TESTIMONIALSDon’t take our word for it.
Hear it from students and parents themselves.
Every family's experience is different. These are some of the students and parents who've been through the CollegeBound process — in their own words, unedited.
In their own words
Two of our alumni sat down to talk honestly about the college application process, what surprised them, and what they'd tell their younger selves. Worth watching before you decide anything.
FROM NYC TO USC
Hanchen on the application process, the mental shift, and what he still uses today
Hanchen came to CollegeBound as a junior and went on to earn admission to USC’s honors program for biology. He talks about what the process actually felt like from the inside — the overwhelm, the mental shift from junior to senior year, why he applied to 29 colleges, and what he still uses from the experience today.
JUMP TO A TOPIC00:00 Introduction
00:22 A day in the life of a USC freshman
01:07 Biggest surprise about college so far
01:35 Hanchen's background
02:03 College planning in 9–11th grade
02:35 Hanchen's extracurriculars
04:09 What changed mentally from 11th to 12th grade?
04:43 Most overwhelming challenge during senior year
05:20 Why Hanchen applied to 29 colleges
06:52 Biggest fear before starting college apps
07:38 Biggest misunderstanding about college admissions
08:20 Hanchen's thoughts on the personal statement
09:49 What was application season actually like?
10:37 What Hanchen thought about college counseling
12:03 When everything clicked during his college apps
12:57 One decision he's now grateful for
13:22 Insight on tackling the supplemental essays
15:31 How Hanchen still uses things he learned
16:36 How college apps helped Hanchen grow
17:00 What mattered most in his apps
17:41 What people underestimate about college apps
18:19 Why Hanchen wrote 2 personal statements
19:33 What he'd say to his senior year self
20:11 Who college counseling is most helpful for
20:33 Who college counseling is least helpful for
21:00 What he'd say to someone unsure about counseling
22:20 Hanchen's growth from Matt's point-of-view
23:22 One goal before the end of college
LOOKING BACK FROM UC BERKELEY
Chloe on mindset shifts, essay myths, and the power of storytelling in applications
Chloe grew up navigating the intense academic pressure of the Bay Area and earned admission to UC Berkeley. She talks about how her mindset shifted during the process, the myths she had about college essays, what she wishes she'd known earlier, and why storytelling is the most underestimated part of any application.
JUMP TO A TOPIC00:00 Introduction
00:09 A day in the life at Berkeley
01:16 Surprises of college life
02:03 Pressures of growing up in the Bay Area
02:50 High school involvement and leadership
05:35 Extracurricular advice for high school students
06:28 How her mindset changed from junior to senior year
07:09 The most overwhelming part of senior year
08:01 Advice for students waiting on college results
09:57 College essay myths and the "sob story"
11:36 Chloe's UC PIQ writing process
13:03 Biggest realization during college essays
13:35 Initial doubts on essay brainstorming
15:02 High school decisions she's grateful for
17:16 How college apps impact her college life
18:28 How Chloe has grown since high school
19:02 The importance of storytelling in applications
19:49 What students underestimate about college apps
20:21 How stress changes in high school vs. college
22:38 Advice for future students and self-reflection
23:15 Who counseling is most vs. least helpful for
23:58 What she'd say to someone unsure about counseling
25:03 Chloe's goal before the end of college
What students and families say
From 9th graders still building their story to seniors who just hit submit — here's what the experience has looked like across different students and different grade levels.
Students
Recent CollegeBound student
UC Berkeley, Class of 2030
"Matt created an environment where I could feel comfortable opening up about my identity and my interests — which is pretty much the foundation of all your college essays."
"Even in our first meeting, Matt created an environment where I could feel comfortable opening up about my identity and my interests and aspirations — which is super important because that's pretty much the foundation of all your college essays. His empathy, thoughtfulness, and lack of judgement made it so much easier to reflect deeply and fully embrace the process.
Another really big takeaway for me was learning to see the application process as, well, a process. Having someone like Matt to support me and guide me through the ride was really invaluable.
On a more practical level, I really appreciated how organized and streamlined everything was. We used a master Google Doc with sub-docs and tabs covering everything from the activity list to the Common App essay and supplements — there's easily over 200 pages on our working document, not including the essay drafts. He also used trackers and a structured step-by-step approach so you never felt overwhelmed.
I really don't think there's much I'd change. I had a lot of fun during this entire journey. Matt had the perfect balance between guiding you and letting you explore freely — and yes, stop being so chillll broo, many times we'd just be chatting during meetings."
Recent CollegeBound student
Boston University, Class of 2030
“I looked forward to every meeting, which is crazy to say since I always had the worst experience with sit-down Zoom lessons.”
