With almost 20 years of experience in college and graduate admissions counseling, Stephanie is known for her thoughtful strategy, steady guidance, and deeply personalized approach. As a College Counselor with ESM Prep—and a longtime leader at Metro Academic Prep—she has guided hundreds of students through highly competitive admissions processes, including selective universities, transfer pathways, and graduate programs. She believes that strong outcomes are built over time through early positioning, intentional academic and extracurricular planning, and essay development that allows each student’s authentic voice to come through in a cohesive and compelling way.

‍

Born and raised in New York City, Stephanie attended the Horace Mann School before earning her B.A. with Honors from Columbia University, majoring in Psychology with a minor in Eastern Religion. After college, her passion for yoga and rock climbing led her to travel to more than 40 countries, ultimately spending a decade founding and directing yoga centers in New York and India. That experience shaped the focused and calm presence she brings to the admissions process—particularly during moments that can feel overwhelming for students and families.

‍

Stephanie works with students across the academic spectrum—from those targeting the most selective institutions to those seeking stronger-fit transfer options or advanced degrees. Her expertise spans long-term positioning strategy, course selection, extracurricular development, test planning, essay architecture, interview coaching, and early-career advising. She holds a Certificate in Independent Educational Consulting from UC Irvine and is a member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA). Families value her ability to anticipate challenges, identify opportunities, and guide the process with clarity and confidence.

‍

Outside of advising, Stephanie can be found in a hot yoga class, hiking with her lhasapoo, or experimenting with her latest culinary creation.

‍

Testimonials

‍

"Working with you was a game changer for our family. From day one, you took the time to understand Jake and helped him build a compelling, authentic story that reflected who he is and what he cares about—not just his grades and scores. Even when there were bumps along the way, you were steady, strategic, and always several steps ahead. Your guidance brought clarity to every decision and made a stressful process feel manageable. Thanks to your expertise, Jake was admitted to Columbia, a school that is a true fit. We recommend you without hesitation—your insight and care made all the difference."

‍

"I’ve had the pleasure of working with Stephanie through every major academic transition. From my initial college applications, transferring schools, and most recently graduate application,  her level of commitment and knowledge creates an encouraging atmosphere that turns the typical stress of applications into a learning experience. I have gained a clearer understanding of what I want, and Stephanie provides the support that allows me to express it with confidence. When I decided to transfer, you helped me turn a nerve-wracking moment into an opportunity. In the end, I found myself at a university where I genuinely feel at home. Years later, when I applied to graduate school, you were just as invested as the first time we collaborated together. The way you remembered my interests, passions, and strengths as a student demonstrated a genuine commitment to supporting each client. I was guided through the process of articulating my intellectual direction with clarity and purpose. You’ve left a lasting impact on my academic journey, and I would recommend you without hesitation to anyone seeking not only expert guidance, but someone who truly believes in them. I cannot thank you enough for being a pillar of my academic growth. It is rare to encounter someone who is so understanding and patient throughout every stage of the application process. You’ve motivated me to pursue my goals to their fullest extent and instilled a sense of confidence in each of your clients that makes you a role model to many, not just an advisor."

‍

"Thank you for all that you've done to prepare, guide, and assist Sophia and Alex in getting into the two schools that are perfect fits for them. You were there from the beginning and, especially with Alex, were always there to help and advise us during the process, which was not always a direct path. We are grateful for having found and worked with you, and we consistently recommend you to our friends and colleagues who are beginning the college testing and application process."

Originally from the Bay Area, Alexa attended Swarthmore College where she majored in Computer Science and Chemistry.  After graduating, she spent four years working in biotechnology as a software engineer, building web applications for clinical trial data automation and analysis. Currently, she is a third-year medical student at Emory University School of Medicine. She has a particular interest in global health surgery and hopes to pursue a surgical subspecialty when applying to residency.

A tutor in various subjects for the past 10 years, Alexa has particularly loved teaching the MCAT since taking the test in 2021. She finds great purpose in helping pre-meds conquer this rigorous exam — one that is as much a mental battle as an academic one. She also enjoys guiding aspiring physicians through the medical school application process and tutoring current medical students for board exams (e.g. STEP1).

In her limited free time, Alexa loves to swim in both the pool and open-water, train for marathons, travel the world, and bake.

