Testimonials for Class of 2009

Endorsements from Michele’s past clients include:

I had always taken my ED admission to Princeton as a given. I had a 4.0 GPA, a transcript loaded with the most difficult courses our school had to offer (a total of 10 AP's), over a 1500 on the SAT I, 3 perfect SAT II tests, and stellar recommendations. I play two instruments as a concert soloist, do extensive volunteer work (among many other extracurricular activities), and have a significant number of state-level awards in science.

But what happened on ED Day? I got deferred.

That was when we frantically contacted Michele. I discovered her name and site from her wonderful books, which are must-reads for any college applicant and parents'. When presented with all of my credentials and essays, she quickly diagnosed my problem. My application was a rotten representation of me. My essays were bland and uninteresting, and my short resume implied that my extracurricular involvement was marginal at best.

With Michele on the job, we had completely rewritten all of my essays, totally redone my activity list and chart of honors and awards, and put together all of my applications, within TWO SHORT WEEKS. Many days, Michele literally worked with me three hours over the phone, and was constantly helping me write and re-write via e-mail. She was excellent about returning phone calls and responding to e-mails in a timely fashion.

Michele helped me craft a strategy to make my application a standout, even in some of the most competitive application pools in the country. Her intelligence, professionalism, and expertise in the world of college admissions were the best of the best. Michele always had wonderful advice for my essays, focusing my style and content to make my personality shine through. She has a gift for helping students write open and appealing essays that will accent any candidate's passion and likeability.

The payoff? In February, I got a likely letter from Dartmouth College. I was also ultimately admitted to Columbia, Brown, the University of Pennsylvania, Cornell, and Duke, in the Regular Decision round, which was by most standards the most competitive ever. My Brown admissions officer even sent me a personalized note, saying that I submitted one of the best applications she read all year.

The most important moral of this story is to get Michele early! Many people who think they don't need Michele are probably just like me. I got tremendously lucky that I found her and could hire her so late in the game. Her packages fill up quickly, and you don't want to be locked out. If you don't have a way to stand out, colleges will not have a difficult time denying you. And because there are so many applicants with one or more "hooks" (being a recruited athlete, underrepresented minority status, legacy status), the odds of being admitted are even significantly lower than the already rock bottom figures.

You won't be sorry you hired Michele. I even used my college application essays and resume for scholarship contests in which I won $2,200. Talk about a nice kickback in addition to those college acceptances!

Of course when it came time to make my decision, Michele encouraged me to look into her alma mater. I visited Dartmouth twice, loved every moment of it, and ultimately chose it. My work with Michele has also improved my writing and communication, invaluable life skills for any person.
-- Dartmouth College, Class of 2009

Top 10 reasons to hire Michele:

1. Michele is simply outstanding and her efforts in getting our daughter into a great college was incredible
2. Michele brings unsurpassed energy, intelligence, and focus in the seemingly complex process of college admissions
3. Unbelievable energy and focus! She couldn't have been more helpful and was worth every penny
4. If you get Michele on your side, working with your son or daughter in the college admission process, consider yourself lucky indeed
5. She kicks a** of any college placement counselor in the country
6. She knows her colleges, she knows the admissions process
7. She cares very much about her clients... she basically brings it all to the table and then some....
8. Michele is smarter than the day is long....she probably sleeps about 5 hours a day...... after we get our kids through the process with her she should double her prices.
9. Michele was available at all hours, both during the week and weekends
10. My daughter trusted her implicitly and considered her a friend and ally

-- Dad of Wellesley 2009

Michele Hernandez is without a doubt the most outstanding counselor we could have hired. The work that Michele Hernandez did for us was twofold. She counseled our daughter on every conceivable aspect an admissions committee would consider: academics, class participation, extracurricular activities, standardized testing, and the miscellany of college admissions, while simultaneously providing us with her analyses, insights (both written and oral) and advice. She accomplished all of this for us promptly, thoroughly and completely. She made herself available at all hours of the day or night. Despite the time difference between the East Coast and Oregon we and our daughter found Michele exceedingly accessible, both telephonically and electronically. In fact, because our daughter is at boarding school (and one that does not allow telephones or internet access in the rooms) Michele was superb about calling her each week (and sometimes even more frequently when the application process began) to monitor her progress in the admissions process.

Michele Hernandez' work as an advisor and counselor to our daughter throughout the college admissions process was impressive and exemplary. From the outset, Michele gave us prompt, complete and thorough analyses of our daughter's academic performance once we provided her with transcripts, comments, standardized test scores and all of the minutiae of her extracurricular and summer activities. More importantly, she created an admissions 'road map', an expert strategy, for our daughter to follow.

We hired Michele early in the process and we are thrilled to have done so. Michele used that time to advise our daughter on every aspect that would be considered by admissions committees at any school to which she would apply. She kept our daughter on a very disciplined track throughout the process. In June, as a rising senior, Michele made certain that our daughter began assembling her "Activities List," an essential component of the college application. Michele counseled her on how to prioritize and categorize her experiences in order to maximize the impression that admissions committees would form. Not only did Michele oversee the entire essay writing process, but she also reviewed our daughter's ideas with her once she had submitted them in writing to Michele so that only the most cogent and effective ones would be articulated in the essays.

