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College Connexxions Testimonials Dr. Marianna Marchese

TESTIMONIALS

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

"At the time I met Dr Marchese, I had been living in America for only a year and knew absolutely nothing about education in this country. Even before we started paying for Doc's services, she helped me a lot by advising on courses to choose for my senior year and settling problems with my translation of my Ukrainian transcript. After that, she guided me during every step of the admission process, helping me choose the colleges to apply to and write essays for them. Before meeting Dr. Marchese, I was planning to attend a local community college, but thanks to her. I got a "full ride" at Cornell University.

- Roman V.

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"Doc has really helped me throughout my college journey. She helped me set deadlines and stay on top of my goals in this process. She pushed me to try for my reach colleges and helped me get into my dream school" (Carnegie Mellon) - Radha P.

 

" Dr. Marchese's help through the college application process took a load off my shoulders. I don't know how it would have gone without her guidance. With her help I committed to the University of Miami!"

- Anika P.

 

"Dear Marianna! . . . From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for your support and assistance in Nastya's admission to Wheaton College. We are very glad that fate gave us the opportunity to know you. You have made many children and parents happy in their life. Let the joy we experienced for Nastya touch you too . . ."

- Tetiana V.

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"Dr. Marchese knows the real strategies behind applications - she will make sure you shine in your essays and activities. Absolutely loved working with her and I’m forever thankful I got to meet such a helpful mentor for such a hard process like college applications. If not her, my dreams wouldn’t of come true!" (Princeton '26)

- Diana S.

 

“Dr. Marchese has made the college application as stress-free as possible with her great guidance. Whenever I have a question, concern, or doubt, she points me in the right direction as she leads me on my journey. In an especially trying year, Dr. Marchese has brought light and clarity.”

- Isabella V.

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"Dr. Marchese is a very valuable person throughout the College admissions process. I worked with her for a few sessions and within that short time span, I felt I grew individually as a person feeling more confident about myself, and began to realize the special qualities about myself that I never knew existed before meeting Dr. Marchese. Before I started my resume needed a lot of work and had absolutely no story for my personal statement, which resulted in me feeling very overwhelmed.  With her help, I was able to develop a strong, and genuine voice for my personal statement through the several questions she asked me to find the best story that pertains to me. She has a very special talent, which she really got down to the bottom of who I am so I can incorporate that personal antidote into my personal statement. We brainstormed together and came up with a beautiful story. Without, the help of Dr. Marchese I wouldn’t have a personal statement or application that stood out to the admission committee, but with her help, I believe I’m a much stronger candidate. She is a vital source throughout that application process and I’m very grateful I was able to work with her. She’s very sweet but honest at the same time which I admire about her. I look forward to hearing back from the schools I applied to. Thank you Dr. Marchese for everything!"

- Erica J.

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"Entering my junior year of high school, I was unprepared to start the college process. Nearing the end of my senior year, I can genuinely say that Doc’s help has not only helped me in applying but has given me valuable insight and aid to help me begin the next stage of my life. Whether it was interviews, essay writing, or finalizing applications, Doc was always there to help and ensure that my profile was the strongest it could be."

- Jack D.

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"Dr. Marchese has been an invaluable resource throughout the college admissions process. Her help has made the process much less stressful, and sessions with her have been extremely constructive and worthwhile. I cannot thank her enough."

- Cameron D.

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Doctor Marianna Marchese is an incredibly valuable resource in the college application process, for both students and parents. She has a unique ability to transform a very stressful procedure into one that is enjoyable and extremely beneficial. Doctor Marchese’s vast experience, suggestions and recommendations on college visits, and, so importantly, guidance and review on college essays have been unparalleled for me and my twin sons. We now so look forward to the boys’ acceptances rolling in!

My highest recommendation!"

- Pat D.

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"When I first contacted Dr. Marchese, I had a half-written essay and a lot of anxiety.  With her assistance, I was able to focus on all of my positive accomplishments and showcase the best side of myself to the admissions boards.  She has a very kind demeanor but don’t let this fool you.  She sets the bar high and expects the best from you because she believes in you.  I never thought that I would be able to go from a community college to an Ivy League school, but with hard work and Dr. Marchese’s guidance. I will be starting at Columbia University this fall. This is a pivotal moment in your life and you will not be disappointed by choosing to have Mariana Marchese in your corner."

- Victoria T.

