that I can sit back and be able to trust that Ilumin is doing the best for her leveraging their experience and knowledge. This was not at all what we experienced. There were issues starting from the college list to the application process. We were put in positions where we were led to falsely believe that things were fine until the 11th hour when we were rudely awaken to the fact that they weren't and had very little time to react. My daughter had many tears and numerous panics due to misguided info or surprises on the last day of applications. I am very disappointed that this engagement wasn't able to help her avoid or even lessen these, and in some cases, contributed to the problem. The reason I gave 2-stars was due to the fact that I believe Ilumin did a decent job helping my daughter w/ her essays. They also tried to show good faith by giving us some additional applications. However, if all we needed was help w/ essays, I would have been able to get that for much less than what we paid. The extra applications given was a good gesture but at the cost of the misteps and panics that happened along the way don't come close to rectifying the situation. read more

Just like any other teenager, I had no clue on what I wanted to do in life. I juggled a few interests like marine biology, business, and art, but still had no idea on where to start. That is why I began to look for a counselor. But after meeting with a few companies, I couldn't bear to sit with some of the people I met with. If I was going to work with them for the next three years, I needed to find the one that worked for me. I needed someone that would understand MY interests and be a helping hand for every step of the way. When I met with John for the first time, I knew he was the counselor for me- dedicated, relatable, and chill. I started working with him and he immediately focused on my main concern of figuring out my interests. He gave me an intensive test to further explore my personality type, helping me narrow down my interests. He also suggested several online courses to help me make my decision. While swimming in the hellish waters of junior year and college applications, he was always there with the very necessary flotation devices and emotional support to navigate through the distressing time. John helped me prioritize and ground myself while also building up my confidence. When college application season came around, John compiled a recommended college list for me. But it was a daunting list with very prestigious schools. I had little confidence in my ability to get in, like the competitive summer programs that I somehow got into. Imposter syndrome was in full swing and I was mentally ready to enroll into De Anza but he pulled me out of that mess. When completing the actual applications, I struggled with conveying myself but he guided my narrative. I could just shoot him a quick text to get a question answered. I think the ability to openly communicate with him is what makes John so special. He is a confidante, a friend, and a mentor. He didn't just care about me academically, he cared about me as a person and sat through all of my rants about kpop and dank memes. If you are looking for a genuine, down to earth, and well-informed counselor, John is your man. He set me on the right path for my future and made sure I was always one step ahead. Now, as a second-semester senior, I'm grateful that he pushed me to finish my applications a month early. On top of that, I was accepted into my ED school, Emory University, where I plan on studying business. read more

I worked with my ILUMIN consultant, Henry, since the end of my freshman year. Throughout the entire process, he's always been extremely helpful in planning my extracurriculars and summer plans, breaking essays into smaller deadlines, and editing/revising essays over and over. We first met through a consultation where we discussed my interests, passions, and overall college and career plans. Since the beginning, I think one of the best parts of having him as a consultant was that he would always give great suggestions and advice but leave the final choice to my own discretion; for instance, he would mention that leadership may be slightly lacking in my application and I could consider trying to found or co-found a club, but he never pushed me to do anything I felt uncomfortable with. We'd meet once a month and each summer, he would prepare a spreadsheet of several programs he thought I might enjoy participating in and tell me to take a look at them and make some notes while comparing them. After I selected a couple to apply for, he'd create documents for essays months before the deadline and instruct me to finish certain prompts by our next meeting so he could edit them and leave comments. He'd also help prepare me for interviews and connect me with other consultants who were more experienced in interviewing, making me feel much more confident about all my interviews. The summer before college applications were due, ILUMIN had a one-week essay workshop where we began brainstorming ideas for our Common and UC application essays. We looked at our interests, passions, and extracurriculars and used several templates to try to create a cohesive story about ourselves to present to colleges. I left with a much better idea of how I was going to approach most questions on college apps and the personal qualities/achievements I would try to emphasize the most. He made a spreadsheet with a list of around thirty colleges with their respective stats separated into reach, target, and safety, and had me choose several that he'd work with me on. We then spent the next few months writing, editing, and revising various college essays, and his insight into how to answer different prompts definitely made the process much easier. Overall, everything always felt really organized and I never felt myself panicking due to any last-minute deadlines (even though I'm one of the biggest procrastinators I know). Thanks to him, I got accepted to UCLA, which was a reach that I never imagined I'd be able to get into. The college application process would've definitely been far worse without him, and I would definitely recommend him and ILUMIN to anyone looking for a college consultant. read more

