Review from my son: Zach Pava played a major role in my…read morecollege admissions process. Not only was his college essay feedback on 15+ essays extremely insightful, I felt that the manner in which he set up a schedule with deadlines and tasks was more helpful. He always kept in touch, especially during October and November, and always responded promptly. Zach set up mock interviews for me with other Insight counselors to practice for college admissions interviews, which did not count against my counseling hours! Also, the fact that Zach primarily worked over Skype was actually more convenient, since I did not have drive to the Cupertino office all the time for the counseling; instead, I could just do it over Skype in my room.

I just recently graduated from Emory University, and upon finishing my time in undergrad, I found…read moremyself looking back and reflecting on my college application process. I am the eldest in my family, and a first-generation American, so my family and I were unseasoned and largely out of our comfort zone when the time came to begin applying to universities. I found Zach through Insight, and he was a tremendous help to me, offering up suggestions about colleges I may be interested in applying to, prepping me for college tours and visits, editing my personal statements and supplemental essays, and offering me any guidance or support I needed throughout the long process. While I was a bit shy and lacking in confidence, Zach saw my strengths and potential, and constantly motivated me to challenge myself, ensuring that my applications reflected my best attributes. With Zach as my counselor, I never once felt stressed or overwhelmed about writing my applications, as Zach planned out deadlines for all components of my applications, ensuring that I would have everything in on time. Zach's genuine concern for my well-being and future was palpable throughout the application process, and after being accepted into Emory, my top choice school, Zach continued to be supportive of my aspirations. He was always more than happy to answer any questions I had about college and the future beyond. I highly recommend Zach not only as a college counselor, but also as a trusted mentor. His help was, and continues to be, an invaluable resource for me and my family!

Our son has struggled with social communication and expressive language, but through learning math…read morewith Daisy, he has not only developed a genuine interest in math, but also improved his communication skills and confidence. Meeting a teacher who truly understands and supports a child is something incredibly meaningful in life. We are deeply grateful for Daisy's warmth, patience, and encouragement, as well as the caring support from AJ Tutoring . Thank you for making such a positive difference in our child's growth and happiness.

I had a fantastic experience working with Peter Littlefield while preparing for my MCAT. He was…read moreincredibly thorough in his explanations and always took the time to break down complex concepts in a way that made them feel manageable. I never felt hesitant to ask a question because he created an environment where curiosity was encouraged and every question was met with patience and respect. Peter also helped me develop a structured and intensive review plan for my full length exams, which made a significant difference in how effectively I was able to study and track my progress. His guidance strengthened my understanding of the material and gave me the confidence I needed as I moved closer to test day. Peter is an exceptional tutor, and I recommend him wholeheartedly. He is a wonderful choice not only for MCAT preparation but for any science course. His dedication, clarity, and supportive teaching style truly set him apart.

My son had an excellent experience with Caleb Liu preparing for the ACT. Caleb is extremely…read moreprofessional, listens attentively to the individual needs and goals of the student and parent, and goes above and beyond to ensure the success of his students. He was recommended to me by a parent whom he successfully tutored with great results as well. I was especially impressed by him when there was a practice test hiccup, was super responsive in resolving the issue, and took it upon himself to do a personal makeup for my son. I highly recommend Caleb as a 5-star tutor for test prep. Overall, our experience with AJ was very positive, but there is significant room for improvement for practice test sessions. My son took two practice tests that were not well-organized and frustrated him because he had prepared for them only to feel like his time was wasted. I provided direct feedback to AJ because I was surprised that that this happened twice in a row to my son. I expected a premium tutoring service like AJ to be able to run practice test sessions routinely and smoothly because when they don't it causes additional stress and time on the students and parents. I hope AJ takes this as constructive feedback for the future.