One thing that helped me a lot was being able to talk about ideas and add them to the document. Everything was already organized, and each meeting completed smaller tasks, making it a lot more manageable. Being able to open up and discuss potential topics is so much easier than just sitting there brainstorming. Looking back, I can’t really find any flaws in the process, except for my procrastinating a whole bunch toward the end. I received more than enough support in constructing my essay, and Matt also offered unique perspectives on how I viewed certain things, which is valuable not just for essay writing but also in life. I really enjoyed each meeting and even looked forward to them, which is crazy to say, since I always had the worst experience with sit-down Zoom lessons. The service is great, and I wouldn't change much about it. The plan is thought through, and the schedule is thoroughly prepared, and Matt is just a Goated guy in general.
Chloe N.
UC Berkeley, Class of 2029
"You sometimes made me feel like you know me better than I know myself."
"If there was only one thing you should keep doing, it'd be getting to know your students like you did with me. You finding out about me and my personality, activities, etc. sometimes made me feel like you know me better than I know myself — because you came up with really good ideas and things to mention in my essays, and your comments on my drafts made me think deeper about what I could change or add to make them better."
Hanchen M.
USC, Class of 2029
"It made a huge difference in making my application feel like a true reflection of me."
"I really appreciate the guidance that reflects my own experience and guides me to write things in a more compelling way. I appreciate that you actively provide detailed and constructive feedback to help refine my essays while keeping my authentic voice intact. It made a huge difference in making my application feel like a true reflection of me."
Lauren L.
UC Santa Cruz, Class of 2029
“Matt made the whole process feel a lot less intimidating. His approachability made it easy to ask questions and share concerns along the way.”
“I appreciate him guiding me through every step of the process, including just figuring out what major and what colleges I would want to apply to. He went above and beyond by organizing mock interviews, even reaching out to professionals to ensure I was well-prepared for any question that might come my way. His flexibility with scheduling and understanding of any extenuating circumstances made the process much less stressful. I also deeply appreciated his detailed feedback on my essays, helping with both formatting and edits to make my writing more polished and natural. One of the most helpful tools he provided was the organized activity list for both the UC and Common App. It kept everything streamlined and organized. On top of everything, Matthew is genuinely funny and easy to talk to, which made the whole process feel a lot less intimidating. His approachability made it easy to ask questions and share concerns along the way. Overall, I’m incredibly grateful for Matthew’s guidance, dedication, and genuine care throughout this journey.”
Recent CollegeBound student
Admitted NYU, Class of 2028
"My brainstorming sessions with Matt were the most enjoyable of all. I shared my most genuine thoughts and stories that I have never told anybody before."
"My brainstorming sessions with Matt were the most enjoyable of all. I shared my most genuine thoughts and stories that I have never told anybody before. This process not only reflected my true self in the essays, but made the writing process much quicker and efficient."
Recent CollegeBound student
Northeastern, Class of 2028
"Going from my sketchy drafts to the polished final product, I was able to express myself in a way I didn't think I could."
"I was able to improve my application work drastically — going from my sketchy drafts to the polished final product, I was able to express myself in a way I didn't think I could. The guidance and unique writing techniques brought my work to a new level."
Parents
Olivia M.
Parent — USC admit
"You just came from nowhere and helped me like the genie of Aladdin's lamp."
"You have no idea how much this means to me. During the last five years I kept doubting whether I had made the right decision for my son — letting him come to the US and study in a New York public school. His teachers hadn't been so supportive, and school stressed me all the time, especially this application process. But seeing the offer from USC, I finally freed myself from that doubt.
If he had done it my way, we would have had a lot of fights, and he wouldn't have learned so much — and I wouldn't have seen that he has the ability to solve problems. I'm a mom with so many insecurities who also wants everything under control.
I think you gave everything you could to support us. Especially the financial aid stuff — I don't know that anyone else would have done that for me. You just came from nowhere and helped me like the genie of Aladdin's lamp."
Parent of a current 10th grader
Ongoing student
"It has been a huge relief knowing that my son is handling the college process with clear goals and someone knowledgeable and kind to guide him."
"We've been working with Matt since last year and were immediately impressed by his kindness, deep knowledge, and his ability to quickly build a strong rapport with my son, who is naturally introverted. Matt's guidance has been both strategic and practical. We explored a number of great summer opportunities and nailed down two advanced math programs that were a perfect fit. Matt meets with my son regularly to help him map out his academics and extracurriculars, ensuring he's building a strong, authentic profile. We also really appreciate that Matt keeps us parents in the loop — always organized, always timely. It has been a huge relief knowing that my son is handling the college process with clear goals and someone knowledgeable and kind to guide him."
Where our students have been admitted
A selection of schools our students have earned admission to across recent cycles.
Our students have earned admission to some of the most selective universities in the country — including honors programs, competitive engineering tracks, and specialized colleges that require separate applications. Recent highlights include Purdue Honors Engineering, USC Biology Honors, NYU Stern, and Harvey Mudd College. Many were admitted to schools where their profile alone wouldn't have been enough without the right strategy behind it.
Want to see what this looks like for your student specifically?
Book a free 45-minute strategy session with Matt. You'll leave with an honest picture of where your student stands — and a real sense of whether this is the right fit.
WORK WITH USNo commitment. No pressure. Just an honest conversation.