Illumin Education Review The summer after my high schooler's sophomore year, we researched and interviewed several college admissions coaches/companies. Ultimately, we did not find a good fit and decided to enter the college application season on our own (researched colleges, fit, requirements, admissions data, admissions strategies, etc.) and worked with our high schooler on a plan. By the middle of junior year, our high schooler was struggling to manage the process and was falling behind set milestones. Parents were stressed out. Child was stressed out. There were heated ... discussions and unhappy times. We re-opened our search and eventually set up a consultation with Elton Lin at Illumin Education. We discussed our family's current goals, such as focusing primarily but not exclusively, on University of California schools (large publics, in-state tuition, nice weather), our challenges (balancing all the high school life responsibilities), etc. Elton set up calls with our high schooler and a couple of their counselors. The calls went well and we landed with Anna as our college consultant. Anna was a great fit for our high schooler. They had monthly calls to work on strategies and goals and targets, which eventually transitioned to weekly calls during the Fall. Anna was knowledgeable about the various schools we were already looking at (and why) and suggested a few others that she felt would also be good fits. We were able to stay the course as well as pivot when necessary. Anna also was able to help our child bring their authentic self to the essays and be portrayed as they wanted to be seen, while balancing the rubrics which each school's admissions offices use. Especially helpful: Illumin's Week-long College Essay Bootcamp in June Anna's 1:1 calls with our high schooler Management of the various college application deadlines (ED/EA/RD) Application crunch time calls with essay specialist Greg SAT/ACT test date management Activities and Summer Programs recommendations Fun Anecdote: For Reed College, the kid wrote a supplemental essay on religion, Faust, and video games. People were like: I have no idea what this essay is about. Anna: It's perfect. Hit submit! (and the kid got in!) Conclusion: Our child applied to a mix of UC, CSU, out of state flagships, and a couple private schools. We were happy with the colleges the kid was accepted to and super excited for our kid to enroll at UC Berkeley for Fall 2025. There is a saying, "You can't teach your own kid to swim" and that was true for us. While you can research all the information about the college application process and strategies (and we did), for us having a knowledgeable partner to work with our high schooler to cross the finish line was a critical piece of the application journey. read more

Preface: I only worked with John, but I did get to know a few of the other coaches and counselors during my time here and never had a bad interaction. They are all stellar. Working with John was one of the most formative and important experiences of my high school career. His guidance about navigating the college system was invaluable. He really understands the ins and outs of the whole process and can give you really honest feedback about how to help yourself stand out, and where to focus your efforts for the best results. For me the most valuable thing about working with John was his presence as a life coach. John was always there for me to talk about anything, work related or otherwise, and he was such a supportive force for the years we were together. The more he understood how I was feeling the better work we were able to do together. Beyond that, he would help me with personal things like relationships and managing stress in high school. John has a great ability to understand people and when I spoke to him I really felt like I was being listened to. The most important thing though was that I spoke to him, he can do his job only if you give him something to work with. That sort of connection is especially important when application season comes around, and you have to evaluate yourself and what you've done. I couldn't have gotten through it without John. John helped to motivate me by always making sure I was aware of how the work we were doing was helpful to me in the long run. A lot of times when I was studying for tests you lost sight of the purpose of all that work I was doing. John has this great ability to show you in a clear way how the work you put in now will come back to help you later, he always made me feel in the loop. John encouraged me by helping me find activities and work to do that aligned with my interests. I was able to tell him the sort of things I wanted to explore and he would help me find opportunities that aligned with my passions. As a long time performer, John encouraged me to look for internships in that field and together we found an opening at the San Francisco Youth Theatre. He helped me prepare for my interview over the phone and I got the job. That became a place that I worked for almost two years and where I made lots of great connections. I'm sure they will do a great job helping you (if you're a student) or your child (if you're a parent) and make sure you are put first in all their decisions The college application process can be scary, daunting, and confusing. Do yourself a favor, get some help. Choose Ilumin. read more