Getting a counselor was one of the most impactful things I did in high school. At first, I wasn't sure whether I needed it and I was looking into it because other people were doing it. As time progressed, I realized that for some reason, John telling me to do something was just different from your parents telling you to do something. I appreciate how he is a friend/big brother figure, and never forces you to do anything--it's more of a recommendation. My dad's stance was, for a long time, that we didn't need a counselor because he could tell me everything the counselor could. As college application season rolled around the corner, his stance changed drastically. The amount of help you get before senior year is just adding up to this culminative semester of just grinding out essays, but Ilumin really helped me manage my time and provide inspiration. Their comprehensive college list for you was probably the most useful resource I had, and I am grateful that they compiled a list with so many possibilities and it also set my mind at ease. I can confidently say that without Ilumin/John, I would not have gotten into Michigan or half of the other schools I was accepted to. read more

We had been looking for a good college application counselor for a few years. We talked to some of the local counseling institutes but had various concerns. Luckily, one of my good friends also a former colleague referred me to ILUMIN Education. I was very impressed with a team of highly experienced, well-qualified counselors and their track records on college applications. My son is very grateful to have worked with John Chen on the journey and my family is well pleased with the results. John has done a great job in helping my son in many areas! He is super organized with setting milestones and meeting minutes. John made sure my son meet his deadlines and followed up on the progress. He helped my son to improve his study habits and better time management skills. John is a superb education counselor. He has spent quality time with my son on a regular basis. In addition to the face-to-face meetings and online conferences, John was very flexible and approachable during the college application crunch time! One of the key steps before college applications is the summer internship or summer camp after my son's junior year. As many parents know, good summer internships or camps are hard to get in. The major of my son's choice is one of the hottest fields and the relevant summer camps are always highly competitive. John helped us with a list of high-ranked, high-quality summer programs that suit my son's needs. With the help and guidance of John and his colleagues at ILUMIN Education, my son got accepted into an excellent summer program that was very innovative and attracted many students around the world. The experience and the results from this special summer program definitely helped my son's early acceptance into one of the top colleges in the field because the institute of this summer program was one of the noted, educational partners of the college! The college application process is a long journey. It takes a lot of time and efforts for many tasks, including the essay writing. Fortunately, ILUMIN Education has excellent essay workshops and boot camps that help senior students to be well prepared. One of the early tough tasks is to find a good college that fits my child. John did an excellent job by suggesting a list of colleges based on my son's academic performances and extracurricular activities. He also shared with us the detailed statistics of admission information from the colleges over the past few years. With the highly educated guess and the wonderful guidance on the essays, my son got accepted into his first choice college and finished his college applications in mid-December! Thank you very much, John, for your superb service! I plan to have my second child to work with you soon. And many thanks to the excellent counselors and great teamwork at ILUMIN Education! I highly recommend John Chen and other counselors at ILUMIN Education for their coaching and counseling services! read more

