I worked with Mr. Haven for around 2 years (1 year for my SAT writing class and 1 year for my personal statement workshops and meetings). In those 2 years, I have really gotten to know just how good of a writer Mr. Haven is. Mr. Haven is truly very experienced in writing and in the field of college applications. He knows exactly what colleges are looking for in their essays, and he also knows how to bring out the best elements of a story. While going through ideas for the essays, Mr. Haven’s guidance helped open up my perspective about my own self that I didn’t even know about. If I was to give a rating for my experience with Mr. Haven, I would give him a 5/5. I came to him for my college application, and not only did I get into the college of my dreams, but I also became a more articulate writer.

Kaden Yang

UCLA

To Mr. Haven, I want to say a big thank you for everything you’ve done for me. With your mentorship and guidance, I was able to put my best foot forward and also freely express my own individuality. From the many meetings to my sudden SOS text messages to random talks about life, I’m always grateful for your support to me through a chaotic part of my high school life. You provided a sense of organization and structure to the storm of things needed to do. Even more than that, thank you for teaching me about life and the many different perspectives I as an individual can take. Mr. Haven, you’ve helped me in so many aspects such as my emotional maturity, outlooks on life, productivity, and helping me see the paths in my life, and I’m so glad that I was able to be your student. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Elise Kwon

Hamilton College

At first, the essay process seemed daunting. The personal statement itself was a huge task as it had to encapsulate who I am in a limited number of words. And, on top of that, almost every college I applied to had their own essay prompts. The quantity and quality of essays I had to write overwhelmed me. But when I started working with Mr. Haven, that feeling disappeared entirely. In fact, the essays became something I looked forward to. Mr. Haven made the essay process fun and exciting and every essay session I had with him was filled with laughter and meaningful progress. I also learned a lot about myself along the way as Mr. Haven helped me dig into the essay prompts deeper and explore different sides of myself in my essays. And as deadlines approached, Mr. Haven was always willing to put in extra time and effort into helping me edit my essays to perfection. Along with his wonderful essay help and editor’s eye, Mr. Haven is also an amazing person to work with and talk to. He believed in me and my dreams even more than I did sometimes. He really cares about the students as people, and I can truly say he has become my mentor and friend in life beyond essays. I cannot thank Mr. Haven enough for how much he has helped me and impacted me throughout the essay process. Working with Mr. Haven was a great experience, and I am grateful to have had this opportunity.

Kiran Mitra

Cornell University Class of 2027

Whenever I thought about college applications, I was very overwhelmed. My parents thought getting a college counselor would be the best fit for me. Each time I met a new counselor I always felt they were following a script. But when I had my first conversation with Mr. Haven, I knew working with him would be different. Immediately, I could tell that Mr. Haven valued how my differences could benefit me in my college application process, something that no other college counselor had even mentioned in the past. As our sessions progressed, Mr. Haven learned more about me and even provided some college selections and career guidance. Throughout the writing process, I didn’t know how I’d be able to complete so many essays. But Mr. Haven was able to keep me at a steady pace, along with my own effort to complete my tasks between each session. Mr. Haven also made writing my essays so much easier by fully helping me brainstorm each. Along with academic subjects, we spoke about things that stood out in my life that could create a unique story and help me stand out in the college application process. Without Mr. Haven’s help processing past events, I wouldn’t have been able to write such intriguing essays of reflection about my life. Another small thing, now editing my own essays it’s much easier since I witnessed Mr. Haven’s expertise firsthand. Thank you Mr. Haven for everything! You inspire me everyday to fight through adversity and achieve my goals and dreams. I can’t wait to see what the future holds!

Ana Hussain

UCI Class of 2027