Born and raised in New York, Bill has a BA in literature from Columbia University and an MFA in filmmaking from Columbia’s School of the Arts. He has written numerous award-winning short films, feature screenplays, and TV pilots. Aside from art, his primary intellectual passions have always been history and philosophy, and he spends most of his free time reading both.

He has tutored both American History and World History for over 10 years, as well as the ACT, SAT, various academic subjects, writing, and study skills. He has also guided students successfully through the college admissions process.

After graduating from Parsons School of Design, Carey led the school’s Alumni Critique Workshop, which focused on helping recent graduates develop portfolios to pursue specific career opportunities. Following several years of working freelance in the illustration and film industries in New York City, she earned her MA from Central Saint Martins, London. Carey then began teaching art classes for students of all ages, including mentoring teenagers as they created fine art, animation, and comic portfolios.

Now settled in LA, Carey helps students craft powerful portfolios and written statements for their college applications, and guides them as they pursue their artistic passions.

Originally from Massachusetts, Cat has been a standardized test tutor and academic math tutor in New York City for more than 17 years. Since her graduation from Grinnell College with a B.A. in Philosophy in 2008, Cat has grown deeply knowledgeable in the SAT, ACT, ISEE, SSAT, SHSAT, and other tests­­­–guiding hundreds of students to their personal best scores. She equips students of all academic backgrounds and learning styles with the strategies, techniques, and confidence they need to unleash their inner test-taker.

Cat brings a wealth of expertise to her academic math tutoring, as well. As a Math Mentor for National Math Stars, she exposes extraordinary young students to rich tasks and helps them think like mathematicians. As a "T squared" (Teacher of Teachers) at Boston University's PROMYS for Teachers, she provides educators with tools for helping their students explore mathematical content with a spirit of inquiry and discovery. Cat believes that, with the help of a patient tutor, every student can build a positive relationship with mathematics. Firmly committed to the idea that there is no one-size-fits all approach, she adapts her teaching methods to her students' needs and moves at their pace.

Aside from tutoring, Cat is also an amateur history podcaster! She's currently in the (interminable) research stage for an upcoming podcast about the History of Inquisition. She also enjoys biking around Brooklyn, participating in reading groups, and playing music.

‍

Born in Honolulu, Daniel is a Hawaii boy at heart but somehow always finds himself far from home. He studied Ancient Greek and Latin at NYU, then went on to do a master’s in Roman History at St. John’s College Oxford as the first Ertegun Scholar in Ancient History. He is now finishing up his PhD at Princeton, where he’s trying to figure out what 5th century Romans thought about their beloved empire crumbling beneath them.

Outside of his love for the ancients, Daniel deeply enjoys world travel. He’s visited every capital city in Europe (if you don’t count some of the microstates like Andorra and San Marino). He also likes to surf, snorkel, hike, and explore new neighborhoods on his bike.

His areas of expertise include college admissions, executive functioning, history, Latin, English, and writing.

For over 20 years, Daniel has guided high school, college, and graduate students through admissions, standardized test prep, writing skills, academic support, and executive functioning skill-building. He has also written for several of the nation’s top media outlets, including the New York Times, US News & World Report, the Washington Post, and the Discovery Channel. He has covered a wide range of topics from science to pop culture to education, spanning feature articles, book reviews, essays, short stories, and news reports. Since 2002, he has taught creative writing, literature, poetry, and publishing courses at various institutions.

With a dual-major in Journalism and Philosophy (with a concentration in epistemology of science and quantum physics), and a minor in Poli Sci, Daniel graduated Magna Cum Laude from George Washington University. He received the Presidential Academic Scholarship for attaining Summa Cum Laude for six consecutive semesters and was awarded Special Honors in Journalism. Currently, he is a member of the venerable New York Authors Guild and the New York Writers Workshop, and once attended the summer residency program for artists at the esteemed Vermont Studio Center. He recently wrote a children’s book, Barker‘s Wish, which was a Finalist in the 2023 Annual National Indie Excellence Awards.

In 2008, Daniel founded the internationally acclaimed web technology College Essay Organizer, which is now privately integrated as a student solution and has been used by tens of thousands of applicants worldwide, hundreds of leading educational consultants, and some of the most elite high schools in the country. Daniel has since become one of the nation’s foremost public speakers on the college essay and application process.

