College Admissions Counseling

26,000+
applications read

Former MIT
Admissions Officer

Former IvyWise
Premier Counselor

18 years
guiding students

Meet Katie

She’s reviewed more than 26,000 applications.
Now she’s on your team.

Katie Burns has spent eighteen years on every side of this process: reading and evaluating more than twenty-six thousand applications at MIT and Boston College, six of them as a senior member of the MIT selection committee; guiding students as Director of College and School Counseling at an independent school; and, for the last eight years, working one-on-one with families, most recently as a Premier counselor at IvyWise. She knows what makes an application work. She also knows the application is the last part of the story — the real work is who a student becomes along the way, and helping them tell it.

Katie Burns
Founder & Lead Counselor

Every student has a story worth telling —
our job is to help them find it.

Katie Burns

Why CuraMagis

Cura is care. Magis is more.

CuraMagis is built around how Katie counsels: a small number of families at a time, a flat rate set before we begin, and the freedom to spend as long as a student needs without anyone counting hours.

Most of this process gets discussed in numbers: grades, scores, acceptance rates. Those matter, and they are the easy part to talk about. What actually decides an application is harder to quantify — what a student cares about, how they think, what they have made of the opportunities in front of them, and how that comes through on the page. That takes longer to build, and it takes intentionality: choices made deliberately over several years so that a student arrives at senior fall with a story to tell rather than gaps to explain. We start there.

The name says what we hold to. Great guidance means caring more deeply and reaching for more — not just caring about where a student lands, but caring more about who they become on the journey there.

About Katie

MIT: Senior Assistant Director of Admission, Senior member of selection committee
IvyWise: Premier-level counselor
Boston-area independent school: Director of College and School Counseling
Boston College: Admissions Officer and Outside Reader

Katie has spent her career on both sides of college admissions, and that shapes everything about how she works.

A Boston College graduate with degrees in Human Development and Psychology, Katie went on to earn a Master's in Higher Education Administration before beginning her career in the BC Admissions Office. She then spent six years in the MIT Admissions Office as a senior member of the selection committee. Having grown up in the Netherlands and attended an international school there, she came to that work already familiar with how differently education can look from one country to the next. Between MIT and Boston College, she has evaluated more than twenty-six thousand applications from students in every part of the world. Few counselors have seen the inside of a highly selective admissions process at that depth and scale.

After MIT, Katie served as Director of College and School Counseling at a Boston-area independent school before joining IvyWise as a Premier-level counselor, the top designation at the firm. She has worked one-on-one with students and families through every phase of the college process and has led training and professional development for professionals newer to the work.

What she brings to each student is the ability to read an application the way a committee does — she knows what feels authentic and what doesn't. The harder half of the work is translating that into something a high school student can actually use, and that is what she has spent the last decade doing.

Specializations

STEM
Makers & innovators
Pre-med, health sciences & BS/MD
Business & entrepreneurship
Musicians, artists & performers
Athletic recruitment
Neurodivergent learners
International & third culture kids
Undecided
Highly selective admissions
Early guidance (8th–10th grade)

Our approach

Three things we hold to with every student.

Know the student

Everything starts with knowing the student — what's stressing them out and what genuinely excites them. When we follow what they care about, the right story unfolds.

Build their confidence

What matters most to us is who a student becomes over these years, the self-knowledge and confidence they build. That growth is the real work, and it outlasts any decision letter.

Find their fit

Many families come overwhelmed by the noise, convinced there's one right path. There isn't. We quiet that noise, guiding you through the process and toward the schools that genuinely fit your student.

