Michaela S

College Counselor

Michaela takes a panoramic approach to college admissions, partnering closely with her students to help them craft noteworthy essays, secure internship and shadowing opportunities, and navigate the world of financial aid and academic scholarships at their top-choice programs.

Location:
Lincoln, Nebraska

Education:
BA, English, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Bio:
A lead counselor with Moon Prep, Michaela guides her students in crafting strong applications, landing impressive extracurricular activities, and securing scholarship funding for four-year universities and BS/MD programs. As a former admissions counselor and high-ability recruiter for a large university, she brings empathy and experience to her students and serves as a complete resource as they navigate the roads of their academic and professional goals. She helps students build their college and BS/MD lists, develop their passion projects, and brainstorm unique topics in their admission essays. Michaela is particularly keen on fostering an enjoyable and supportive space for students to turn their personal stories into a memorable personal statement and ultimately maximize their educational opportunities.

Michaela has an extensive writing background and has had her own column at Niche.com, an online community connecting colleges and schools with students and families. There she wrote articles on diverse admission topics such as making a college list, understanding the Common App, weighing the pros and cons of a gap year, and navigating the world of financial aid. Michaela is also an active writer for the Nebraska Dressage Association where she serves as editor of its subscriber newsletter. Together with her journalism experience, these writing-intensive roles have given Michaela valuable insights into the techniques and best practices of effective essays and personal statements. As one of Moon Prep’s onboarding specialists, Michaela regularly introduces new families to their counselor and essay coach. 

Prior to Moon Prep, Michaela served as a staff writer for a national magazine and a freelance writer for PleasureHorse.com and Show Horse Today. Outside of journalism, she has previously worked alongside guidance counselors for an International Baccalaureate high school, developed a college-readiness curriculum for the national nonprofit organization Junior Achievement, and gained experience in college admissions with the University of Nebraska before bringing her expertise to Moon Prep. She has hosted numerous college counseling workshops in high schools throughout the United States, advising students on scholarships and financial aid as well as the fundamentals of a strong student profile. The college application process is Michaela’s wheelhouse, and she stands ready to help ambitious high school juniors and seniors take the next step into higher education.

Student Placements:
Michaela has successfully helped dozens of students secure admission to top four-year universities, as well as competitive Direct Medical Programs. A few of her recent acceptances include:

Traditional Schools:

  1. University of Pennsylvania
  2. Cornell University
  3. Northwestern University
  4. Georgetown University
  5. UCLA
  6. UNC – Chapel Hill 
  7. UC Irvine
  8. University of Southern California
  9. UC Davis
  10. Washington University in St Louis
  11. University of Michigan
  12. Davidson College
  13. UT Austin
  14. Emory University
  15. University of Georgia
  16. Baylor University

BS/MD Programs:

  1. University of Rochester 
  2. Penn State University
  3. Drexel University
  4. Purchase College
  5. Texas A&M 
  6. Saint Louis University
  7. University of Toledo
  8. University of Southern Florida
  9. University of Central Florida

BS/DO Programs:

  1. Seton Hall University
  2. Nova Southeastern University
  3. New York Institute of Technology