College guidance and planning simplified
At College Lead, we break down the complex high school planning and college application process into specific and actionable steps to help students like you maximize your chances of success.
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About
Despite the overwhelming number of educational resources, it's still very difficult to find specific and actionable advice. Like with grammar, learn the rules first and then break them like a pro. At College Lead, I provide very specific step-by-step guides on high school planning and college applications. Then in one-on-one sessions, I work with you to tailor that plan to fit your needs.
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I'm Kristen and a recent Harvard graduate. I'm a former mentor at CollegeVine, where I received the Make a Difference Award for outstanding commitment to client service. You can see more on my background here.
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I offer many free resources through the College Lead YouTube and newsletter. To schedule a one-on-one Zoom session with me, complete the contact form.
Services
Rates are subject to change. For college app, essay, and similar reviews, the expected return time is one week. I am available for shorter return times, though at a higher rate. Submit a Contact Form for more details.
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One-time resume review: $45
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One-time essay review for both summer program and college applications
0 - 250 words: $35
Up to 650 words: $75
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One-time Complete Common App review: $360
This includes the EC and honors sections and the common app essay.
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Individual Zoom session: $75/hour
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If cost is at all an issue for you, please see my blog article.
Reviews
College Application - Essay Writing
"Even though I was excited to start writing my college essays, I was struggling to find a good starting point. I was recommended to Kristen through a friend, and I couldn't have asked for a better person to help me! Not only is she smart and focused, but she is also very sweet, funny, and understanding. She helped me get my thoughts onto paper and walked me through different ways to brainstorm ideas on what to write for my UC essays. She made the writing portion for my College Applications so much clearer and easy to navigate. I am happy with how my essays turned out, and I would 100% recommend Kristen to anyone who would need help to get started, or even to double check grammar."
- F. Lyn
College Prep - Arts Supplement
"From the get go, Kristen helped me to become focused about college right away and set up a game plan with me to give me the best possible shot at what I wanted. She is especially diligent as an accountability partner, conducting progress checks in the middle of the week and making sure that I was staying on task giving 100% effort into whatever I was doing. As a prospective music major, she was instrumental in preparing me for the auditions process, providing me practice tips and audition tips, and also was extremely knowledgeable about many different schools and their respective qualities, which helped me to narrow down my list to a select few colleges. Without her help, I would not have been able to see such positive returns from my applications, and I will always be grateful not only for the work which we were able to accomplish together, but also the fun we had and the bond we built along the way."
- S. Lee, Northwestern University '24
More coming soon!