As the first-born child to Chinese immigrants who didn't understand the American higher education system at all, I was basically at square one in the college application process. All I knew was I needed to find the right college counselor for me-- one who not only provided me with resources during the application process, but could truly bring out the "me" through every word submitted. Elton was unlike all the other counselors I had met elsewhere. Besides making various admissions testing and essay writing resources available to me, he also made himself very readily accessible. All throughout sophomore and junior year, we had monthly meetings. When I couldn't meet in person, we were able to Skype. Even when I sent a question via text, he responded quickly and in detail. In preparation for admissions testing, Elton set up a personal practice plan for me and according to how my scores turned out, he would give me tips and tricks to different sections and tell me what specifically to focus on for the next practice test. Don't worry if you aren't good with time management either-- Elton will find a method to help you. During the whole essay writing and application period, he will especially make sure everything is going smoothly and that nothing is forgotten or lost in the complicated process. He dedicated so much time to helping me perfect my essays and brainstorming with me in order to bring out the most unique and strongest story for them. tldr; Go to Ilumin! read more

There are plenty of college application counselors out there and as parents it can be quite intimidating to finalize which one to go with. With a referral from a family friend we were introduced to ILUMIN Education. We came away from an introductory Zoom video call with Elton Lin feeling impressed. It was the transparency and trustworthiness he exhibited when explaining the entire college application process that was eye catching. ILUMIN Education has a very competent staff and great track record in making the college application process an enjoyable one for both students and parents! Elton recommended John Boonin as our son's counselor and both deserve huge bear hugs. John helped to strengthen our son's narrative and that was the key to writing great essays. It was amazing to witness after all the many meetups and agreed upon deadlines culminate into successful ED/EA college application submits. Great work and kudos to the entire team at ILUMIN Education! read more

My experience with ILUMIN Education has been amazing. I am an international student, and I required extensive help with my application and essays. Even though I didn't have a vast hope, the ILUMIN consultant I worked with always pushed me. He always tried his best to help me even in the holidays during Christmas! I'm pleased to say I was recently admitted to MIT class of 24'. ILUMIN Education presents lots of opportunities you can benefit from, and they definitely know what they are doing. My admission to MIT is an evidence of how the essays are important. I only wish I had reached out to them sooner, I am almost sure I could get admitted with less stress read more

One of the best things I have ever done for myself was getting an ILUMIN consultant. I can confidently say that I would not have been able to successfully make it through high school and especially the college application process without my consultant's help and support. When I first entered high school, I had no idea how to build a competitive college resume. During our very first meeting, my ILUMIN consultant gave me an outline of what my ideal CV should look like as well as a roadmap to get there. From then on, starting my freshmen year, my consultant would routinely meet with me every 2 weeks to check up on my progress and make sure I was keeping on track. From directing me to apply to relevant and competitive research programs to giving me advice on which courses to take in high school, my consultant was always there to guide me, answer all of my questions, and provide support. Knowing that he was there gave me a lot of confidence to step out of my comfort zone and try new experiences and made me grow as a student. When it was time to start my college application process, my consultant made sure that I started early. He outlined every step I needed to take, provided a timeline, helped me brainstorm ideas, and kept me organized. We worked together to develop a thorough list of colleges that I wanted to apply to that included reach, target, and safety schools. For me, the hardest part of applying to college was all the essays. During the actual writing of my college essays, my consultant proofread and gave insightful editing recommendations and kept me motivated and on schedule. Thanks to him, I finished all of my applications and essays early and could comfortably submit them before the deadline. With the help of ILUMIN and my mentor, the stressful, confusing college application process was made so much more manageable. I am happy to say that I was accepted early decision into my first choice, Emory University. I am thankful for all the help and support of ILUMIN and my consultant. read more

From my personal experience with ILUMIN, I was provided with amazing educational and college counseling. I participated in a weeklong college essay boot camp that prepared me both for UC prompts and common application prompts. Especially with applications being test optional this year specifically, essays had a huge impact on applications and with ILUMIN's help I was able to get into my number one school, UC Irvine. I highly recommend any high school student to work with ILUMIN to achieve their goals. read more

