Allison Karpf

Background Information

Allison Karpf is a former high school English teacher. She holds a bachelor's degree in English from the University of California, Berkeley, a master's degree in Education from Stanford University, and a NJ English Teaching Credential. She taught English 12 Honors at Ridgewood High School, NJ, and Advanced Placement American Literature, as well as other courses, at several additional top high schools.

For more than a decade, Allison has helped students find their voices and create compelling narratives for their college essays. She guides them through each step of the college process: Common Application, college list, and all essays. She either meets students face-to-face locally in the Northern New Jersey/NYC area or works nationally and globally over FaceTime/Zoom.

Students she has advised have consistently been accepted to their top choice colleges: *Amherst, Auburn, Babson, Bates, Berkelee College of Music, Boston College (Carroll School of Management), Boston University, Brandeis (Dean’s Scholarship), Brown, Bucknell (Mathematic Scholars Program), Carnegie Mellon (College of Engineering), Case Western Reserve (University Scholarship/Baker-Nord Scholars Program for Humanities Students), Clemson, Colby, College of Charleston, Colgate, Colorado College, Columbia, Columbia Business School, Cornell, Cornell Engineering (Meinig Family Cornell National Scholar), Dartmouth, Dickinson, Denison, Duke, Elon (Engagement Scholarship x2), Emory, Fairfield, Fordham (Gabelli School of Business), Georgetown, George Washington (Presidential Academic Scholarship x2), Georgia Tech (Stamps Scholar), Gettysburg, Hamilton, Harvard, Haverford, High Point (Presidential Scholarship), Holy Cross (Magis Scholarship), Johns Hopkins (Hopkins Scholarship), Indiana University (Kelley School of Business/Hutton Honors College), Ithaca, James Madison, Lafayette, Lehigh, Marist, McGill, Middlebury, MIT Sloan School of Management, Mount Holyoke, Muhlenberg, NYU, NYU Stern, Notre Dame, Northeastern (University Honors Program/Global Scholars Program), Northwestern, Oberlin, Ohio State (Morill Scholarship Program/Promince Scholarship, Maximus Scholarship, National Buckeye Scholarship, Pace, Penn State, Penn State-Smeal College of Business, Pepperdine (George Pepperdine Achievement Award x2), Princeton, Providence, Purdue, Reed, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Leadership Award), Rice University (Trustee Distinguished Scholarship), Rochester Institute of Technology (Presidential Scholarship), Rutgers (Business, Honors College), Santa Clara, Seton Hall, Skidmore, Southern Methodist University, Stanford, Stevens Institute of Technology, Swarthmore, Syracuse (Dean’s Scholarship/ Falk College Department of Sports Management), TCNJ, Texas A&M, Texas Christian (Founders' Scholar/Inclusive Excellence Scholar), Tufts, Tulane, University of California-Berkeley (Haas Schol of Business-Global Management Program), University of California-Davis, University of California-Irvine, University of California-Los Angeles, University of California-San Diego, University of California-Santa Barbara, University of California-Santa Cruz, University of Chicago, University of Colorado-Boulder, University of Connecticut, University of Delaware, University of Florida, University of Georgia, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (James Scholar Honors Program/Campus Honors Program and Chancellor’s Scholar), University of Maine (Honors College), University of Maryland (College Park Scholar), University of Massachusetts-Amherst (Commonwealth Honors College/Chancellor’s Award), University of Miami, University of Miami-Ohio (Honors College), University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (Honors Program), University of Pennsylvania (Engineering, Wharton), University of Pittsburg (Honors College), University of Richmond (Department of Music Scholarship, Presidential Scholarship), University of South Carolina, University of Southern California, University of Tampa, University of Tennessee Knoxville (University Honors), University of Texas-Austin, University of Vermont (Henderson Scholarship and Trustees Scholarship), University of Virginia, University of Toronto, University of Washington (Honors Program, School of Computer Science and Engineering), University of Wisconsin-Madison, Vanderbilt, Villanova (Presidential Scholarship x2), Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Washington University-Saint Louis, Wellesley, West Point, William and Mary, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Presidential Scholarship), Yale, among others

*Colleges in bold indicate one or more students from the classes of 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 were accepted.

Parent statements:

“I would have to sing the praises of Allison who worked with my son on his college essay. Allison is the right mix of knowledgeable, supportive and directive. She had a gentle way of coaxing him to think about a unique way to tell his story. Allison was very helpful and patient with my son as he brainstormed different topics and reworked drafts until he finally arrived at what he felt was a solid essay in his voice, while feeling confident and in-charge of the process. And of course, he is attending his first choice university this fall. Thank you Allison.” 

“Allison has been a tremendous help and fabulous resource during the intimidating and overwhelming college application process! She knows the inside and outside of this area, and helped us to navigate with the deft and sensitivity of a true insider. My son pushed hard under her care, as she challenged him to create an inspiring and I-grabbing application. His college options far exceeded our expectations, and we know that Allison made all the difference for us.”

"We just heard from my son's last school yesterday. He was accepted at TEN out of TEN schools! He also received a $92,000 scholarship from his #2 choice. I'm sure Allison's stellar essay help was a huge part of it. Thanks again!"

“Allison provided an excellent service with college essays. She even helped late evenings and early mornings when needed. She is very responsive and answers on time. I highly recommend her to anyone who needs help with college applications. She is an excellent advisor.” 

“My son would not be in college today, but for Allison’s efforts and focus. With her suggestions, she was able to get him to complete his essays and edit them. The essays were top notch. (I am a lawyer and was on law review, and he wouldn’t listen to me. She was able to make the process fun and take the stress out of it.) It was a huge relief to know that Allison was helping him. I was able to relax, and not be as worried. I highly recommend Allison. My son got into his first choice college—early.”

Student statements:

“Thank you for all the help. Really feel those essays made a difference. I found that with Allison's guidance, my essays went the extra mile. The whole experience eased my mind during the hefty application process. I was accepted to ten colleges.”

“Allison is the best! She is super easy to reach, and very diligent. The essay writing process was so overwhelming, but her calm tone and great editing skills made the whole ordeal manageable and—­­­­­quite frankly—enjoyable.”

“Allison did a great job of helping me translate my ideas and strengths into a solid personal essay. Her recommendations brought a lot of clarity to my writing so my personality could really shine through. I got into 8 out of 8 schools that I applied to, and will be attending my first choice, the University of Chicago!”

"I want to thank you for all your help through my application process and teaching me how to write. I went from long, vague, wordy summaries to concise yet elaborate and powerful essays. I was accepted into all ten of the universities I applied to, including Princeton, a likely letter from Cornell, acceptance to Northeastern's University Honors Program, and a Presidential Scholarship from Villanova. This scholarship was awarded to only 25 of 1800 applicants. I also received a National Merit Special Corporate-Sponsored Scholarship. Once again, thank you so much, and I would have never been this successful throughout the college application process without your help!"

References/Fees available upon request.

(201) 675-0349    

allison.karpf2015@gmail.com