Collegewise Reviews 

Collegewise really helped me see beyond the haze of college application anxiety as a high schooler. I was able to center my application on my authenticity and communicate to colleges exactly who I am. I LOVED that they approached my application from an individual perspective by asking about my stories, experiences, passions, and little obsessions I never thought to write about.

Super duper big shout out to my #1 cheerleader in this process, Lori Jones! Even after my admission to Cornell, she always regularly checks up on me, catches up while cracking our inside jokes, and reminds me of how far I’ve made it. Her research and attention to detail were also impeccable, and she pointed me towards a ton of programs I may not have considered otherwise. Finally, her ability to let applicants speak through the page with warmth and joy is a unique talent you won’t be able to find elsewhere. I’m endlessly fortunate to have had her as my counselor.

I also worked with Matt Ihling for ACT prep and he was a delight. Incredibly patient, knowledgeable, and adaptable to goals that could be set even as an involved high schooler.

Collegewise’s counselors truly care about their kids, and it really shows from how they walk every step of the way alongside us. Couldn’t recommend them more to families as they begin such an involved process, it really passes by in a flash with them!

Our experience with this company has been excellent, mainly because of our phenomenal college counselor, Christopher Logan. Christopher ensured that both our daughters were on track with their applications and catered their approach to the girls’ different personalities, interests and skill sets. Christopher helped the girls through the stressful application process, calmed them when they were panicking, and encouraged them to pursue their passions— all the while peppering their guidance with a healthy measure of humor! We could not be happier with the results in both 2023 and 2025. Christopher has remained a friend of the family and we look forward to working with them again when it’s our youngest’s turn to apply!

Hanifa Abdul Sabur was incredible! She was thoughtful, and brought an undeniably experienced view of the college admissions landscape to my son's application! I received this service for free through my workplace benefits and would highly recommend others to take advantage of great counselors like her!

I enrolled my daughter with Collegewise when she was a junior in high school. We have had a fantastic experience working with Collegewise team, especially Melissa Royal, who worked as her counselor and supported my daughter every step of the way. Melissa guided her not only as a counselor, but also as a mentor and friend throughout the college application process.

I am extremely grateful and thankful to the entire Collegewise team and wish you the very best in helping students during the critical stage of applying to colleges.

We began working with Collegewise a few months ago. While there was a small hiccup at the start, we were quickly connected with Shannon Frankel, the Customer Success Manager. She put us at ease. Though we were anxious, she was calm, organized, and took the time to truly listen to our concerns. Her support made a big difference, and we’re looking forward to continuing our journey with Collegewise.

Working with Liz Albertelly as a college Counselor was a dream come true! She was so positive all the time, extremely helpful, and a joy to meet with. (And I got into my top school!) I would 100% recommend to anybody interested!

I worked with Sarah Turner over the last year for the college admissions process and I can't say enough good things about my experience. She consistently held me accountable for submitting my supplemental essays on their designed deadline for editing purposes, helped me cut down the list of schools I was applying to, and gave me great starting points for finding the perfect institutions for me, at a time when I didn't really know what I wanted. With all the stressors of senior year, I can confidently say I was almost never stressed about college, with how productive Sarah and I were in our meetings on outlining my future plans and tackling all of the tedious tasks in the CommonApp. I was accepted to my ED1 school and I attribute the immense feelings of preparedness I had submitting my application to Sarah: I felt she helped me every step of the way!

Liz Albertelly, our college counselor at Collegewise, was excellent. Her kindness, positivity, resourcefulness, availability, and attention to detail really stood out and helped our son thrive during the entire college application process. We are so grateful we had her to guide us.

While we are pleased with the college outcomes for our kids, we are even more grateful for the time that we were able to share with Sarah Turner and the steady and supportive guidance that she provided them. Said differently, the end results were always out of our collective control but the process was not. We are forever thankful to Sarah for making sure it was overseen with compassion and kindness.

My Collegewise counselor, Ida, was extremely helpful and accommodating to any questions or revisions I went to her for. Thanks to her constructive feedback and comments, by the time my UC application needed to be submitted I truly felt confident in my PIQ essays, activities list, and additional information section!!

Thank you Ida!

