Samara Watkins
she/her/hers
Samara Watkins

About

Samara has spent seven admissions cycles helping students best represent themselves as both individuals and applicants in the elite college admissions process. As an alumna of Cornell University and child of 2 Harvard alumni interviewers, Samara is familiar with the Ivy League's rigorous academics and application process. Using her academic foundation in communication and Fortune 100 PR and brand management experience, Samara collaborates with her clients to craft narratives that best represent themselves to admissions committees. The wit, candor, and strategy Samara brings to collaborating with clients has been highly effective. Her clients have gained admission to Columbia, The University of Pennsylvania, Cornell, UC Berkley, NYU, and Boston University, among others. She looks forward to adding your student’s successful admission to this impressive list!

Samara helped students get into:
Cornell UniversityStanford University
Harvard UniversityNew York University
University of California, BerkeleyBoston University
Northwestern UniversityUniversity of Pennsylvania
Cornell University
Stanford University
Harvard University
New York University
University of California, Berkeley
Boston University
Northwestern University
University of Pennsylvania
Samara helps with…
Majors & Careers
College Interviews
Waitlist & Deferral Assistance
Common App
Highly Selective College Admissions
College Applications & Essays
Admissions Timeline
School-Specific Supplemental Essays
Washington, D.C.
8 years of experience
English
Cornell University – BS | Media Communication
Business
Economics
Psychology
Sociology
History
Law
Political Science
International Relations
Communications
Journalism
Theater
Design
Computer Science
Engineering
Biology
Math
Philosophy
Linguistics
Creative Writing
Public Policy
Statistics
Students with ADHD
English Literature
Students with Learning Differences
Medicine
Gifted and Talented Students
Next available sessions
According to your time zone (CUT)
Fun Facts
🖐
Describe yourself in five words
Witty, observant, thoughtful, savvy, organized

🙏
Best piece of advice
Write it down!

💼
First job
Babysitter

💭
Dream job
Magazine Editor

📚
Favorite book
JD Salinger's 7 Stories

📓
Favorite subject in school
History

Favorite after-school activities
Field hockey and theater

🎵
Favorite artist
Lorde

📺
Favorite TV show
Mad Men and the Real Housewives

🍴
Favorite food
Ice Cream

My process

My job is to make your college admissions process seamless. I'll serve as your family's personal brand consultant, project manager, editor, and sounding board throughout the process. You can find my operating manual, that outlines my philosophy and procedures using this link: https://bit.ly/samara-operating-manual

My approach to each client is fully customizable. If you're interested in working together hourly or long-term, please request a consultation to determine if I'm a good fit for your family's admissions needs.

Packages

DI | Additional Hour

1 hour

Additional time for DI
$185($185/hr)

5 hour package

5 hours

Based on our consultation, I'll create a plan for how to best use our time together. You can use this time as you see fit for project planning, school list strategy, creative writing ideation, offline edits, mock interviews, and more.
$800($160/hr)
Save 14%

10 Hour Package

10 hours

Based on our consultation, I'll create a plan for how to best use our time together. You can use this time as you see fit for project planning, school list strategy, creative writing ideation, offline edits, mock interviews, and more.
$1,500($150/hr)
Save 19%

Advising hours

College admissions advising

$185.00 / 60 min

Set a focus for each session or get help with any aspect of the admissions process.


Essay review

Full Review

$40.00 + 18 cents per word
Estimated return time: 18 hours

Description

A comprehensive review of your essay draft. Recommended if you have a rough or strong draft.

Recent reviews

4.9(92 reviews)

“This is what I had been looking for."

Hoseok A.

“Thanks for the input and direction. Very helpful."

David E.

“Thanks for great edits and very valuable suggestions."

Soumyendu S.
Join a quick meeting
Let’s chat
Any questions? Let’s hop on a quick call to learn more about your needs in the admissions process and how I can approach them
Join a quick meeting
Let’s chat
Any questions? Let’s hop on a quick call to learn more about your needs in the admissions process and how I can approach them
Washington, D.C.
8 years of experience
English
Cornell University – BS | Media Communication
Business
Economics
Psychology
Sociology
History
Law
Political Science
International Relations
Communications
Journalism
Theater
Design
Computer Science
Engineering
Biology
Math
Philosophy
Linguistics
Creative Writing
Public Policy
Statistics
Students with ADHD
English Literature
Students with Learning Differences
Medicine
Gifted and Talented Students
Next available sessions
According to your time zone (CUT)
Fun Facts
🖐
Describe yourself in five words
Witty, observant, thoughtful, savvy, organized

🙏
Best piece of advice
Write it down!

💼
First job
Babysitter

💭
Dream job
Magazine Editor

📚
Favorite book
JD Salinger's 7 Stories

📓
Favorite subject in school
History

Favorite after-school activities
Field hockey and theater

🎵
Favorite artist
Lorde

📺
Favorite TV show
Mad Men and the Real Housewives

🍴
Favorite food
Ice Cream
Tips for success
1. Prepare for your first session
Plan out the questions and topics you'd like to discuss. If you'd like to work together in the long term, discuss expectations for each other.