I just wanted to say how grateful I am for all of your guidance through the application process. I reread my applications again a few days before decisions came out, and everything there truly seemed to come together in a magical way that showed who I am as a person in addition to who I am as a student. I’m so grateful for all your help in helping me get to that point.
I’ve learned so much about how to represent myself and write in different styles while working with you. And I think the fact I’ve been able to work with you made this process an amazing experience of reflection rather than one centered around stress. I’m so grateful for all of your help, and thank you again!
Princeton Admit, 2024
Thank you Dr. Bernstein for helping my dream come true!!!! I can’t thank you enough for bringing out the best in me. As I struggled with introspection, your thought-provoking questions pushed me to think beyond the obvious and dig into the deeper layers of my experiences and motivations to think about what I am truly passionate about and why. I loved how you never let me settle for mediocracy and always challenged me to express myself in the most concise and true-to-myself way and enabled me to really shine through my essays. My heart is filled with gratitude as I reflect on how much I’ve grown as a writer, thinker, and individual throughout this process. I’m incredibly thankful for your guidance and am so excited to attend my dream school this fall. ♥️♥️
MIT Admit, 2024
I WAS ACCEPTED TO ALL OF THEM! [Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, Yale, Columbia, and University of Pennsylvania] I didn’t know that this was possible. Thank you so much for your help.
Harvard Admit, 2024
To say that we could not have done it without Dr. Bernstein might just be the understatement of the year. I am truly grateful for her dedication to my daughter’s college application process and for everything she did to ultimately help my daughter’s applications shine.
What really sets Dr. Bernstein apart is everything she does before the first essay is written and before one word is put into the Common Application. She will take a deep dive into your child’s psyche – who they are, what sparks their intellectual curiosity, what brings them joy, and what makes them sparkle. She uses information gleaned from that deep dive to guide a multi-year process allowing for effective time management, optimal course selection, and targeted extracurricular engagement. She then works with your child to weave all of that into a cohesive story that ripples throughout the various components of a college application and ensures that your child’s applications stand apart from the rest.
As my daughter ultimately worked her way through the application process in her senior year, Dr. Bernstein set a cohesive and very doable schedule and made sure that every word in every part of every application was meaningful and precise, while also acting as a much needed uplifter, cheerleader, and sounding board. We cannot recommend Dr. Bernstein highly enough.
Parent of Vanderbilt Admit, 2024
DR. BERNSTEIN!!! I GOT INTO YALE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you SO SO much for EVERYTHING!!! I cannot express how grateful I am for every minute that you put into supporting and helping me through this process!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!
Yale, Early Action Admit, 2022
Dr. Bernstein has been such an incredible help throughout this entire process, and I could never begin to thank her enough. It’s clear how much time she puts into each of her students to understand their interests and guide them to excel in their extracurriculars and their essays. From 10–minute long videos with incredibly detailed feedback on supplements to individually tailored suggestions on summer programs, Dr. Bernstein puts more thought and care into her work than I ever could have imagined. Her everlasting positive attitude gave me the motivation to power through all of my applications, no matter how burnt out I was feeling. She was always available to help me tweak just one more sentence in my Common App essay, assuage my concerns about the college process, or even bond over our shared trauma of not getting Taylor Swift tickets. I hope that everyone who works with her in the future realizes just how lucky they are to have her.
UPenn Admit, 2023
Dr. Bernstein is just superb on all levels! By the end of our college process with her, she feels like part of the family. She takes a vital interest in your child both as a person and as an applicant, and is as “all in” as one can be. Her commitment, energy level and accessibility are truly unbelievable and we are so grateful to have had her work with our daughter. She works exceptionally well with families, even slightly neurotic ones like ours, with a light touch, and is super flexible with her time.
The college landscape is obviously very challenging to understand and navigate, and Dr. Bernstein does this with a compassionate and evidenced based approach. She has true domain expertise in terms of strategy and breaks down the process in manageable components. She really gets into the weeds with kids concerning what will be the best fit for them in terms of academics, social life and professional goals, and then helps kids risk adjust their decision making. Doing all this is amazing, but what was perhaps most impressive is that she empowers the student to make the decisions. She provides the information in a digestible way, and then the kids can make their own choices. This has value on a host of levels, and giving the students the authority to determine their path is very meaningful.
At the end, our daughter matched at her ED school, and truly feels like it was her choice. Having this happen in the current landscape is outstanding. Dr. Bernstein is a rare gem in the “college advising industrial complex”…my only concern with leaving these comments is that she becomes too popular!”
Parent of Washington University in St. Louis Admit, 2023
Jennifer’s insights, guidance, honesty, and compassion proved extremely valuable. She spent many hours working with our son to put together a balanced college list, guiding him through his essay topics and listening to his concerns and aspirations. She applauded his hard work and genuinely cared about his college experience—not just academically, but socially and emotionally as well.
Our son was accepted to a number of phenomenal schools, including several of his reach schools. This afforded him the ability to have some outstanding choices. Jennifer’s commitment continued after the school decisions came out by helping our son make his final choice for the best-fit school for him. She made our son’s college process manageable and less stressful with amazing results.
Our son with be happily starting the University of Michigan College of Engineering in the fall!
Parent of University of Michigan Admit, 2024
There are no words that can describe how grateful I am to have Dr. Bernstein as my mentor and biggest supporter throughout my college application process!!! She has an incredible way of encouraging self-reflection, which helped me develop a much clearer vision of who I aspire to be and feel even more confident in my achievements. She’s always pushing me beyond my limits and so patient with my desire to fine-tune the tiniest details multiple times until the best version is achieved.
Unlike many other advisors, she’s not just along for the ride but always takes the time to get to know you as a person, discover what fits you, and lead you in the right direction. It’s reassuring to know that during this unprecedented and tough process, you have someone to count on to be online with you for hours and hours long!
Through her connections, I’ve also been able to talk to current students in the university programs I was curious and interested in! This was really helpful in understanding which type of university I’ll thrive at and whether the major I think I want to study is like what I imagined.
I cannot emphasize enough how much emotional stability and intellectual success working with her has helped me achieve! It’s only a click away from having her as your counselor, so DO IT and DON’T HESITATE!!! You’ll really thank yourself in the future for making this life-changing decision 😀
Vanderbilt Admit, 2024
It’s true, college applications are a lot of work! But I realize how stress-free applying to college was for me thanks to her help. It was a pleasure working with Dr. Bernstein, and I genuinely enjoyed writing and editing my essays. She guided me through how to showcase my abilities and drive to their fullest potential and was instrumental in helping me coherently express my passions through words.
Dr. Bernstein has infinite patience and is thoroughly invested in your personal success. She never settles for ‘good enough’ and is fully engaged in working with you right up to the end. Her support and dedication allowed me to worry less about my college application, and I was extremely confident that my application was my absolute best work when I submitted it.
Dr. Bernstein is an extremely kind and caring individual who truly wants every single one of her students to succeed. Thanks to her, I was accepted early decision to the University of Pennsylvania’s extremely selective Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research (VIPER)! I will be forever grateful for all of her work and I cannot praise her highly enough.
University of Pennsylvania VIPER Admit, 2022
Dr. Bernstein worked closely with our son (mid-junior year) and daughter (mid-sophomore year) in connection with their college admissions processes respectively. We took tremendous comfort in knowing that she is a subject matter expert, not only in the subject of college admissions, but also in the subject of college applicants!
She worked beautifully with our kids, and coaxed great writing, great thinking and great “existing” in their weekly sessions. She is a gifted counselor, coach, teacher and trainer. She has an easy and supportive nature, and sees the best in her students. These qualities enabled strong relationships with our kids, who respected her knowledge and felt lucky to have her in their corner. We had so much confidence in her process and her expertise, so our kids required zero nagging, and zero oversight around their applications. We didn’t appreciate how “outsourcing” the management of a complex (and emotionally intimidating) college admissions process would radically improve our family culture, but we fully understand the many benefits of college admission counselors now.
Our son was accepted to his ED1 school, and our daughter was just accepted to her dream school (through RD). We recommend Dr. Bernstein enthusiastically, and encourage you to get on her radar as early in the process as possible, so that you can maximize your family time with your kids before they leave for college!
Parent of Brown Admit, 2023
I am not sure how our family would have survived the college application process for our twin sons without Dr. Bernstein’s patient and persistent guidance. My only regret is that we did not hire her earlier in their high school career. As a mother of twins, I have become very attuned to identifying teachers and counselors who actually adjust their approach and style depending on the strengths, weaknesses, and personalities of the individual and Dr. Bernstein was masterful at motivating each of my sons, who are very different, to do his very best.
What I am most grateful for is her refusal to let “good enough” suffice. Everyone – students and parents alike – will get to the point at least once where you just want that one supplemental essay to be finished regardless of how good it is. Luckily, Dr. Bernstein will not let that fly. Trust me, she will be the MVP of your college process team!
Parent of Rice Admit, 2023
Thank you so much for the help and guidance you’ve given me throughout these three years, especially when you dealt with my overly hyper-detailed and hyperactive writing and showed me how to actually write! You’ve made navigating through high school and understanding the admissions process a way smoother and less daunting experience for me and my parents!
Georgia Tech Admit, 2024
Jennifer was absolutely invaluable in my son’s college application process — from suggestions she made for summer programs that strengthened his applications, to idea generation for essay topics, to her positive, insightful, encouraging approach to the entire process, to motivating my son to produce his best work. I do not know how we would have survived the past year without her, and my son definitely would not have had the same successful outcome without her help and guidance. There is no question that we will seek her counsel when our youngest son applies to college.
Parent of University of Chicago Admit, 2023
Throughout the college application process, having Jennifer by our side greatly alleviated the anxiety for both the student and parents in our family. Whenever my daughter faced indecision regarding certain aspects of her application, Jennifer consistently provided valuable guidance. During the holiday season, as my daughter diligently worked on her essays, Jennifer assured her by saying, “I’m always here for you.” We deeply admire Jennifer’s unwavering dedication, appreciate her straightforwardness, and trust her extensive experience. We feel incredibly fortunate to have had Jennifer’s invaluable assistance, and we wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone in need.
Parents of Stanford Admit, 2023
Jennifer is AMAZING!!!
We started working with her when our daughter was in 11th grade, and I don’t know how we would have survived the process without her! She helped our daughter find and apply to a life changing summer research opportunity…during the pandemic, refine her college list and organized the application process into manageable pieces. Not only did working with Jennifer help us avoid WWIII in our house, but also helped our daughter get into her dream school, Cornell.
She was so flexible, supportive, thoughtful, and easy to work with, and gave us and our daughter as much time as necessary to understand the process and work through any challenges. She set the deadlines and structure that our daughter needed, and knew exactly how to bring out the best in our daughter so that her essays could only have been written by her. Although we know it will be a challenge, we can’t wait to go through the process again with Jennifer in a few years for our younger son.
Cornell Admit, 2022
Throughout the mentally exhausting and often unpredictable college application process, Dr. Bernstein was my rock. Over the three years that I worked with her, I learned that where my school couldn’t support me, Dr. Bernstein always could.
Whether introducing me to extracurricular opportunities and internships, pushing me to pursue my research interests, helping me cultivate ideas for Common App essays, or providing me with necessary and insightful feedback, Dr. Bernstein’s wealth of knowledge was essential to my college application process.
I am confident that Dr. Bernstein did not just help me to be a better applicant, she pushed me to be a better thinker, writer, and overall person. I am incredibly grateful for the results my applications yielded, but I’m perhaps even more grateful to have had the privilege of Dr. Bernstein’s patience, wisdom, and guidance along the way.
