Testimonials

“Raven is a gifted and knowledgeable college admissions counselor, coach, and advocate. Through the Application Profile & Development Package, Raven designed a customized assessment that helped my daughter and I identify colleges that were a good fit for her academic strengths, extracurricular interests, and professional aspirations. She strikes the right balance of helping students and parents be realistic about the admissions process, all while encouraging the student to remain positive and work hard. In addition to being talented at her craft, Raven is compassionate and kind, which puts students and parents at ease during a stressful time. We are so fortunate to have found The Application Specialist!”

Nekia - Atlanta, GA

“Thank you Raven for helping me prepare my college personal essay during the college app season. You took the time to explain things to me during our meetings and spent much time outside our sessions brainstorming ideas for my essay. I couldn’t be more excited to share with you that I got into one of my top schools—Johns Hopkins University. I am truly grateful for all your advice even outside of our contract.” 

College Application Development Client – Maryland

“I enjoyed working with Raven. She was very patient with me and with my busy schedule. She helped me focus on topics and life experiences that were important to me so that I could write strong essays for my college applications. She also helped me understand the Common App, which has made me confident when submitting applications to several schools. I have already been admitted to my top choice college, and I hope to get more acceptances soon. Thank you, Raven!”

Riley - Atlanta, GA

“It has always been a pleasure working with Raven and this is my third time asking Raven for writing support. Her suggestions for improvement were spot-on. Her understanding of what employers are looking for and the way she helped me highlight my achievements and skills have not only boosted my confidence, but have also elevated my prospects in the job market. Thanks to Raven, I'm feeling much more prepared for my job search.”

Resume Revision Client - New York

“I had the pleasure of working with Raven to improve my resume, and she did an amazing job. Her process is authentic, unique, and she will 100% get the job done. I truly loved working with her, and she delivered the best result.”

 Kamari – Atlanta, GA

“Dear Raven, Happy Monday! I would like to update you with my grad school results. I got accepted into Berkeley, Brown, Columbia, Northwestern, Rice, and USC. And I finally decided to go to Columbia. Thank you again for all your support during the application process! I look forward to working with you again in the future!”

Graduate School Application Development Client – California

“For more than two years, I have had the absolute privilege of working with Raven during the entirety of my graduate school program. From the beginning, Raven has been there for me. It started with my admissions essay and helping me gather my thoughts. Meeting often to help me get my words and thoughts together allowed me to get accepted into the program. From there, every semester, we’d meet weekly to discuss not only the course work to review, but tips and tricks on study techniques and even down to how my environment is set up to allow me to succeed.  

Raven always goes above and beyond for you, but you also have to put in the work. I am so thankful to have had Raven by my side, as I was scared of attending school online while also working full time. I recently completed my last final for the graduate program and I can say without hesitation that I owe this degree to her efforts. 

Thank you Raven for all that you have done. I truly appreciate all of the long hours, the hard work that you have done with me and I truly can’t thank you enough. You have not only changed how my mind processes and obtains information, but you have also helped me change as a person. Anyone will be successful with Raven in their corner. If you’re looking for a major support system in your life to achieve your goals, look no further than Raven. Thanks!”

Malcolm – Oakland, CA

“Raven has helped me tremendously with my personal statement for medical school. The personal statement, as we know, is one of the most important variables for determining admission to graduate school. Not only did Raven help me dissect what I should be thinking of when I write the essay, but she got me to think like the admissions officer in regards to what they are looking for to perfect my personal statement. I cannot thank Raven enough!”

James – Atlanta, GA

“I worked with Raven on my college applications four years ago. At that time, she did a fantastic job helping me organize ideas and craft my essays. Thanks to her help, I was able to get into my dream college. When I started to plan to work on my graduate school applications earlier this year, I thought of her again. My experience with her so far has been amazing. She always asks the right questions, gives great advice, provides detailed feedback, and brings out the best in me. Her expertise and scrupulous attention to detail have made my essays so much stronger and made me feel much more confident in my applications. Raven is such a professional and she is also extremely patient and fun to talk to. I would definitely recommend her to anyone who is going through the application process! Thank you Raven for always being here for me and exceeding my expectations!”

Graduate School Application Development Client – California

“Well ladies and gentlemen, she’s done it again! After helping me secure a job last year thanks to her resume and cover letter assistance, I decided to reach out to Raven again this August. An opportunity arose within my previous company to go back in a different position and I wanted to make sure my resume was up to date and ready to go. It took less than 24 hours for Raven and I to work together and turn in my resume. I am proud to say that I got the job once again! 2/2 and couldn’t be more grateful I had Raven in my corner.”