It's often debated when to exactly begin college counseling, whether it be early or later in one's high school career. I must say, beginning to work with Azure at the start of 9th grade was THE MOST useful foundation in informing my college search. Whether it be through discussing potential summer plans (internships, programs, etc.) or what coursework to take to help develop one's portfolio, I believe working with Azure truly helped me in understanding how I wanted to portray myself to prospective schools. I believe my situation was somewhat unique, in that I pivoted from pursuing a traditional CS major into delving deeper into music and its applicability in data science very late in the game (second semester junior year). Although many individuals perceived my choice as thought up on an irrational whim, Azure perceived this change as a door to broaden my college search and as an extra interdisciplinary flavor that I could portray in my college essays. When it came time to finally writing these essays and narrowing down my ED choice, Azure's help was amazing. She pushed me in a very healthy manner, helping me reach deadlines and submitting work that I was proud of. Azure was incredibly receptive in hearing what exactly I wanted to convey in a prompt, and she never hesitated to tell me if an idea did not suit a certain school's aura or characteristics. It is quite clear when working with Azure, that her experience helped her develop an instinctual understanding of essay writing: what works and does not work for certain schools. Eventually I did get into my first choice school (UPenn), and I owe my successful application and portfolio to Azure's mentorship. Finally, I want to address Azure's guidance with regards to standardized testing. Going back and forth between the ACT and SAT and taking a plethora of SAT II exams, I was helped immensely once Azure streamlined my workload and testing schedule. I believe most students overlook the need to distinguish school work with standardized testing on a scheduling basis and often sacrifice one or the other. With early planning, Azure's guidance helped me not only perform successfully at school but also gather the testing portfolio necessary to be a competitive applicant at any school. Thus, I have no regrets concerning my time with Illumin. Azure was by far the best thing I could have asked for during the dark period of college admissions, and I continue to recommend her to all my peers looking for superb guidance and the best shot at getting into their dream school. read more

We highly recommend Ilumin for college counseling services. Our family moved to the United States from Asia with little knowledge of the U.S. education system. Looking back, the college counseling process was particularly challenging, as our child was already in 11th grade at the time. While many consultants we initially approached offered their expertise, Ilumin stood out by offering something more valuable: personalized guidance that empowered our child, rather than providing cookie-cutter solutions or taking total control. The following aspects of our experience with Ilumin stood out: 1. Tailored Consultant Matching: Ilumin matched our child with a counselor whose background and expertise aligned well with his needs. This thoughtful pairing was solidified after informal conversations with a few counselors. 2. Expert Guidance: The team thoroughly explained the college admissions process, including what colleges look for and how to structure a compelling profile. This guidance was invaluable for a family like ours, new to the U.S. system. 3. Student-Centered Approach: Ilumin focused on our child's aspirations rather than our expectations as parents. Their counselors uncovered that our child had a strong preference for engineering over medicine--a revelation that didn't surprised us and made perfect sense upon reflection. Their insights helped us recognize that our child's strengths aligned more closely with engineering. Ultimately, this guidance helped his acceptance into a prestigious Ivy League engineering program. 4 Essay Support: The counselors' approach to essay writing was exemplary. They never imposed their own ideas or words but instead encouraged our child to authentically share his story. The founder, Elton, showed remarkable attention to detail and genuine care. 5. College Knowledge and Strategic Shortlisting: Ilumin's extensive knowledge of colleges across the U.S. helped us confidently narrow our list to the top 15 schools. Their insights into matching our child's profile with the expectations of each institution resulted in an impressive acceptance rate. Our counsellor, Anna, was awesome. Ilumin played a pivotal role in guiding our family through what initially felt like an overwhelming process. Their professionalism, expertise, and student-first philosophy gave us confidence at every step. Entrusting them with our child's future was one of the best decisions we made, and we wholeheartedly recommend their services to any family navigating the college admissions journey. read more