Georgetown Admit, 2023
This is a long overdue thank you for everything you did to help make our son’s college application process a huge success! I really do not know what we would have done without you!! Your sound counsel on everything from summer activities to essay topics to the college list to the final college choice was invaluable — and you were always available with your cheerful, positive and encouraging way to put our minds at ease during a really nerve wracking time and to inspire and direct our son to do his best work. We are so grateful! Thank you again for going above and beyond to help and support him — you are amazing and while the thought of starting this crazy process all over again with our younger son is daunting, I am EXTREMELY comforted in knowing we will have you guiding us!
Parent of University of Chicago Early Decision Admit, 2022
Working on essays with Dr. Bernstein transformed them from major hurdles to overcome for the sake of college admissions to an insightful experience that allowed me to reflect on myself. The advice Dr. Bernstein gives is always unique, nuanced, and with a lot of thought behind it. My technical writing ability especially improved from her flexible way of helping. Her way of sitting down for essays and being an effective springboard for ideas you never would have considered before is amazing. She is 100% a strong guiding force that I’m grateful to have had in the college process.
Princeton Admit, 2021
I have no words to thank Jennifer for her guidance and support during our daughter’s college application process. Jennifer was instrumental in helping my daughter organize her ideas, activities, and volunteering experiences and find a way to express her interests and dreams.
She made my daughter work hard, dig deep, and reflect on the topics that were important to her. She challenged her with patience and detailed counseling. She kept us informed without intervening much, giving us the space to support our daughter without starting a war at home. Her methodology is organized and efficient, with videos with feedback addressed to the kids but available for parents to keep us in the loop. A big +!
Parent of Emory Admit, 2023
At the beginning of the college process, I was totally overwhelmed by all the work I had to do and didn’t know where to start. Dr. Bernstein helped me immensely–from finalizing my college list, to brainstorming essay topics, to using every bit of the Common App to present myself in the best light. I’m especially grateful to her for pushing me to have the best application that I could and not letting me settle for a merely good one. Without her advice, I probably wouldn’t have considered UChicago’s EDII plan. I’m so thankful for her help and super excited to start there this fall!
University of Chicago ED 2 Admit, 2023
Dr. Bernstein was a tremendous help in helping me secure admission to the University of Pennsylvania’s highly selective M&T program. As an international student, who had little knowledge about the US application process, I was super stressed about applying to colleges. In the span of just over a year, Dr. Bernstein helped me get a better sense of my interests, introduced me to extra-curricular activities and summer program opportunities that aligned with my interests, and helped me craft essays that showcased my personality perfectly. Because of her guidance, I will be attending my dream school in the fall!
University of Pennsylvania Management & Technology Program Admit, 2022
Working with Dr. Bernstein has been so amazing.
She has made the college application process so much easier for me and it has been such a pleasure. She helped with planning out my schedule for applications, while working around my own personal schedule, and doing so made everything much more trouble-free. She truly cares for each and every application that she helps out with, each and every essay she edits, and does the best for each and every student. She has been willing to work with me through the end of every application, understanding how important it is to every one of her students. She was able to sit and listen to all of the thoughts that I had for my application – knowing what would be better to include, and which things to exclude in it. She was able to help me bring my “brain dumps” and refine them into clear, concise, and effective essays.
I cannot thank Dr. Bernstein enough for all of the time, effort, and care that she has put into my essays and the patience she has had working with me. Without her, not only would the college application process have been much more difficult, but I’m not sure that I would’ve been able to get into Cornell without her help.
Cornell Admit, 2023
Working with Dr. Bernstein was an invaluable experience. She always made herself available to me whether I was working through a difficult college decision or needed help writing an incredibly hard supplement with a deadline of only a few hours. She pushed me beyond what I thought was possible in my own expression of writing and it was evident throughout my essays. She works hard to understand and know you as a person before she even begins the process of writing, which allows her to provide incredible insight and analysis when you’re creating essays. Dr. Bernstein has been a phenomenal asset to me throughout my college admissions experience and has helped me be admitted to a college where I can pursue my dream of being a college athlete while studying at the perfect school for me.
Denison Admit, 2023
Our daughter told us that working with you on her college applications not only enlightened her writing skills but helped her explore the depth of her mind. Thanks again!
Parent of Yale Admit, 2022
Jennifer was my daughter’s counselor from the middle of her junior year. Jennifer is extremely diligent and is keenly aware of the college admission process. She took the time with my daughter to get to know her as a person, understand her interests and her passions and worked with her to chart a path of coursework and extracurricular activities to get her ready to apply for the right colleges. This worked our very well and my daughter was admitted to all her first choice colleges.
As a parent, it was amazing to watch my daughter’s pathway to the college of her choice become increasingly clear and Jennifer left no stone unturned to guide my daughter’s applications to be as unique and compelling as possible. I am also extremely grateful to her for having dramatically eased our burden as parents throughout the college planning and application process and I recommend her strongly.
Parent of UCLA Admit, 2023
Jennifer has a unique approach to guiding students that relies on collaboration, discipline, and patience. It has been enjoyable for me to work with her throughout the years and I’d highly recommend her to anyone who is struggling or just starting their college application process. There were times when talking to her felt like a FaceTime rant to a close friend and others like a coach right before a big game. She has a special talent for pulling the best aspects out of someone while not erasing their shortfalls from the picture. I always felt confident in her advice and support.
New York University Stern Admit, 2022
I cannot express how helpful working with Dr. Bernstein was throughout the application process. Not only did she keep me organized and on track throughout the process, but she played a major role in supporting me to develop and write my essays. She elevated many of my ideas and pieces of writing. Dr. Bernstein never let me settle for anything less than my best work, going back and forth on some essays over ten times. Most importantly, she helped me create a Common App essay that I couldn’t have imagined going into the college app process. In the end, I can confidently say that Dr. Bernstein allowed me to put my best foot forward on every single one of my applications.
Brown Admit, 2022
Haverford Early Decision Admit, 2022
We could not have hoped for a better overall experience and outcome!
Dr. Bernstein’s positive, organized, and incredibly supportive approach was perfectly tailored to our daughter’s needs. She empowered her to delve deep in order to find her passion and strengths, and present herself in a way that was authentic and substantive.
She managed a very stressful and anxiety-producing process in a way which made goals achievable and allowed us to stand back and trust that the end result would help our daughter achieve her dreams.
We would unequivocally work with her again and highly recommend Dr. Bernstein to anyone looking for guidance with the college application process.
Parent of Emory Admit, 2023
I just wanted to say thank you so much to Dr. Bernstein for all her help over the past three years!! Her dedication and the amount of guidance she’s provided me with were truly invaluable. Not only did she edit draft after draft of applications and essays, but she helped me shape my resume and extracurriculars throughout high school to ensure that they told schools a unique story about my interests, desire to contribute to the community, and the role that I would play as a student. This kind of support helped me stay focused and organized throughout high school and allowed me to participate in programs that truly influenced my high school experience. I hope you consider working with Dr. Bernstein so that you too can benefit from her guidance, and positive feedback, and hopefully get into the school of your dreams! 🙂
UC Berkeley Admit, 2022
Jennifer has done so much more than give me college guidance in the 3-4 years that she’s worked with me.
Jennifer has always given me excellent feedback on essays and perfect application advice. She introduced me to summer programs, language learning scholarships, and research opportunities that were instrumental to my growth. Furthermore, at the beginning of my senior year, she introduced me to a full-tuition merit-based scholarship opportunity and helped me with my application, allowing me to successfully earn full college tuition for all four years. With Jennifer walking me through every step of the college application cycle, I got into my dream school.
Jennifer never did the work for me, but she gave me the guidance and tools I needed to successfully do my own future applications. Any time I had a conversation or meeting with Jennifer, I felt reassured and got excellent advice. She always encouraged me and checked in when progress slowed, and she got to know me, my interests, and my writing style extremely well. Working with Jennifer has empowered me to discover my own path and pursue my passions.
Dartmouth ED Admit, 2021
I say with all sincerity that Jennifer was the key to our daughter’s application process. She’s knowledgeable, compassionate, patient, incredibly astute, and an excellent listener. Her incisive comments helped to get to the root of what our daughter was trying to communicate in her essays. I cannot fathom navigating the complex process without her support. Our daughter has found her perfect fit and will be heading there in Fall 2022! She is a godsend (literally)!
Sarah Lawrence Admit, 2022
I have absolutely loved working with Dr. Bernstein. Going into my senior year, I was super worried about the college application process. But after working with her, I actually enjoyed and felt more confident in the whole process. Dr. Bernstein helped me through the whole process from creating my college list to writing all of my essays. She learned my writing style and pushed me to always produce high quality essays. Within such a short period of time, Dr. Bernstein learned all about me and helped me communicate my passions.
Stanford Early Action Admit, 2021
Dr. Bernstein is the best editor. Her suggestions on my essays constantly challenged me to find new ways to write better. Dr. Bernstein is also precise in that she never misses a single word. On the final review of my college applications, she was able to quickly find a typo I had looked over so many times. Again and again, she helped me figure out how to choose words and phrases that bring out the most character. Her skills scream of her extensive background in English. I would recommend her to anyone.
Barnard Admit, 2022
One of the best things we have ever done for my daughter was to have Jennifer as her counselor for her college applications. She has provided tremendous support to my daughter through the process which greatly alleviated our anxiety.
There are a few things that we are especially appreciative of. First, Jennifer gave us extremely valuable advice in choosing the schools to apply which was very important to us. Second, she helped my daughter in setting the tones of the essays and in particular, getting to the depth necessary for top schools. Third, she is incredibly devoted to the kids and this job. We will never forget how she worked with my daughter during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Knowing that she was there with us was such a comfort to us in those intense days. Therefore, we didn’t hesitate at all to put my younger kid in her hands as well.
Parents of Stanford Admit, 2020
After working with Dr. Bernstein for almost four years, I can confidently say that I would not have received admission into my dream school without her.
At the start of high school, I was lost and didn’t know what career path I wanted to eventually pursue. Dr. Bernstein worked with me to help me identify my passions and then empowered me to take action and get involved in personal and external projects that merged my interests in math and public policy. She consistently inspired me to push my boundaries and dream big.
Then, during the actual college application process, she worked with me every step of the way. She would never let me settle for an essay that showcased anything less than my true potential and would work with me for as long as it took to make sure I had a perfect draft. I’m amazed at how she would pay attention to even the tiniest parts of my application like the “Contacts” section and made sure everything represented me to the fullest extent.
With her continuous support and guidance, I got admission to the Wharton School of Business during a historically low acceptance admissions cycle! Even past this acceptance, I know Dr. Bernstein will continue to be my biggest supporter.
University of Pennsylvania ED Admit, 2021
Before I started working with Jennifer halfway through my junior year, I was feeling really overwhelmed about the upcoming college application process. After a few meeting with Jennifer, however, I felt so much better about what I had to do and how to do it.
She helped me set attainable deadlines for myself every step of the way, and the application process stopped seeming so daunting. In every aspect of my application, she helped me highlight my accomplishments and goals. Her advice allowed me to really dig deep into my writing, and she was instrumental in working with me to make my essays pop and stay true to who I am and my writing style.
Jennifer was an absolutely amazing, knowledgeable, and patient mentor and always made herself available to answer any questions I had and to give advice and review all my writing until I was confident that my supplements and essays were the best they could be (and was so supportive and encouraging even when I was frustrated with myself and my own writing).
