Individualized advising
Every student arrives with a different transcript, a different voice, and a different definition of success. We build a plan around the student in front of us, not a template built for the average applicant.
Boutique College Admissions Consulting
Helping students
tell their story.
Fourth Avenue Education is a small consulting practice founded by four students who recently went through the admissions process themselves. We work closely, one student at a time, to bring clarity, honesty, and craft to an experience that so often feels neither clear nor honest.
Founded by recent admits
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Dual-advisor guidance
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Individualized, one student at a time
Our Story
Where Fourth Avenue Began
Fourth Avenue Education began long before we ever thought of it as a business.
Long before we ever gave it a name, we found ourselves reading a cousin's personal statement, helping a younger sibling build a college list, or sitting down with a friend to talk through an essay that just was not coming together. Over time, we all became the people our friends and families turned to for advice during the college admissions process. For nearly two years, that was all Fourth Avenue Education was.
Milena, Madeena, and Kaavya met as freshmen at UCLA, where an unexpected roommate assignment turned into a lasting friendship. Emily, Milena's twin sister, attends Columbia University in New York. Although we studied different subjects and took different paths through college, we all found ourselves returning to the same kind of work because we genuinely enjoyed helping students navigate one of the biggest milestones of their lives.
Between the four of us, our experiences span different academic disciplines, backgrounds, and perspectives. We have experienced the admissions process as children of immigrants, international and domestic students, and students pursuing everything from political science and finance to computer science and molecular biology. Those experiences shape the way we work with every student, and they remind us that there is no single path to college.
We started Fourth Avenue Education because we remember how easy it is to feel like everyone else has the answers. Looking back, we realized that some of the most valuable guidance we received came from people who had gone through the process just a few years before us. We wanted to be that resource for someone else.
Every student comes to us with a different story, different goals, and different questions. Our job is not to fit those stories into a formula. It is to help students understand what makes their experiences meaningful and present them in a way that feels honest and true to who they are.
At the end of the day, we hope every student leaves feeling a little more confident than when they first came to us. If we can make the admissions process feel a little less overwhelming and help students tell their stories with confidence, then we have done our job.
Our Philosophy
Guidance, not gatekeeping.
We started Fourth Avenue Education because we remembered what it felt like to sit where our students sit now — unsure which parts of the process actually mattered, and which were noise. Our approach is built on three convictions.
Ethical guidance
We coach, edit, and question — we do not write. Every essay, activity list, and application a student submits through our guidance is theirs, in their own words, built on their own experience.
Authentic storytelling
The strongest applications aren't the most impressive on paper — they're the most honest. Our work is helping students notice what's genuinely compelling about their own story and say it clearly.
How We Work
A dual-advisor model.
Unlike firms where a student works with a single generalist, every Fourth Avenue student is paired with two dedicated advisors who stay in close communication throughout the process.
Primary Advisor
- Admissions strategy
- College list development
- Activities section & resume
- Timeline planning
- Parent meetings
- Final application audit
Writing Advisor
- Personal statement brainstorming
- Personal statement editing
- Supplemental essays
- UC Personal Insight Questions
- LOCI & scholarship essays
- Written application feedback
Our Services
A package for every stage.
Every engagement begins with a 30-minute Initial Consultation ($70, credited toward any package purchased within 14 days), where we learn about your goals and recommend the right level of support — or design something entirely custom.
Early Advantage
For freshmen & sophomores building a competitive profile before applications begin.
$395 · 4 hours
Long-term academic and extracurricular planning — course selection, leadership progression, and a four-year action plan, not application materials.
- Admissions & Academics Strategy Session1 hr
- Four-Year Course Planning1 hr
- Extracurricular & Leadership Planning1 hr
- Personalized Action Plan & Follow-Up1 hr
Foundation
For students beginning the process who need a roadmap before applications start.
$495 · 5 hours
A grounded starting point — strategy, a balanced college list, and polish on the activities section and resume.
