About Us
Mission Statement
Our mission is to provide expert, personalized guidance to students (and their families) in navigating college and graduate school admissions. Leveraging extensive experience in academic instruction and advising, we help students articulate their unique strengths and goals, guiding them through the application and essay-writing process with a focus on clarity, depth, and authenticity. While we cannot guarantee admission to specific schools, we are committed to fostering the skills, confidence, and self-awareness essential for success in their college and/or graduate school careers.
Sue Lewak, Ph.D., IEC
Sue Lewak, Ph.D., IEC, combines a distinguished academic background with extensive hands-on experience in higher education, student advising, and instructional innovation. With a Ph.D. in English Literature from UCLA and a Certificate in Independent Educational Consulting from UC Irvine, she is also certified in MBTI® and Strong Interest Inventory® assessments and is a dedicated member of the IECA and WACAC.
During her time at UCLA, Sue was twice honored with Outstanding Teaching Recognition Awards and received the Teaching Excellence Award from the English department. Her teaching portfolio spans literature and film courses, where she guided students as a Lecturer and Graduate TA/Instructor. She also served for three years as a “College Academic Mentor” or Academic Advisor, with UCLA’s College Academic Counseling unit (located within the College of Letters and Sciences), where she provided tailored academic guidance on course and major selection, as well as post-graduate opportunities to undergraduates. In addition, as an Instructional Technology Consultant at UCLA’s Center for Digital Humanities, she collaborated with faculty to integrate digital tools into the classroom, enhancing both teaching and learning outcomes.
Sue’s experience extends to her graduate studies in Visual Anthropology at USC, where her commitment to international education saw her supporting students through the Office of International Students and Scholars and conducting research on the academic pathways of international students in the U.S., adding a unique global insight to her profile.
Today, Sue draws on this rich foundation to expertly mentor high school students, college students, and adult learners as they navigate admissions, writing, major selection, graduate planning, and career transitions. Her thoughtful, tailored approach makes her a trusted guide for clients seeking to realize their educational and professional aspirations with clarity and purpose.
Memberships, Certificates, Certifications
Our Philosophy
According to the IECA:
"an IEC doesn't get you admitted—they help you to demonstrate why you deserve to be admitted."
Just like a sports coach prepares athletes to be competitive enough to win, we equip our students with the skills and confidence they need to be competitive in the process, rather than guaranteeing admission to a specific school.
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