I would be completely lost in the college process without her help and guidance, and because of it, I will be attending my dream school in the fall!
Columbia Admit, 2020
Jennifer has now worked with all three of my daughters and has been instrumental in getting them into college.
I met her four years ago when my oldest daughter was looking to transfer after her freshman year of college. My daughter had a frustrating experience with her initial college search, so a friend suggested that we meet with Jennifer for help with transfer applications. Within moments of meeting her, my daughter and I both wondered how we even made it through the first application process without her.
I appreciate Jennifer’s approach to the college process. She encouraged me to start earlier with my younger daughters, which made the process much easier and less stressful. Most importantly, Jennifer does not approach the college process in a cookie-cutter manner. Rather, she gets to know the students she works with and approaches the process in a way that works best for them.
My daughters have very different personalities and Jennifer worked incredibly well with each of them – as coach, editor, hand-holder, and cheerleader. She made each of them realize what they have to offer, coaxed each to make that shine through in their applications, helped them decide the best schools to apply to and then cheered them on when they were accepted.
Throughout it all, she was patient, kind and encouraging. She understands how to motivate each applicant to write essays that make them stand out in a way that is authentic and genuine. The college search and application process would not have been as pleasant or successful without her. She is the best!
Parent of University of Pennsylvania ED Admit, 2019
Thanks so much for helping me in my college applications this year! I cannot express how grateful I am for all the time you’ve put in–even on holidays–to help me with my essays and to essentially achieve my dreams. You are so kind, patient, and understanding, and I could not imagine another person who could help me more with these applications.
MIT Admit, 2020
Jennifer is a gem.
She was recommended to us by friends, to help us navigate the difficult waters of college admissions for our daughter. As immigrants, having gone to college and postgraduate school in another country, we had no idea how this process worked. Jennifer not only put our minds at ease, but also empowered our daughter to find a school that would fit her interests and career goals.
It was Jennifer who encouraged our daughter to visit Colby College. She immediately fell in love with Colby, a small liberal arts college with a bucolic campus, a challenging academic program, and competitive sports. She liked it so much that she decided to apply Early Decision. The two of them worked tirelessly on the application and essay, bouncing ideas back and forth, providing feedback, and setting deadlines to make sure that the “dream school” came true.
And it did! Working with Jennifer was a pleasure. We will forever be thankful to our friends for recommending her, and to Jennifer for her guidance and counsel.
Parent of Colby ED Admit, 2021
Tears of joy in our house tonight! We can’t Thank you enough for all of your help and guidance
Villanova Early Decision Admit, 2022
I started working with Dr. Bernstein the summer of my senior year, just as the panic of impending college applications began to rear its head. As a homeschooled student, the entire process felt incredibly daunting to both me and my parents. After our first online meeting with Dr. Bernstein, though, we immediately felt more at ease about the upcoming months.
Dr. Bernstein’s support was unflagging. There were many times throughout the entire process when I would receive feedback on essay drafts late at night, over big holidays, or on weekends. She was forever patient with my excited and rambling 2-am-emails about the wonderful epiphanies I believed I had just had. Dr. Bernstein led me to write multiple drafts of each essay, meticulously combing through each sentence to make sure I had utilized every extra inch of space a 300-word limit allows. Though at times her feedback felt brutal, like when she steadfastly rejected three consecutive drafts of my Carnegie Mellon essays and made me start them over again, I can tell in retrospect that she was right every single time. Dr. Bernstein also helped me entirely rework the Common App essay I had written earlier in the summer, suggesting edits along the way until I at last felt like I had captured myself on paper. She found ways to help me work my unusual, liberal-arts extracurriculars and hobbies into business school application essays and allowed me to integrate as many subtle references to Thoreau as I could possibly desire.
Dr. Bernstein also helped me expand my college list, suggesting additional schools which matched my interest. Her attention to detail throughout my entire application — not just the Common App and supplemental essays — really brought my package together, and the results from my college application process have been so much better than I ever expected! I got into the majority of the schools I applied to and received significant merit scholarships from most of them, allowing me to make a choice that I’m truly excited for!
I am convinced that I would not have had the same results in this process were it not for Dr. Bernstein’s help, and I am incredibly grateful. I wholeheartedly and sincerely recommend Dr. Bernstein! You will not regret it.
Penn State Honors College Admit, 2021
I want to thank you for your help in my application process – our conversations, and the advice you gave truly brought my application to life and allowed me to dig deep within me. I applied early action to Princeton and was admitted! I attribute this moment to the journey of the application process, in which I interacted with amazing people like you. Again, thank you so much!
Princeton EA Admit, 2018
Dr. Bernstein is amazing, always being supportive with her innovative approaches!
Her suggestions are invaluable. She seems to possess the superpower in capturing students’ uniquenesses. Only a few meetings after being my coach Dr. Bernstein encouraged me to participate in completing an award program, an astonishing opportunity that I would have never found myself. She always opens the door, presenting you diverse, amazing opportunities like summer academy, internship, voluntary service, where you can definitely find the ones fit you the best.
Plus, I REALLY appreciate meticulous help on my college application–especially in writing essays–from both Dr. Bernstein and Dr. Levinson, who were tremendously patient, caring, and helpful throughout this process! They guided me to discover my passions, but never forced me to a conclusion, never pushed their own thoughts over my voice. Being absolute experts, they left me freedom to conduct explorations, but always showed up in opportune moments to give me a push to dig deeper in revealing my fascinations and unique qualities, boosting the writing to a higher level.
I’m truly grateful for her mentorship and all the conversations we conducted along this journey!
Cornell ED Admit, 2021
Dr. Bernstein was an instrumental guiding figure in helping me navigate the college admissions process.
In my underclassmen years, Dr. B was there as I discovered my interests, and she encouraged me to pursue a variety of opportunities and summer programs that both deepened my knowledge and broadened my perspectives. As we brainstormed and revised essays, she always went the extra mile to help me find my voice and straighten out my thought process. Her advice and feedback were indispensable to my process of crafting essays that were genuine and holistic reflections of me. While I had thought that college admissions would be about self-expression, as I worked with Dr. B, I also realized and came to better understand who I am as a person and what gets me out of bed in the morning.
Thanks to her unwavering support, I have great options to choose from for the fall!
UPenn Wharton Admit, 2021
Dr. Bernstein has been an amazing mentor for our daughter throughout the entire college application process. We wish we had met her earlier. She has a wonderful way of working with students, encouraging them, making them realize their full potential and helping them present it in an authentic and genuine manner. To top it off, Jennifer is patient, kind and understands the stress faced by students. She recognized our daughter’s strengths and passions, and helped our daughter highlight those in her college applications. She made herself available to talk with us whenever we needed to. Thanks to Jennifer the college process did not seem as arduous and complex as we had heard. We cannot thank her enough!
Parents of Grinnell ED Admit, 2020
I’ve been working with Jennifer for three years now, and she has done so much more for me than merely giving me feedback on a few essays (which she does VERY well).
Ever since our first meeting in ninth grade, Jennifer has revealed so many opportunities for developing my passion and inspired me to reflect critically about my strengths. It’s insane how many ideas and connections she has! Jennifer has introduced me to many professors, research opportunities, and summer programs that I never feel lost on what to do. Her endless supply of advice and knowledge has been such a huge help in making the whole high school process less intimidating. I feel safe when I am working with her.
I highly recommend starting in Jennifer’s program EARLY. She will not only offer amazing assistance with your applications, but she will also illuminate the way as you discover your own path through high school.
This student was admitted to the Summer Science Program (2016).
MIT Admit, 2017
Dr. Bernstein was truly a blessing to us in our college application process.
Being a homeschool parent, the entire college application process seemed overwhelming. I had already spoken to a few college consultants when we met Dr. Bernstein, but I immediately felt that she understood my son, his goals, and aspirations and would assist him in presenting himself to the college in an authentic way.
Dr. Bernstein also guided me in all the daunting steps of common applications: assisting me with making a transcript, helping me with writing the homeschool supervisor’s report and recommendation, and even assisted me with drafting our homeschooling philosophy.
Working with my son patiently through much feedback and many revisions on his various college application essays, Dr. Bernstein helped him discuss his motivations behind his choice of academics, his homeschooling journey, and his extracurricular activities and truly helped him paint a vibrant yet authentic picture of himself in his essays. I truly believe that ____’ s acceptance at Duke was unlikely without her guidance.
Throughout our work with Dr. Bernstein, we have found her to be patient, kind, encouraging, and always available for a talk when we needed her. I remember when my son was writing some of the college essays, her feedback was so prompt that it seemed like she was with him in our school room guiding him along.
My only regret, wish we had met her sooner!!!
Homeschooling Mom of Stanford Admit, 2020
Dr. Bernstein knew exactly how to bring out the best from my daughter’s background to help with the admissions process. She is very ethical, direct and not one to give false hopes to parents or students to keep them grounded. She works extremely hard to showcase the kid’s abilities to shine in the best possible light.
The whole idea of applying to a university for a student is not based on some abstract ranking but based on the fit between the university and the student based on the future educational interests of the student. Dr. Bernstein has in-depth knowledge of every college and she took the time to know my daughter’s abilities, intellectual level, experience, background, and personality. This was instrumental in identifying the colleges in which my daughter will thrive in, and allowing her to pick the one university that my daughter was confident of applying for ED.
All through this journey, Dr. Bernstein was very supportive and understood that kids take time to discover their passion. Having Dr. Bernstein to support us reduced the stress at home and strengthened my relationship with my daughter during this high-stress period.
I can’t put in words as to how amazing and helpful Dr. Bernstein is, but if I have to sum it up in one statement: “She is the Wharton of counselors.”
Parent of University of Pennsylvania Admit, 2021
Dr. Bernstein is truly an amazing mentor! Not only did she help me write beautiful college essays, but she also has helped me understand myself better along the way: who I am as a STEM student and what I want to do with my life.
The best part about Dr. B is that she is extremely observant and analytical. Simply by talking to her, she developed a good understanding of what really stands out about me and how I can express this within my college application.
She always responded to my messages on time and always checked up on me if my application progress slowed down. Most importantly, she never neglects her students and, as her student, I can tell that she always put her students first before anything else!
Under her guidance, I have been admitted to my dream school, Stanford University!
Stanford Admit, 2019
After working with Dr. Bernstein for over two years, I can confidently say her individualized approach to college counseling is exactly what ANY student would benefit from.
Before I met Dr. Bernstein, I struggled with my grades and was completely discouraged about getting into my dream Computer Science school, Carnegie Mellon. Dr. Bernstein not only boosted my confidence but also helped me showcase my best self on my applications. She made sure I was able to display my unique passions and personal projects that made me a great fit for the school. Her unlimited support (she helped me complete 20 very strong applications in under two months!) and positive attitude made the college application process a wonderful experience. I would have never thought that with a sub 3.5 GPA, I could even dream of attending such an amazing university, but Dr. Bernstein helped me illuminate the essence of my character in a compelling manner.
Here are some more things I loved about Dr. Bernstein’s counseling service:
DEDICATION: There have been numerous occasions in which Dr. Bernstein has worked through holidays and weekends to help me complete my application. For example, on my Common App Essay, which is only 650 words, we had approximately 50+ discussions, during which she paid a meticulous amount of attention to even the tiniest details: helping me eliminate cliches, enhance the tone, and ultimately ensure my personal vision—computer-oriented entrepreneur—shone through. Another example would be for the Carnegie Mellon supplement, where I remember working with her late into the night for nearly a week to ensure my entire application, from the essays to the additional information section, all worked together perfectly. Even as I was getting ready to submit my first few applications, I was able to quickly schedule a video meeting with Dr. Bernstein to make sure everything looked perfect.
