College Admissions Advising
A structured, expert-led approach to navigating college admissions
Wagner Prep has supported hundreds of families with thoughtful, personalized college advising built on strategy, clarity, and trust.
Applying to college has become increasingly complex. Between shifting admissions policies, layered deadlines, testing decisions, and extensive writing, many students feel overwhelmed and parents are unsure how to help without adding pressure.
Wagner Prep provides expert, one-on-one college admissions advising that brings structure, clarity and steady guidance to every step of the process. We help students stay organized and confident while giving parents clear visibility into progress, priorities, and what comes next.
What We Do
We are mentors, project managers, and expert guides all in one. We help students stay focused, organized, and on track from start to finish. Our process is straightforward and student first, designed to keep the work manageable for both students and families.
We know every student begins in a different place. Some only need a few focused sessions to refine a personal statement. Others want weekly guidance while they explore majors, build a thoughtful college list, and move through the entire application season. We help students make strong decisions by focusing on who they are, what they want, and how to communicate their story clearly and honestly.
Your student receives personalized, strategic support that adapts to their goals, strengths, schedule, and pace. Our role is to bring structure, clarity, and steady accountability so your student never feels lost or overwhelmed. Our role for parents is to be the buffer, translator, and project manager, so you can support your child without having to be a taskmaster.
How Our Process Works
We break the admissions process into clear stages so students are never trying to solve everything at once
Exploration
We get to know your student
We explore strengths, interests, possible majors, and the types of environments where they will thrive.
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We research schools and build an early list of likely, target, and reach options.
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Evaluation
We outline the path ahead
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We create a personalized timeline and decide which schools should be early action or early decision.
We finalize the college list, map out deadlines, and develop strategies for testing, scholarships, and merit aid.
Execution
We prepare and submit college applications.
We coach students through brainstorming, editing and completing their Common App essay and supplemental writing.
We refine each application and track deadlines so nothing falls through the cracks.We refine each application and track deadlines so nothing falls through the cracks.
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We prepare students for interviews and guide them through waitlists, deferrals, and final decisions.
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Who We Work With
Families come to Wagner Prep because they want a thoughtful, personalized approach to college admissions rather than a prestige-driven race. They care about fit, clarity, and strategy. They want a trusted expert who understands the admissions landscape from Ivies to Flagship Publics and has guided hundreds of students through it with purpose and care.
We work with students who benefit from a calm, structured process and who thrive when expectations are clear and the next steps make sense. Our job is to meet your student where they are and help them move forward with confidence, no matter when they begin.
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Some families begin working with us as early as eighth grade. In these cases, we take a consultative approach that focuses on building a strong foundation for future decisions.
We help with early major and interest exploration, high school course selection, and guidance on extracurricular and summer opportunities. When appropriate, we also support students preparing for independent school admissions or early standardized tests.
Students in this stage learn about themselves, begin building direction, and make choices that position them well for what comes next. Parents appreciate having a steady partner who can help their student make informed, thoughtful choices early on.
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Most families begin working with us during their junior year. By this point, the pressure is building and the process starts to feel like one giant, overwhelming task. “Apply to college” is said as if it is a single step, when in reality it is closer to thirty different tasks spread across the exploration, evaluation, and execution stages.
During junior year, we provide the strategy, structure, and steady mentorship that help students move forward with confidence. We break the process into manageable pieces, create a clear roadmap, and guide students through decisions that would otherwise feel confusing or rushed. Parents get to step out of the role of project manager and back into the role of supporter.
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Some students begin working with us after senior year has started. In these situations, the discovery and planning stages are brief, but we can still provide targeted, effective support. We help students gain clarity quickly, set priorities, and stay organized through the busiest months of the application season.
We guide students through essay refinement, supplemental writing, application organization, interview preparation, and decision navigation, including waitlists and letters of continued interest. These students benefit from clear priorities, strong structure, and expert guidance to finish strong.
Our advising team combines decades of teaching, writing, and admissions experience. We know how overwhelming this process can be, and we bring the structure, clarity, and mentorship students need to move forward with confidence. Each student works one on one with an advisor while also receiving the benefit of our shared expertise.
Meet Your Advising Team
Mike Wagner
Lead College Admissions Counselor and Founder
Mike Wagner brings more than a decade of experience helping students navigate an increasingly complex college admissions landscape. Before founding Wagner Prep, he spent seven years as a high school history teacher, where he saw firsthand how overwhelming the path to college had become for both students and parents. That experience shaped his student-first philosophy: clear structure, steady mentorship, and honest guidance without pressure.
As an advisor, Mike helps students explore majors, build thoughtful and balanced college lists, develop strong application strategies, and write personal statements and supplements that feel authentic and grounded. Families appreciate his ability to break big tasks into manageable steps, keep students focused, and communicate clearly at every stage of the process.