Amherst College · Boston College · Boston University · Bowdoin College · Brown University · California Institute of Technology · Carnegie Mellon University · Case Western Reserve University · Columbia University · Cornell University · Dartmouth College · Duke University · Georgetown University · Georgia Institute of Technology · Harvard University · Johns Hopkins University · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · New York University · Northeastern University · Northwestern University · Princeton University · Rice University · Stanford University · Tufts University · Tulane University · University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Los Angeles · University of Chicago · University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · University of Miami · University of Michigan · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · University of Notre Dame · University of Oxford · University of Pennsylvania · University of Southern California · University of Texas at Austin · University of Virginia · University of Washington · Vanderbilt University · Wake Forest University · Washington University in St. Louis · Yale UniversityAmherst College · Boston College · Boston University · Bowdoin College · Brown University · California Institute of Technology · Carnegie Mellon University · Case Western Reserve University · Columbia University · Cornell University · Dartmouth College · Duke University · Georgetown University · Georgia Institute of Technology · Harvard University · Johns Hopkins University · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · New York University · Northeastern University · Northwestern University · Princeton University · Rice University · Stanford University · Tufts University · Tulane University · University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Los Angeles · University of Chicago · University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · University of Miami · University of Michigan · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · University of Notre Dame · University of Oxford · University of Pennsylvania · University of Southern California · University of Texas at Austin · University of Virginia · University of Washington · Vanderbilt University · Wake Forest University · Washington University in St. Louis · Yale University

Case Western Reserve University · Columbia University · Cornell University · Dartmouth College · Duke University · Georgetown University · Georgia Institute of Technology · Harvard University · Johns Hopkins University · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · New York University · Northeastern University · Northwestern University · Princeton University · Rice University · Stanford University · Tufts University · Tulane University · University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Los Angeles · University of Chicago · University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · University of Miami · University of Michigan · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · University of Notre Dame · University of Oxford · University of Pennsylvania · University of Southern California · University of Texas at Austin · University of Virginia · University of Washington · Vanderbilt University · Wake Forest University · Washington University in St. Louis · Yale University · Amherst College · Boston College · Boston University · Bowdoin College · Brown University · California Institute of Technology · Carnegie Mellon UniversityCase Western Reserve University · Columbia University · Cornell University · Dartmouth College · Duke University · Georgetown University · Georgia Institute of Technology · Harvard University · Johns Hopkins University · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · New York University · Northeastern University · Northwestern University · Princeton University · Rice University · Stanford University · Tufts University · Tulane University · University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Los Angeles · University of Chicago · University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · University of Miami · University of Michigan · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · University of Notre Dame · University of Oxford · University of Pennsylvania · University of Southern California · University of Texas at Austin · University of Virginia · University of Washington · Vanderbilt University · Wake Forest University · Washington University in St. Louis · Yale University · Amherst College · Boston College · Boston University · Bowdoin College · Brown University · California Institute of Technology · Carnegie Mellon University

Harvard University · Johns Hopkins University · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · New York University · Northeastern University · Northwestern University · Princeton University · Rice University · Stanford University · Tufts University · Tulane University · University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Los Angeles · University of Chicago · University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · University of Miami · University of Michigan · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · University of Notre Dame · University of Oxford · University of Pennsylvania · University of Southern California · University of Texas at Austin · University of Virginia · University of Washington · Vanderbilt University · Wake Forest University · Washington University in St. Louis · Yale University · Amherst College · Boston College · Boston University · Bowdoin College · Brown University · California Institute of Technology · Carnegie Mellon University · Case Western Reserve University · Columbia University · Cornell University · Dartmouth College · Duke University · Georgetown University · Georgia Institute of TechnologyHarvard University · Johns Hopkins University · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · New York University · Northeastern University · Northwestern University · Princeton University · Rice University · Stanford University · Tufts University · Tulane University · University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Los Angeles · University of Chicago · University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · University of Miami · University of Michigan · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · University of Notre Dame · University of Oxford · University of Pennsylvania · University of Southern California · University of Texas at Austin · University of Virginia · University of Washington · Vanderbilt University · Wake Forest University · Washington University in St. Louis · Yale University · Amherst College · Boston College · Boston University · Bowdoin College · Brown University · California Institute of Technology · Carnegie Mellon University · Case Western Reserve University · Columbia University · Cornell University · Dartmouth College · Duke University · Georgetown University · Georgia Institute of Technology