We found Michele to be consistently responsive to our needs and to our daughter's needs. She offered our daughter constant encouragement to strive for her very best and she provided expert, professional and extraordinary counseling beyond anything we could have imagined (and we had interviewed a number of New York City based counselors)--the result being our daughter's early admission to Yale! What else can we say, Michele Hernandez is the "top"!!!
-- Mom of Yale Class of 2009 student

It is the middle of the summer, and I am enjoying my time at a summer sleep-away program. I am getting ready to head out for dinner when my cell phone rings. It's my mom. "Sweetie, there's something we need to talk to you about. We hired someone to help you with the college application process. She's very nice. I can't believe I just spoke with her - she is the author of A is for Admission! She hopes to get started with you as soon as you come home." Great, I'm thinking. Just what I want to do over my summer - more work! I was expecting the process to be lengthy and strenuous. I could not have been more pleasantly surprised.

Michele took me under her wing and within a few weeks of the summer, I already had my activity list and main college essays written. When I began senior year in September, I had only to worry about my classes. The application process was a breeze. I had only to worry about filling out simple things such as my name and address since my essays were already prepared. Michele was truly a blessing. She was always willing to help and was incredibly prompt in responding to any questions I had via phone or email.

One of the things I had worried about when I first learned that Michele would be helping me was that it might be considered "cheating." After the first time I spoke with Michele, my worries disappeared. I realized that she would not be writing the essays for me. She served as a guide and companion in the process, willing to make suggestions and corrections. She helped me to write about myself in a way that best demonstrated the extent of my interests and capabilities. Simple questions such as the color of ink to use on applications or the handwriting v. typing dilemma could have been strenuous and time-consuming decisions to make alone. Not to mention I'd probably have second-guessed whatever decision I made. I simply had to pick up the phone and ask Michele, an expert, who would know immediately the right thing to do. I trusted her advice completely and having her guidance saved me from a great deal of extra, unnecessary stress.

In the process, Michele really got to know my personality. She used this when helping with my essays and activity list. Michele became not only my advisor, but also a great friend! She is a truly amazing person with a great family (and adorable children!) Though she has the right to be extremely proud of her accomplishments, she is incredibly down-to-earth and easy to speak to. For everyone and anyone that will be applying to college, I recommend Michele Hernandez without reservation. You will not be disappointed!
-- A Thankful and Proud UPenn 2009 Student

When we began the college consulting program with Michele Hernandez, we didn't know what to expect. From our very first conversation, we found her to be responsive, approachable, down-to-earth, and extremely knowledgeable. She promised unlimited contact and truly delivered. From suggestions on important essays to minor details, her advice and insight was invaluable. Her guidance streamlined the entire application process.

Thanks to Michele, our child was left wondering which ivy league to attend rather than which to gain admission to! What a wonderful dilemma!

We actually miss talking with her on a regular basis and look forward to working with her again when our next child begins the process.
-- Mom of UPenn Class of 2009 student

When we hired Michele Hernandez to help our son gain admission to the Ivy League school he had aspired to since grade school, we had no idea how critical her help would be. He was our third child, and his two older sisters had been admitted and were graduating from the colleges of their choice, but our son picked the most competitive school in America. While we thought I had learned the ropes already, Dr. Hernandez helped us craft strategies that we never would have thought of. She served as a coach, tutor and mentor throughout the process. Her help in crafting the essays and planning the applications helped our son's unique qualities jump out on his application. Michele knows the college admission process. She has scouted the very best schools in America and knows their specific needs and wants. Or son is an exceptional man who deserved to be admitted to the college of his choice and Dr. Hernandez ensured that the admissions officers understood his merits.
-- Dad of Princeton Class of 2009 student

In February of my son's junior year, after he had been to his first college advisors' meeting at school, he came home and said "Mom, what makes me different from everyone else, what makes me special"

I couldn't answer that question.

My son is a great all around kid. He does extraordinarily well in school, is in advanced and AP courses, has won awards, plays varsity sports, belongs to clubs, volunteers, has friends and did very well on his standardized tests. Just like every other kid we know in our very competitive, affluent, suburban school district in the Northeast.

The fact that I thought he is great is not enough. I knew that the competition to get into the top schools is worse than ever and somehow we had to demonstrate my son's qualities and abilities and make him shine above all the rest. We needed to communicate his voice, his intellectual thought process, his potential through the college application and interview process. But with all my degrees, I didn't know how to help him.

So, we turned to Dr. Michele Hernandez.

Using a private college counselor is an investment. But when I think about all I have invested in my child, both financially and emotionally, making this additional investment seemed all the more worthwhile to help him compete in a world that is all too competitive for kids today.