KNOWLEDGE: Dr. Bernstein’s understanding of the college admission process was extremely helpful because she made sure I utilized each and every aspect of my application to show a different yet relevant side of my personality. She doesn’t look at each component individually — Common App Essay, Supplemental Essays, Activities, etc.— but rather helps them all work off one another, which allowed me to display my multitude of passions in a way that converged on my ultimate goal: entrepreneurship and technology. By taking notes about my varied interests and then asking me deep questions about WHY or WHAT I want to accomplish in college, and beyond, she made sure I could clearly convey anything and everything I wanted admissions officers to know about me.
In a few years, my younger sibling will be applying to college, and I already know the perfect counselor to guide her along the way — Dr. Bernstein.
Carnegie Mellon ED Admit, 2021
Hi Dr. Jennifer. I just committed! I’m so excited and I still can’t believe it’s real. I’m truly loving the school already. I still remember how undetermined and unsettled I was when I first started thinking about college, and you helped me through in these four years. You always provided me with new ideas and pushed me to perfect my essays. I would not make it to USC without you. Thank you!
University of Southern California (International Student) Admit, 2020
I’m really grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Dr. Bernstein. All of her help from choosing the essay topic to the final revisions enabled me to present myself in the best light. Having her there to guide me through the process really helped me stay on top of things. I also had a really weird transcript having had three different types of schooling during my high school career and she helped me turn what could appear as a negative into a positive.
Middlebury Admit, 2020
I’m so happy to hear that _______ received his offer from USC! I am so proud and excited for him and meanwhile I want to thank you for all you have done. A lot of Chinese students have plenty of agents and he only worked with you and from what I know you have helped him a lot in deciding his interests and direct him into the right path. This will not happen without you. Again thank you so much!!
Parent of University of Southern California Admit (International Applicant), 2020
Dr. Bernstein was essential in my college application process.
Throughout high school, I participated in a wide variety of activities, so I had no idea how to present myself when it came time to apply to college. Dr. Bernstein helped me choose which activities I should feature where and link everything I did into one coherent package. She was great at giving me suggestions that balanced what would make me stand out and what was truly meaningful to me.
Dr. Bernstein also helped me write essays that conveyed what I wanted to say. It was very important to me that I was showing who I was to college admissions officers through my essays. She guided me in refining my essays, so they were concise and conveyed the most impactful parts of my experience while staying true to myself. I can’t thank Dr. Bernstein for her help in presenting myself the best way possible while using my original ideas.
Yale Early Action Admit, 2019
Without Dr. B’s help, I would not have been able to apply to the number of the schools I had while not sacrificing quality. It can be daunting to write so many essays, especially without a clear idea of where to start. Dr. B really helped me bring my ideas together and to reveal different parts of my character that may have been otherwise hidden.
At times there is so much information to write about and she really gave me the much needed outside perspective to help focus ideas clearly in such a way that admissions officers can quickly grasp. Her ability to help focus essays and ideas has taught me, beyond college essays, how to be a more poignant writer.
Dr. B was always very supportive and helped to make this stressful time much easier. I appreciate how she was personally and directly involved with everything. In the process, she got to know me beyond the resume and was able to provide strong, constructive feedback as it related to my essays. This was exactly the type of help I needed and I am so happy to have been able to find Dr. B.
Columbia University Admit, 2019
Applying to college is a daunting. I felt intimidated by the overwhelming amount of things to stay on top of – grades, extracurriculars, hobbies, not to mention the applications themselves. Without Dr. Bernstein’s help, I would’ve felt directionless, like a ship with no compass.
From helping me apply for competitive summer programs to helping me find my unique writing voice, Dr. Bernstein’s support was instrumental in bringing my seemingly ordinary experiences to life through my college essays. She always worked with me, not over me, allowing me to shine as an individual yet adding both a flair of professionality and personality to my application.
I may not have always been the best at keeping up with deadlines and time management, but I can safely say that working with Dr. Bernstein has been one of the most enjoyable long-term projects I’ve undertaken in my life.
Northwestern ED Admit, 2019
I cannot thank Dr. Bernstein enough for her help in the college admissions process. She truly took the time to get to know me and what I care about. She challenged me to think differently and dig deeper while writing my essays. She set aside time to send me personalized videos to give me feedback. Thanks to her help, I was able get into top business schools.
Carnegie Mellon Admit, 2020
I found Jennifer while searching for information about the American college admissions process, and after reading the testimonies about her, I decided to schedule an initial consultation for my son.
My son was immediately hooked with her. She gave very valuable feedback and helped my son to articulate his thoughts without losing his originality. She helped him to dig deeper into his true voice.
Moreover, she always respond promptly, which is certainly what my son needed and made his college application much less stressful. She was even there to help my son during Christmas week!! All of these things show that she really cares about her students. At first we were worried about time problems as we are in Asia time zone. But it turned out that was never a problem.
Parent of Stanford Admit, 2019
Jennifer was essential to my daughter’s successful Early Decision application to Brown. As a parent of a child who’d set her sights on the Ivy League and worked hard to achieve her goal even though she knew the statistical odds were not in her favor, I struggled with balancing dreams with reality. I didn’t want to quash her ambition, but at the same time, we needed razor-sharp, strategic boots-on-the-ground expertise.
I spoke with several nationally recognized experts, all of whom had vast experience in the field, but I hired Jennifer because she immediately demonstrated her holistic approach to matching the college experience with the child. When she used the phrase, “path to happiness,” I knew my daughter was in good hands.
Jennifer’s leadership in helping my daughter develop her essays while incorporating best practices, parent collaboration (how about that), and a great deal of gentle prodding was amazing. The result was not only sound, well-crafted work, but most importantly an authentic glimpse into the mind and heart of our girl. As it turns out, that mattered to the admissions committee.
Jennifer is process-oriented, personally disciplined, and always mindful of the highest potential of her students. Do whatever it takes to hire her!
Parent of Brown ED Admit, 2016
Dr. Bernstein is amazing! Unlike a typical college admissions coach, she doesn’t try to override a student’s voice with clichés or weigh down their essays and resumes with unnecessary information. Having worked at a college for many years, she knows how the system works and how to best present oneself to admissions officers. Sometimes, it’s not about what a person has, but how they present it.
Plus, without Dr. Bernstein, my curriculum vitae wouldn’t be nearly as strong as it is now. She helped me arrange it so it would stand out and also highlight my strongest points. Her subtle approach to “branding” and shaping an application was incredibly helpful. In addition, she’s extremely down-to-earth and knows how to relate to students. I highly recommend her to any student, even the more aggressive or independent ones. Dr. Bernstein’s advice is invaluable!
Princeton Admit, 2012
Dr. Bernstein not only has professional knowledge on college matters but also gave me emotional support as I doubted myself. For starters, I am very thankful to have someone giving me deadlines and structure for such a long-term project. As a major procrastinator, I didn’t exactly meet all the deadlines, but she somehow managed to turn my anxiety into motivation, and I was left with an abundance of time to review my college application as I applied for ED.
I like the way she encouraged me to write and offered me so much practical advice on my essays. I can guarantee that I wouldn’t be able to write such a strong Common App essay without those dozens of revisions under her help. As we brainstormed for essay contents, I always discovered more of myself and realized I am more interesting than I thought I was. In the end, I want to thank her for always being so patient, understanding, and supportive. It was an amazing experience working with her!
NYU ED Admit (International Student), 2020
I’ve known Dr. Bernstein for three years and I can’t emphasize enough the important role that she has played in my personal growth and application process. It is said that a successful application profile is the consummation of one’s individual achievement and character growth during high school years, and only through her counseling have I come safely and confidently to be who I am, to achieve what I have achieved.
Over the past three years that I’ve worked with Dr. Bernstein, we exchanged 227 documents in the long arduous process of essay and creative writing revisions and hundreds more messages through which I sought her guidance during my troublesome times. Dr. Bernstein is professional college counselor, but her effects on me go so much beyond my 27 college applications and admission ticket to Middlebury College.
She has helped me tremendously with summer school applications, leadership applications in school, student body president election speeches, and even with my own creative writing. Dr. Bernstein is able to find the shining qualities of an individual and give recommendations on how to amplify those passions further by her recommendations of summer school or internship opportunities.
So long as you are willing to go further exploring yourself, she is willing to go further with you!
Middlebury – International Admit, 2018
As the first child in the family to apply to college (and the first member to apply to schools in the United States), the application process was a total mystery to me. Dr Bernstein’s program definitely created a sense of relief from knowing that I was riding on the expertise she developed from dealing with past students and that I was being guided in the right direction.
The most significant part of the program was definitely the self-exploration. The application season was the time I was pushed to evaluate my life, my interests, all the choices I had made up to this point, and in what manner I should portray and think about myself. Though our discussions and revisions, I uncovered memories and feelings that I had previously forgotten about, the decisions that had led me to this point in life. It was through this reflection that I “rediscovered” what I was passionate about, and this was an extremely important component to fueling my expression in my application.
The most important aspect for me was being able to speak to someone about my interests and inclinations in life, to go full force and “word vomit” and then be able to go back and pick up the pieces and see how they fit together. You must understand who you are before colleges have their turn to discover you.
The application process is truly an experience that causes a paradigm shift in your own life. Struggle through it, enjoy it, and you’ll be rewarded way beyond college acceptances.
Brown Admit, 2020
Working with Dr. Bernstein was invaluable towards finding my focus, not only as a writer but as a person.
With interests all over the map, I initially had no idea what I was going center my application around. Working with her allowed me to integrate my strengths in a way that translates impressively on paper. Starting from the summer before senior year, she helped me map out my CV, identifying how I was going to package all of these things that didn’t seem to fit together upon first glance. Through our conversations, I spent a large part of my summer mulling over what I wanted to be, what things I truly loved doing. By the end, I was able to pinpoint exactly how I would approach the application process, and this has been invaluable towards me in respects that extend beyond the college admissions process.
College application essays are extremely different from what I’d been accustomed to, and Dr. Bernstein’s dedication and flexibility has helped me adapt to this. However, she doesn’t tramp all over your voice as a writer, but rather works with it to show you how to make it stronger and more convincing. I cannot stress enough that at the end of the day and after all the editing and revising, the essay will still be yours and sound like you.
Dr. Bernstein’s help extends all the way from the small details in the activities and additional information section of the Common App to mastering alumni interviews. Her expertise is the most comprehensive kind that you’ll find out there, so that you can be confident in every single part of the application.
Columbia University Admit, 2015
Parent of Brown Admit, 2020
I have been meaning to reach out and thank you for providing proper guidance and assistance to my daughter prior and during the college application process. As a (soon to be) junior at Binghamton University (BU) she is also on track to complete her masters in_____ (removed to maintain privacy) through BU’s 5 year program. Next summer she plans on accompanying one of the professors abroad and will extend her trip to travel independently. She is feeling success and she is right where she is supposed to be – so thank you!
Your knowledge of existing universities in addition to getting to know our daughter on a personal level provided a realistic school selection during the application process. I remember talking about BU with you and you stated the BU students you had met were all friendly, nice, and a humble group – you were spot-on.