Rice University · Stanford University · Tufts University · Tulane University · University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Los Angeles · University of Chicago · University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · University of Miami · University of Michigan · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · University of Notre Dame · University of Oxford · University of Pennsylvania · University of Southern California · University of Texas at Austin · University of Virginia · University of Washington · Vanderbilt University · Wake Forest University · Washington University in St. Louis · Yale University · Amherst College · Boston College · Boston University · Bowdoin College · Brown University · California Institute of Technology · Carnegie Mellon University · Case Western Reserve University · Columbia University · Cornell University · Dartmouth College · Duke University · Georgetown University · Georgia Institute of Technology · Harvard University · Johns Hopkins University · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · New York University · Northeastern University · Northwestern University · Princeton UniversityRice University · Stanford University · Tufts University · Tulane University · University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Los Angeles · University of Chicago · University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · University of Miami · University of Michigan · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · University of Notre Dame · University of Oxford · University of Pennsylvania · University of Southern California · University of Texas at Austin · University of Virginia · University of Washington · Vanderbilt University · Wake Forest University · Washington University in St. Louis · Yale University · Amherst College · Boston College · Boston University · Bowdoin College · Brown University · California Institute of Technology · Carnegie Mellon University · Case Western Reserve University · Columbia University · Cornell University · Dartmouth College · Duke University · Georgetown University · Georgia Institute of Technology · Harvard University · Johns Hopkins University · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · New York University · Northeastern University · Northwestern University · Princeton University

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · University of Miami · University of Michigan · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · University of Notre Dame · University of Oxford · University of Pennsylvania · University of Southern California · University of Texas at Austin · University of Virginia · University of Washington · Vanderbilt University · Wake Forest University · Washington University in St. Louis · Yale University · Amherst College · Boston College · Boston University · Bowdoin College · Brown University · California Institute of Technology · Carnegie Mellon University · Case Western Reserve University · Columbia University · Cornell University · Dartmouth College · Duke University · Georgetown University · Georgia Institute of Technology · Harvard University · Johns Hopkins University · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · New York University · Northeastern University · Northwestern University · Princeton University · Rice University · Stanford University · Tufts University · Tulane University · University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Los Angeles · University of ChicagoUniversity of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · University of Miami · University of Michigan · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · University of Notre Dame · University of Oxford · University of Pennsylvania · University of Southern California · University of Texas at Austin · University of Virginia · University of Washington · Vanderbilt University · Wake Forest University · Washington University in St. Louis · Yale University · Amherst College · Boston College · Boston University · Bowdoin College · Brown University · California Institute of Technology · Carnegie Mellon University · Case Western Reserve University · Columbia University · Cornell University · Dartmouth College · Duke University · Georgetown University · Georgia Institute of Technology · Harvard University · Johns Hopkins University · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · New York University · Northeastern University · Northwestern University · Princeton University · Rice University · Stanford University · Tufts University · Tulane University · University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Los Angeles · University of Chicago

University of Southern California · University of Texas at Austin · University of Virginia · University of Washington · Vanderbilt University · Wake Forest University · Washington University in St. Louis · Yale University · Amherst College · Boston College · Boston University · Bowdoin College · Brown University · California Institute of Technology · Carnegie Mellon University · Case Western Reserve University · Columbia University · Cornell University · Dartmouth College · Duke University · Georgetown University · Georgia Institute of Technology · Harvard University · Johns Hopkins University · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · New York University · Northeastern University · Northwestern University · Princeton University · Rice University · Stanford University · Tufts University · Tulane University · University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Los Angeles · University of Chicago · University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · University of Miami · University of Michigan · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · University of Notre Dame · University of Oxford · University of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Southern California · University of Texas at Austin · University of Virginia · University of Washington · Vanderbilt University · Wake Forest University · Washington University in St. Louis · Yale University · Amherst College · Boston College · Boston University · Bowdoin College · Brown University · California Institute of Technology · Carnegie Mellon University · Case Western Reserve University · Columbia University · Cornell University · Dartmouth College · Duke University · Georgetown University · Georgia Institute of Technology · Harvard University · Johns Hopkins University · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · New York University · Northeastern University · Northwestern University · Princeton University · Rice University · Stanford University · Tufts University · Tulane University · University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Los Angeles · University of Chicago · University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · University of Miami · University of Michigan · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · University of Notre Dame · University of Oxford · University of Pennsylvania