My daughter had an absolutely amazing experience using ILUMIN to help with her college application process that culminated with an early acceptance to Yale University in the extremely difficult admissions cycle of 2020/2021. Thank you so much ILUMIN consultants! First and foremost, our ILUMIN consultant helped with selecting and prioritizing the list of schools to apply for, which included reach, target and safety schools. Each pick was a result of many discussions between us and our consultant. Our consultant's understanding of my daughter's personality, interests, and possible majors was complimented by their deep understanding of majors offered by various schools, their teaching philosophies, and campus environments. When we started the application process in January of junior year, ILUMIN consultants emphasized the importance of a summer program before senior year. We didn't even know about the existence of most of these programs. They recommended which programs to apply to and helped with the application process, including the essays. We strongly believe that my daughter's admission to one of these programs was instrumental for her admission to Yale. Picking a college to apply for as "Early Action" or "Early Decision" was a tough choice. ILUMIN consultants were instrumental for us in developing the right strategy and selecting the right college to apply for. ILUMIN's deep understanding of the admissions office's decision-making process convinced us to go with their recommendation, and we were so happy that we did. The college application process can be overwhelming for both the children and parents. If you are helping your first child, you don't even know where to start. Our ILUMIN consultant put a well-defined structure to this chaos. They worked directly with my daughter to establish the overall timeline - what needs to be achieved by the end of each month in the application cycle. Then, they helped her create the weekly tasks and objectives. They followed up with her on a regular basis - sometimes with daily emails and texts - to make sure she stays on top of her schedule. As a result, she had to work hard throughout the application cycle, but she never had to rush or cut corners to meet the deadlines. Finally, the ideas that she had developed for her college applications essays working with ILUMIN consultants were amazing. They talked about many academic and extracurricular experiences my daughter had in high school, family, values, and discussed what my daughter is passionate about and what matter to her the most. All these discussions were reflected in the countless essay drafts developed. When I was reading the final versions, I saw my daughter's unique personality in every sentence; I saw a wonderful young lady who is ready to change the world to become a better place. At the end of the process, we felt incredibly fortunate that my daughter had many outstanding choices for college -Yale, USC with 50 % academic scholarship, UCLA, UC SD, UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara, among many other schools. While my daughter's grades, SAT, ACT tests and extracurricular activities were very impressive, I feel that it is her personality rather than statistics that got her admitted to these prestigious schools. Working with ILUMIN was instrumental to ensure that everyone in the college admission offices could see this personality. Thank you!! read more

I found ILUMIN Education the summer before my sophomore year and am incredibly grateful to have worked with John Chen, my counselor, for almost all of high school. My parents and I were equally as lost when it came to preparing for college, but John quickly helped us develop a long-term plan to point me in the right direction. John customizes each step of the plan to the student's needs, with the main focus being on what the student wants to achieve. He consistently finds the best academic programs and extracurricular activities that most fit into his students' interests because he understands our passions and motivations. In addition, John is a very proactive counselor who will get things done. He has a strong focus and long-term vision that really helped me stay on task and he prepared me with the right time-management skills and study habits. John is organized and diligent, as he's always clear and active with communication and committed to making sure that his students produce their best work. Not only is John a dedicated mentor, he's also a kindhearted friend. The college application process was perhaps the most stressful experience for me during high school, which I'm sure I wouldn't have been able to handle as well without John's help. Throughout that time, he kept me motivated and on track but was also careful to never push me too hard. I can tell he truly cares about the well-being of each individual student, as he puts in the extra time to give insightful life advice and offer emotional support. Thanks to John and ILUMIN Education, I was accepted into all the UC's I applied to and will be attending Cornell University this fall. It's been a great three years under John's guidance! read more