- Admissions Strategy Session1 hr
- College List Development1.5 hr
- Activities Section Review1 hr
- Resume Review0.5 hr
- Final Q&A Session1 hr
Most Chosen
Application Essentials
For students actively applying who want steady support through the writing process.
$1,295 · 15 hours
Strategy, a refined college list, and hands-on essay coaching from brainstorming through supplemental review.
- Admissions Strategy Session1 hr
- College List Development2 hr
- Activities Section Review2 hr
- Personal Statement Brainstorming2 hr
- Personal Statement Editing & Revisions4 hr
- Supplemental Essay Review3 hr
- Final Application Review1 hr
Comprehensive
For students who want full support across strategy, essays, and family communication.
$2,495 · 30 hours
In-depth list building, extensive essay coaching, parent consultation, and a full final application audit.
- Admissions Strategy Session2 hr
- College List Development3 hr
- Activities Section Review2 hr
- Resume Review1 hr
- Personal Statement Editing & Revisions6 hr
- Supplemental Essay Review10 hr
- Parent Consultation2 hr
- Final Application Audit4 hr
Signature Mentorship
For students seeking long-term, personalized guidance from start to finish.
$4,295 · 50 hours
Our most complete engagement — ongoing strategy, extensive essay support, and waitlist & LOCI guidance if needed.
- Long-Term Admissions Planning4 hr
- College List Development4 hr
- Activities Strategy3 hr
- Resume Development2 hr
- Personal Statement Editing & Revisions8 hr
- Supplemental Essay Review18 hr
- Parent Consultation3 hr
- Final Application Audit6 hr
- Waitlist / LOCI Support2 hr
Hourly Advising
For families who want targeted help without a full package.
From $100 · per hour
Consulting hours purchased separately — ideal alongside a package, or for one specific piece of the process.
- 1 hour$100
- 5 hours$400
- 10 hours$800
Specialized Add-Ons
Beyond the standard packages.
Research Mentorship
One-on-one guidance through topic selection, research design, drafting, and journal selection. Students remain the sole authors of their work.
$1,000 · 10 hrs
Passion Project Development
Build an independent project from idea to execution, with guidance on planning, milestones, and presenting the work in an application.
$750 · 8 hrs
Interview Preparation
Realistic mock interviews with detailed feedback on communication, confidence, and storytelling.
$300 · 3 hrs
Specialist Advisor Session
Meet with an advisor who specializes in your intended field — STEM, pre-med, business, humanities, and more.
$150 · 1 hr
Need something more personalized? We're glad to design a fully customized plan around your timeline and goals. Get in touch →
Meet the Team
Four advisors, one practice.
Fourth Avenue Education was founded by four current university students who went through the admissions process recently enough to remember exactly what it felt like — and close enough to selective programs to know what genuinely matters.
Milena Tarverdyan
Milena splits her time between admissions strategy and essay coaching, and often leads parent consultations too. Her background in economics and international development gives her a natural feel for advising students headed toward social science, pre-law, or pre-finance tracks.
LinkedIn ↗
Madeena Jalili
Madeena focuses on admissions strategy and building out college lists, and enjoys digging into the research and coursework side of an application. Her pre-med background makes her especially useful for students aiming for STEM or health-related fields.
LinkedIn ↗
Kaavya Anuj
Kaavya specializes in essay coaching and supplemental writing, helping students figure out what they actually want to say and how to say it in their own voice. Her background spanning math, computer science, and linguistics gives her a sharp eye for structure, which comes in handy for technically minded applicants. Having grown up between countries herself, she also brings firsthand insight for international students navigating U.S. admissions.
LinkedIn ↗
Emily Tarverdyan
Emily handles admissions strategy and academic planning, from four-year roadmaps for younger students to full application timelines for those closer to applying. Studying political science and art history, she tends to click especially well with humanities-minded and pre-law students.
LinkedIn ↗Advisor pairing is selected based on each student's intended major, university goals, and application needs.
Our Acceptances
Recent admissions results.
A sample of admissions results from our students and founders in recent cycles.
