
ELISE LONDON,
College Admission Counselor
Qualifications and Experience
- 13 years of experience in College Admission Counseling
- Former Director and Associate Director of College Counseling
- Former Upper School Division Director, Dean of Students, and classroom teacher
- Over two decades of experience as a teacher and administrator in selective US independent schools
- Presented at multiple national college admission conferences including NACAC and ACCIS (Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools)
- Extensive experience working with recruited student-athletes
- Williams College, B.A.; Harvard University, M.Ed.
It is a privilege to support students and families through a college search and admission process focused on learning, discovery, and growth. It is the emphasis on crafting and supporting such a thoughtful and purposeful search that led me to the College Goals team.
At its heart, the college admission process can be an opportunity to help students to articulate and express their passions and to use these to guide a decision-making process that situates them at a college or university that is a great fit for their continued growth and development. The college admission process can be such a scary and fragile time for students and their families, and my approach is one of positivity and support. I prioritize helping students to realize their innate capacity to make sound and informed decisions, and I encourage them to engage with the process as one of discovery and excitement.
My years as an independent school college counselor began with eight years as a Director of College Counseling in Durham, North Carolina. It was through this work that I came to appreciate how the college process can be a way for a student to take a purposeful step toward articulating the future they desire. While working as a college counselor, I also maintained a presence in the classroom, teaching English (most often, American Literature to juniors), and I supported students in their leadership development as the Dean of Students. My family moved back to New England in 2014, and I took a role as the Associate Director of College Counseling at St. Mark’s School, a boarding-day high school outside of Boston, MA. At St. Mark’s, I was privileged to work with students from all over the world, and I additionally provided support for many recruited student-athletes at the Division I and Division III levels. I continued to teach English while also enjoying the world of boarding school responsibilities that included dorm duty. Most recently, I served as the Head of Upper School at the Moses Brown School, a pK-12 day school in Providence, Rhode Island. While there was much to love about that work, I missed developing the connections with students that college counseling enables me to do.
I am so happy to join the College Goals team, where the work focuses on mentoring, motivating and celebrating students. It is our work to take a process that can be stressful and anxious and instead make one of joyful discovery and celebration, while simultaneously supporting all of the details and deadlines that can make the process more complex.
When I am not working with students and their families, researching schools, building college lists or reviewing essays, I can be found spending time with my family, baking, doing yoga, or walking my dogs around Providence.
Dear Ms. Elise. Thank you so much for all of your help during this process. Your guidance has always brought calm within all of the chaos that is college applications. You have been so patient and gracious with me, and I am so grateful. For all of the late nights of writing, and early mornings of editing, thank you for always being there. Your generosity is immeasurable.
Thank you for always addressing me as a person rather than solely an applicant. While I was sick, you ensured that I was okay, and always advocated for my wellbeing over the status of an essay. If I was awake quite late, you let me know that my rest matters. Beyond essay writing, you have taught me that my hard work pays off, that I should take care of myself, and that I should have a little more faith in myself. Like you have always said, “You’re going to get into college!” Thank you for making that a reality for me.
-Student, USA