Yale University · Amherst College · Boston College · Boston University · Bowdoin College · Brown University · California Institute of Technology · Carnegie Mellon University · Case Western Reserve University · Columbia University · Cornell University · Dartmouth College · Duke University · Georgetown University · Georgia Institute of Technology · Harvard University · Johns Hopkins University · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · New York University · Northeastern University · Northwestern University · Princeton University · Rice University · Stanford University · Tufts University · Tulane University · University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Los Angeles · University of Chicago · University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · University of Miami · University of Michigan · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · University of Notre Dame · University of Oxford · University of Pennsylvania · University of Southern California · University of Texas at Austin · University of Virginia · University of Washington · Vanderbilt University · Wake Forest University · Washington University in St. LouisYale University · Amherst College · Boston College · Boston University · Bowdoin College · Brown University · California Institute of Technology · Carnegie Mellon University · Case Western Reserve University · Columbia University · Cornell University · Dartmouth College · Duke University · Georgetown University · Georgia Institute of Technology · Harvard University · Johns Hopkins University · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · New York University · Northeastern University · Northwestern University · Princeton University · Rice University · Stanford University · Tufts University · Tulane University · University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Los Angeles · University of Chicago · University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · University of Miami · University of Michigan · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · University of Notre Dame · University of Oxford · University of Pennsylvania · University of Southern California · University of Texas at Austin · University of Virginia · University of Washington · Vanderbilt University · Wake Forest University · Washington University in St. Louis

Carnegie Mellon University · Case Western Reserve University · Columbia University · Cornell University · Dartmouth College · Duke University · Georgetown University · Georgia Institute of Technology · Harvard University · Johns Hopkins University · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · New York University · Northeastern University · Northwestern University · Princeton University · Rice University · Stanford University · Tufts University · Tulane University · University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Los Angeles · University of Chicago · University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · University of Miami · University of Michigan · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · University of Notre Dame · University of Oxford · University of Pennsylvania · University of Southern California · University of Texas at Austin · University of Virginia · University of Washington · Vanderbilt University · Wake Forest University · Washington University in St. Louis · Yale University · Amherst College · Boston College · Boston University · Bowdoin College · Brown University · California Institute of TechnologyCarnegie Mellon University · Case Western Reserve University · Columbia University · Cornell University · Dartmouth College · Duke University · Georgetown University · Georgia Institute of Technology · Harvard University · Johns Hopkins University · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · New York University · Northeastern University · Northwestern University · Princeton University · Rice University · Stanford University · Tufts University · Tulane University · University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Los Angeles · University of Chicago · University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · University of Miami · University of Michigan · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · University of Notre Dame · University of Oxford · University of Pennsylvania · University of Southern California · University of Texas at Austin · University of Virginia · University of Washington · Vanderbilt University · Wake Forest University · Washington University in St. Louis · Yale University · Amherst College · Boston College · Boston University · Bowdoin College · Brown University · California Institute of Technology

Georgia Institute of Technology · Harvard University · Johns Hopkins University · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · New York University · Northeastern University · Northwestern University · Princeton University · Rice University · Stanford University · Tufts University · Tulane University · University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Los Angeles · University of Chicago · University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · University of Miami · University of Michigan · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · University of Notre Dame · University of Oxford · University of Pennsylvania · University of Southern California · University of Texas at Austin · University of Virginia · University of Washington · Vanderbilt University · Wake Forest University · Washington University in St. Louis · Yale University · Amherst College · Boston College · Boston University · Bowdoin College · Brown University · California Institute of Technology · Carnegie Mellon University · Case Western Reserve University · Columbia University · Cornell University · Dartmouth College · Duke University · Georgetown UniversityGeorgia Institute of Technology · Harvard University · Johns Hopkins University · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · New York University · Northeastern University · Northwestern University · Princeton University · Rice University · Stanford University · Tufts University · Tulane University · University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Los Angeles · University of Chicago · University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · University of Miami · University of Michigan · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · University of Notre Dame · University of Oxford · University of Pennsylvania · University of Southern California · University of Texas at Austin · University of Virginia · University of Washington · Vanderbilt University · Wake Forest University · Washington University in St. Louis · Yale University · Amherst College · Boston College · Boston University · Bowdoin College · Brown University · California Institute of Technology · Carnegie Mellon University · Case Western Reserve University · Columbia University · Cornell University · Dartmouth College · Duke University · Georgetown University

