About

I specialize in admissions to American universities in addition to writing and editing content for clients. After graduating from college, I worked in investment banking and management consulting before re-launching my career as a freelancer. I approach every project with passion and seriousness, and I encourage you to reach out if we can work together. I hold a BS in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania, an MBA from Harvard University, and an MA in English from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, where I served as a Graduate Assistant tutoring undergraduate students on college writing practices.

Admissions

I work with high school students, college students, and working professionals who want to attend American colleges and graduate schools. My approach is grounded in partnership and helping each applicant represent their full range of skills and accomplishments. Student lessons are personalized to individual learning styles and circumstances. Above all, I look for applicants who are excited about higher education, work hard, and play by the rules.

Over the years, my approach has yielded excellent results with an emphasis on procedural rigor and prioritizing authenticity in the essay-writing process. This means ensuring that students' applications are complete, error-free, and submitted on-time, as well as coaching students in the writing process, from idea generation to choices around tone and style.

My clients have received offers from a range of institutions appropriate to their situation, from Ivy League universities to liberal arts colleges and public universities. In addition, I have helped applicants secure competitive scholarships and fellowships, including full-tuition packages for undergraduate and graduate programs.

Specifically, I work with students across bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs. My full list of services includes: high school planning; summer experiences; program selection; university selection: time management; essay brainstorming: essay critique: recommender selection: interview preparation; extracurriculars evaluation; waitlist/deferral strategies: resumes and CVs; standardized test preparation; and decision counseling.

My results speak for themselves:

> 90% receive an offer from a top three choice

> 4-5x the national acceptance rate for highly selective schools

> 100% sibling return rate

Note that partnering with a consultant isn’t for everyone. I always recommend that applicants first try working alone relying on their own ingenuity and support network of teachers, mentors, and family. However, if the process still feels overwhelming or the applicant isn't happy with his or her work, partnering with a consultant can be beneficial.

Editing

I offer copywriting, editing, and visual design services. My work includes producing short- and long-form content; developmental editing (comprehensive content evaluation and structural suggestions); line editing (diction, syntax, and readability); proofreading (consistency of style and proper grammar); and professional design using Adobe Creative Cloud. I have helped clients with research proposals, grant applications, journal articles, college essays, resumes, presentations, and marketing materials.

I helped the filmmakers of Strangers to Peace, a feature-length documentary about the reintegration of the FARC guerrillas in Colombia, with their online presence, fundraising, and film festival submissions—including designing and co-authoring the press kit. The film screened at 20 festivals, won awards, and is available on streaming platforms.

Writing

I published my first short story, “Journey to Nā Mokulua”, in Hawaii Pacific Review. I have other stories in the works, and I’ll update this section as they are published. Some of my favorite authors and influences are Herman Melville, Charlotte Brontë, Oscar Wilde, Raymond Carver, Flannery O’Connor, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Karin Lin-Greenberg.

I have published articles for Zacks Investment Research (1, 2, 3, 4) and The Nest (1, 2, 3, 4). These articles cover topics for an investor audience, such as the liquidity premium theory of interest rates, duration risk in bonds, and how to calculate hedge fund returns.

Contact

To get a quote for a project or chat, message me on LinkedIn or send an email to roccaconsultant [at] gmail [dot] com