Ilumin Education was created to help high school students weave and navigate their way through the college application process. Staff here are always checking in with their students to ensure that they are on the right track to fulfill their college aspirations. They act as the students' support crew and guide them through any sort of complications the students may encounter. Staff also prioritize connection and interaction with the students; when they approach their job, it does not feel like it is a consultant to client atmosphere, but rather it is a mentor and mentee. They are always concerned about the students' well being above all as they always make sure to check up on their students before any other progress can be made for college. With the personnel Ilumin Education is comprised of in combination with a student's work ethic, it is not hard to believe a mentee can fulfill their college endeavors. Through my own experience, working with Elton Lin brought an immense amount of clarity to the college application process. Elton was extremely helpful in answering general college questions my family and I had. Prior to arriving to high school, I had a preconceived thought that the counselors at school will help me on the road to college, but that was unfortunately not the case. Elton, however, filled in that void as a mentor and a guide. In addition to advising me on how to formulate responses on my applications, Elton gave my family an insight and some clarity on how college admission offices accept their students which gave us ideas as to what we should expect. Without his help, I truly believe I will be blindsided by the unexpected difficulties I would have encountered during the application process. read more

I started consulting with Azure early on in high school, and we worked very closely to build my college application. We met every month to check in on my grades, extracurriculars, priorities, and overall well-being; we also discussed what adjustments we could make to strengthen my overall academics and extracurriculars. During my sophomore and junior years, Azure helped me find summer internships/programs that were the best fit for my career path, and found organizations I could volunteer at during the school year to gain hands-on experience with my specific major. As a result, I had plenty of options I could write my essays on, and was able to draft my ideas from a more dynamic mindset. During the summer between my junior and senior year, Azure guided me throughout the different applications, and helped me narrow down and organize the topics I wanted to write about in my essays. Before the summer ended, I was able to finish filling out all my applications and had finished drafting most of my essays. When the school year started and I was trying to balance school tasks with my college applications, Azure was very helpful by responding quickly to my essay revisions and always having extra tips for me when I wasn't sure how to start my next round of revisions. She was also very experienced in handling overlapping essay topics, which saved me a lot of time in the long run. I was able to submit my applications early and didn't have to worry about time spent on college apps interfering with school work or extracurriculars when application deadlines approached. Azure stayed in contact with me after my applications had been submitted, and she was always the first person I contacted whenever I had heard back from a school. I am so thankful for Azure and all that she has helped me with throughout high school and the college application process :) read more

When it comes to applying for college, I truly could not have done it without the help of John, Lynn, Azure, and the rest of his team. They are not only friendly and professional but also very knowledgeable about the application process, what admissions counselors are looking for, and how to work to become someone I was proud to write about in my personal statements. John was my point person and he would hold me accountable for my work, but at the same time he was always understanding and would help me through any part of the process I was struggling with. I can confidently say that I would not have been admitted into the majors in the schools I applied to had it not been for the team's essay and application brainstorming, revising, and ongoing suggestions for improvement. If you know anyone who needs a boost to their college applications, Ilumin is the way to go. read more

Ilumin was incredibly helpful in our son's college application process especially with college selection, planning extracurriculars, and essay writing. He worked with Elton Lin and Yii-Shun. They were knowledgeable, responsive, and fun to work with! With their support, our son was able to get into his #1 choice school! read more