Princeton University · Rice University · Stanford University · Tufts University · Tulane University · University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Los Angeles · University of Chicago · University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · University of Miami · University of Michigan · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · University of Notre Dame · University of Oxford · University of Pennsylvania · University of Southern California · University of Texas at Austin · University of Virginia · University of Washington · Vanderbilt University · Wake Forest University · Washington University in St. Louis · Yale University · Amherst College · Boston College · Boston University · Bowdoin College · Brown University · California Institute of Technology · Carnegie Mellon University · Case Western Reserve University · Columbia University · Cornell University · Dartmouth College · Duke University · Georgetown University · Georgia Institute of Technology · Harvard University · Johns Hopkins University · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · New York University · Northeastern University · Northwestern UniversityPrinceton University · Rice University · Stanford University · Tufts University · Tulane University · University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Los Angeles · University of Chicago · University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · University of Miami · University of Michigan · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · University of Notre Dame · University of Oxford · University of Pennsylvania · University of Southern California · University of Texas at Austin · University of Virginia · University of Washington · Vanderbilt University · Wake Forest University · Washington University in St. Louis · Yale University · Amherst College · Boston College · Boston University · Bowdoin College · Brown University · California Institute of Technology · Carnegie Mellon University · Case Western Reserve University · Columbia University · Cornell University · Dartmouth College · Duke University · Georgetown University · Georgia Institute of Technology · Harvard University · Johns Hopkins University · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · New York University · Northeastern University · Northwestern University

University of Chicago · University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · University of Miami · University of Michigan · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · University of Notre Dame · University of Oxford · University of Pennsylvania · University of Southern California · University of Texas at Austin · University of Virginia · University of Washington · Vanderbilt University · Wake Forest University · Washington University in St. Louis · Yale University · Amherst College · Boston College · Boston University · Bowdoin College · Brown University · California Institute of Technology · Carnegie Mellon University · Case Western Reserve University · Columbia University · Cornell University · Dartmouth College · Duke University · Georgetown University · Georgia Institute of Technology · Harvard University · Johns Hopkins University · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · New York University · Northeastern University · Northwestern University · Princeton University · Rice University · Stanford University · Tufts University · Tulane University · University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Los AngelesUniversity of Chicago · University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · University of Miami · University of Michigan · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · University of Notre Dame · University of Oxford · University of Pennsylvania · University of Southern California · University of Texas at Austin · University of Virginia · University of Washington · Vanderbilt University · Wake Forest University · Washington University in St. Louis · Yale University · Amherst College · Boston College · Boston University · Bowdoin College · Brown University · California Institute of Technology · Carnegie Mellon University · Case Western Reserve University · Columbia University · Cornell University · Dartmouth College · Duke University · Georgetown University · Georgia Institute of Technology · Harvard University · Johns Hopkins University · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · New York University · Northeastern University · Northwestern University · Princeton University · Rice University · Stanford University · Tufts University · Tulane University · University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Los Angeles

