DJ is committed to guiding students and families through the admissions process with personalized support. He helps students present their authentic selves while reducing stress, clarifying priorities, and turning the application process into a more manageable experience.

Location: 
Santa Barbara, California

Education:
Graduate Coursework, Dentistry, UCLA School of Dentistry
BS, Journalism; Minor in Creative Writing, Northwestern University

Bio:
As a counselor at Moon Prep, DJ helps students identify their most meaningful stories and craft essays that feel personal, specific, and authentic. With a background in journalism, creative writing, and health-professions education, he guides students through the application process with strategy, patience, and close attention to detail.

DJ previously attended the UCLA School of Dentistry, giving him firsthand insight into the rigor of pre-health pathways, especially for students pursuing BS/MD, BS/DDS, and other health-related programs. Before counseling, he worked as a reporter for publications such as the Chicago Tribune and as a copywriter at a Chicago-based advertising agency. He holds a BS in Journalism with a minor in Creative Writing from Northwestern University.

Student Placements:
At Moon Prep, we take pride in our students’ impressive acceptances and are honored to be part of their journey. Below is a selection of schools and programs to which DJ has recently provided guidance during the application process, along with some recent acceptances.

BS/MD Programs:

1. Brown University Program in Liberal Medical Education
2. University of Pittsburgh Guaranteed Admissions Program
3. Case Western Reserve University Pre-Professional Scholars Program
4. Rutgers University BS/MD Program
5. Virginia Commonwealth University Guaranteed Admission Program
6. Stevens Institute of Technology Accelerated Premedicine Program
7. University of Oklahoma Medical Humanities Scholars Program
8. The West Virginia University School of Medicine
9. University of South Alabama Early Acceptance Program
10. Washington & Jefferson College
11. Youngstown State University

BS/DO Programs:

1. Nova Southeastern University
2. Northeastern University
3. Missouri Southern State University MKEAP

BS/DMD Programs:

1. University of the Pacific BS/DMD
2. Nova Southeastern University BS/DMD
3. University of Detroit Mercy BS/DMD
4. University of Illinois Chicago BS/DMD
5. University of California Los Angeles School of Dentistry
6. Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC
7. New York University College of Dentistry

Undergraduate Schools: 

1. Harvard University
2. University of California Berkeley – Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences
3. University of California Los Angeles – Samueli School of Engineering
4. Washington University in St. Louis
5. Haverford College
6. Carleton College
7. Emory University
8. University of Texas at Austin
9. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
10. Case Western Reserve University
11. University of Rochester
12. Baylor University
13. University of Pittsburgh
14. Pennsylvania State University
15. Rutgers University