With the spotlight on the recent college admissions scandal, I can’t stop thinking of course all parents want the best for their kids but as parents we need to understand the best quite possibly is a campus community that is welcoming; a college that offers a plethora of options for those who may not “feel a calling” yet; a campus community that does not add to the anxiety and stress many kids feel during this transitional phase of their lives. For many kids the first 4 years of college will not be the last years of their college or university studies. I am not sure where our daughter will end up but we do feel fortunate she started at BU.
I am sure you have guided many students like our daughter – the high school kid who doesn’t have a specific passion; who is a very good student but not the top of their class; who falls towards the introverted side of the spectrum and may not WOW admissions interviewers with their quiet personalities – let those kids and their parents know how you helped our daughter and she is soaring!
Parent of Binghamton University Admit, 2017
With Dr. Bernstein’s help, I was able to get into my dream school and get merit scholarship offers from other top schools!
In addition to Stanford, I received acceptances to Columbia, the University of Pennsylvania’s Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology (M&T), Duke, the University of Southern California (with a full Trustee Scholarship), and Berkeley.
Dr. Bernstein is a wonderful, dedicated mentor.
At first, I was really stressed about the entire college application process. I spent hours writing essays, and each time, I was frustrated with the result. I had many things I wanted to include in my application, but I had no idea how to organize all of it.
Dr. Bernstein gave me detailed feedback that helped me craft a compelling Common Application essay that reflected my personality and passions. Through our discussions, I learned how to share descriptive, concise details about myself that differentiated me from my peers with similar stats. She also helped me revise my college supplements so that my unique voice shone through.
Something that stood out to me while working with Dr. Bernstein is that she genuinely cares about her students. Even during winter break, Dr. Bernstein responded to me within a few hours, and her powerful feedback pushed me to reflect more on my experiences and myself. Knowing that I could always count on her to give me valuable advice eased the stress of my college application process.
Stanford Admit, 2015
I just wanted to take the time to formally thank you for all you have done for me in the past two years. I am so excited to start my next four years at Penn and I truly would not have gotten in without all of your amazing help and advice. I really appreciate the immense patience you had when we were editing drafts of my essays and your advice on how to highlight and present my high school experience in a way that would set me up well for the schools to which I was applying was so critical to my application. Again thank you so so much!!
University of Pennsylvania ED Admit, 2019
I’m incredibly grateful for Dr. Bernstein’s advice throughout high school. Over the three years I worked with her, she introduced me to many opportunities, such as several summer programs, and gave advice on preparing for college applications — long before I actually applied. I had accumulated many experiences and participated in many activities, and she was able to help me highlight my strengths. During the time I worked with her, she thoroughly understood me and helped me form a detailed and complete presentation of myself to include my personality, my interests, and my goals. Her understanding and expertise helped me transform a few activities or awards into compelling narratives. Dr. Bernstein’s guidance was essential during the college application process.
MIT Admit, 2019
If I have to sum it up.. SHE IS GOLD…
We spoke with several counselors when searching for someone to help our son with the college applications process. We had a lot of questions about the process because we were raised outside the US and this was our first child applying to college. Most counselors offer a free 20 minute meeting to discuss their process, but Jennifer was the only one who spent as much time as we needed to make us comfortable with her process. As soon as we finished this first meeting, we knew she was the best counselor for our son.
We expected proofreading help and some guidance and advice on the process itself. What Jennifer delivered was much much more; true counseling. She understood the family dynamic and the stress involved and expertly navigated our distinct personalities and coached us. She is the reason we stayed sane through this process since she was able to resolve differences of opinion within the family and easily build consensus.
She provided the full service from vetting the college list, telling our son where to start and how, working patiently through literally tens of drafts, and accommodating the final deadline rush.
Having worked with her for the last several months, here are some other things we loved about her:
- She values the voice of the student and insists on it coming through. This authenticity was important for us.
- She was not rigid about how many reviews it took. The Common App Essay went through at least 15 reviews with her, while we did a similar number of reviews within our family.
- Her knowledge of the whole application process is spectacular.
- Towards the end of the process, my son was debating whether to apply to the University of Pennsylvania given that he’d already gotten accepted to UIUC and Georgia Tech and Penn was not as highly rated for engineering. Given that this is just extra work for her (because she does not charge per application), she could have as easily said it made sense not to apply. However, she convinced us to apply to Penn. This is highly illustrative of her character. She cares so much about the students and their future even if it means more work for her.
I have another son who will be applying to colleges in 8 years and I already know who his counselor will be – Jennifer.
Parents of UC Berkeley Admit, 2018
Dr. Bernstein is so amazing! I could not have gone this far without her. Not only did she give me excellent advice on my essays, she helped me to find my voice and brought out the best from me. She’s so inspiring and always there for me. I especially love how she has a high standard for me — she’s never afraid to tell me what I don’t want to hear but need to hear. I’m so happy that I found her and I’m truly amazed by how I have grown as a writer under her guidance.
Cornell ED Admit, 2020
I started this journey without much of a direction, but since we started working together in junior year, Dr. Bernstein has been instrumental in helping me find my voice for my college essays. I had a multitude of extracurricular activities and she guided me in zoning in on those that had the most meaning to me. She also helped me set and meet deadlines without much stress.
Carnegie Mellon ED Admit, 2019
I had absolutely no idea about the time and deliberation needed to put together a well-executed application. Dr. Bernstein helped me turn my voice, my stories, and my passions into something the admissions committee must read.
It took numerous tries as well as a few sleepless nights, but it was this (gentle) push that allowed me to write essays I never even thought I was capable of putting together. The tips Dr. Bernstein shares are things I would’ve never thought to do on my own. I’m the type of person to just answer the question, but with Dr. Bernstein’s guidance I was able to share my stories, dreams, and most intellectual thoughts.
It’s imperative to get that head start. You don’t want your senior year full of college applications, essays, work, etc. Dr. Bernstein allows her students to get the application started before it’s even on your peers’ minds.
I’m so thankful for the time I spent working and rewriting my application with Dr. Bernstein. Without the support and effort I would’ve never gained admission to the universities I did.
University of Michigan Admit, 2018
Dr. Bernstein is worth every penny! I can’t recommend her enough!! She has great insight into the entire application process and made very good recommendations that I think made a difference in my son being accepted into his dream school, in addition to nine other schools, three of them with merit scholarships! It was very comforting knowing that she was guiding my son with her expertise through this very stressful process.
Parent of Brown Admit, 2018
Jennifer won’t just help you write your essay. She also knows what colleges love to see in your applications. After I told her I’m interested in screenwriting, she helped me find summer programs at Boston University and Loyola Marymount University. She also encouraged me to join the drama club in my school. She also helped me build relationships with my teachers, so when it came to recommendation letters they had more things to write about me. She even taught me how to arrange a meeting with the admission office of colleges. The earlier you start working with her, the easier it is to prepare for your application for college.
The best part about working with Jennifer is that you are the one writing the essay. If you want to sit there and just write a few sentences and then let her finish the rest, she is the wrong counselor. She would give me specific opinions about my essays like “you should mention which part of this college attracts you, which professor, which program” etc. She helped me learn more about professors I like and the programs that interest me, but I was the one doing the work. The whole process is not easy, but it helped me to learn more about the colleges and made it easier for me to make my decision after I got my offers. You will also find that she cares about your essays as much as you do. There were a few times when I sent my essay to her at 10:30 PM, and she replied to me by 11:00 PM!
If you are hard-working and possess determination, Jennifer is the right counselor for you.
Chapman University – International Student Admit, 2018
Because of you, I had a direction of where I wanted to take my applications. You showed me how to utilize every vital part of the application, like essays, extracurriculars and their descriptions, and even the additional information section, which I hadn’t even thought about and that came in very handy! Even enhancing the simplest of things in my application really made what I put in stand out. While teaching me how to structure my applications to show every side of me to admissions offices, you also taught me how to intertwine my different interests into one package rather than have my interests scattered all over. I’ve also taken away the fact that not only can I pursue my passions just for personal satisfaction, but I can also dig deeper and discover how to apply my passions to the outside world. Thanks to you and the lessons you have taught me throughout this journey, I can finally call Charlottesville home for the next four years!
University of Virginia Admit, 2018
Working with Dr. Bernstein changed the entire college process for me. Junior year–when I had absolutely no clue what I wanted to do in life or where I wanted to go to college– was difficult for me but, fortunately, my mom recommended I work with Dr. Bernstein. Our first meeting was the start of an entire year of college applications, but more importantly self-discovery. Dr. Bernstein helped me with honing in on my artistic and communicative talents and helped me get into the college I wanted to go to. Dr. Bernstein also helped with my writing, and I felt myself improve within school work, almost as if I had hired a tutor, a therapist, and a college counselor. I would highly recommend Dr. Bernstein to any student who is unsure of what they want to pursue, or someone who wants the college process to be a lot less stressful than everyone says it is.
Arizona State University Admit, 2020
Dr. Bernstein is truly one-of-a-kind when it comes to guidance and mentorship throughout high school.
Over the three years I have worked with her, Jennifer has become to me not only a teacher and helper, but a trusted friend. I felt very comfortable talking to Jennifer and describing any doubts or insecurities I was having, because I knew she’d pay attention and give me valuable advice on what steps to take next, or present me opportunities that will push me in the right direction. I never felt forced to do anything, but rather was shown doors of opportunity that I would have never found myself.
She encouraged me to apply for programs of my interest that I didn’t believe I would get into, but I actually did. She helped me enrich my intellectual background by giving me reading lists and other convenient ways of exploring interests that weren’t taught at school.
I can also count on Jennifer to respond quickly, and never failed to get something polished up even when we only had a week to do so. Whenever I had any sort of academic question, she would always be there in a timely manner to answer. She has a fantastic balance of being professional, yet making you feel comfortable and at home.
The best part about working with Jennifer was she never made me feel like I had to make certain choices, or apply to certain schools. She always had a world of suggestions and resources to offer me, but never pressured me to use any of the ones she showed me. She didn’t pile up activities for me to sign up for, or bogus, expensive honors programs to apply for. Instead, she would often check up on me and make sure that I felt satisfied at where I was at. I don’t think I could have written such beautiful essays without her help – I tend to be a wordy writer, with a penchant for using too much figurative language. She never wrote my essays for me, or changed the tone that I had originally set. Instead, she showed me how to take my words – the important ones – and weave them together to create a flowing piece of art. She was instrumental in my placing into the programs that I strived for and opened my mind to new worlds, and in my ED acceptance to my dream school. I can’t thank her enough for what she’s granted me over these three years.
Cornell ED Admit, 2017
I’ve known Dr. Bernstein since 9th grade, and I can’t say enough about how wonderful of a person and mentor she is. Dr. Bernstein knows exactly how to position your strengths and has the resources to help you develop and fine-tune them. I’m always blown away by how knowledgeable she is about meaningful ways to bolster your application. There have been so many opportunities I would not have known about if not for her, many of which have been absolutely crucial to the development of my interests and gave me so much to write about for my applications.
When I worked with Dr. Bernstein on my essays, she without fail gave me the perfect advice to patch up every section that I was doubtful about. I can’t stress this enough! She has such a sharp eye when it comes to personal writing, and is absolutely invaluable as an editor.
Above all, however, Dr. Bernstein the most brilliant, sweet, and funny lady. From the start, she’s felt like a very wise close friend, to whom you could confide in anything and expect wonderful advice from. I sincerely recommend any student to meet with Dr. Bernstein if they are curious how to best present themselves to colleges.