Chelseah - Oakland, CA

“Raven did a great job explaining the application process. The assignments she curated for me were well thought out, challenging, and well researched. If I had questions she provided quick responses, and if I didn’t understand, she didn’t hesitate to clarify. Raven obtained relevant information that was tailored to my needs. All of the materials (podcasts, articles, documentaries) were relevant to my research in music therapy. During our meetings, she provided constructive feedback; never in a patronizing way. Her assignments and projects had a purpose behind them and connected to the final Common Application. We collaborated and organized my personal statement, while letting my personality shine through, which has helped me get accepted to colleges already! Raven also cared about my life outside of meetings. It was considerate for her to ask what I was doing outside of the assignments she provided. She encouraged me by giving me compliments and positive feedback. She told me specific things I did right on the assignments.  If anyone can help you with your application, it’s Raven!”

Léla - Colorado

“I’ve worked with Raven twice now, and both times we’ve produced winning applications. The first time I worked with her was for line edits. Her edits made me say “Yes!” and took my essay from good to great. The second time, I was lacking confidence to begin the writing process. Raven’s enthusiasm, laser-sharp focus, consulting method and result orientation boosted my confidence and set me on track. She provided direct feedback, helped me draw out the strong anecdotes, created an essay outline, and kept me on schedule. During my interview with the Director of the MA Org Psychology program, they mentioned my essay being PhD level. I would absolutely invest in my future in this way again, and I’ve recommended Raven’s services to family.”

Althea – Missouri

“During my undergraduate application cycle, I consulted with Raven to assist in crafting meaningful essay responses for my application. From the initial consultation, Raven was able to formulate a clear path to make the daunting process manageable. Throughout the revisions process, Raven asked meaningful questions that inspired true reflection which allowed honest and powerful responses. She guided me in finding my most relevant and impactful experiences that highlighted my capabilities as a student. She has a true talent for bringing thoughts into writing. In times where I struggled finding direction in my essays, Raven was able to steer my essays towards a clear and concise direction. I would not have been admitted to my top choice university without her! I highly recommend Raven to guide you through the application process as she will be able to highlight the best parts of you.”

Johan - San Diego, CA

“Raven was amazing. I received her help with my resume and cover letter as I was applying for an assistantship. She was very helpful and thorough. She made sure to ask specific questions so that she could understand my work experience so that my resume would be top notch. The entire process was smooth and informative. Needless to say, Raven knows her stuff! A few weeks later, I received a call that I had gotten the assistantship. If you are looking for someone who is professional and proficient, Raven is the person for you!”

Alexis - Raleigh, NC

“Raven Willis is a consummate professional. We secured her services to assist our college freshman to meet an academic deadline. My son was able to meet his academic goal because of Ms. Willis’ expertise, attention to detail, and empathetic approach. She created a realistic game plan by considering his current class load, extracurricular activities, and his need for rest. Ms. Willis is an excellent communicator. She followed up each meeting with a detailed email recapping my son's progress and stating benchmarks for the next meeting. Ms. Willis is currently meeting with our high school junior to help her navigate college applications as well as helping her figure out what she would like to major in. She uses a variety of approaches, such as podcasts and reading books, to give our daughter the tools to research her interests. During their online meetings, Ms. Willis engages in lighthearted conversation that allows our daughter to think in a stress-free and judgement-free environment. I highly recommend The Application Specialist for any student who is needing guidance and support for their future and current college goals.” 

Tonya - Denver, CO

“Raven truly deserves her title as THE application specialist. Having her as my advisor for my college applications six years ago, Raven’s name popped up in my head again when I started planning my graduate school applications this year. She’s professional, great with details, and fun. She knows how to tell stories from great angles that I would never be able to think of myself. Moreover, Raven always asks the “right” questions, pushing me both academically and personally to reflect on my experiences and have a clearer vision of my true interests and passions. With that being said, I definitely recommend Raven as an application advisor and mentor in life. Thank you for being the one and only application specialist I fully trust and love to work with!”

June - New York, NY

“Thanks to my partnership with The Application Specialist, I was able to secure admission to my PhD program of choice and will be starting this summer!! Raven is an exceptional talent. Her expertise was evident during our initial conversation and came through in spades as we met to craft the perfect essays for my application for admission to this coveted PhD program. Even though I engaged her late and had many delays due to work and family, Raven ensured that we were able to get all five essays to final drafts with time to spare. She asked highly relevant probing questions and was able to assist me in identifying the most impactful stories and examples. This effort was particularly challenging because each essay was only 250 words in length. She did a masterful job of taking what I had written and editing it to perfection. I'm so grateful for her partnership. I couldn't have done it without her. I highly recommend The Application Specialist for help crafting and editing admission essays and personal statements. Thank you!”

