Locations
College Admissions Consultants in the Bay Area, CA
Strategic college admissions counseling for students across Palo Alto, San Francisco, San Jose, Mountain View, Cupertino, and the wider Bay Area, navigating one of the most selective and STEM-saturated applicant pools in the world.
Helping Bay Area Students Stand Out in Competitive Admissions Pools
Bay Area students are among the nation’s strongest applicants, with top GPAs, rigorous courses, and early exposure to tech, research, and entrepreneurship.
Crimson helps students focus on differentiation through academic depth, sustained leadership, and a clear sense of direction beyond grades and test scores.
Academic Rigor Beyond GPA
Course selection and intellectual depth matter as much as grades.
Sustained Leadership and Initiative
Long-term impact over short-term participation.
Demonstrated Depth or Impact
Research, competitions, or real-world projects help differentiate students.
Coherent Personal Narrative
Essays and interviews that deliver direction and alignment across the application.
Book a Free Consultation Today
Get an expert assessment of your child’s readiness for top colleges, including insights specific to Bay Area applicants.
The Results Speak For Themselves
1,860+
Ivy League Offers
Our students have earned more than 1,860 offers to the Stanford, Berkeley, UCLA, Duke, the Ivy League, and beyond.
98%
Success Rate
98% of our students are admitted to at least 1 of their Top 5 college choices.
4.9+
Trust Pilot Rating
One of the only college consulting companies with a 4.9 satisfaction rating on Trust Pilot.
Unmatched Results
8x Higher Chance of Admission
Crimson’s California students get into Stanford, the Ivy League, and other top colleges at rates far above national averages.
They Got In
Your Child Can Too
We guide California students through every step — from strategy to essays and extracurriculars. Trusted by families statewide.
Accepted to
UCLA
Jin T.
Mechanical Engineering
“Jennifer was an incredible mentor. She pushed my ideas further, helped me clarify my goals, and gave me the confidence to present my best self in my applications.”
“Jennifer was an incredible mentor. She pushed my ideas further, helped me clarify my goals, and gave me the confidence to present my best self in my applications.”
Jin T.
Accepted to
Stanford
Holly C.
Biomedical Sciences
“My strategist gave me a clear roadmap. He showed me which activities actually mattered, how to position them, and how to build a compelling story. I never would’ve gotten into Stanford without his support.”
“My strategist gave me a clear roadmap. He showed me which activities actually mattered, how to position them, and how to build a compelling story. I never would’ve gotten into Stanford without his support.”
Holly C.
Accepted to
UC Berkeley
Litong D.
Applied Mathematics
“Crimson made the whole college application process feel more structured and less overwhelming. My strategist helped me make decisions with a lot more clarity, and I always felt fully supported through every step.”
“Crimson made the whole college application process feel more structured and less overwhelming. My strategist helped me make decisions with a lot more clarity, and I always felt fully supported through every step.”
Litong D.
Accepted to
UC Berkeley
Akshay M.
Computer Science
“What helped most was having a whole team of mentors I could turn to whenever I felt overwhelmed. That support made the process feel manageable and it was a big part of why I got into Berkeley.”
“What helped most was having a whole team of mentors I could turn to whenever I felt overwhelmed. That support made the process feel manageable and it was a big part of why I got into Berkeley.”
Akshay M.
Accepted to
Stanford
Toryn T.
Computer Science
“What made the biggest difference for me was how much my mentors believed in me. Whenever I started second-guessing myself, they kept me on track.”
“What made the biggest difference for me was how much my mentors believed in me. Whenever I started second-guessing myself, they kept me on track.”
Toryn T.
Accepted to
Harvard
Eleshaday M.
Molecular Biology
“The most helpful part of working with Crimson was having mentors who really understood where I was getting stuck. Whenever I felt lost or unsure, I always had someone experienced to talk things through with.”
“The most helpful part of working with Crimson was having mentors who really understood where I was getting stuck. Whenever I felt lost or unsure, I always had someone experienced to talk things through with.”
Eleshaday M.
Accepted to
Princeton
Abigail J.
Psychology
“The best part of working with Crimson was knowing I had a dedicated team behind me. They helped me choose the right activities, strengthen my essays, and understand exactly what Princeton was looking for.”