Columbia University Admit, 2017
The thing I liked the most about Jennifer’s work is how she took the time to really get to know our daughter. She got a sense of who she was, what she liked, what she didn’t like, how she liked to communicate, areas she might need to be pushed a little. Because of that, our daughter’s essay was personal, vibrant, uniquely her. She had fun writing it and was essentially done before her senior year started, giving her time to enjoy her year and feel a little less pressure as she began the search for the right school for her. It is my belief that her essay helped her stand out a little in the most accurate of ways, and that was a big reason she was accepted at six of the seven schools she applied to.
Parent of Loyola Maryland Admit, 2019
As I sit on a 14-hour flight to China, I’m excited to reflect and share my experience in the college admissions process with the support of Dr. Bernstein.
Going into high school, graduation may have felt like an eternity away, but I knew the next four years would fly by and it was no longer too early to think about college. Other than this mindset and the strong will to study hard, I began my four years of participating in the college admissions “game” without any other knowledge. I didn’t know how to apply for colleges nor what colleges look for. I hadn’t even heard of the Common App until tenth grade (when I heard seniors complain about it). In other words, I couldn’t even enter the playing field because I didn’t know where the playing field was.
This is where Dr. Bernstein came in. Through talking to upperclassmen, I learned about Dr. Bernstein and her successes in helping students get themselves into college. Dr. Bernstein helped me navigate my way through the colossal labyrinth known as “the life of a high schooler looking to attend college.”
I learned how to pursue my passions and “show them off” on paper. Everything climaxed to the summer before senior year, when I began writing my Common App essay. My activities and interests lined up into one story, telling colleges in concise yet expansive ways who I am, why I will fit at x University, and how am I different from everyone else.
Dr. Bernstein offered me advice through countless supplemental essays and was prompt at giving me feedback every time I sent her a new one. I truly mean it when I say I couldn’t have gotten to where I am now if it weren’t for Dr. Bernstein. I am happy and excited to have achieved personal feelings of success and satisfaction—finally seeing results and rewards after a long (but now looking back, feeling short), tough journey.
Brown Admit, 2018
Dr. Bernstein’s exceptional knowledge of the entire college application process compares to no other. She showed me how to turn my ordinary high school resume into an exceptional curriculum vitae that focused on my talents and highlighted my strengths and passions in order to set myself apart from my peers. I was accepted to UC Berkeley, Johns Hopkins, Georgia Tech, and ten other major universities. Dr. Bernstein truly “knows the ins and outs” of the college application process and worked with me – a true procrastinator – in order to develop a personal connection. I am truly grateful to her for our many conversations, mentorship and professional insight as I navigated the waters of the college application process.
Georgia Tech Admit, 2017
As a parent, I am a big fan of Dr. Bernstein and recommend her to anyone seeking guidance in this very challenging process. My son is now deciding between Berkeley, Georgia Tech, Northeastern and University of Virginia.
We contacted her VERY late in the process, panicked after the early action rejection from my teen’s top school and a deferral from his number two.
Jennifer helped my son draft a good deferral update, and he got accepted by his second choice during the regular admission round. She also helped him polish his Common App essay for the regular admissions round for other colleges and suggested a safety school that wasn’t even on our radar: Northeastern, where our son was awarded a $100,000 merit scholarship over four years.
We found Jennifer to be very caring, helpful and knowledgeable. Her method of critiquing the essays via a recorded private video is brilliant. It really helps the student look more objectively at his personal statement and see how a 3rd party may read it.
My only wish is that we had discovered Jennifer much, much earlier so that we had more time to utilize her knowledge of different colleges and apply to more schools during the early action round.
UC Berkeley Admit, 2018
The most valuable part of working with Dr. Bernstein is that she always catches your original angle and works on that. She deepened my understanding of myself. For instance, when I had a lot of points I wanted to work on my essays, a chat with Dr. Bernstein helped me cut off the unnecessary parts and concentrate on the valuable ones. She is an intelligent listener. She gets to know not only your ideas and extra-curricular activities, but your person as a whole. By achieving this, she gets to understand your “shining point” (which I had a hard time finding, LOL) and helps you put that artistically into your application.
Because I am always careful and strict about how my personality is shown in my essays, I want to make sure I have a very personalized applying process so that my essays deliver the right message. Compared to normal “big agents” in my country, her one-on-one access via email or online meetings work efficiently. She works quickly and with high quality. She manages to help you out and tighten every sentence to make them clear and right. We finished about ten essays (each with about five versions) within 20 days.
I highly recommend you start early, chose the schools you like, and work with Dr. Bernstein even as early as your junior year in high school. Given the college admissions offers I get now, I know it is the right path.
P.S. I’m from an International Department of a normal high school in China with TOEFL score of 101 and SAT score of 1990.
Boston University Admit, 2015
Dr. Bernstein’s knowledge and experience with college applications were an unbelievable resource. Not only was it reassuring to know that someone who truly understands college admissions was looking at my application before it was seen by my college, but also that Dr. Bernstein would always reply quickly to my emails and work with all of my college deadlines. Unlike a parent or teacher, she didn’t try to overshadow or over edit my personal voice, which truly allowed my story to come through in the application.
Throughout my ED application process, there were many panicked moments and tight deadlines that Dr. Bernstein helped me navigate. She stayed up with me until midnight the day that my ED application was due, helping me polish and perfect every detail. With her help, I even connected with an admissions officer when I was confused about what to do with after-deadline SAT scores.
Dr. Bernstein is a guiding light through the stressful and hectic college admissions process.
Brown ED Admit, 2016
I’m still somewhat delirious with our son’s results and phenomenal package. I really can’t believe it’s a reality! I can’t thank you enough.
You assisted our son in presenting his most favorable qualities and characteristics in a way that helped admissions officers see the real him while also satisfying all their criteria. He learned so much about himself throughout this process, and the confidence he gained will remain for years to come! When we began the process, we were nervous about whether he’d get accepted to any of the schools, much less be offered an $84,000 scholarship. I really just can’t thank you enough for all the assistance, guidance, and support you have provided to make this process as smooth as it was!!
Parent of Clarkson Admit, 2017
As someone who avoids writing about myself as much as possible, the introspective and open-ended college essay prompts seemed daunting and impossible. When I first started writing, my drafts were too vague and all over the place, but Dr. Bernstein helped me make them strong, focused, and compelling. With her help, I learned to enjoy reflecting on my personality, interests, and future goals, and I used what I discovered to add character to my essays. She pushed me to keep making lots of minor revisions even when I thought the essays were done. Dr. Bernstein didn’t settle for “good enough” and always prompted me to really think deeply and get to the core of what I wanted to express. I’m glad I followed her advice because it helped me earn acceptance to my top choice college!
University of Pennsylvania ED Admit, 2017
Working with Dr. Bernstein was absolutely amazing. She sees the best of you and is very supportive throughout the entire process. She helped me strengthen all my essays so they flowed well. Her deep understanding of the whole college application process really helped me to overcome my fear of it. Working with her also helped me to explore my own abilities and potential. She is really awesome.
Colgate ED Admit, 2016
As an international student, it’s hard to know where to start. It’s a whole different application and a bit overwhelming. Not only did Dr. Bernstein guide me through it and help me avoid the common pitfalls, she also gave me many valuable insights and suggestions for my applications. I felt that my essays did not simply represent me; they symbolized the ‘best me.’
Amazingly, the time difference between us was not a factor as I always got prompt and helpful feedback. I noticed that when I asked some people for feedback on my essays, they tended to make vague comments like “You need to review and work on that paragraph” (which is infuriatingly unhelpful). Dr. Bernstein went into great detail and always managed to wrangle out the best bits that I could then later expand on.
Dr. Bernstein helped me discover the best angles in my applications and allowed me to see the bigger picture of them. Using these angles made it a great deal easier to write my essays. I could write in greater depth, be more specific, and it definitely made the ‘Why X’ essays a lot easier.
It’s no lie that the US university process is strenuous and taxing, but it was made a whole lot more enjoyable by learning and working with Dr. Bernstein. I also got accepted to the University of Pennsylvania, Brown, Duke, and Cornell.
I highly recommend her to any type of individual, from those struggling to write essays to those who have an idea of what they want to write. She will help you shape them to suit the best possible ‘you.’
Caltech Admit, 2016
I honestly don’t know how I would have survived the college admissions process without Jennifer. Without any idea of where I wanted to apply, what to write about, and when to start, Jennifer patiently helped me figure out what in the world I was doing.
Not only did she help me through the struggle that is the Common App, but she also didn’t impose any directions for my writing and really pushed me to think deeper about who I am and who I want to be. Her feedback was essential to the core of my writing. Once I was able to get the hang of writing essays, I stopped feeling stressed.
Throughout the years I’ve worked with Jennifer, she’s always recommended books and articles to me that I absolutely loved and probably wouldn’t have read otherwise. To me, Jennifer is more than the person who helped me get into a college that I never would have dreamed I’d be able to get into, she’s a friend who has helped expand my interests and outlook for my future.
Dartmouth Admit, 2016
Dr. Bernstein was the saving grace for us.
As a homeschool parent, I was overwhelmed by the prospect of creating transcripts for my daughter and navigating the Common App as a recommender. I wanted to make sure I had professional-level answers and documents for her applications.
As a homeschool student, my daughter was nervous about competing with public and private school peers for college spots.
Dr. Bernstein’s staff created professional transcripts and course descriptions, and she walked me through my part of the Common App. She supported my daughter through her essay writing and applications. She also helped us determine which schools could be a good fit for my daughter.
In the end, my daughter was accepted and offered scholarship money at several schools and decided to attend Clemson’s Honor College, which I think it will be a perfect fit for her.
Homeschool Mom of Clemson Admit, 2018
Jennifer can make any situation better and any person more productive. She transformed me from a nervous, underachieving malcontent into someone who sees a world of possibilities. Meeting and being involved with her was one of the best things to ever happen to me as an undergraduate.I will never forget the first time I met her. I was on my way to tell her that I could not participate in the internship program because it was simply too time consuming. When I got to her office, she convinced me the program would be a great experience. She was right. All the positive things that happened to me during my senior year happened because of Dr. Bernstein’s positive influence. Because of her internship program, I am a McNair Scholar and intern at the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture.
The Citadel, 2011
Dr. Bernstein was a tremendous help in the college application process.
Her amazing advice helped me get into my dream school as well as every other school to which I applied. Throughout the summer and fall, I struggled with my Common Application essay and felt like I was lagging behind in completing my application for the early action deadline.
When I met with Dr. Bernstein in October, she quickly pinpointed the problem. Through our conversations, I discovered how to restructure the scheme of my essay and add excitement without sacrificing my originality.
She also helped me revise all of my college supplements and even the application attachments. In particular, Dr. Bernstein helped me edit my resume in a way that highlighted my skills so that my best achievements jumped out at admissions officers.
Dr. Bernstein is flexible, versatile, and always ready to help students.
Unlike other college admissions counselors who tend to standardize students’ essays and emphasize generic and cliché characteristics, Dr. Bernstein takes an approach that is fully student-oriented. Throughout the process, I felt that Dr. Bernstein took time to understand me as a person and then used this information to help me see how to get my own voice and personality to come through.
Dr. Bernstein has an amazing level of experience in helping students get to the schools they want. Despite this, she is incredibly practical and is always ready to learn from the students she works with.
Stanford Admit, 2012
Dr. Bernstein helped me truly distinguish myself in my college applications.