I honestly don't know how I would have survived the college application season without my Ilumin consultant. Beyond answering my countless questions on the application itself, she gave immensely useful essay feedback, helped me brainstorm ideas and new directions to explore when I was stuck in my writing, and provided emotional support and practical advice when I would stress-email her about my essay anxieties. In the thick of the fall application season, she helped me figure out what to prioritize each week so I could be sure to finish all my essays in a timely manner and minimize stress. Due to her personal experience with supporting students in the application process, as well as the collective knowledge of the Ilumin team, my consultant was able to provide insights about differing writing styles and focuses that cater to each individual school's tastes -- important nuances that I hadn't been informed of by any other sources during my research on applying to colleges. As a long-time writer and intended English major, I anticipated difficulties in producing a Common App personal statement I would be proud of. The personal statement felt like a culmination of my high school career and was therefore an especially daunting project to tackle. I am happy to say that, thanks to my consultant's commitment to helping me find the right story to tell and revise my writing to tell it in the most effective way, I am very proud of my final statement. It stayed true to my writing style and ended up feeling far more vulnerable, real, and powerful than any of my initial drafts. With my personal statement, supplements, activity lists, and more, my consultant always provided explanations for her suggested edits and took care to respect my ideas as a writer, asking for my opinion on her comments or aspects of my drafts we were discussing. Thanks to Ilumin's guidance throughout the application process, I've been admitted to my dream school, Columbia College of Columbia University, through Early Decision. I feel incredibly lucky to have had access to Ilumin's high-quality support, helping me put my best foot forward in such an inherently stressful process. I would highly recommend Ilumin to any student hoping to present themselves and their accomplishments in the most compelling way to admissions committees. To Ilumin: thank you, thank you, thank you! read more

I worked with Lia in my junior/senior year to prepare for college applications. Overall, I was deeply impressed by the general services procided by ILUMIN, as well as the one-on-one couseling I received from my couselor, Lia. In terms of my school list, Lia's advice was vital to planning out which schools to apply to and determining an application timeline. She continued to follow up throughout the entire application process, from starting applications to handling waitlist appeals, which was immensely helpful to supporting me throughout the college process. More importantly, my essays would not have been the same without Lia's help. As I was working on my essays, she provided inspiration and suggestions through hours of exercises and in-person discussion. Through these, I was able to discover my passion for neuroscience and tailor my application around this passion to make my essays truly shine. I am incredibly grateful for Lia's help, as it strengthened not only my college application, but also my sense of self. More generally, the other staff at ILUMIN were also helpful to my college application. I was connected with interview coaches who made my interviews run smoothly and also with former admissions officers who read and revised my essays. I could not have gotten into Berkeley as a Regents Scholar had it not been for the support of Lia, as well as all of ILUMIN. read more

With college applications being so competitive, high school timelines must be meticulously planned. The list of things to do never seem to end: grades, standardized testings, APs, extracurricular activities, sports, community service, summer camps, and more. These tasks are exacting and stresses the student out. In my first meeting with the counselors of ILUMIN education, they had already started constructing a plan that will carry me through high school. Just after one meeting, I felt relieved and less anxious. My counselor Yichen and the rest of the ILUMIN team assigned clear targets for me to reach. Thanks to them, I was able to concentrate on my schoolwork and other hobbies without worrying about deadlines and requirements. Yichen and the ILUMIN team also held me accountable and prevented me from straying off track -- a difficult task given my tendency to be easily distracted. Working with ILUMIN gives me an added sense of responsibility, as they genuinely wish me to be successful. This responsibility comes a long way, and pushes me to walk the extra mile. Along the way, the team also offered valuable information about the application process and colleges. The advice I received from them was much more comprehensive and relevant than any advice given by my school counselor. Whether it be questions about the campus, club activities, or classes offered, ILLUMIN provided answers for everything. My counselor Yichen's personal experience with the college process also proved helpful, and many of my doubts on process were cleared up by her. All in all, I was very satisfied with the help I received. To my surprise (and quite possibly to theirs too), I was accepted to my dream school. Their assistance cannot be understated in achieving this happy outcome. read more

I had what most in the area would consider a subpar GPA. I feel that with out Elton's help, there would be no way that I would have gotten into Colgate University. All the staff are kind and welcoming, and they are extremely knowledgeable about everything related to college and the college application process. They even helped me connect with interview coaches so that I could be prepared for anything that might come up. They are some of the best college counselors I have ever known about. read more