Back in sophomore year, I didn't think I needed a consultant for college. After all, the key to getting into a good school is simple, right? All you have to do is: one, get good grades, two, participate in a wide variety of extracurriculars, and three, write a good essay, right? Well, Elton taught me that there was much more to the process than just simply those three things, and more importantly, much more to life than just getting into a good school. I cannot stress that last part enough -- Elton was just as much of a life consultant as a college consultant. He would always have time to talk to me about anything -- college related or not. Academically speaking, Elton helped me on my study habits to keep my grades up and kept me busy with lots of extracurriculars to do that would eventually help me on my college application. He is exceptional at building a persona for you to display on your application -- he understands that everything you do from the classes you take to the extracurriculars you do need to be able to connect in order to develop a theme for yourself, all neatly wrapped up in the essay. The Ilumin essay workshops were great. I made a lot of new friends and learned a lot about crafting genuinely inspirational stories that made me discover parts of myself that I previously didn't even know existed. Even though Elton does amazing work on essays himself, he still has his own wonderful arsenal of people with a plethora of experience to look at and critique essays, such as previous college admissions counselors and current world-renowned journalists. Even though Elton was my primary consultant, I also maintained contact with all the other Ilumin consultants after meeting them at essay workshops, and I can assure you that they are top notch as well. I have many friends who are under the other Ilumin counselors and they all enjoyed spectacular results with their college decisions. Trust me, you will be satisfied with whichever consultant you get -- you really can't go wrong with anybody at Ilumin. From the deep talks to discuss my future career path to the lengthy and thorough preparation for college interviews, Elton and Ilumin as a whole have not only helped place me into a school that is a great fit for me, but also provided me invaluable life coaching that will undoubtedly help set me up for success in the future. read more

I would WITHOUT A DOUBT recommend Ilumin Education to any incoming high school students! Before starting high school, I was very lost throughout the whole college process. I had no idea what I was interested in or how I could develop those interests. With Ilumin's guidance, I was able to pursue many unique opportunities that I'm extremely proud of today. The one thing that stands out about Ilumin is that they aren't your typical college counseling company pushing for the most elite colleges; instead, they find activities and colleges that will best SUIT the student. When I hear about my friends' counselors pushing for elite schools or going on a path that isn't right for them, I think about how grateful I am to have counselors at Ilumin who wants the best fit for me. For example, freshman year I struggled to decide what careers interested me. Elton was patient and connected me with 10 people with different professions (nurse, teacher, engineer, real estate agent, etc). After talking to all of them, I ended up landing an internship with a real estate agent. Ilumin kick starts ideas, but it must be the students themselves who are just as invested in their education as their counselors are. The students that will succeed in Ilumin are those who take advantage of the numerous opportunities Ilumin has to offer whether that be their network or experience- not those simply going through the motions. Too many college counselors out there don't take time to understand their students, but Elton and the Ilumin Team is one of a kind. He ensures that everything he does is for the benefit and growth of his students. Elton is extremely friendly and professional. While he truly cares about his students, he pushes them to dream big and work hard. Elton helped me get into my dream school and I can't thank him enough for everything that he's done for me in the college admissions process and in the years leading up to that. Not only has he taught me the importance of hard work, he taught me a lot about myself that I didn't know. He's honest and sincere when it comes to his work, and I'm so glad I have him as a resource I can lean on for the future. I almost feel like I would be a different person if I didn't choose Ilumin. I can't thank Elton and the whole team enough for getting me into my dream school! Thank you again! read more

