College Admissions counseling team
Our admission consultants are all graduates from the top universities and private schools in the country, and have extensive writing and editing experience. They advise applicants on personal statements, application strategy and overall admissions applications, and provide guidance and support throughout the college application process. As recent alumni of America's top schools, they have unique insight as to what distinguishes merely adequate applications from excellent stand-out applications.
Our Consultants
Kristin Conneen
Dartmouth College
Williams College
Director of Consultant Team
Kristin graduated from Williams College with concentrations in both History and Spanish, and went on to the Amos Tuck School at Dartmouth College where she received her MBA and was honored as a Tuck Scholar. She worked for many years as a strategic consultant for various companies primarily in the healthcare sector.
Kristin is an ex-pat child, having grown up in South America (between Venezuela and Peru), and returning to the USA for the last few years of high school. She loves traveling and exploring the world, and eagerly followed her husband back overseas when a job presented itself. She has spent significant time living in Japan and Singapore, where she was involved with many international educational organizations. She also spent some time tutoring students at various international schools.
Erik Huber
Brown University
Erik has been teaching high school and college English for over 25 years. He graduated magna cum laude from Brown University, and then earned an MFA in fiction writing from the Iowa Writers Workshop, where he was awarded the James Michener Teaching and Writing Fellowship.
After teaching English in Taiwan for a year, he taught writing courses at New York University for a few years, before discovering a love of high school teaching. He taught for many years in New York City independent schools, before relocating to Maine, where he has taught expository and creative writing at Husson University and Harpsell Coastal Academy. He has also instructed beginning English teachers enrolled in Teach for America and The New York City Teaching Fellows. He teaches a Writing the College Essay course of his own design at Phillips Academy Andover during the summer.
Jennifer White
Harvard University
Jennifer graduated from Harvard College magna cum laude with an A.B. degree in English Literature and East Asian Studies and was elected to the honors society Phi Beta Kappa. She earned her M.A. in Japanese History at International Christian University in Tokyo on a competitive graduate fellowship.
As director of international programs at several selective private colleges and universities, Jennifer travelled to 20 countries and coached students on study abroad and Fulbright applications. She taught college writing, history and anthropology including programs in Japan and Taiwan. As an undergraduate academic advisor, she has helped students maximize their admissions prospects for medical school and Ph.D. programs. Most recently, Jennifer served as Director of College Guidance at a private school in Maryland, where she coached students applying to selective colleges across the United States.
Adam Sass
Harvard University
Adam graduated with an A.B. (Cum Laude) in English from Harvard College, where he also studied Anthropology, Art History, and the History of Science, and received a Harvard College Scholarship for academic achievement.
In addition to consulting for Bentham Admissions, he has worked as a consultant and researcher for clients including banks, commercial real estate brokerages, and government agencies. He holds an HSPD-12 security clearance for his work with the federal government.
Adam was born and raised in Ithaca, New York, where his father was a professor of engineering at Cornell and his mother taught writing at Ithaca College.
He has fond memories of reading The Chronicle of Higher Education for fun as a child.
The best advice he's ever received is also the briefest, and the oldest: "Know Thyself," a suggestion as relevant today as it was in ancient Greece.
Laurel Zhang
Duke University
Laurel recently graduated from Duke University with a BS in Economics from Duke’s Trinity College of Arts & Sciences and a BA in Public Policy Studies from the Sanford School of Public Policy.
As an undergrad, she worked closely with the Duke Alumni Association and was a member of Duke’s Division I fencing team. She spent her sophomore year summer with an institutional research firm in Washington D.C. and her junior year summer with financial services firm in New York.
Following graduation in 2020, she joined a financial services firm where she currently works as an investment banking analyst.
Laurel is thrilled to work with highly talented and equally motivated high school students navigating the increasingly competitive college admissions landscape. She looks forward to sharing her approach and guidance after enduring the same application process four short years ago.
Ajay Pathakamuri
University of Pittsburgh
BS/MD College Admission Consultant
Ajay is a current student in the University of Pittsburgh's BS/MD Program. He is a Neuroscience Major and is also working towards an Accelerated Master of Public Health Degree with a concentration in Health Policy.
Along with getting into four BS/MD Programs and going through the entire application process himself, Ajay has two years of experience in assisting students--both those interested in BS/MDs and Pre-Med programs--secure valuable health-related experiences such as shadowing, research, and volunteering in clinical settings.
In his free time, Ajay enjoys watching films, writing scripts for short films, reading narrative medical books, going hiking, and spending time with his Goldendoodle puppy.
.jpg)
Ken Nguyen
Dartmouth College
Boston University
Ken is a graduate of both Boston University with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and Dartmouth College with an MBA.
Prior to Bentham Admissions, Ken worked many years in the high-tech industry with broad work experience across functional roles.
Ken loves to travel and has visited over 50 countries and almost all the states. Ken considers himself a life-long learner.
And in this spirit, he is currently pursuing his certification in professional coaching.
Josh Abady
Johns Hopkins University
Josh is approaching a decade of tutoring experience. Starting In 2011, he began tutoring a multitude of subjects ranging from algebra to chemistry, ultimately landing on the SAT and ACT. Josh models his teaching style of catering to each student’s individual needs, strengths, and weaknesses.
In 2012, Josh was admitted to Johns Hopkins University, majoring in East Asian Studies with a concentration in Chinese history and language, and minoring in philosophy. He graduated with Dean’s List Honors in 2016.
Josh applies the analytical approach of a chess player to standardized tests and has developed his own method of instruction, with significant results.
Matthew Ellison
Columbia University
University of Notre Dame
Hamilton College
Matt is currently an MBA student at the University of Notre Dame. He received his B.A. from Hamilton College and an M.S. from Columbia University in the City of New York.
Prior to business school, Matt was a film director and producer. His projects have screened around the world at venues such as the Tribeca Film Festival, TIFF, the Venice Film Festival, Champs-Élysées Film Festival, and on Short of the Week.
An avid reader and writer, he is eager to help advise students throughout the college admissions process.
Catherine Clement
Columbia University
Catherine graduated from Columbia University with a double-major in Classics and English.
She won honors from both departments during her time as an undergraduate.
Catherine has five years’ experience as a tutor and specialized in SAT/ACT prep as well as Common Application consulting.
She enjoys tailoring admissions strategies to individual students and helping young students win admissions to top schools.
In her spare time, Catherine enjoys reading and playing the guitar.
Olivia Aylmer
Barnard College
Mansfield College
Olivia Aylmer is a freelance arts & culture writer who graduated from Barnard College, Columbia University in 2015 with a degree in English Literature and Dance.
She spent several semesters working as a tour guide and student interviewer in the Barnard admissions office and traveled to the U.K. during her junior year to study Medieval Literature and Modern Poetry at Mansfield College, Oxford University.
Most recently, she oversaw curation for The Wing's New York City-based programming and events and previously served as the Communications Manager for Vanity Fair and as a Publicity Assistant at Little, Brown and Company.