In 2013, Daniel and his wife established the Stern Keshet Fund as part of the Hassenfeld Children’s Center for Cancer & Blood Disorders at NYU, through which they donate, fund-raise, and volunteer Metro Academic Prep’s tutoring services for Hassenfeld teens currently going through treatment. Their philosophy: It’s all about helping kids who can barely imagine tomorrow see clearly that there is a bright future waiting for them when they return to health.

He is married and has two young sons.

Ellen graduated high school as a boarding student at Stevenson School in Pebble Beach, California, before heading east to attend Sarah Lawrence College. She went on to earn her PhD in ethnomusicology at Wesleyan University, studying how the internet helped form unlikely cross-cultural friendships. Since 2013, she has taught world music at universities and led dozens of workshops.

Ellen joined MAP in 2016, providing crucial research and coordination efforts for everything from college admissions to test prep. During her personal time, she can be found at her sewing machine, singing, or at rehearsal for Balinese dance.

Originally from Boston, Jeannie Donohoe is an award-winning screenwriter and director based in Los Angeles. She earned her BA with honors from Dartmouth College, MFA with honors in writing and directing from Columbia University, and MS in education from City University of New York. While studying film at Columbia, she was the teaching assistant of legendary film critic Andrew Sarris and led writing courses in film history, theory, and criticism.

Prior to becoming a filmmaker, Jeannie taught middle school in the South Bronx through Teach for America, then worked in public school reform at New Visions for Public Schools. In addition to her 20 years of teaching experience, Jeannie has written and edited a wide range of materials, from ELA and test prep textbooks to audio books and screenplays. She teaches writing and study skills. Her passion for the arts is tied to her love of travel – both spark her curiosity about new perspectives, landscapes, and cultures.

For over 15 years, Jin Joo has been mentoring students in standardized test prep (ACT/SAT), AP exams, and various academic subjects, including math, reading, and English. While her primary focus has been on test preparation for college admissions, her experience ranges from one-on-one tutoring to large classroom instruction, working with students of all ages and backgrounds. After earning her B.A. in Cognitive Science from Case Western Reserve University and her M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Columbia University, Jin Joo has developed a deep understanding of how students process information, form mental models, and retain complex material. Her academic training allows her to recognize patterns in motivation, stress, and anxiety, and she uses this information to help students build confidence and resilience. She’s also a big believer in showing students why they’re doing what they’re doing instead of just how, so that students can apply these skills beyond test prep.

Jin Joo’s mentorship philosophy is rooted in adaptability and individualized learning. Though she prepares students for standardized exams, her process is anything but standardized. She recognizes that every student has their own learning style, preferred pace, personality, and stressors–all important factors to consider in shaping an individualized approach. Rather than applying a rigid formula, she assesses each student’s strengths and weaknesses, adjusting her instruction in real time to the student’s ever-changing needs. Jin Joo aims for her sessions to feel focused yet comfortable: structured enough to produce measurable results but personalized enough to nurture a supportive, encouraging, and collaborative atmosphere.

‍

In her free time, Jin Joo enjoys cheering on Chicago sports teams and visiting both new and familiar places around the world. She has traveled extensively and volunteered internationally several times, including at multiple Olympics. She also loves spending time outdoors, exploring new coffee shops, and playing board games.

‍

Katharine is a writer and editor with nearly twenty years of tutoring and admissions experience. After graduating magna cum laude from Brown University, she began teaching at Columbia University, where she received her MFA in nonfiction and was awarded a Dean’s Fellowship, the school’s highest merit-based award. Her first book, All the Lives We Ever Lived: Seeking Solace in Virginia Woolf, was published in 2019 and named a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice. Her essays and articles have appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Paris Review, and Vogue, among other publications.

When she’s not guiding applicants through the admissions process (for college and graduate school), she can be found hiking in Montana, obsessing over politics, hanging out with her family and her two cats, and writing her next book.

Lily is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University with a major in Public Health. She has extensive experience with all aspects of the college admissions process and operates under the belief that students don’t have to find the cure for a major illness or solve a major societal conflict to be considered special: each student is unique and it’s just a matter of showcasing that to colleges.

Growing up in the Evergreen State of Washington, Lily has a passion for preserving nature through sustainability and currently has a three-year streak of purchasing only second-hand clothes; even her wedding dress was thrifted! Along that theme, she also enjoys decorating her house with used furniture that she paints and infuses with a new life!