University of Pennsylvania · University of Southern California · University of Texas at Austin · University of Virginia · University of Washington · Vanderbilt University · Wake Forest University · Washington University in St. Louis · Yale University · Amherst College · Boston College · Boston University · Bowdoin College · Brown University · California Institute of Technology · Carnegie Mellon University · Case Western Reserve University · Columbia University · Cornell University · Dartmouth College · Duke University · Georgetown University · Georgia Institute of Technology · Harvard University · Johns Hopkins University · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · New York University · Northeastern University · Northwestern University · Princeton University · Rice University · Stanford University · Tufts University · Tulane University · University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Los Angeles · University of Chicago · University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · University of Miami · University of Michigan · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · University of Notre Dame · University of OxfordUniversity of Pennsylvania · University of Southern California · University of Texas at Austin · University of Virginia · University of Washington · Vanderbilt University · Wake Forest University · Washington University in St. Louis · Yale University · Amherst College · Boston College · Boston University · Bowdoin College · Brown University · California Institute of Technology · Carnegie Mellon University · Case Western Reserve University · Columbia University · Cornell University · Dartmouth College · Duke University · Georgetown University · Georgia Institute of Technology · Harvard University · Johns Hopkins University · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · New York University · Northeastern University · Northwestern University · Princeton University · Rice University · Stanford University · Tufts University · Tulane University · University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Los Angeles · University of Chicago · University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · University of Miami · University of Michigan · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · University of Notre Dame · University of Oxford

Washington University in St. Louis · Yale University · Amherst College · Boston College · Boston University · Bowdoin College · Brown University · California Institute of Technology · Carnegie Mellon University · Case Western Reserve University · Columbia University · Cornell University · Dartmouth College · Duke University · Georgetown University · Georgia Institute of Technology · Harvard University · Johns Hopkins University · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · New York University · Northeastern University · Northwestern University · Princeton University · Rice University · Stanford University · Tufts University · Tulane University · University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Los Angeles · University of Chicago · University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · University of Miami · University of Michigan · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · University of Notre Dame · University of Oxford · University of Pennsylvania · University of Southern California · University of Texas at Austin · University of Virginia · University of Washington · Vanderbilt University · Wake Forest UniversityWashington University in St. Louis · Yale University · Amherst College · Boston College · Boston University · Bowdoin College · Brown University · California Institute of Technology · Carnegie Mellon University · Case Western Reserve University · Columbia University · Cornell University · Dartmouth College · Duke University · Georgetown University · Georgia Institute of Technology · Harvard University · Johns Hopkins University · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · New York University · Northeastern University · Northwestern University · Princeton University · Rice University · Stanford University · Tufts University · Tulane University · University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Los Angeles · University of Chicago · University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · University of Miami · University of Michigan · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · University of Notre Dame · University of Oxford · University of Pennsylvania · University of Southern California · University of Texas at Austin · University of Virginia · University of Washington · Vanderbilt University · Wake Forest University

California Institute of Technology · Carnegie Mellon University · Case Western Reserve University · Columbia University · Cornell University · Dartmouth College · Duke University · Georgetown University · Georgia Institute of Technology · Harvard University · Johns Hopkins University · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · New York University · Northeastern University · Northwestern University · Princeton University · Rice University · Stanford University · Tufts University · Tulane University · University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Los Angeles · University of Chicago · University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · University of Miami · University of Michigan · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · University of Notre Dame · University of Oxford · University of Pennsylvania · University of Southern California · University of Texas at Austin · University of Virginia · University of Washington · Vanderbilt University · Wake Forest University · Washington University in St. Louis · Yale University · Amherst College · Boston College · Boston University · Bowdoin College · Brown UniversityCalifornia Institute of Technology · Carnegie Mellon University · Case Western Reserve University · Columbia University · Cornell University · Dartmouth College · Duke University · Georgetown University · Georgia Institute of Technology · Harvard University · Johns Hopkins University · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · New York University · Northeastern University · Northwestern University · Princeton University · Rice University · Stanford University · Tufts University · Tulane University · University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Los Angeles · University of Chicago · University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · University of Miami · University of Michigan · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · University of Notre Dame · University of Oxford · University of Pennsylvania · University of Southern California · University of Texas at Austin · University of Virginia · University of Washington · Vanderbilt University · Wake Forest University · Washington University in St. Louis · Yale University · Amherst College · Boston College · Boston University · Bowdoin College · Brown University