Trustworthy, deeply caring, and remarkably consistent tutor…read more DeLey Hamm has worked with my daughter for over three years, supporting her through different subjects and stages of school. Over time, she has become far more than a tutor -- she's a steady, trusted presence who understands how to meet a student where they are and help them move forward with confidence. What makes DeLey truly special is her deep care and emotional intelligence. She doesn't just teach; she listens, encourages, and adjusts her approach to fit each moment. She's patient when things are hard, celebrates small wins, and helps students rediscover motivation from within. My daughter has learned to set realistic goals, build discipline, and take ownership of her learning -- all under DeLey's calm and thoughtful guidance. It's rare to find someone both so reliable and so genuinely invested in a student's growth. DeLey combines academic skill with heart, and that combination has had a lasting impact on my daughter's confidence and progress. I deeply trust her judgment and am so grateful for her continued support through the years.

I had a very disappointing experience with Fahey College Consultant. We paid a significant amount…read morefor guidance through the college application process, especially for help with essays and making sure applications were completed on time. Unfortunately, once the process began, the support we expected simply was not there. The student struggled with writer's block and anxiety during the essay writing stage and needed real guidance and feedback. Instead of meaningful help, we mostly received long lists of tasks with little actual support on how to complete them. Communication also became inconsistent during critical parts of the process. As deadlines approached, we expected close guidance and review of the application materials, but the student felt largely abandoned in the middle of the process. While the consultant presents herself very well and is a strong salesperson during the initial conversations, the actual delivery did not match the promises made. For such an expensive service, families expect hands-on guidance, especially when students are struggling. Our experience was that the student was left to manage a very stressful process largely alone. I would strongly advise families to carefully evaluate the level of support they will actually receive before committing to this service.

If I could give 0, I would. Please STAY AWAY from this counselor and her team. She would sweet talk…read moreuntil signing a contract and then from there everything goes downhill. She and her so called team of writers don't do any due diligence on the essays, they would even leave one college name in another college essays and this was after multiple rounds of checking by THEM. She addressed my child in email with another student's name and completely another major and college, so this shows how much thorough she is with her work. DONT WASTE MONEY....she only takes money and then vanishes.

We've had a great experience with Insight, Purvi is phenomenal. The college process can be…read moreoverwhelming, and a lot of it comes down to picking the right list of schools to apply to early and during regular decision. Insight has a lot of experience on this front, and also a lot of "insight" into what colleges look for. In short, Purvi has been able to guide us through the nuances of the application process. Additionally, she gave us some great advice around summer programs - we would have never found the ones that she suggested. We also had a great tutor for ACT from Insight, who was able to give my daughter some great tips. She ultimately got into her top-choice school. We are very happy with Insight, and have recommended them to many friends!

Hi Ajit, Any chance I can get my $200 back for an initial consultation that was absolute nonsense?…read moreI have kindly asked for my money back multiple times. I want you to known that telling my kid who is STEM focused taking 10+ APs to consider taking a ceramics course doesn't cut it for a $200 initial consultation. JUST GIVE ME MY MONEY BACK. Just letting you know that your responses on your reviews of people who complain about your service is underwhelming. Improve your service and you will do much better. Ajit, I will continue to complain about the service I received to every Indian parent that I know in the Bay Area. If you think otherwise, you don't know me well... Based on your "Stanford MBA" education, you may certainly know that word travels fast in the Bay Area. A simple suggestion to all who read this (including you Ajit) - Do NOT pay $200 for an initial consultation. Simply request a free initial consultation so that you are aware of the all of the program details, the costs, and the proficiency level of the counselor. If they can't give you a free consultation, move on and find another program. Believe me, there are plenty of programs that give you all the information that you need without paying fees to find out. They should be selling you on the program and not the other way around. 8/18/25 - Ajit, I read your response. Your answer is false. My wife, my son, and I all attended the meeting with your "counselor." It was you who was missing in that meeting. So don't make up stuff. The fact remains that I have not received my $200 back....