We used Ilumin Education this year for the college admissions process. We were immediately lost in this complicated process and needed help with absolutely everything. Katie Young is my daughters college admission consultant at Ilumin. She has been extremely professional and helpful. My daughter is a competitive athlete and throughout this entire process, she trained daily including weekends and competed out of the country, all while having to maintain grades and a college admission process. I didn't think I could ask one more thing from her and once Katie was in the picture, I didn't have to, Katie kept her on track and helped her with time management. Here are just a few examples of what she helped with and managed: Creating a list of colleges that matched academically and culturally Application deadlines for each college Essays for each college, picking prompts, reviewing content and grammar and meeting deadlines for the application Submitting test results to each college Making sure academic records are submitted, Letters of recommendation completed Weekly meetings, google chat during travel and intense training schedule, and constantly making sure my daughter was on top of her tasks(the things listed above) and meeting deadlines. This was not easy! And really a million other details there is not room for here, including making my daughter laugh a lot. I cannot believe how complicated and fragile this process was. We could never have done this without the help of Katie. She really had to manage my daughter through this process and I know it was challenging at times. And Katie is still with us as we wait for admissions status. So far, great success and she has even been admitted to schools we thought out of her reach. This is a professional company and I feel confident recommending them to anyone who needs this help. Katie was always honest and realistic. Getting into college will be based on your child's academic accomplishments, other achievements, activities and their overall resume or story. Having her help submitting applications that were honest, clean and articulate gave my daughter a best chance. It paid off. My son will be a freshman in highschool next year. I hope to have Katie's advise again very soon. read more

As someone who had no other guidance, having Azure as my counselor was very helpful. I would say that the most helpful thing for me was the essay bootcamp. Azure really helped me organize my experiences into a very a cohesive personal statement which I was very happy with. They start you very early with your personal statement and UC essays, so the first semester of my senior year was not too stressful when it came to finishing applications despite applying to many schools. She also kept me on a rigid schedule with all supplemental essays, which really prevented me from procrastinating. I actually submitted many of my applications weeks ahead of the deadline because of her great time management. It's evident that Azure truly cares about her students. She spends a lot of time trying to understand each person's life story when it comes to writing essays. She would also meet with me weekly to discuss my essays, and she was very responsive to my questions throughout the week. Specifically, Azure is very good at figuring out which topics have the most potential of becoming a good essay. My personal statement, for example, had many different ideas tied together. With her help, I was able to connect my life story with my extracurriculars into a very polished piece of work. Given that I got accepted to my top choice (WashU), I think Azure did a great job helping me with my essays. I didn't have the best grades in my school, nor did I have the best ACT/SAT score. What I did have were solid essays that told my story, and I think that's what really sold me to admissions committees. Azure is also very good with developing your resume in terms of your extracurriculars. She knows a great deal about which internships, research programs, and other activities to engage in for any given career path. She helped me systematically address the flaws in my resume in order to create something that told a larger story about who I am and what my interests are, which I think really helped me stand out. In general, Azure was very helpful and I could always trust her opinion whether it be for standardized testing, class choices, essays, or really anything else related to college admissions. read more

I just want to start off by saying that my experience with Ilumin education over the past two years has significantly developed myself into a competitive prospective student for colleges. As I started my first couple meetings with my consultant, who my older brother also had before me, I realized that I still had no idea what I wanted to pursue or major in college. Finding this passion on my own was very difficult. My counselor noticed this and began helping me by providing multiple, legitimate personality tests that could determine which careers I could potentially match with. Not only was my counselor helping me with my academics, but he was also helping me get to know myself better as an individual. I find that extremely important for any high school student. Time passed by quickly and it was already the summer before applying to colleges. The college essay bootcamp that Ilumin created was beyond helpful for me. It familiarized me with all the different types of prompts/formats from UC essays to the Common App. In addition, multiple counselors would be available for me at all times, individually giving constructive and supportive feedback on essays and even brainstorming documents. After my ideas for my essays had been established after the summer, my counselor paired me with a specialized, college essay coach that deeply analyzed my writing and optimized my application overall. Most importantly, all my instructors, especially my counselor emotionally supported me throughout the entire process. They created this confidence in me that made me proud of all my accomplishments embedded in my essays. I will forever be thankful for my parents and my counselor for allowing me to have this amazing experience with Ilumin education. I am currently headed to Berkeley with the class of 2025, which I could never have accomplished without my counselor. Fun fact: Favorite part of my meeting with my counselor would be at the end when we talked about tennis tournaments! read more