Georgetown University · Georgia Institute of Technology · Harvard University · Johns Hopkins University · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · New York University · Northeastern University · Northwestern University · Princeton University · Rice University · Stanford University · Tufts University · Tulane University · University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Los Angeles · University of Chicago · University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · University of Miami · University of Michigan · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · University of Notre Dame · University of Oxford · University of Pennsylvania · University of Southern California · University of Texas at Austin · University of Virginia · University of Washington · Vanderbilt University · Wake Forest University · Washington University in St. Louis · Yale University · Amherst College · Boston College · Boston University · Bowdoin College · Brown University · California Institute of Technology · Carnegie Mellon University · Case Western Reserve University · Columbia University · Cornell University · Dartmouth College · Duke UniversityGeorgetown University · Georgia Institute of Technology · Harvard University · Johns Hopkins University · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · New York University · Northeastern University · Northwestern University · Princeton University · Rice University · Stanford University · Tufts University · Tulane University · University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Los Angeles · University of Chicago · University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · University of Miami · University of Michigan · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · University of Notre Dame · University of Oxford · University of Pennsylvania · University of Southern California · University of Texas at Austin · University of Virginia · University of Washington · Vanderbilt University · Wake Forest University · Washington University in St. Louis · Yale University · Amherst College · Boston College · Boston University · Bowdoin College · Brown University · California Institute of Technology · Carnegie Mellon University · Case Western Reserve University · Columbia University · Cornell University · Dartmouth College · Duke University

From Families

“Katie brings a depth of knowledge about the admissions process that is hard to find, and what surprised us most was how she delivered it. The process felt organized and calm from the start; we had a clear plan, and the execution was smooth. She was always accessible, never added stress, and genuinely connected with our student in a way we didn't expect. We couldn't recommend her more strongly to any family navigating this process.”

Parent, Class of 2024

“Katie truly cared about helping me submit the strongest application possible. She never settled for ‘good enough’ — she pushed me to think deeper, refine every detail, and only submit work that genuinely reflected my best. At the same time, I always felt that she had my best interests at heart. Her dedication, honesty, and commitment made me a stronger applicant, and I’m incredibly grateful to have had her guidance throughout the college application process.”

Student, Class of 2026

“From our very first Zoom call, I knew Katie was the right fit for me and my needs. Starting with her early in high school gave us time to build a trusting relationship well before the pressure of applications began, and that only strengthened our work together. When I got into my dream school, Katie was the first person I told, and she was truly just as happy as I was. I don't think I'd be where I am today without her.”

Student, Class of 2024

“As an international family navigating U.S. college admissions, we always felt our child was in the best possible hands. Katie combined exceptional strategic expertise with genuine care for our family, providing clarity, honesty, and thoughtful guidance throughout a highly competitive admissions journey. What truly set her apart was her ability to balance high-level admissions knowledge with a personal commitment to our child's success and well-being.”

Parent, Class of 2026

“Working with Katie was one of the best decisions we made for our family. She guided us through every part of the process, the straightforward moments and the harder ones, and always seemed to understand exactly what was happening and what to do next. Her advice was thoughtful and grounded, and we never felt alone in navigating it. We are so grateful for everything she did for our children.”

Parent, Class of 2024, 2025

Every one of these stories started with a conversation.

Selected acceptances from Katie’s career

Our Programs

Four chapters. One story.

CuraMagis offers four programs, each designed for a different stage of a student's high school journey. Every program is comprehensive, flat-fee, and built around the individual student.

The work

Academic Planning

Involvement & Experiences

Testing

College Exploration

Narrative

Applications & Decisions

The beginning of the story. With four years ahead, the work this year is paying attention to who a student is, what a student enjoys, and where a student surprises themselves. There is no application to prepare yet. This is the year to build the habits, the academic footing, and begin developing the self-knowledge that everything else rests on.

