About Me

MEET MARISA
Hi! My name is Marisa Gonzales Silverstein (she/her). I am a former teacher, counselor, after school program leader, and artist who has enjoyed a varied career with many pivots and detours. With a BA in Art History from Yale and an MBA from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern, I appreciate traditional and non-traditional career paths and the need to find the right fit. My understanding of the admissions world began when I read applications as part of the Admissions Committee at Northwestern's Kellogg School. I began volunteering about 7 years ago with Yonkers Partners in Education (YPIE), coaching teenagers on essay-writing and navigating the college process. My work with YPIE made me realize that my lifelong passion is helping teenagers find the right college for them while reducing the stress that their families experience during the process. I have completed the Summer Training Institute with the Independent Educational Consultant Association (IECA), and I completed the IEC certificate program at the University of California-Irvine in September 2021. Meanwhile, I have successfully helped my own daughters navigate the college admissions process (Washington University in St. Louis '23 and Carleton College '26).



I fully understand the sense of overwhelm, stress, and excitement that families experience during this process. I believe that teenagers should take ownership of the college process and do the work to understand who they are and what they are looking for in a college. Done well, students will feel great pride in completing applications and essays for colleges that they see are an excellent match. As an Associate Member of the Independent Educational Consultant Association (IECA) and a member of the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA), I uphold only the highest ethical standards. As a WOW Certified Essay Coach, I guide teenagers in finding their voice and completing college essays and applications; I will never write essays or personal statements for students. ​In 2023, I became certified in the Strong Interest Inventory, which helps students identify their interests in possible majors and careers. The Strong is now part of my comprehensive packages with juniors.

Specialty Areas

Students Enrolled

Rochester Institute of Technology, SUNY -- Purchase College, University of Rochester, Roger Williams University, University of Denver, Oregon State University, University of Dayton, Loyola University New Orleans, University of Colorado Boulder, Manhattanville College, Wofford College, The University of Alabama, Auburn University, Furman University, University of Mississippi, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Rhodes College, Adelphi University, Southern Connecticut State University, Merrimack College, Clark University, Ithaca College, Southern New Hampshire University, Goucher College, Champlain College, Dean College, Cornell University, Clarkson University, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Colorado School of Mines, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Case Western Reserve University, Grinnell College, Wellesley College, Carnegie Mellon University, Loyola Marymount University, Lafayette College, Occidental College, Carleton College, McDaniel College, Lawrence University, The Ohio State University -- Columbus, Virginia Tech, University of Washington, Seattle, Brandeis University, Binghamton University, The State University of New York, University of Vermont, University of New Hampshire.

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