When I first started writing my Common App essay, I was stuck in the typical high school essay mindset that comes off as rather un-engaging and superficial. Dr. Bernstein managed to pinpoint the key aspects of my essay and guided me through the process of sharing the emotions, justifications, thought process, and details that really reveal who I am and differentiate me from the thousands of other applicants. Working with her not only made my essays more focused and personal, it also caused me to learn more about myself.
As we moved on to supplements, I was amazed by her dedication and persistence. If a certain essay was still missing key components, we would continue working and revising until everything was there. Even though this took longer, she ensured that all of my essays would be top notch. During winter break, I would send her essays in the evening and she would reply with a dozens of comments and corrections the next morning, that’s how dedicated she was to my success.
Dr. Bernstein’s help and advice proved invaluable and I highly recommend her to everyone.
University of Pennsylvania Admit, 2014
Dr. Bernstein was extremely helpful in guiding me through the college application process!
She helped me develop an organized and effective approach to the complicated application process. Although I came in with no idea what direction or topics I wanted to go with in my application essays, Dr. Bernstein was very understanding and took the time to talk to me more so that we could find a way to synthesize my activities and experiences into cohesive essays.
Even though I live on the West Coast, Dr. Bernstein made sure the time zone and location differences were not an issue by sending detailed messages, making private videos for me, and talking with me on the phone or in online meetings. Her responses were always very timely and really helped me find ways to distinguish myself and accentuate my strengths!
Dr. Bernstein helped me develop a unique narrative—she is very experienced and offered many valuable insights that helped me improve my essays. When editing, she offered guidance and suggestions instead of directly altering my essays; this helped clarify and enhance my ideas while still allowing my authentic voice to show throughout the essay.
Cornell Admit (Early Decision), 2018
Professor Bernstein has this great quality that enables her to effortlessly discern and respond to the very individual qualities of each person, allowing the relationship that forms to be both productive and fondly memorable, as it has been for me. As the freshman year advisor at the Macaulay Honors College, she had an amazing ability to instantly engender a feeling of trust and camaraderie between herself and the students she served.
As one of those students, I looked forward to stopping by her office each day, knowing that she would always make herself available to listen with genuine interest and enthusiasm to all of my maladjustments and aspirations. I soon came to regard her as both a friend and confidant.
She eased the awkwardness of the first months of college with a balanced dose of listening and guidance. Her warmth allowed for candid and comfortable conversations, where she openly shared stories of her own college and life experiences, pacifying any worries I may have had.
Macaulay Honors College Admit, 2003
Dr. Bernstein was a lifesaver. I really can’t imagine where I would have been without her help!
There are few things worse than staring into a blank screen, cursor blinking, clock ticking, the light of the day outside slowly dying. Imagine that the next words you type on that screen will define the course of your life. Where do you even start? The first thing I realized was that I’d never dealt with these kinds of prompts before. Quite literally, everything I’d written in high school had been formal responses to historical and literary analyses: introductions, theses, body paragraphs. But despite realizing my complete freedom in how I approached the college essay, I was having trouble making the jump as a writer. This is where Dr. Bernstein comes in: with every draft she edited, I was learning how to adapt.
Like any teacher, Dr. Bernstein can’t tell you what to do; in the end, the decisions have to be your own, and that’s the simple truth of it. Dr. Bernstein doesn’t edit your essay with ways to make it work nor does she rip it apart with criticism—and yet what she does can’t really be described as a “middle ground” either. Instead, she points out all the fundamental differences between your draft and what could be a successful essay.
I don’t think there’s any way to overstate how powerful that kind of feedback is. What that essentially did for me was let me be continuously thinking and brainstorming. I almost never had to decide which parts of the draft needed change and which parts I shouldn’t tamper with.
Cornell Admit, 2014
When I first began my application for COSMOS (California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science), I was lost.
Dr. Bernstein guided me and showed me how to look through the eyes of the admission officers. She would probe me with questions, that initially I thought would not be useful for my essay, but became the basis for them. As students, we have the information about ourselves that programs love to hear.Dr. Bernstein knows how to find that information and assist students in putting the ideas down on a piece of paper.
She really helped me make my essays go from mediocre to phenomenal! With her advice, I not only immensely improved my application essays, but my writing in general is now better because she taught me a few tricks and tips that indefinitely improved my writing. Working with Dr. Bernstein feels like working with a friend on something enjoyable. It transformed the drudgery of writing essays into something I began to look forward to. I was very lucky to work with her!
COSMOS Summer Program Admit, 2014
Dr. Bernstein helped me craft a compelling Common App essay that I am still extremely proud of, and she did so in a way that allowed my own voice to shine through. She made suggestions and patiently worked through draft after draft with me until we were both satisfied with the result.
But Dr. Bernstein doesn’t solely focus on the essay and the supplements–she recognizes the importance of the activities portion of the application as well. The first thing we worked on in our time together was the activities portion of the Common App. She helped me focus in on the key details of all of my activities and helped me vocalize how I’ve grown because of them, and then she helped me put together a curriculum vitae that impressed the college alumni interviewers.
I cannot express my gratitude for Dr. Bernstein enough, but know, if you’re working with her, you’re in good hands!
Duke Admit, 2015
I wish I discovered Jennifer’s website a few years earlier. She gave me informative, insightful and practical advice in what I considered to be an overwhelming college application process for a homeschooling parent.
I was feeling unsure as how to best highlight my senior’s achievements and how to write an impactful letter as his guidance counselor. Jennifer took the time to review my initial letter and evaluation and gave me suggestions as to how to make it more powerful and stand out from other applicants.
Although I didn’t think my son had a “hook,” Jennifer listened to everything I was trying to convey and explained to me what she said his “hook” was. I would have overlooked it, but instead with her help I was able to expound on it and make it a key element of who he was. I was able to show his passion, initiative, and talent so the admission counselors knew what he could offer their college as a future student. She also explained the importance of telling his story of how and why he chose the homeschool path.
Homeschool Parent of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Admit, 2018
I was completely hopeless when I first started writing my college essays, and without Dr. Bernstein’s superb guidance, I would have continued floundering, completely clueless about the application process and never knowing how to present myself to the essay readers.
Dr. Bernstein genuinely cares about students, and her approach is a perfect mixture of easy-going and rigorous. She gave me a sense of direction as well as space to work on things on my own, which was perfect, since I sometimes needed the right incentive in order to get things done.
The online meetings were nice and informal, and we could discuss my application seriously while feeling comfortable in our own homes. She would read over what I worked on a day or so before, and thus during the meetings gave me specific feedback.
I was very lucky to have her expertise and guidance as I completed my application, and she is, without a doubt, one of the best mentors I’ve ever had.
Northwestern Admit, 2013
Summer was here, but I still had no idea how to apply for college.
Thinking about all my interests made me dizzy, and I had absolutely no idea how to fill out college applications. Dr. Bernstein acted as a sort of stabilizer for me. She helped me solidify just what I wanted to share with admissions officers. With her help, I felt like I really wrote something that gave them a taste of who I am.
Another great skill she taught me was how to create a curriculum vitae. Skip the boring list of activities or resume–a CV (course of life) is something that illustrates where you’ve been and where you might be headed. Learning how to make one is an invaluable skill that I will be using for the rest of my life.
Dr. Bernstein is also an editing machine, showing you what you need to improve and helping you refine your long list of supplemental essays quickly and efficiently.
It is always beneficial to have an extra set of eyes on an essay, especially if they’re Dr. Bernstein’s.
The online sessions felt personable and extremely productive, and without them it’s unlikely someone as unorganized as me could have put together such a comprehensive application!
Yale Admit, 2013
Working with Dr. Bernstein allowed me to unleash my potential and submit an application that I did not even know I was capable of creating. She pushed me out of my comfort zone with my writing and guided me every step of the way to make sure I had the best essay possible.
I wrote my personal statement about a past experience that I did not even think was significant before she brought up the idea after reviewing my (thanks to her) organized and comprehensible resume. Dr. Bernstein allowed me to view this experience in a new light and let it become the cornerstone for my essay. I not only was able to write a great essay, but I was able to see how my experiences have affected my own growth and my interests that I want to pursue in college.
Cornell Admit, 2015
Working with Dr. Bernstein is just great.
As a high school student in China, I knew very little about liberal arts colleges in the United States. However, after talking with her, I realized that these were the best colleges for me. She provided me with a list of schools that seemed like a good fit for me, and after a serious talk with my parents, I chose my top schools, reach schools, and safety schools.
The experience of writing essays for different schools with Dr. Bernstein was also amazing. Before working with her, I was really nervous about the essays. There were so many things I wanted to tell admissions officers, but I didn’t know where to start or which ones were the best. However, Dr. Bernstein made this whole process easier, more relaxing, and more enjoyable.
Every time when we started a new essay, we would have a talk. This was not a serious and formal talk like you’d have in school. Instead, it was more like a free talk between friends. She encouraged me to share my thoughts, and I have to say that Dr. Bernstein is a terrific listener because she was always able to find out the shinning points during our long conversations. She would also ask me for more details about the points she thought valuable. After talking, she would send me feedback that helped me write the essays. My essays were always the real me.
I received acceptances to 8 colleges and am excited to study at my dream school!
Mount Holyoke Admit, 2016
Dr. Bernstein helped me show colleges the real me. I didn’t have spectacular grades or scores (or even a great activity sheet), but Dr. Bernstein taught me how to see and write about my strengths in my application essay and other materials. She worked with me to express what is meaningful about what I have accomplished. Through her years working in universities and talking with college admissions officers, she has a wealth of tips that most people don’t know. Also, the online lessons were very helpful in terms of showing me how to develop my application and resume (what she calls a curriculum vitae). I definitely would not have gotten where I am now without the help of Dr. Bernstein. I was recently offered an $80,000 scholarship to my top school!
Allegheny College Admit, 2014
Before I found Dr. Bernstein through her YouTube video on preparing for alumni interviews, I was feeling completely overwhelmed by my college applications and was receiving little help from my guidance counselor and teachers. I wasn’t sure if my essays showed my true interests and character and was stressed out by the whole college admissions process.
Dr. Bernstein was so helpful in relieving my stress and raising my confidence in my work. I had been struggling with my Common Application essay for months, but through our conversations, she gave me a clear direction for my essay and helped my authentic voice come through. She gives detailed, meaningful advice on how to improve every aspect of your main essay and supplemental essays. Her student-led approach is ideal for those who want to improve their writing for college applications and become more effective, engaging writers in general.
Our online sessions were productive and valuable. She helped me create a comprehensive application that allowed college admissions officers to get a true sense of myself. I feel very lucky to have come across Dr. Bernstein because my application is now as strong as it could possibly be.
UC Berkeley Admit, 2014
Fellow parents: Trust me – you are going to be SO GLAD if you have Jennifer Bernstein help your senior through the college application process. She is positive, smart, extremely professional, easy to work with and gets results! She helped our son develop an excellent application package that presented him in the best possible light. I contacted Jennifer after viewing her very helpful online college videos and count my blessings that she was able to add him to her group of early decisions applicants. With Jennifer’s help, our son met his Nov. 1 Early Decision deadline and was thrilled to be accepted by his first choice school in December!
Here is what I like most about Jennifer:
* Top notch editing – She provides lots of very constructive feedback on the essay drafts, not just minor edits. Besides brainstorming, she asked tough questions of our son to get him to think deeper on his essay responses. If he got stuck, she would help and provide some options to consider. Her guidance helped him to develop much richer essays, providing more insights into his thought process and personality.
