Magellan College Counseling - Woodland Hills, California

Jessica T.

Michelle Sibernagel coached our daughter through the college admission process for 2 years. Michelle was always available to respond to our questions with knowledge and reassurance. But truly the relationship was between my daughter and Michelle and our daughter felt encouraged, supported and clear on her next steps. Michelle provided a route through a confusing forest for all of us. When Michelle didn't know the answer to a question, she accessed her networks and found the answers. We always felt that Michelle was clear in setting our expectations of the process for our daughter and for us. Michelle introduced all of us to colleges and opportunities that would not have been on our radar. By the time the application deadlines arrived, we all felt confident and even a tad smug as Michelle had guided our daughter through some of the hardest parts of the application process early on. So while our daughter's friends were panicked in the fall, our daughter was able to be calm and clear-headed as she finalized her applications in a confident manner. Michelle provided a structured schedule to keep the process moving forward, but in manageable pieces. Our daughter responded very well to Michelle's deadlines, and they weren't our deadlines! Michelle also gave us as parents some ways to support our daughter that I never would have considered - the most important being the weekly meetings. It would have been very easy to slip into 'college talk' 7 days/week, which really corrodes the student's autonomy. Instead, we all knew that on Monday nights, we would chat about updates, deadlines and current thoughts. We carried those meetings through the decision time as well, either congratulating or sympathizing with our daughter, then leaving it to her to approach us with further thoughts or feelings. Lastly, Michelle's approach to picking a variety of colleges based on admission chances was wonderful - categorizing them into likely-to-be-admitted and target schools.

Jane

Absolutely amazing experience working with Magellan, and specifically with Sheri. We were connected with Sheri for essay writing review and support, and we were also in a time crunch. She understood where we were in our college process ( and our stress) and made the process very efficient. Sheri's expertise and guidance are outstanding - my son wrote personal, authentic and impactful essays.... and got acceptances into his top choices! Highly recommend working with Sheri! Thank you Sheri for your professionalism and dedication. We are very impressed with the entire Magellan experience. Thank you!

Tulani B.

We had an excellent experience with Magellan and Fay T. specifically. Our senior was guided through the application and acceptance process. Fay helped find the best schools and programs. We were thrilled with the outcome, multiple acceptances into outstanding programs. We're looking forward to the fall. I definitely recommend and will be sure to work with Magellan for our next one. Thank you for making what could have been a stressful experience smooth and successful!

Tania D.

From the moment my son began working with Magellan and specifically Suzie, it was evident that he was in capable hands. Suzie demonstrated not only a profound understanding of the college admissions process but also a genuine commitment to my son's success. Her personalized approach and attention to detail ensured that my son received tailored guidance every step of the way.

Suzie took the time to get to know my son on a personal level, understanding his strengths, interests, and aspirations. She provided invaluable advice on selecting colleges that aligned with his goals and helped him navigate the complex application requirements with confidence. Whether it was brainstorming essay ideas, preparing for interviews, or managing deadlines, Suzie was there to offer support and encouragement, making the entire process feel manageable and less daunting.

Thanks to Suzie's guidance and expertise, my son not only gained admission to his top-choice college but also developed valuable skills and insights that will serve him well in his future endeavors. I am immensely grateful for Suzie's dedication and professionalism, which have had a profound impact on my son's academic journey.

Suzie, thank you once again for the support provided to our son.

Cari M.

I absolutely recommend this company if you are looking for a college prep coach. My daughter worked with Sheri starting the summer before her senior year, and she has been accepted into Berkeley. Sheri’s guidance and tips made the application process much less stressful for everyone. I am a type A person and usually very involved and detailed with important things (such as college applications). However, seeing how Sheri worked with my daughter Iris, I knew I didn’t have to stress and take over. She guided my daughter throughout the process and made it less stressful. If you are thinking about hiring them, do it. It is worth it. Thank you Sheri for all the guidance, help, and willingness to answer last minute emails. Your help has been invaluable.

Nahal D.

Extremely disappointed. Our daughter is a computer major, transferring from JC, Magellan counseling wasn't honest with her/us letting her know with GPA of 3.8 can't get into any state schools. I hired them payed them to be her advocate and help her navigate, something I couldn't do. She has to have higher GPA to be able to get accepted. Why wasn't she told? She could've changed major or done something about it. We hired Magellan to guide her be honest with us not just to fill out applications. Waisted time, money I will never get back.

Richa B.

It's my pleasure to commend Michelle Silbernagel at Magellan College Counseling for all her expert guidance and support to my daughter through the college application process.

We are based in Hyderabad, India and were connected to Michelle by my sister who lives in Redmond. All my reservations about the effectiveness of remote counseling were dispelled as we started our sessions with her. Michelle was super-organized, proactive, and punctual and planned our interactions to be efficient and effective.

I have to say, that the whole application process seemed very daunting at first, especially for someone in another country and not very familiar with the education system in the US. Michelle was patient in guiding us through the maze of activities needed to be completed, breaking them down with timelines into digestible bits and tasks, so we never felt overwhelmed. It felt like she had our backs, which meant a lot!

The best part for me was the relationship she developed with my daughter. Michelle took the time to understand her with skillful questioning and conversations, and got the best story out of her for her essay. We had early morning meetings because of our time zone difference, and I have always found my daughter ready, excited and looking forward to them (which is not something I can say for some of her other early morning activities:)

The success of our collaboration is reflected in the fact that my daughter got accepted in all 7 colleges she applied to (including UW Seattle), with scholarships in 5 of them. Michelle was also very helpful when we encountered glitches with the FAFSA and in clearing up a misunderstanding with UW about an English proficiency test.

It was a pleasure meeting Michelle in person at her home during our trip to the US last summer. I would highly recommend Michelle to anyone, including students based overseas - it was truly seamless!

Thanks Michelle, and all the very best to you!

Stephanie M.

If I could give 10 stars, I would! Thank you Magellan and specifically Suzie for making the college process incredibly bearable for my son and our family. We have worked with Suzie twice now and this year, she worked with my son. Suzie was incredibly supportive and encouraging throughout the process. She really gets to know her clients and supports them through the whole college process. We were grateful for all of Suzie's knowledge and expertise. Suzie is a true professional......you are in great hands if you work with Suzie or any of the other team members at Magellan!