Mike also remains deeply engaged in the broader admissions world. He stays up to date on national testing trends, admissions data, and changes in selectivity. He regularly collaborates with school counselors, college representatives, and fellow educators to make sure the families he works with receive accurate, strategic, and timely advice.
Mike serves as the primary strategist on all advising cases and oversees the full advising team so each student benefits from shared insight and comprehensive support. Read more about Mike here.
Sebastian Suarez
College Admissions Counselor
Sebastian is a thoughtful, supportive advisor who brings a strong mix of academic insight, essay expertise, and admissions experience to his work with students. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Film with Honors from Portland State University and is an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma graduate. Earlier in his career, he worked inside a university admissions office, giving him firsthand insight into how colleges review applications and what helps students stand out.
Sebastian has more than five years of tutoring and mentoring experience. Before joining Wagner Prep, he advised students who went on to gain admission to Notre Dame, Wesleyan, Tulane, Duke, McGill, Erasmus University Rotterdam, the University of Amsterdam, University College London, the University of Edinburgh, and Trinity College Dublin and other selective institutions. Many of the students he now supports come from New York City independent and public schools, and he is especially skilled at guiding students applying to international colleges and universities.
His advising approach centers on authenticity. Sebastian helps students uncover meaningful stories, refine their ideas, and shape writing that feels personal and genuine. He provides structured outlines, detailed feedback, and clear next steps while helping students maintain ownership of their work. Parents consistently describe him as patient, supportive, and exceptionally easy for students to connect with.
Outside of advising, Sebastian works as an SAT English tutor, academic editor and enjoys traveling, writing, and exploring new cultures and languages.
Alex Solomon, PhD
Essay Coach and Writing Specialist
Alex is a seasoned writing instructor with more than a decade of experience helping students strengthen their critical reading and writing skills. He teaches in the Writing Program at Rutgers University, where he earned his PhD in English Literature. He also holds an MA in English from Rutgers and a BA from Rice University.
His academic work spans literature, science, and the development of the early British novel. His dissertation received the international Dan David Prize in Literature, awarded by a committee chaired by novelist Jamaica Kincaid.
Beyond the university classroom, Alex has spent many years as a private tutor, supporting students on the SSAT, ISEE, ACT, and SAT. His expertise in rhetoric, structure, and clarity makes him a powerful partner for students working on Common App essays, UC PIQs, and school-specific supplements. Students value his calm presence, his thoughtful feedback, and his ability to help them write with confidence and purpose.
Gwenyth Jackaway, PhD
Essay Coach and Writing Specialist
Dr. Gwenyth Jackaway is a mission-driven educator with more than twenty years of teaching experience. She earned her BA in History from Columbia University and her graduate degrees in Communication from the University of Pennsylvania before joining the faculty at Fordham University, where she served as an Associate Professor of Communication and Media Studies.
Driven by a belief in the transformative power of education, Gwenyth now works closely with high school students to help them find their voice and prepare for the demands of college-level reading and writing. She supports students across the humanities, with particular strength in English, history, and the social sciences.
As an essay coach, Gwenyth helps students uncover meaningful stories, develop clear arguments, and write in a way that feels personal, polished, and true to who they are. Students appreciate her warmth, patience, and ability to turn complex ideas into compelling, organized writing.
How Our Advising Team Works Together
Each student is paired with one primary advisor, either Mike or Sebastian, based on their goals, timeline, and preferred advising style. This one-to-one structure gives students a consistent partner throughout the process and ensures they always know who is leading their case.
Behind the scenes, our team functions collaboratively. Mike oversees overall admissions strategy and mentors Sebastian directly, meeting with him weekly to review students, refine plans, and share insight from years of experience. As a result, even families who work day-to-day with Sebastian benefit from Mike’s strategic oversight.
Some families choose to work solely with one of our essay coaches, Alex or Gwenyth. This option is ideal for students who already have strong school-based advising, a clear list, and a solid application strategy, but want expert writing support to elevate their Common App essay, UC PIQs, UCAS personal statement, and supplemental responses. Our essay coaches provide detailed, high-level feedback while keeping the student’s voice central.
Across all options, our model combines personalized attention with shared expertise so students receive thoughtful, consistent, and high-quality support from start to finish.
Trusted by Families, Proven by Results
Parents consistently tell us they felt calmer, clearer, and more confident once they began working with us. Here are a few of their experiences.
Wagner Prep has been an invaluable part of both of my daughters’ high school experiences. Over the past two years, we worked with Michael for college preparation and application support, and more recently with Sebastian to help us understand and manage the IB program.
Sebastian was incredibly organized, kept my daughter on track, and explained everything with clear, accurate knowledge of the IB system. And as always, Michael was knowledgeable, supportive, and consistently dedicated to guiding our family through the college prep process with confidence and with truly amazing results. We couldn’t have done it without Wagner Prep. Thank you both!