* Big picture thinking – Jennifer really considered our son’s entire application as one big picture, not a lot of separate parts. She considered how the essays and activities would fit together to present a consistent, rich picture and help the admissions team easily imagine him as a successful addition to their school. She seemed to know what college admissions staff are looking for in essays and encouraged our son to illustrate his critical thinking skills, “showing not telling” how his experiences had been transformative.
* Personalized attention – I know that Jennifer was helping probably 8 to 10 other students simultaneously, but I truly felt like we were her only client!
* Detail oriented – Jennifer insisted she check over his extracurricular activities section and found many corrections, standardized the format, suggested different wording, helped my son rearrange the groupings of activities and the end product was much cleaner, easier to read and much more impressive.
* Fast turnaround – Wow! As fast as our son could submit his essay revisions, within 24 hours (except on the weekends) and often the same day, he would get Jennifer’s edits and suggestions back.
* Communications – Jennifer is a great communicator, very positive, easy to work with, and not intimidating. She uses a document sharing system which made it easy to track all the different essay revisions in the application flying back and forth and not lose anything in his email inbox.
Parent of Santa Clara University ED Admit, 2016
My college applications would have been a nightmare without Dr. Bernstein. While perusing the Common Application prompts over the summer, I realized that I had no idea where to start. I felt like I didn’t have many experiences that I could use to make a good personal statement. After choosing a topic, she helped me find a direction that made me and my traits shine, without dictating what I should do next. My voice and personality were preserved in the essay, which she was able to help turn from a train wreck into good essay. When I was tasked with writing a supplemental essay (the classic “why here”), I was, again, without a clue with how to approach it. She helped me research the school and find things that I was able to link to myself to write a personalized “why here” essay. She truly taught me how to write a college application essay, and without her I have no doubt that I would not have gotten in to my schools.
Cornell Admit ED, 2016
Students often struggle with the process of analyzing data, synthesizing ideas, and articulating their thoughts in lucid, concise language. Professor Bernstein focuses on this process, and she develops her students’ ability to translate their ideas into evocative, compelling, and organized essays. Her goal is to enable you to be a clear, adaptive, and self-sufficient thinker. Potent expression emerges from coherent thought, penetrating vision, and creativity. Her purpose is to cultivate your mental vitalization and evolution. She patiently evaluates your thoughts and your writing in order to perceive what you’re really trying to communicate. Then, she uses her extensive knowledge and experience to provide the exact guidance you need to effectively convey your ideas.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Admit, 2014
Working with Dr. Bernstein made the entire college application process incredibly easy to manage and relieved me of so much stress. I was one of those people who kind of put off the applications to the last minute (I had nothing in solid essay form until the middle of November), and yet Dr. Bernstein helped me get just about everything polished and submitted before we went off on Christmas vacation.
Her deep understanding of the application process and knowledge of what the admissions officers are looking for helped me direct my writing in a much more focused fashion and easily allowed me to put pen to paper, so to speak.
Her very approachable personality and supportive attitude were immensely helpful in getting me to share some of the more personal details of my life or poorly written essays. If you have an idea, she’s open to it, no matter how outlandish or far-fetched it sounds.
I would definitely recommend her program to any one going through the college application process.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Admit, 2013
Working with Dr. Bernstein was really an amazing experience for me. She was very supportive throughout the entire college application process and takes both your ideas and writing very seriously. She helped me strengthen my writing without sacrificing my unique voice and made me feel comfortable and confident about my essays. She even took the time to get me prepared for interviews and taught me how to turn some of my weaknesses into strengths.
I also think Dr. Bernstein’s method really helps you develop as a person. She’s a wonderful mentor, who’ll encourage you to articulate your unique strengths.
I highly recommend her!
Syracuse University Admit, 2013
One of the more difficult things about writing college application essays was figuring out what I was going to write about. Once I have a great idea, it’s not that hard to put it down on paper, but that initial pre-writing phase was a big obstacle for me. I had several ideas for my main Common Application essay, but Dr. Bernstein helped me narrow it down to just one by showing me how that one essay would fit into my entire “application package” better than the others.
After I decided on the topic, she worked with me to revise my essay to the point where I was sure that it was concise, comprehensive, and nearly perfect. Throughout the entire process, Dr. Bernstein was never overbearing or strict. Her comments were always calculated suggestions that were made with years of experience. Her constructive admonishments and reassuring commendations gave me a lot of confidence in my application because I knew that an expert had seen every word I had written.
Not only is Dr. Bernstein great at doing what she does, but she also is passionate about her work. It was late one night when I was revising a college supplement that I was going to submit the next day when I realized that there was still an essay question that I had not answered. With about 24 hours left to write and edit a complete essay, I was panicking. Even on such short notice, Dr. Bernstein was able to put aside her family and personal life for little while to help me. Together, we edited my essay until it was on par with the rest of my supplement. I was able to submit my application on time and with confidence.
Working with Dr. Bernstein is like learning from a teacher, collaborating with a friend, and talking to a parent all at the same time. She teaches you how to write effectively, she listens to your opinion while offering her own, and she shows you how to present yourself in the best possible way.
Duke University Admit, 2014
When I met Dr. Bernstein the first time, I was not confident. I’m an international student studying in the United States and my grades were not as high as they could be. I also didn’t have as many activities as some of my friends. She helped me get my “spirit” into my essays so that they really described me. Dr. Bernstein not only taught me how to write a college application essay. She also taught me how to write more formal essays for college. Now writing is more relaxing for me, and I’m able to catch the most important points. I cannot imagine what would have happened if I didn’t choose to work with her. She is a great mentor.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Admit, 2015
Jennifer represents the next wave of dynamic mentors and professors. From the minute I met her, she encouraged me to take risks and be creative. She also taught me how to use social media and helped me develop my blog. Plus, she introduced me to the world of publishing and editing. Because of her, I’m now a published writer.
All the people I know who’ve worked with her talk about how she always makes it easier for them to succeed in their endeavors. I’m no exception. Her guidance has changed my life.
The Citadel, 2011
My experience working with Dr. Bernstein was a pleasant surprise. As much as I was excited to have help in the college application process, I was nervous about working with someone I did not already know. Now I feel a connection to Dr. Bernstein and will not hesitate to reach out to her in the future. One of the highlights was the process of completing my CV. I am proud of my accomplishments, and Dr. Bernstein taught me how to share these professionally. Another benefit was that Dr. Bernstein helped me discover creative ideas and ways to describe my experiences in the essays.
Working with Dr. Bernstein provided me with just enough accountability by setting reasonable deadlines and assisting me with staying organized. I would recommend meeting with Dr. Bernstein to anyone that feels overwhelmed about the college application process.
Stevenson University Admit, 2014
We are so very appreciative for all your attention. You are amazing and can’t thank you enough. Your patience and acceptance along with your expertise with the writing and knowledge of the process was all so valuable. We would have torn each other apart having to do it ourselves, and we, of course, would not have known as much. This process opened her eyes to things she wouldn’t have otherwise.
Parent of University of Michigan – LSA Honors Program Admit, 2016
Working with Jennifer was the shot in the arm I needed to help me focus on my goal of getting into the food and beverage industry. She challenged me to think creatively about how to present myself to potential employers while working alongside me. Her process was not a formula that I was plugged into; it was a process that evolved to fit my goals and to better prepare me to enter my field of choice. I highly recommend her and her services.
The Citadel, 2010
Dr. Bernstein is really helpful. She guided me thoroughly throughout the college application process.I faced two big issues while writing my application essays.
First, I had trouble finding good topics to write about. To help me with this, Dr. Bernstein guided me through a process of discovering stories and anecdotes from my experiences that best reflected certain parts of my personality. She also pushed me to dig into details. For example, in my one of my essays, which described a teaching experience, she suggested that I add in vivid descriptions of what was going on in my mind. These details really showed who I am as a person.
Another one of my difficulties is the English language. As an international student, I still sometimes struggle with grammar rules and idiomatic expressions, but Dr. Bernstein helped me understand them and helped me improve my writing in general.
With Dr. Bernstein’s support, I believe I sent my best writing pieces to my colleges. I cannot imagine how I would have handled them without her.
UCLA Admit, 2014
The insight Professor Bernstein gave me is irreplaceable. Originally, I was planning on just writing an essay that provided a blow-by-blow account of why I want a place at the school, but she made me realize the importance of creating an essay that describes my work as part of a larger personal journey. Her genuine interest, passion, and expertise left me feeling rejuvenated, confident, and optimistic about my application. I am thankful for her honesty.
Ipswich University (England) Admit, 2012
I jumped into my application with a can-do attitude that quickly fizzled under the nature of the college prompts. Gone were the rubrics and assignment sheets to which I was accustomed (analyze this, make a connection to that, ten points off if you don’t cite correctly). I had almost too freedom. Because of some confusion, I started working with Dr. Bernstein a bit late in the application cycle, and I really appreciate the way she accommodated me into her already busy schedule (though I’d still recommend starting with her earlier).
The feedback that Dr. Bernstein provided throughout was extensive and truly helped a great deal in making my personal statement and supplementary essays much more effective. Rather than ripping apart entire drafts, she pointed out where my essays were weak and helped me come up with ways of making these points stronger.
Ultimately, the final product was my responsibility, but she provided me with invaluable advice and pointed me in the right direction. Additionally, she was really friendly and supportive; I never felt as if I were being judged or as if I couldn’t seek help or feedback. Dr. Bernstein was also extremely approachable, I was able to talk about my interests, goals and character freely, and in doing so we were able to pinpoint key elements to write about.
I have a tendency to want to push through everything by myself, but my essays would have been nowhere near as authentic or original without her guidance, and I would have definitely been much less informed about the subtle nuances of the college application process as a whole. It is clear how dedicated she is to each of her students, and how much she believes in their ability to succeed. I’m immeasurably grateful to have had the opportunity and honor of working with her!
Cornell Admit, 2014
At first, I was reluctant to have someone help me with my applications—not because I didn’t want help, but because I was worried that an advisor would change my voice and make me sound mechanical and boring. Dr. Bernstein dissolved my fears.
She has extremely fresh ideas, thinks outside of the box, and puts so much effort into making sure you get into the college where you’re meant to be.
I’m very grateful that I had Dr. Bernstein help me with my applications—because not only is she intelligent (as any college advisor should be), but she’s also relatable. She encourages you to be an advocate for yourself, which comes in handy when you’re trying to stand out in a sea of applicants.
University of Tulsa, 2015
With the daunting college application season approaching, I had a rough idea of how I wanted my personal statements and supplements to sound. However, Dr. Bernstein truly helped me highlight my accomplishments— she worked with me to teach me how to shine light on my best attributes to piece together my application. Her supportive nature and clear, concise, rapid feedback helped get me through the application process. By working to answer the questions she asked in the margins, I was able to write “my story.” Constantly knowing that Dr. Bernstein would be there to offer advice and support throughout the entire process helped ease my fears.
UC Berkeley, 2015
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Below will be the content form. You can insert the content form by inserting [[additional_content_form]] into the actual content.
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[free_gift_form]
This is a typical blockquote. You can create this by clicking on the quotes on the top. The more you type, the bigger this thing will get. And the image will also get bigger. We’ll need to update how it looks a bit at various sizes.
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- Transform your high school experience into an exciting, challenging adventure that allows you to stretch past your limitations and thrive
- Live up to your potential by taking the right courses and finding innovative ways of pursuing your interests outside of the classroom (and even beyond the usual extracurricular opportunities)
- Increase your chances of getting accepted to college
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