Academic Planning: A four-year course plan built around where a student hopes to end up, so each choice makes sense in sequence rather than being decided one year at a time. Alongside that, we support building the practical skills that carry a student successfully through high school: how to study, how to keep track of long-term work, how to manage a week, and how to ask for help before something becomes a problem.
Involvement & Experiences: Exploration, but with purpose. We map out the year's involvement alongside the coursework, so activities, school, and summer are building toward the same direction. Real exposure to the subjects and interests that pull at a student, at school and beyond it, is how they begin to discover what they actually like and what they don't.
Big Picture: Conversations and early guidance to take stress out of the process. We talk about how high school actually works and what colleges look at, what is worth paying attention to now and what can wait. We're developing an early sense of the academic interests and possible fields a student might grow toward, so the next four years have a direction rather than a destination.

Sophomore year is about taking stock. A year in, we know more about how a student learns, what a student likes, and who a student is becoming. Now we start building on that.

Academic Planning: We look at how freshman year turned out, where a student is thriving now and where they are stretched too thin, and use that to plan junior and senior year coursework that is ambitious but realistic.
Involvement & Experiences: Not narrowing yet, but noticing. Which activities a student keeps showing up for, and which ones they have outgrown? This is also when we start talking about impact: moving from taking part in something to actually contributing to it, and thinking about what a student wants to leave better than they found it. Summer gets real attention here. We find the programs, jobs, and projects worth pursuing, work through the applications, and decide together which ones are actually the best use of the months off.
Testing: This is the year we start digging into testing. A practice SAT and a practice ACT tell us which test suits a student better, and from there we build a testing timeline that fits the student's schedule rather than one built around a generic calendar.
Big Picture: A good time to start seeing colleges. No agenda, no pressure, just getting a feel for different kinds of campuses. A first working list begins here and keeps changing as the student does.

Junior year is the hardest year of high school and one of the most important. This is where the academic record, the activities, and the sense of where a student is headed all start to come together.

Academic Planning: Junior year coursework carries the most weight of any year.
Involvement & Experiences: Fewer things, done more seriously.
Testing: The goal is scores in hand by the end of junior year, so senior fall can be about applications and nothing else.
College Exploration: Visits get more purposeful and the questions get more specific.
Narrative: Two years of conversation start to point somewhere.

By senior year a student has done the work. This year is about turning it into applications a student is proud of, and getting through the waiting and the decisions in one piece.

Academics & Testing: Colleges still see this year, and offers are conditional on finishing it well.
Involvement & Experiences: A chance for a student to finish what they started.
Narrative: Writing begins in summer and is finished by fall.
College List & Applications: Finalized the summer before senior year, then worked steadily so nothing comes down to the last night.
Through Decisions: Support does not stop at submission.

A family who begins in ninth grade moves through all four chapters with us, not one. A family who joins later steps in where they are, and we carry forward what the earlier years would have set in place. The earlier we start, the more we can do.

How our engagements work

One flat rate: It covers a student's entire journey with us, however many years that is, and is set before any work begins.
Pricing shared when we meet: The rate depends on when a student starts, so we quote once we know where your family is beginning.
No hourly billing: No meter running, no per-essay charges, no surprises later. Families should never have to weigh whether a question is worth the cost.
Available when it matters: Meetings run on a regular cadence, and a good deal of the work happens between them: drafts read and marked up, questions answered, decisions thought through as they come. We take on a small number of students each year so that we can be there when you need us.

Next Steps

How families begin with us.

A first conversation: Free, brief, and no obligation. This is a chance to get to know one another. You tell us where your student is and what is on your mind, we tell you how we work, and together we get a sense of whether this is the right partnership. Fit runs both ways, and we would rather find out early.
A Magis Session: A 60-minute meeting on Zoom. Magis means more, and this is where we look past the immediate worry to what a student is actually capable of: what they already do well, where there is real room to grow, and what the road ahead could look like. Families leave with a high-level roadmap for what comes next, whether or not they work with us.
Enrolling: Most families enroll after a Magis Session. Families who already know what they are looking for are welcome to enroll directly.

Our work is primarily virtual, which lets us partner with families anywhere in the world, though we welcome the chance to meet in person when we can.

Let's find the right path, together.

Tell us about your student, and we will take it from there.