–Jacqueline T. (Parent)
Mike and his team can’t fix the broken college admissions system, but they can help you navigate it. They were a steady voice guiding our son along the way. Mike is honest, logical, and straightforward. They travel this road every year, know the bumps along the way, and help you reach your destination intact.
— Cormac C. (Parent)
I went into my first meeting with Mike without a clear path, and ended up with scholarships from multiple schools. He helped me develop the story and narrative of my Common App essay and taught me writing skills I’ll use long after high school. He made the entire application process manageable for both me and my family.
— Anna M. (Student)
Real Student Stories
See how personalized advising shaped successful outcomes for others
See more 5-star reviews from families on Google
Frequently Asked Questions
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We guide students through the entire college admissions process with personalized, structured support. Our work includes:
Strategy and Planning
Assessing academic strengths, weaknesses, and admissions goals
Reviewing potential majors and academic pathways
Creating balanced and strategic college lists
Planning Early Action and Early Decision timelines
Developing standardized testing plans for SAT, ACT, and AP exams
Advising on course selection and extracurricular development
Mapping application deadlines and weekly action plans
Application Support
Brainstorming, outlining, developing, and refining the Common App essay
Coaching for all supplemental writing
Reviewing and organizing the Common App and application materials
Recommendation letter planning, including who to ask and when
Interview preparation for colleges, programs, and scholarships
Help with arts and architecture portfolios
Specialized Guidance
Advising for engineering, business, pre-med, pre-law, nursing, DPT, pharmacy, and arts programs
Support for students with accommodations, IEPs, IESPs, or learning differences
Guidance for NCAA athletic recruitment
Support for applications to United States Service Academies
Financial Aid and Scholarships
Scholarship search strategy
Financial aid application guidance
Review and breakdown of financial aid packages
Ongoing Mentorship and Accountability
Regular virtual meetings
As-needed messaging and check-ins
Continuous guidance through decisions, deferrals, waitlists, and final college selection
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Most families begin in the spring of junior year. This timing gives students space to explore majors, plan meaningful summer experiences, and complete much of their writing before senior year becomes busy.
Some students start earlier, especially if they want help with long-term planning, course selection, or building a strong extracurricular and summer strategy.
Others begin during the summer before senior year or even once senior year has started. Many of our students have demanding schedules. For example, competitive athletes, dancers, and performers often have limited summer availability, and starting earlier simply gives them more breathing room.
The truth is that every student is different. The best time to begin is when your family is ready, and we can support students at any stage. Whether your student is planning ahead or beginning later in the process, we help them move forward with clarity, organization, and steady support.
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We intentionally do not specialize in only one field. Students grow and change throughout high school, and their ideas about majors, programs, and career paths often shift. Our broad experience allows us to guide students who are exploring multiple directions, narrowing their interests, or applying to a mix of programs.
We have worked with students pursuing engineering, business, pre-medical tracks, conservatory-level arts, humanities programs, and more. This range helps us stay creative and strategic when shaping a student’s path, whether the priority is getting into a dream school, finding the best program for their interests, or building a realistic and exciting set of options.
Our role is to help students discover what fits, build thoughtful and balanced lists, write strong essays, and navigate every decision with clarity and confidence.
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Fit matters most to us. We help students build realistic, well-balanced lists rather than chasing a prestige-only path. Our students have been admitted to a wide range of selective schools, including the University of Pennsylvania, George Washington University, Notre Dame, Bard College, Wesleyan, Tulane, Duke, Trinity College, McGill, Columbia, USC, Duke, Boston College, BU, Salve Regina University, University of Michigan and Northeastern.
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Yes. Many families work with us solely on the Common App essay or school-specific supplements. Our essay coaches specialize in writing structure, clarity, and voice, and can support students even if they already have strong guidance from school advisors.
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We are built for that. We act as the project manager for the admissions process and keep students on track with clear timelines, structured priorities, and steady support. Parents stay informed without needing to step in or micromanage.
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Within twenty-four hours of every session, families receive a session report that outlines the tasks completed, important next steps, and big picture thoughts. You always know exactly where your student stands and what comes next. Your college advisor is also checking in regularly via email, text, and/or phone calls to stay in alignment with family goals.
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No. Every student’s path is different, so the hourly model keeps advising flexible and ensures families only pay for the time they actually use.
Unlike flat-rate packages, this approach avoids overpaying for services your student does not need and gives families the freedom to scale support up or down throughout the process.
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Most students who begin during junior year need around twenty hours of support throughout the entire process. Students applying to long lists or highly competitive programs may need more time. Students who only need essay support or who begin later in senior year likely need fewer hours.