Jacklyn - Atlanta, GA

“Throughout my graduate school application process, the service I received from The Application Specialist was absolutely phenomenal - a full 10/10. Here’s why:  If you’re looking for a life coach that will build you up personally and professionally such that you’re emotionally and mentally prepared to manage demands associated with rising up your academic and career ladders, please don’t underestimate The Application Specialist’s capacity to bring you multiple steps closer towards the realization of your personal and professional objectives. Raven is a well-rounded and punctilious life-consultant who takes great pride in her work and has a knack for seeing extraordinary potential in clients before they can see it in themselves. Working with her these past 8 months has been life-changing. I greatly thank The Application Specialist for contributing to my personal and professional growth, and would strongly recommend Raven as a life coach to anyone needing even a smattering of guidance in life.”

Graduate School Application Development Client

“Raven Willis has done an excellent job working with my son. Ms. Willis helped my college freshman complete a research paper by developing a very detailed outline and having regular meetings with him to help get his thoughts on paper. She is extremely patient and diligent. For example, my son missed a couple of meetings due to the anxiety associated with the assignment and Ms. Willis altered the game plan and helped to coach my son through the situation by showing compassion and empathy. My son was able to develop a very high paper that received high marks from his professor. I’m very appreciative of the support The Application Specialist provided and I would gladly endorse her work and teaching abilities.”

Johney - Denver, CO

“This has been the best experience I could have asked for! I was blessed with the opportunity to apply to graduate school and as soon as I found out, I knew I was going to need some help. Raven was perfect. We were on the same page about everything from the very beginning. We outlined a plan every meeting for things we wanted to get done. By the end of our time together, we’d filled out the entire application, completed my personal statement and resume, as well as submitted the application together. Not even a week later, I was accepted! I could not have done it without The Application Specialist. I am forever grateful to be paired with someone who truly cared about me succeeding beyond even my own expectations. Thank you!”

Malcolm - Oakland, CA

“I would strongly recommend Raven’s editing services. She is very professional. Her feedback made my essays so much stronger in terms of structure, grammar, diction, and content. Most importantly, she really cares about your thoughts and will incorporate that in her editing. Without Raven’s help, my grad school application would definitely not have gone as smoothly as it did!”

Chloe – New York, NY

“Raven was extremely helpful while assisting me with revising my resume for two separate job positions. She asked meaningful questions that were tailored towards the descriptions of the roles in order to add more color and depth to the resumes. Even though she did a majority of the outlining and fine tuning of my resumes and cover letters, she made sure to let me know what she needed from me and when to have them done so that it felt more like a collaboration. She was there to give me advice about the type of jobs to apply for, and always responded promptly whenever I had questions or concerns. If you ever want someone who is in your corner and is able to show the best of you, hire The Application Specialist! You will not regret it!”

Chelseah - Oakland, CA

“My graduate school application journey has been incredible. I decided to apply two weeks before the application deadline, and The Application Specialist happily took on my case. My jumbled thoughts had ideas to write my Statement of Purpose, but Raven guided me in organization and execution. After completing an initial draft, Raven prompted my content appropriately, scrutinized important details, and masterfully communicated thoughts and ideas that resulted in enhancing my Statement of Purpose. I also requested to have her review my resume, and she magnificently strengthened my job descriptions. After submitting my application on June 1st, I quickly received an offer four days later. I highly recommend prospective applicants to utilize The Application Specialist. Her sedulous work ethic allows applicants to holistically understand the admissions process while providing clear guidance on making your words on paper eloquent. Thank you for all the work you've done in allowing me to further my education journey.”

Michael - Los Angeles, CA

"Raven is a very thorough and efficient editor. She really cares about getting your writing absolutely perfect. She has edited my resume, cover letters, essays, etc. She goes through each sentence and makes sure that they are grammatically correct and very professional. Raven is the best editor and you will not regret choosing her!"

Kendall – Atlanta, GA

"Raven was wonderful, professional and did the job perfectly . She responded quickly to my request and completed the job in a timely manner under a tight schedule. I encourage you to work with her if you are looking for a great writer with her extensive experience and knowledge. Can’t wait to work with her again!"

John - High School Parent

"Great attention to detail, timely feedback! Would definitely hire again"

Pamela - California

“Raven will help you to get your point across with that extra sort of “uuumff” that makes you step back and go “oh wow!”. This how good she is: I’m an Ivy League grad counselor and I have hired her to look over things that I’ve already looked over, and she’s never failed to give a statement a thorough break-down in order to build it back up again stronger with polish. You can’t go wrong going to the person the experts go to for their tough problems and second opinions.”

CJ

"Raven gets the job done right the first time"

Victoria – Beijing, China