Max Rubin was born and raised in southern California and received his MFA in Creative Nonfiction from the University of Iowa’s acclaimed graduate program. From 2013 to 2017, he taught essay writing to university freshmen, working with hundreds of students to prepare their writing for the college level. His writing has been published by The New Yorker and The New York Times Magazine.

Max remains convinced that there is a truly good burrito to be had in New York, and when he’s not guiding students through the college and graduate school admissions process or writing he is often off in search of it.

Testimonials

"I hope you are doing well. I wanted to share the exciting news that this weekend I was accepted to Wesleyan University.Thank you so much for all of your guidance and support throughout this process. I truly appreciate the time, advice, and encouragement you gave me, and I could not have done this without your help."

McKenzie Senger is a dedicated and dynamic educator working with students of all ages from around the world. She attended the University of Oregon, where she was a pre-medical student and earned a dual Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and General Science, along with a minor in Chemistry. She earned a full-ride scholarship and completed her degree in just three years. Her psychology degree emphasizes education, neuroscience, and developmental psychology, while her general science degree focuses heavily on biology and biochemistry. This rigorous academic training gave McKenzie a deep command of STEM subjects and a strong understanding of how students learn. In addition to her academic credentials, she has nearly a decade of experience tutoring science, math, SAT/ACT preparation, and college admissions strategy, helping students significantly raise their scores and gain admission to competitive universities. Her interdisciplinary background allows her to break down complex scientific concepts with clarity and precision, while also strengthening students’ critical thinking and test-taking skills.

‍

McKenzie’s mentorship philosophy is rooted in personalization and empowerment. She believes that academic success is not just about mastering content, but about understanding how to think, how to study, and how to approach challenges strategically. Drawing from her background in developmental and educational psychology, she tailors her teaching methods to each student’s learning style, building customized study systems, targeted practice plans, and clear conceptual frameworks. She emphasizes metacognition—helping students understand why they make mistakes and how to fix them—so they develop independence and confidence. Her broad experience working with students also enables her to guide them in developing meaningful extracurricular profiles that strengthen their college applications beyond grades and test scores.

Outside of tutoring, McKenzie is passionate about mentorship, research, and expanding access to high-quality education. She enjoys volunteering, traveling, and spending time in nature, and she has a deep appreciation for wildlife. For nearly eight years, she also volunteered as a pediatric palliative care provider in Vietnam—an experience that profoundly shaped her compassion, resilience, and commitment to service.

‍

Sarah Robison is a passionate executive functioning (EF) coach with 20 years of academic support experience in traditional classroom and non-traditional educational settings, both domestically and abroad. Her mission is simple: to make school (and life) easier to navigate for all students, including those with learning challenges, ADHD, and autism, so that they can optimize their intellectual and personal potential. She also mentors students in crafting compelling resumes, identifying their academic interests, and mapping out their career paths and long-term aspirations.

A three-time graduate of Vanderbilt University, Sarah is a proud TripleDore, most recently completing her doctoral degree in education in May 2025. In her non-professional life, Sarah enjoys Pilates and cheering on the Washington Nationals, a hobby she is thrilled to share with her children.

Shonda graduated with a BA in Economics from Southern Illinois University, where she also played Division 1 basketball. After college, she played two years of professional basketball in Europe before deciding to retire.

Shonda is now a passionate, experienced tutor who believes that tutoring sessions need to be both productive and highly engaging. She loves watching a student’s confidence soar to new heights, whether by revealing an entirely new approach to time management, test-taking, or bringing out laughter and levity that remind the student that learning can be fun. Her areas of expertise include executive functioning, public speaking, SAT, ACT, ISEE, SSAT, and AP Exams (Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, English Language, English Literature), as well as various academic subjects, notably MBA-oriented courses. When she is not tutoring, she enjoys watching sports and chasing adventure through travel.

Tim and numbers have always gotten along exceptionally well—so well that he majored in mathematics at Washington University in St. Louis, and obtained an MAT (specialization in mathematics) from Bard. He has been tutoring full time since 2008, and loves that moment when a concept clicks for a student. He also has math shirts. A lot of them. When he isn’t tutoring math, physics, game theory, or economics, he’s probably working on a puzzle hunt or on some gridded puzzles. He was on the silver medal-winning US team for the World Puzzle Championships in 2022. His puzzle hunt team, Cardinality, won the MIT Mystery Hunt in 2025, and he is also the current New York State jigsaw puzzle champion.

