“I was all over the place when I started working with Maria. She helped me figure out what to look for in my research and made it so much less overwhelming. The tools we used working together got me to see where my strengths were and what schools would be the best fit for me—not just academically, but as far as lifestyle and environment. Denver wasn’t even on my radar, and now I can’t imagine going anywhere else. The whole experience, from essays to financial aid applications, was manageable and successful because of Maria.” — K.F., University of Denver

“It has been more than a privilege working with Maria to establish my goals and plans for my future. Maria did more than go above and beyond to help me figure out and narrow down potential colleges. I am eternally grateful for all of her support and hard work in helping me write my college essays, writing teacher recommendations, using special software to keep track of prospective schools, and developing research notes on each college to truly pick the perfect place for me. I genuinely don’t know where I would be right now without her guidance and compassion to help accompany me in these new life beginnings.” —JW class of ‘24 

“Working with Maria changed the entire college application game for me. She helped me tap into my creative side and cultivate themes in my life that were not just words, but images. This creative process led me to write an award-winning essay and gain an additional scholarship. In addition, Maria kept me level-headed and on track while applying to 20 different schools. Her organizational skills are beyond impressive and her tactics to get me to dig deeper were always successful. I could not recommend her more to any students who want to be ahead of the game.” — S.H. Syracuse University

Happy Clients

  • “As a mother of four, I have encountered several teachers and mentors throughout my children’s academic life. Maria is unique. Anyone who crosses her path will benefit from her infectious energy, motivational mentoring and her generosity with her network. Maria is THAT teacher who will make a mark on the mind and future career of a student. It is just who she is, unprompted.”

    — V.G.

  • “My husband and I did not know anything about the college application process and were unable to guide our son or offer any insightful advice. We found Maria and she worked with him on everything – introducing him to the application process, picking colleges, gathering recommendation letters and transcripts, choosing essay questions, staying organized and submitting documents ahead of deadlines. Because we were hands off, we cannot tell you exactly how she worked her magic. But we can tell you that we heard twice-weekly online meetings which included a lot of laughter and upbeat conversation and saw him happily working on many worksheets and assignments (for three months straight). Maria had a great rapport with our son and helped him to celebrate his accomplishments and value his unique qualities and showcase them to colleges. And because of her guidance, he got into his first-choice college and is thriving there his freshman year.”

    — B.W.

  • “Maria has proven to be faithful and effective with any degree of responsibility entrusted to her. She is well-read yet streetwise, spontaneous yet thoughtful, comical and sensitive. She continually looks for new ways to work with students, and is gifted in combining her hands-on experience with alternative modes of expression. This keen dedication to use her craft to impact the life of others is what sets her apart.”

    —M.C.

  • “Working with Maria was invaluable. She was able to lead my college anxious child from complete confusion and overwhelm to finding the college of his dreams and obtaining early admission as a result. She walked my son through every step of the college application process, from identifying colleges, researching majors and extracurriculars at each campus selected, application assistance, essay writing, interview coaching and post acceptance procedure. She created a detailed timeline of application procedures, kept my son on task without him feeling pressured, and helped him develop a strong sense of what he wanted to accomplish during his college career. I recommend her unequivocally.”

    —M.S.

  • “Maria's info was given to me, but I didn't think my son needed a college essay tutor, so I filed her info in the back of my head. One night, after a screaming fight with my then 16 year old, I called her and left a message. Maria called me back right away. My son went to see her reluctantly the first couple of times, and then I began to see less and less resistance. Maria was very good for him. My son is a very private person, so getting him to open up and share his personal thoughts in an essay was not an easy task at all. I cannot recommend Maria strongly enough. We are so glad we found her.”

    —A.U.

  • “Maria was our saving grace! Communicating with our teen daughter about her future was a challenge. It was a very emotional and confusing time in her life. There were many challenges to overcome. Maria saved our family from having an emotional break down. First, she talked to all of us letting us know the goals for the next many months. Then, she wasted no time working weekly with our daughter. Maria is extremely organized, to the point, empathetic and honest. She wastes no time. Our daughter got accepted to many excellent colleges that fit her needs and with generous scholarship offers. Our daughter is now extremely excited about the path she has taken for her future. There is no chance we could have done this without Maria.”

    — C.B.

  • “When my sons were applying to college (one for business, the other in environmental studies), Maria became aware they were frustrated about how to write their essays. She guided them through the writing process, finding a way to mine the psyche of the teenage boy brain and unlock creativity. Maria is creative, but also level-headed and strategic. She gave them writing exercises that allowed them to get to an honest impression of who they are, their goals, and used 'out-of-the-box' ideas. She knows an avoidance tactic when she she sees it, and how to cleverly work around it. I am grateful to Maria for the doors she has opened for my sons, while still making sure they put in the effort and hard work. Both boys earned significant scholarships to their highly competitive universities that gave heavy weighting to personal statements. One of them recently graduated, and he still goes to Maria for career guidance.”

    —G.G.

  • “Maria is a person of commitment, resourcefulness, and action. When she learned my daughter was considering a degree in musical theater, she encouraged her to stretch beyond her comfort zone of community theater and apply to highly selective pre-college programs. My husband and I were cautious about our daughter choosing this potential career path, but Maria calmly and respectfully talked us through the process and neutralized our concern. As a result of Maria’s audition coaching, our daughter was at her best. She was accepted to and attended a highly competitive Summer Musical Theatre program, and was given auditions at seven out of nine BFA programs to which she applied. Without Maria’s encouragement, our daughter may not have even had the faith to pursue her dream in the first place, and here she is on the way to realizing it. We just got news she was accepted into the BFA Musical Theatre program at her first choice school, and will be starting this fall.

    —V.G.

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