Lindsey Conger was my counselor and she was the ABSOLUTE BEST OF THE BEST. She was especially helpful with the essay writing process and helping me come up with ideas, when before hand I had really no idea what I was going to write about. She was also super helpful at keeping me organized and on track, and because of that I got my applications in before my senior year even started. One other thing that I really appreciate was she went through my common app with me before I submitted, and we checked everything together to make sure there were no errors which was really reassuring for me. Because of Lindsey, I got into my #1 college that I also dreamed of getting into, and I would not have been able to do it without her. She's the best!

Collegewise, and especially our counselor Mary Finn, made the college application process so much more manageable for our family. Mary helped my son shape a powerful personal statement, refine his additional information section, and gave clear, practical pointers on how to write about his activities. Her guidance helped him present his strengths authentically and confidently, and he has already seen excellent early results from his applications, with 5 acceptances so far. We’re very grateful for Collegewise’s expertise and highly recommend speaking with someone there to see if Collegewise is a good fit for your family.

Collegewise was very helpful in providing feedback and encouragement for my UC application. There is plenty of interaction with counselors, like my counselor Ida Lonnqvist, who provide lots of meaningful comments and suggestions for the application, particularly the PIQs. Additionally, I really liked the free UC webinars I attended with Collegewise where I got to receive advice from UC admissions themselves.

From the very first interaction with the staff, it was total professionalism; they really cared about what we were trying to do and where we were heading. Our coach, Sarah and her team were absolutely the best. We came in knowing nothing about the college process, and Sarah Turner walked both my son and me through every step. My son could be a bit lazy, but he stayed on task and he was able to complete all of his assigned tasks. He was accepted to his first-choice school, and he is loving his experience there. Sarah is very knowledgeable, she is task-oriented, and will make time to answer any questions you may have. I would definitely work with this company again, and I would recommend them to anyone. If you can get Sarah as a coach, you will definitely be in great hands. We started working with Collegewise in December 2023, but due to how far the calendar goes back, I can't enter the accurate date.

We’re grateful for the excellent support Emily at Collegewise provided our son throughout his college application process. She gave him thoughtful guidance and encouragement while leaving the real work in his hands. Our son put in a great deal of effort on his essays and applications, and Emily’s steady advice helped him stay focused and confident along the way.

Emily was always responsive when we checked in, offering helpful strategies for how we could support him without stepping in too much. This balance allowed him to take ownership of the process while still knowing he had the right resources around him. In the end, his hard work paid off with several strong acceptances. In the end, his decision came down to UCSB or UCSC, and he proudly chose UCSB, where a few friends will be joining him as well.

Thank you, Emily, for playing such a meaningful role in this important milestone.

Liz Pack was our counselor for both our daughters and we could not be more thankful for her care and willingness to go the extra mile for her students. She did an amazing job teeing up their choice of colleges, scholarships and helping them think thru their essay material. She also was able to connect them up with experts who helped thru the application process.

My advisor, Christina, has had an incredible impact on my life. When I was a sophomore in high school, she began helping me prepare to get into my dream school. With her guidance and the resources Collegewise provides, I was accepted and started a new chapter at my dream college. Later, when I realized that school wasn’t actually the right fit for me, Christina continued to stand by my side throughout the entire transfer process. Applying to other schools while still attending the one you’re trying to leave is not easy, but Christina supported me every step of the way, both logistically and emotionally. Collegewise doesn’t just help students achieve their goals, it also guides them through one of the most stressful times of their lives. Without it, I would have never found the place where I truly belong.

Christina has gone above and beyond with her efforts of both helping me and educating me in the realm of college applications. More than once I have been stumped or lost in my writing or what to write about and Christina has the solutions to all of my problems. With her help and influence, I have been able to work efficiently and to the best of my ability throughout my application process at all times.

I had the pleasure of working with Christina Mangano during my college application and test taking process. Not only did she help me achieve the scores I needed and wanted, but also gave me guidance on how to navigate the difficulties that came with choosing the right college for me. She became a mentor and an invaluable resource to me. Her dedication to her students, her patience and her ability to make you feel comfortable are only a few of the qualities that make her so great. I can’t thank her enough for all the help with the application process and for making something which at first was so daunting to me, feel so easy and seamless. Christina is the best, and I cannot thank her enough, I appreciate it all and she is absolutely outstanding!