UCB
UC Berkeley
× 3 admits
CU
Columbia University
GU
Georgetown University
PC
Pomona College
UCLA
UCLA
× 4 admits
UCI
UC Irvine
× 4 admits
UCSD
UC San Diego
× 2 admits
UCD
UC Davis
NYU
New York University
BC
Boston College
BU
Boston University
NU
Northeastern University
UVA
University of Virginia
× 2 admits
TU
Tulane University
WU
Wesleyan University
USC
University of Southern California
PU
Pepperdine University
EU
Emory University
UM
University of Michigan
CMC
Claremont McKenna College
Why Families Choose Us
Small by design.
We intentionally keep our practice small. That means fewer students per advisor, more responsiveness, and a level of attention that larger consulting firms — and most high school counseling offices — simply aren't built to offer.
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We were recently in your shoes
Our founders applied to selective programs in the last few admissions cycles — the process is fresh, not theoretical.
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Two advisors, one student
Strategy and writing are handled by specialists who communicate directly with each other about your student.
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Ethical, essay-coaching only
We will never write an essay or fabricate an achievement. Every word submitted is the student's own.
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A plan that fits the student
From a four-year roadmap for a freshman to a 24-hour turnaround before a deadline, packages flex to real needs.
Testimonials
What families are saying.
“Our daughter went from dreading the essay prompts to actually looking forward to her sessions. Her advisor never told her what to write — just kept asking the right questions until she found it herself.”
Mariam S., parent of a Class of 2026 applicant
“Having two advisors made a real difference. One person kept our timeline honest, the other made the essays sound like him and not like a consultant. That balance is rare.”
Rohan G., parent of a Class of 2025 applicant
“I started with Early Advantage as a sophomore and felt so much less lost by the time applications actually came around junior year.”
Adriana Z., Class of 2027 student
Frequently Asked
Good questions to ask.
No — and we're wary of anyone who says they can. Admission decisions are made solely by colleges and universities and depend on factors well outside any consultant's control, including that year's applicant pool and institutional priorities. What we can guarantee is honest, attentive guidance and a genuinely stronger application.
Your Writing Advisor coaches, questions, and edits across multiple drafts — but never writes on a student's behalf. We help students brainstorm topics, structure a draft, and sharpen language, while preserving their authentic voice. Students remain the sole authors of everything they submit.
Every student is paired with a Primary Advisor (strategy, college list, timeline, resume) and a Writing Advisor (essays and written materials), matched to the student's intended major and goals. The two advisors stay in close communication throughout.
As early as freshman or sophomore year with our Early Advantage package, which focuses on course planning and extracurricular direction rather than applications themselves. Most students transition into a full application package at the start of junior year, once college planning begins in earnest.
In 30 minutes, we'll review your academic and extracurricular profile, discuss your goals, and recommend the package that fits best — or build a fully custom plan. The $70 fee is credited toward any package purchased within 14 days.
Consulting hours are meant to be used throughout the admissions cycle they were purchased for, and unused hours expire at the end of that cycle unless we've agreed otherwise in writing. If you're not sure how your hours are tracking, just ask your advisor for an update.
Yes. Once a package's hours are used up, additional hours can be purchased at our published rates. We'll never start additional work without your approval first.
You're welcome to reschedule with at least 24 hours' notice. Appointments cancelled with less time than that may still count toward your package hours, and repeated missed sessions can result in forfeited time, so we'd rather just find a new time together.
As much or as little as your family prefers. Most of our packages include dedicated parent consultations to keep you informed on strategy and timelines, but the essays and day-to-day advising happen directly between the student and their advisors.
Yes. Transcripts, essays, and anything else you share with us is treated as confidential and isn't shared with third parties without your permission, except where required by law.
Get in Touch
Let's talk about
your student.
Tell us a little about where things stand, and we'll follow up to schedule a 30-minute Initial Consultation. We typically respond within 1–2 business days.
Prefer email? Write to us directly at info@4thavenue.org