Dr. Hernandez was able to help my son find not only his voice, but write about his experiences, his motivations and his desires in such a way that would distinguish him from the crowd. She also helped him and us, his parents, to evaluate the schools he was considering applying to, gave advice on others and helped him realistically understand his chances. Having been an admissions counselor at an Ivy League school, she understood the admissions counselor's point of view and was able to guide my son to position himself appropriately. This clearly made his application all the more competitive.

The results are unbelievable. Today, when more kids are applying to college than ever, where everyone is a legacy, where colleges are looking more and more for diversity, my son was accepted not only to his prestigious, first choice school early admission but all the other schools he applied to, including other reach schools.

Now, when my son tells me about all of his classmates who didn't get into their first choice school, who are devastated and depressed by their rejection letters, I know that the investment I made was more than worth it.
-- Mom of Bucknell Class of 2009 student

Coming into this college process I had a dream school and little else. From my first meeting with Michele, onwards through our almost constant e-mailing and phone calls, she helped me organize my academics and extracurricular activities, and gave me suggestions for summer and school-year plans that would enhance my application. Through our personal meeting she got to know me as a student and as a person, and that meeting (along with her knowledge of my academic history) helped her to create a list of prospective schools for me to investigate. Once we agreed on a list of schools- the work really began! Through our nearly weekly updates (and then daily updates the summer before senior year!) she kept me focused on my application process- we even created due dates for me to send her portions of my applications! She worked tireless with me on my applications - especially my "activity list" and myriad of essays. When my friends were frantically finishing up their applications days before the deadline, mine had arrived at my schools already. I can confidently say that Michele's work with me significantly increased the strength of my application. I am very grateful!
-- Wellesley student, Class of 2009

How can I put into words the gratitude that we feel for your work with E? Of course, she has more than earned her significant record of accomplishments, and we are very proud of her. We are also confident that she is the type of individual who would thrive at any academic institution that she attends. However, it is such a positive reward for her to have been accepted at her first choice, Dartmouth, and to be heading in that direction with such a clear understanding of who she is, and what is important to her about the university experience. Your help has been invaluable in reaching this result!

In E's sophomore year, she expressed an interest in attending college in the Northeast. We knew that our high school counselors would not be of much assistance in this endeavor, since they are so focused on the University of California system. I discovered your book, "A is for Admission" on Amazon, ordered it and was extremely impressed by your level of knowledge and attitude towards the process. At first consideration, the expense of your consulting services seemed extravagant. Couldn't we just digest your book, and put all of your suggestions into use? But we decided to "go for it" when we realized how much more comprehensive your assistance is in relation to other less expensive consultants, and how much more direct Ivy League admissions experience you have had. I also felt that your day-to-day interaction with E would be very valuable, and more than worth the cost. I have never regretted that decision.

If you remember, when E began to work with you, she had no real concept of her strengths or her passions. They were there, but not clearly identified. Over last few months of her sophomore year and beginning of her junior year, your "assignments" forced her to really examine what was important to her and encouraged her to be more pro-active in her high school experience. She has grown into an extremely confident participant and leader in her school, and this process has considerably enriched her overall high school experience. We thank you for that as well!

I could list all of the things that you have done to help E be successful in the college search and application process, but you know what they are. Your comprehensive knowledge, caring, but persistent approach, and sense of humor have made this journey enjoyable, educational and energizing. You have been an integral member of our family team, and have been responsible for E's positive and successful college-bound strategic plan. We sincerely appreciate all that you have done. I would strongly recommend your services to any family with a qualified child who wishes to attend a highly selective college. Would E have been accepted to Dartmouth without your help? Maybe...but as she has expressed, who would want to take that chance?
-- Mom of Dartmouth Class of 2009 student

Michele Hernandez works with students and their parents to take advantage of a student's strengths and sets a path maximizing a student's ability to get into colleges that once seemed out of reach. Thanks Michele, ten applications and only one rejection!
-- Father of U Mich/Colgate 2009 -- still deciding

Our son was the third child we had sweated through the college application process with and his target school was the most competitive choice possible. In addition, we thought we had extensive knowledge and experience in higher education by virtue of our careers. But Michele Hernandez's consulting services provided the critical coaching link necessary to the successful effort and outcome. She serves as a hands-on coach, mentor, and strategist, calling the right plays at the right times, Michele guides the whole family through the otherwise tedious and confusing task.

Michele exceeded our expectations in providing insights and guidance through the college application process. As a parent, I found her judgment and knowledge of the process to be extremely helpful; for our son, she was very proactive in advising him directly about different schools, what contributes to a good application, what activities need to be emphasized, and how best to highlight a student's strengths and character. Our son was accepted through early action to a great school, and we are delighted with Michele's support towards that outcome.
-- Mom of Boston College Class of 2009 student

Michele helped make the college process seem like a breeze. With her help I had all my applications ready to mail to the colleges well before their deadline. Everything she did was very professional and she is very quick to respond to any question you have. I was accepted early action into the college of my choice thanks in large part to Michele's guidance in writing my application. Her thoughts are very helpful, and she is always focused on displaying the student's credentials in the best possible way. Michele was a savior in the college process, and helped make the process stress-free.
-- Student, Boston College Class of 2009

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