Hey, I’m Matt! Unlike Alisha, I didn’t have a college consultant growing up. In fact, I really didn’t have meaningful guidance at all. My immigrant parents didn’t attend undergrad in the U.S., my older sister went to art school, and my public school counselor had far too many students to support individually. I didn’t even know college consultants were a thing until after I had already graduated.

I eventually found my way. I studied engineering at UC Berkeley, went on to win international advertising awards for creative technology, and spent the better part of a decade at Google as a senior marketer. Along the way, I learned how ambitious projects actually get built, how people earn credibility, and how stories are crafted in ways that feel authentic rather than performative.

I forgot how overwhelming high school felt until I started working with students in my free time. Walking alongside them through the college process called back vivid memories of feeling lost, anxious, and unsure about the future. I also saw how much more competitive—and stressful—getting into college has become for both students and parents.

The good news is: it doesn’t have to be this way. I’ve discovered that the skills I’ve cultivated in my career translate perfectly to what students need: helping them clarify what matters to them, commit to meaningful work, and present what they’ve built with confidence and integrity.

So while my path into this work is different from Alisha’s, we share the same values and the same mission: to help students navigate one of the most consequential milestones in their lives with clarity, conviction, and craft.