Jason is an alumnus of Middlebury College and a fierce advocate for the excellence of others. Jason’s innate drive to connect people with opportunities makes him a consummate mentor. He grew up surrounded by scholarship and conversation, and he brings to Menlo a talent for cultivating the seeds of new and remarkable stories.
Though Jason has an affinity for learning through books and in classrooms, what he truly relishes is learning directly from others. Jason first began supporting students with their college applications while he was an undergraduate, and since graduating, he has held numerous professional roles that have given him an invaluable and versatile perspective on college admissions.
As a project manager at a national education nonprofit, he studied schools across the US. Then, he transitioned into college admissions consulting full-time. Since, he has worked with top students to prepare applications to the most selective colleges and led the regional expansion of a prominent education consulting firm.
Having earned a B.A. in Film and Media and forged a career at the intersection of education and business, Jason knows a thing or two about connecting the interests dear to our hearts with the skills demanded by the real world.
He uses this personal experience, and his years of experience working with high schoolers, to help students connect the dots between their hobbies and their character. This allows him to recommend fresh and substantive activities that elevate a student’s engagement in their core pursuits, enabling them to showcase their talents in unconventional ways.
It can be hard to meaningfully explain what makes you different. Even harder to show how that difference actually enhances your ability to contribute to the world. If you’re searching for the right way to portray unorthodox interests in your applications, Jason will help you show colleges that your quirks are compelling reasons to admit you.
I discussed my college application profile and personal priorities with Jason as I applied to colleges and narrowed down my choices. His advice was instrumental in finding a school best suited for my development as a scholar, leader, and human being. I’m excited to be attending Yale University in the fall!
Simply put, Jason makes people feel comfortable speaking about practically anything, even the uncomfortable stuff. He never pushes you to broach a subject you’re avoiding, but by the end of the conversation, you might find that you’ve covered everything from your childhood nightmares to your celebrity crushes.
Jason’s sincere desire to learn about other people allows him to excavate memories that may be overlooked and use them to strategically craft memorable client profiles.
Rather than attempting to create a fake personality that would look good to the admission committee, Jason helped me search for the aspects of my existing identity that make me unique. It is often hard to spot these pieces, and as such, it is constructive to have an outside view. In this sense, he acts as a pseudo-admission officer, and thanks to his perspective, he was able to help me uncover gold nuggets of information that later became the basis for multiple of my application essays.
Because Jason lives and breathes college applications, he naturally maps out his clients’ timelines to put them on the path toward success. But this doesn’t stop at just the application process: Jason is keen to discuss opportunities for future summer internships, networking connections, and even career paths. He’s likely to make suggestions for new ventures that may surprise or intrigue you.
Jason sees possibilities in everything and is devoutly optimistic. He will help you stay ahead of the future at every step, while keeping you ready to seize the unexpected opportunity that comes your way tomorrow.
Brooke Mannelly 