“The best part of working with Crimson was knowing I had a dedicated team behind me. They helped me choose the right activities, strengthen my essays, and understand exactly what Princeton was looking for.”
Abigail J.
Trusted by Families at California’s Top Schools
Our students come from schools like Palo Alto High School, Gunn High School, The Harker School, Castilleja School, Menlo School, The Nueva School, BASIS Independent Silicon Valley, Cupertino High School, Lynbrook High School, Monta Vista High School, Los Altos High School, and Bellarmine College Preparatory.
Our College Counselors
Who Your Child Will Work With
Los Angeles students working with Crimson are supported by a global team of Former Admissions Officers and Ivy League graduates who have collectively reviewed and evaluated thousands of applications at institutions including Stanford, UC Berkeley, UCLA, USC, Harvard and MIT.
Everything Your Child Needs
All In One Place
Crimson surrounds your child with a team of expert strategists, tutors, and mentors who each focus on a specific part of the admissions process. Working together, they build a clear, coordinated plan that helps your child get into Stanford, UCLA, Berkeley, and the Ivy League.
1. Application Strategy
We build a California-specific plan that helps your child stand out among peers from schools like Palo Alto High School, Gunn High School, Harker, and Castilleja
2. Essay Writing
We pair your child with essay mentors who know exactly what resonates at Stanford and Ivy+ schools. Your child learns how to craft essays that feel authentic and distinctive.
3. Summer Program Selection
We help your child get into selective summer programs like SUMaC, SPCS, Stanford Summer Sessions, RSI and beyond.
4. Extracurricular & Capstone Development
Stanford, UCLA, Berkeley, and the Ivy League look for leaders. We help your child build high-impact projects that demonstrate real-world leadership and initiative.
5. Competitions & Research
We train your child to win in national and international competitions, and guide them into academic research that shows the intellectual vitality Stanford looks for.
6. Standardized Test Tutoring
Our SAT tutoring delivers an average 152-point improvement, giving our California students a clear advantage at Stanford, Berkeley, and the Ivy League.
Neighbourhoods We Serve Across the Bay Area
Crimson works with families throughout the Bay Area, from neighbourhoods like Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Mountain View, Cupertino, Sunnyvale, San Jose, Los Altos, Redwood City, San Mateo, Fremont, Berkeley, and Oakland.
Student Reviews
Hear firsthand from students about how our custom packages helped them gain clarity, build confidence, and achieve acceptance at their top-choice schools.
Alex S.
Student
“I am happy my family and I chose Crimson. Their support to help you become the best applicant in a university's eyes and the overall passion their employees show in being just as committed to achieving your dreams are invaluable.”
Mia I.
Student
“Crimson greatly helped my admission into college, and I would definitely not be here if it were not for them. Crimson helped me frame myself in the best way possible to all of the competitive colleges.”
Avery B.
Student
“I could never be happier that I chose Crimson, and I do not think that I could have made it to where I am today without all the help I received here. HUGE thank you to everyone who worked with me. I couldn’t do this without all of you.”
Cora P.
Student
“The best thing about working with Crimson is that everything you need for your applications is in one place: essay drafting, application review, test prep, interview prep and more.”
Tarun S.
Student
“In hindsight, working with Crimson was one of the best decisions I made during the application process. I felt that I had the perfect fit with my tutors, as they were only as involved as I needed them to be and my applications felt like the best reflections of me possible.”
Pooja K.
Student
“Crimson has an organized structure to manage the college application process. The strategists assigned are very helpful and are experts in the field. If I were to do the process all over again, I would, without a doubt, choose to work with Crimson again.”
Jackie C.
Student
“Crimson definitely contributed immensely to my success story. While the work may have been mine, the feedback and revision were thanks to Crimson’s team of mentors.”
Zach P.
Student
“Crimson’s process ensured that I was sending the best application I could possibly make to each school through the extracurricular, academic, and essay advice they provided.”
Start Your Journey Now.
A Year From Now, You’ll Either Wish You Started Today or Be Glad You Did.
Every year, admissions get tougher and competition grows—waiting even a few months can mean missed opportunities to strengthen your child’s profile. Parents who partner with Crimson never look back with 'what ifs.' They know they gave their child every possible advantage. The only question is: will you take action now, or wait until it’s too late?