I have been working with my Ilumin Education consultant for many years now and cannot imagine going through high school without such an amazing mentor. Throughout our time together, my education and career goals have changed many times, and every time he would help me reorient my academics in a way that would both fulfill requirements and allow me to explore my interests. My consultant has also provided me tremendous support in my extracurriculars. He looked out for opportunities for me and was always willing to help me plan my projects. I'm extremely grateful for his time and support. He pushed me when I lacked motivation, and gave me encouragement when I felt unsure. I was comfortable sharing with him things outside of school and he was there to talk though them with me. There were times I gave up on myself, but he never gave up on me. I felt understood and more at ease knowing I had his guidance. I have grown into a stronger person because of him and I know I'll carry what I have learned well into the future. While writing my essays, my consultant focused on helping me tell my story in a personable way to stand out to colleges. We frequently had calls to flesh out ideas and talk through feedback, even during the holidays, until I was finally able to dig deep and show my authentic self. I especially appreciate his dedication, patience, and attention to detail. Whenever I had a question, he was just a text away. He got back to me super fast and sent me reminders whenever I fell behind on my tasks to complete. During essay revisions, I had the opportunity to get feedback from other Ilumin consultants. I could see that the entire team truly cares about their students and their passions. I consider myself very lucky to have worked with my consultant and the Ilumin team and highly recommend them to anyone in need of a college consultant! read more

Feeling overwhelmed with the college application process, my family and I started seeking the help of a local college app consultant in early summer before starting my senior year. We met with a few local college consulting firms and as soon as we met with Ilumin team, we knew immediately that we found the right team to help us with this daunting task. Although we started a bit late in the process, everyone at Ilumin were extremely accommodating and went out of their way to get me into the earliest essay booth camp they offered, which was crucial in giving me that much needed kick start in the essay brainstorming process. I can't say enough positive things about my experience working with my Ilumin consultant. In addition to being very knowledgeable in the area of college consulting, she was patient, and very kind and personable. She kept me organized and calm throughout the process which could often get stressful and overwhelming. One of the things my family in particular appreciated a lot about my Ilumin consultant was her ability to keep them updated and in the loop on our progress on a regular basis. While she kept me accountable to do my weekly tasks, she was very understanding and flexible whenever I needed to reshuffle our schedule to accommodate my school projects, exams, etc. Overall, we made a great team and I consider myself fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with the Ilumin team. With their help, I was able to build a strong college application which allowed me to get admission into two of my top three college choices among others. I am grateful to the Ilumin team for helping me accomplish this goal. Overall, my family and I had an excellent experience working with the Ilumin Education team and we highly recommend this amazing team as one of the best experts in college consulting in the Bay Area and beyond. read more

From my first meeting with John, my counselor at Ilumin, I could tell that he was genuinely looking forward to helping me succeed. During the last three years I have worked with John, I have felt that we were not just student and mentor, but that we were also peers. He has helped me relate with my own high school experiences and pushed me to fulfill my potential as a student. With this connection comes honesty. John has always been honest with me regarding my timeline with standardized testing, course load, extracurricular activities, and how well my achievements would benefit me in the college application process. When he felt I lacked in such areas, he would not only let me know, but also help me draft a plan to improve my portfolio. Despite being a dedicated student athlete(spending more than 15 hours a week playing my sport), John has never told me to stop pursuing one of my deepest passions for academic achievements. Rather, he introduced me to new opportunities that would fit around my busy schedule and allow me to become a multi-faceted person. The college application process always alarmed my family and seemed extraordinarily complex and overwhelming. However, Ilumin has provided an abundance of resources to simplify the process, including essay workshops, essay editors, and weekly writing workshops where the counselors are present. From helping me draft my college list to polishing my supplemental essays, John and the Ilumin staff have drastically reduced the stress throughout the process and helped me complete the process weeks before my final applications were due. John and his team have been a big part of my success throughout high school and the college application process. Thanks to their help, I have had an unforgettable high school experience and can't wait to attend USC next semester. read more