We heard of Dave and College Match through a word-of-mouth recommendation. Even though we have…read morealready sent two kids to college, and understand the process, we were impressed by Dave's deep knowledge and understanding of the college system. Dave is great to work with and helps narrowing down the college list to the ones that would best fit your child's current interest, yet would be flexible to accommodate any change, or another degree. The college application process gets more demanding every year, driving kids to work hard in high school. Dave is instrumental in how to position your child's hard work, awards, and extra curricular in the best light possible, as it is critical to emphasize what matters to the colleges he or she is going to apply. Our daughter has been accepted to a number of colleges she was happy with, and Dave was helpful in making the final choice.

From the owner: College Match is one of the nation's leaders in college and graduate school admission strategy. Our…read morefocus on real world outcomes separates us from others in our field. We help college-bound students and their parents identify future goals and build toward that success by winning admission to the most appropriate colleges. For example, last year 95% of our students won admission to their first-choice colleges with a majority of our students also winning merit awards averaging $80,000 over four years of college. Perhaps the most important statistic is that are students are happy, fulfilled, and set up in their post-high school lives.

Dan is phenomenal! It was a momentous task for my son to start his personal statement for college…read moreapplications. He has always been determined and was ready to start working on this essay by the time Junior year was ending. He was full of ideas, but really needed guidance on how to start and asked for help. We met with multiple tutors and companies, but ultimately chose Dan. Kai liked his approach and felt comfortable with him. As Dan said "It's a leap of faith." and we're happy with our choice. Dan really listened to Kai and gave Kai homework to do which involved answering focused questions. All the talking, discussions and homework really gave Kai clarity. That introspection was extremely valuable. He was able to focus on what he wanted his personal statement to reflect. Dan does not write the essay, but he was very effective at helping Kai put his thoughts, personality and strengths into writing. Kai was able to use what he learned and answer other college essay questions. Thank you Dan!

extremely helpful! very thorough with comments and editing. Very talented and knowledgable.read more

We have worked with Michelle Podbelsek for both of our kids. They are very different types of kids…read moreand therefore had different styles and approaches to the college hunt. In both cases, Michelle was a godsend. She regularly met independently with the kids and always provided me with a status afterwards which meant that the kids could drive their own process but I was comfortable with the direction and the partnership was super easy. Both kids have said "I don't know what I would have done without her" Her counsel is always honest, fair and spot on, while being delivered in a supportive way. The process is so tough and so emotional, and she managed to identify its harsh realities while keeping the kids feeling good about themselves and identifying options that worked for them. The office is very well run. They call and remind you before every appointment. Billing is easy to understand. All in all, a totally terrific place and super highly recommended.

Our son worked with College Counseling Associates, and we were pretty disappointed in the feedback…read morehe received. For paying such a steep fee, he received little feedback. We have noticed that other families have found much better consultants from other companies in the area, so we suggest to anyone reading this to check out other counseling firms in the area." Other people who give positive reviews likely are not knowledgeable on the subject of college admissions and thus don't realize how helpful or not the counselors are.

I am so grateful for the support and insight that my family has received from Green Ivy. Ana and…read moreBrandon worked remotely with my college-aged son to help develop his Executive Functioning and to provide structure during a challenging period. Using weekly Zooms with Brandon, my son's organizational and planning practices improved significantly (with an accompanying boost in GPA). Ana also provided helpful support and resources to me as the parent. We truly appreciate their expertise and support!

Thoughtful, insightful, thorough, and able to give a little tough love when needed! College apps…read moreare a nightmare, but Green Ivy really guided our son through the process, gave extra assistance where necessary, and helped him achieve his goals. He was accepted to one of his top schools and we couldn't more pleased!

This person did not return any phone messages or emails from myself or my son. Possibly he is no…read morelonger in business.

John was chosen by our child after interviewing three potential advisors. It turned out to be the…read moreperfect choice. John provided the right mix of guidance, encouragement and gentle prodding to keep the process on track. The results were fantastic. Our child received ten acceptances, some of which are national top 20 schools. It was a delight to have to help our child choose from such an amazing set of schools. Highly recommend John's approach to this important task.