As my high school career rolls to an end, I realize that Elton and Ilumin Education have helped me grow tremendously, both academically and socially. Elton, in addition to providing guidance in navigating the complex college admissions process, has become my personal mentor. Without Elton, I would not be half of the person I am today. During our first face-to-face meeting, Elton identified my strengths and interests and created a 4 year plan tailored for my success in the college admissions process. From sharing feedback as I developed my passion project to reviewing a multitude of college essay drafts, Elton helped me discover my passion for social impact and eloquently communicate my character and quirks throughout my college applications. Elton has been my life coach, acting as a friend and confidant who I could rely on for reassurance. Elton always took the time to check in on me, whether through milk tea runs, text message exchanges, or Chinese takeout meals, and provide motivation during times of self-doubt and stress. His valuable insight about resume values and eulogy values has helped me grow into a better, more well-rounded person. I would highly recommend Ilumin to any family looking for college consulting and life coaching. The Ilumin team will take the time to work with you, figure out your passions, and enable you to run full speed ahead towards success. read more

I was introduced to Elton during my sophomore year of high school, when I didn't know what I needed to do in order to make it into a college I wanted. Being the inexperienced child I was at 13 years old, I felt that attempting to enter into UC Berkeley was practical. Throughout the journey, Elton never gave up even though I myself knew I didn't have the mentality to want to take, nor try to take certain classes at school to get me there. Looking back on it now, Elton followed my journey along with me through the ups and downs of my academics, extracurriculars, and life goals. The uniqueness I think Elton gave me was his advice throughout the activities I wanted to do. His balance between freedom and educational advice was just perfect to allow me to discover my life goals, yet maintain a long term vision of how to get there. After discovering my life goal in high school, I am now more than ever ready to do whatever it takes to pursue the major I want. Without Elton and his team, I would have never found the nuances in the academic system to pursue the classes that I was interested in, such as business law. In other words, without the counseling of Elton, I would have never discovered a major I feel so passionately about this early in my life. read more

Ilumin education is an amazing organization. Their consultants will go above and beyond to help kids with not only college applications, but preparing for life too. While I was only working with John, all the consultants took their time to get to know me as well. I frequently talked with Azure, who is not only friendly and willing to help, but is also very qualified to help. I also bonded with Elton over ping pong matches in between college applications as a way to relieve stress and have fun while doing the application process. What can I say about John, except the best things. I worked with John throughout high school, not just college applications. Although, he helped me through my college applications by making me write essays over and over again until I got them perfect, or getting me into a school whose average GPA was much higher than mine, John helped me with so much more than that. He helped me develop life habits, such as balancing football and academics, taking care of my own health, learning what to prioritize, helping me find my beliefs and values, and countless other things. He also helped me and my parents reach out to tutors when I was struggling in a certain class. Foremost, he helped me communicate with my parents a lot better. My parents and I often had different views and different expectations, but John helped us bridge that gap coming to mutual agreements about everything. He taught us skills to communicate that come in handy now, when it comes to talking about summer plans or just communicating in general. He's helped improve my relationship with my parents, and made me a better and more caring, and more well rounded. Furthermore, he goes beyond academics. He's always more than willing to help me with something else. For me, he helped me with the normal high school drama, like finding a girlfriend, cultivating and maintaining a relationship, and dealing with heart breaks. Finally, John treats me and my family as if we're part of his family. Having worked with his wife for SAT/ACT english as well as my own english classes, I've developed a close relationship with both him and his wife. I always feel comfortable asking for something, whether it's figuring out how laundry machines work in college, learning how to cook, having my resume looked at, or preparing for an interview. I'm always excited to come back home from college and stop in to catch up with them, as they always have exciting stories or helpful advice for my own life. John, his wife, and all of Ilumin have helped me develop in so many ways, and I am forever grateful for the countless wisdom they have given me. Don't be afraid to choose Ilumin, and they will provide excellent consulting to your kids. For all the other negative reviews, I can only say that college apps are 95% student, and Ilumin can only do so much with what they're given. I've also never had to worry about them responding to me, as I usually get a response within a couple of hours. Again, I am 100% for Ilumin, and I can say so much more about their quality. read more