ILUMIN was instrumental in helping me be accepted into my top colleges, including Yale, a 50% scholarship at USC, and UCLA. My consultant broke the complicated process down into step-by-step weekly tasks that became much easier to complete. He first helped me create a manageable list of colleges, broken down into target, reach, and safety schools, early in the summer. I was able to prioritize which colleges I wanted to apply to first and which had the most unique and difficult-to-write essays, so that I could finish these earliest. He also helped me brainstorm and organize topics for the UC essays and the CommonApp essay, allowing me to separate ideas for different prompts that I could then re-use for all future essays. Even before summer was over, I had several completed and revised drafts of almost a dozen essays, which I then used for almost all of the colleges to which I applied. My consultant also helped me better understand what each essay prompt was asking of me. Although each college had its own unique wording and language, he made it easy to see the similarities between different topics, such as the "community" essay, and helped me strategize how to reuse essays to maximize their effectiveness. Moreover, he laid out different approaches to the same topic; while some schools prefer a more direct essay that explains what activities the applicant participated in during high school, other schools prefer a more creative essay that showcases the applicant's personality. Without my consultant, I would not have known which type of essay to write for which school; this advice made a significant difference in my applications and in my acceptances. Throughout my junior and senior years, ILUMIN made a difficult and complicated process into a manageable, straightforward, and successful application season. read more

We first hired ILUMIN Education's consultants for our daughter a couple of years before her college application, and we were so pleased that we decided to hire them again for our son when his time came. Beyond the logistics, they were a saving grace each time in easing the tension between us and our kids during a stressful process. It felt like we could all breathe a little easier. The team made a real effort to get to know our kids as individuals. They listened and learned about their interests and then guided them toward classes, activities, and summer programs that genuinely aligned with those passions. The whole process felt authentic, not like we were just building a resume. It highlighted who our kids are and what they are truly interested in pursuing. The consultants brought an impressive depth of knowledge when it came to choosing schools and majors. They were so insightful about what different colleges and programs have to offer, which was a huge help as our kids explored their options. They didn't just present a list; they helped us understand the landscape and collaboratively create a list of potential schools, including insights on chances and fit. Their support with the essays was where they really excelled. They worked with our kids to reflect and brainstorm ideas that would showcase their unique personalities and experiences. The consultants were thoughtful and careful in making sure the essays were written in their own voices, guiding them without taking over the writing process itself. They helped our kids refine the writing so it was applicable to the specific essay questions that each college posts. Thanks to ILUMIN, both of our kids were accepted into some amazing schools with plenty of great options. We couldn't be happier with the results! read more

I couldn't have made it through my college application experience without my Ilumin consultant. As the oldest child in my family, I had no idea what I needed to do in order to start my college application process, and same with my parents. Every meeting, my consultant would always check up on how I was doing and asked about highlights and lowlights of my week--he was a great friend in addition to being my consultant. Sophomore year, he helped me figure out which major I would like to pursue in order to start applying to summer programs that fit my academic interests and helped strengthen my profile. He gave me many suggestions as to which summer programs I should apply to, as well as helped me format and edit my summer program application essays (the techniques and strategies he taught me from summer program applications significantly helped when it came to writing college applications!). From labs to research internships, the programs contributed greatly to the content of my college application essays. Even though he had many suggestions for me, he always gave me freedom to choose what I wanted to do (if I didn't want to apply to a program that he suggested, he would still be extremely supportive). When it came time to start my college application essays, my consultant brainstormed outlines with me and made specific suggestions to my drafts. I could always text or email him about any questions I had throughout the process. He also guided me on how to fill out the applications, as sometimes it got confusing. I'm thankful that he was always supportive and constantly told me how proud he was of my hard work--it definitely kept me motivated. Thanks to my consultant, I'll be attending Cornell University College of Engineering. I highly recommend Ilumin! read more