Victoria received a BA in Visual Arts from Brown University and an MFA in Poetry at Washington University in St Louis. She is now a PhD candidate in Classics (Greek and Latin) at CUNY Graduate Center, where she is completing a dissertation on the ancient Greek philosopher-poet Parmenides. She has taught undergraduate-level courses at WashU and Hunter College in creative writing (poetry), Classical Mythology, Plato and ancient Greek.

‍

Victoria tutors the ACT, SAT, AP Exams, writing skills, and various academic subjects from French to advanced mathematics. She believes in guiding students to apply their natural ways of learning to academic tasks, rather than imposing a one size fits all approach. She emphasizes the importance of best practices: the most profound improvements are often grounded in simple changes, repeated until they become second-nature. Whether on the SAT/ACT or academic subjects, she strives both to help students achieve their immediate goals as well as to develop problem-solving skills to take to college and beyond.

‍

In her spare time, Victoria enjoys baking and cooking from all different cultures. She loves learning modern and ancient languages and recently learned Akkadian cuneiform, the language of the Epic of Gilgamesh. Her favorite island is Sicily.

‍

Zach graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania with majors in History and Creative Writing. While at Penn, he wrote and performed original sketch and musical comedy with the famed Mask and Wig Club. Zach couldn’t shake his love for irreverent satire and groan-inducing puns post-college so he decided to pursue all things comedy, first in Los Angeles and now in New York.

When Zach isn’t helping his students, you can find him in your local coffee shop attempting to write while the couple next to him has a really loud break-up. A lover of John Coltrane and 99 cent pizza, Zach tutors the ACT, SAT, college admissions, and various academic subjects.

The son of two teachers, Zachary has education in his blood. He first applied that genetic predisposition to his own learning, graduating summa cum laude with a BS in Psychology, with an emphasis in cognitive neuroscience. He’s been helping students navigate all stages of the college admissions and standardized testing process (SAT, ACT, GRE) since 2015 and has helped hundreds of students achieve their academic goals.

Pairing that wealth of tutoring experience with a passion for teaching, he employs anecdotes, analogies, and alliterations (case in point) to ensure students are building up foundational skills while also learning to masterfully speak the language of standardized tests. While not every student can have two educators for parents, Zachary believes each young mind deserves to have one in their corner, challenging and championing them every step of the way.

Zeke has worked with ESM Prep and earlier Metro Academic Prep for over six years, where he provides highly personalized college and graduate school admissions support, tutors a wide range of subjects, and teaches organization and study skills. His emphasis is on helping students tell their stories in unique and compelling ways, while decreasing anxiety for the students and their families throughout the admissions process. 

Born and raised in New York City and Connecticut, Zeke attended the Groton School before graduating from Brown University with a B.A in Comparative Politics and the American Film Institute (AFI) with an M.F.A in Directing. He is an award-winning filmmaker who has worked on Oscar-winning films. Zeke has also worked in graduate school admissions and now serves as the Artist-in-Residence for Sacred Heart University's Film & TV Masters program. 

With his background as a college admissions specialist, graduate school admissions officer, college professor, filmmaking storyteller, and mentor, Zeke profoundly understands the importance of effective college counseling. He is uniquely positioned to guide students and their families throughout the college admissions process.

When he's not working with students, you'll find Zeke walking his dog, taking long open-water swims, trying to quit drinking coffee, and celebrating the little victories of everyday life.

‍

Testimonials: 

‍

"Zeke began as our son’s college advisor, but quickly became a trusted mentor and steady voice of guidance. His patience, creativity, and incredibly thoughtful advice helped our son reach his #1 choice school, something we truly believe wouldn’t have happened without him. Even now, Zeke remains someone our son trusts implicitly for perspective and support. We are deeply grateful he has become such an important part of our son’s team and journey."

‍

"We can’t express enough how grateful we are for Zeke's assistance in the entire college admissions process. Our daughter truly could not have done it without him...... We truly appreciate the kindness, patience, optimism, creativity, and excellent writing and coaching skills Zeke brought to helping our daughter through this process. He brought a ray of hope and helping hands when there was pessimism, and we are forever grateful."