I know it sounds cliche, but I can honestly say that without the help of John and the rest of the Ilumin team, there is no way I could have achieved what I did. From the first time I met with him, I felt like there was instant chemistry between us. John not only helped me fix my study habits, but he also helped me build up my self-confidence. Whenever I was struggling with something, whether that was a class or test prep, he would sit down with me and help me devise a plan. My grades improved drastically under his tutelage. Also, in addition to helping me grow as a student, he helped me grow as a person. When we first met, I was extremely shy and anxious about reaching out to people I didn't know. He helped me get out of my shell and step into the real world by encouraging me to look for an internship. It turned out to be one of the most rewarding experiences I had in high school. When it came time to apply for colleges, John is extremely knowledgeable of the entire process. He helped me craft my essays, from brainstorming what ideas and experiences to write about, to making it concise and convincing. Despite being very busy, he was always able to find time to answer my questions and Skype on days we couldn't meet. He always responded to my texts and emails on time. Overall, I would definitely recommend John to anyone. He treats his students like they are his family members and really cares for them personally. On top of guiding them as students, he also helps them grow personally and prepares them for the real world. I ended up getting into a much better school than I could have imagined before I met him. Thanks for everything that you did for me, John. read more

When my daughter first entered high school, we didn't know what to expect or how to prepare her for the next four years and beyond, but luckily, we met John. From the very beginning, John has always been professional, dedicated, genuine, and kind. Although he did help my daughter build her resume, that's not all he did. He guided her through a journey of discovering what her interests and goals for the future were. From providing educational opportunities to recommending extracurriculars, John helped my daughter not only find, but also pursue her interests. In addition to all the educational guidance, John has also helped my daughter grow as a person. From helping her build her time management skills to offering advice on how to resolve problems with friends, classmates, ..., John has been a great mentor to my daughter in every way. After three years of guiding my daughter through what is high school, this past year, it was finally time to begin the college application process. John provided us with a list of recommended colleges. Then, once she had decided which schools she wanted to apply to, he began to help her craft her essays. Because John had truly gotten to know my daughter as not just a student, but a person, he was able to really help my daughter bring out the parts of herself she wanted to highlight in her essays. Now, at the end of this long and tiring, but rewarding, journey, my daughter has been accepted early decision into Duke University. I am so thankful to John for all that he has done for my daughter, and I would absolutely recommend Ilumin Education. read more

John Chen was my consultant at Ilumin Education for college essay writing in my senior year. John was much more than just an essay consultant; he was a mentor and friend. John would always start out any meeting by checking in on how I was feeling and doing before proceeding with the meeting's work. He would also make sure my workload from essays and from school worked together and helped me plan accordingly. Moreover, John and I would do Skype calls, which made working on essays a lot more convenient together (setting a time was very simple however late or early), and he even took time out of his vacation during times of rush and panic to help me complete and finish last minute requirements. I remember clearly one night we worked on one essay till 2am, constantly brainstorming and deepening my ideas with the help of John's very moving and personal examples. Not only was John and his team very knowledgeable on the college admission process and colleges themselves, but he did an amazing job applying that knowledge to my specific individual characteristics and needs, from picking colleges to constructing resumes to choosing which activities to write and the ways to showcase them. I went into the college process knowing nothing with no prior research, but John made it so easy that I only had to focus on what was important to me. I cannot thank John and Ilumin Education enough for their help in my college admissions process and highly recommend them! read more

I felt lost entering my sophomore year. I had just been cut from the basketball team and was so confused on how to navigate the college admission process. I was a decent student but I had minimal extracurriculars and felt like I was behind everyone else. But my initial meeting with Elton helped clear the fog and gave me a direction on where to head. His advice was pivotal for me to pursue and be involved in extracurriculars, such as Coding Club and Robotics, so that I would grow my passion and interest for possible majors. In my junior year, my grades were beginning to drop and my counselor, Henry, raised this issue to my attention. He helped me get back on track and guided me on how I should prioritize my activities. During the 2021 summer and fall, the ILUMIN team has been extremely helpful with helping me with college essays. I've been helped greatly by the summer essay boot camp, essay workshops, and Henry's constructive helpful essay feedback. Although the main "heavy lifting" and work is the responsibility of the student, college counselors at ILUMIN are some of the best I know of and they have helped me navigate the college admission process. I'm very thankful to say that I plan to attend Johns Hopkins University where I hope to study Biomedical Engineering, and I have to give my thanks to Henry and ILUMIN for getting me there. read more