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"Dr. Marchese is not only a wonderful college admissions specialist. She is friend, advisor, teacher and counselor all rolled into one. Dr. Marchese is caring but firm, while I worked with her I never felt like I was wasting her time, she was always listening and providing feedback. Dr. Marchese spent countless hours working with me as a Non-Traditional Community College Student with very big dreams. Even when I doubted myself or my ability to complete a task in what seemed like a never-ending admissions process, Dr. M was there cheering me on and supporting me. Dr. Marchese always seemed to know just what to say to me, when I needed to hear it. She is truly a wonderful Educational Service Provider and I wish I had met her many years ago because she is a rare talent and anyone who is considering working with her should most certainly do it."

- Josh B.

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"Dr. Marchese helped me organize myself and focus on what steps I needed to take when applying for the colleges of my choice. She helped me proofread my essays and decide which major I should pursue in relation to my interests and market availability. With her help and her nationwide collegiate connections, I was able to work hard and achieve acceptance into my dream school. Thank you, Dr. Marchese!"

- Brad J.

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"Doctor Marchese has taught me so much in the past four months. She is not just my college admissions counselor, but she is also a friend that I can talk to at any time. I trust her advice and am aware of how well she has gotten to know my personality and passions. Doc possesses a wealth of knowledge on a plethora of colleges and universities throughout our nation. She constantly stays up on the admissions process by attending conferences as far as Colorado. By being a student of Doctor Marchese’s you will get the insight, care, and special attention that simply cannot be matched. I did not do a single part of my application without the Doc’s assistance. This made everything stress free since I knew I could count on her for making my application the best possible. With her expertise, visiting campuses and doing interviews in admissions offices became effortless. I was unsure of what to write about in my essay; within minutes we made a decision on a topic and the product was fantastic. My story was conveyed clearly and concisely, and I am confident that the schools I applied to will see me much differently from reading the essay. Doctor Marchese is a great counselor, who not only has given me wisdom into which college is best for me but has impacted my life in a way which I never thought possible."

- Matt M.

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"I cannot recommend Dr. Marchese to you highly enough. In my experience, the college application process can be very scary, because often you feel as though much of it is out of your control. However, when working with Dr. Marchese, I always felt like I had a guardian watching over me. She will guide you through every step of the process and will take any and all questions or concerns you may have. She is very knowledgeable and will be able to match you well with colleges, ensure that you are able to best represent yourself through standardized testing, and clarify the complex application process. When she gives you her opinion, she will be objective and will not sugar coat the truth for you, which is extremely valuable at a time when you must be judged by others far removed from you. Most importantly, Dr. Marchese will get to know you on a personal level and will become a genuine friend. I so looked forward to all of my sessions with Dr. Marchese, for the opportunity to share with her events in my life and eat her world class chocolate chip cookies! The college application process is a time not when you will want to be alone, but rather, will want to have a partner you can trust and rely on. I found that partner in Dr. Marchese and am now looking forward to four years at my top choice college."

- Sam R.

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"In the beginning, Joe and I and Michael were so overwhelmed and unsure of how to get through much of the application process. We were sort of frozen in time, not sure of where to begin, etc. . . .  remember the first day we all met with you and bombarded you with so many questions, from completing a good college list to how to complete the common application, and what essay topic to choose, etc. . . . But you helped us organize and prioritize the process, and most of all gave us the confidence that we were doing everything right, and that Michael would get into a good college. Now, Michael was accepted into his first choice college and is looking forward to his college years. I truly believe that we couldn’t have made it to this point without you. I will recommend you to other families with children working on College applications, starting with my daughter, who is just one year behind Michael. Thank you for all your great advice and support."

- Sheri and Joseph G.

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"Marianna – I just wanted to write to you and thank you for such a wonderful experience. You made the entire process relatively painless. When we started, we felt as if we were traveling into uncharted territory. You calmly laid out a plan beginning with a listing of colleges Jeremy would be best suited for, how to get the most out of a visit as well as capturing thoughts about the campus, curriculum and faculty, crafting unique essays, and completing complex applications.

Every step was seamless and allowed us to concentrate more on what was the best school for Jeremy as opposed to becoming frazzled with the steps. We felt comfortable and secure knowing we were in good hands. Your experienced advice was invaluable and we took great comfort knowing that Jeremy would be getting into the best school for his interests.

He is now very excited to attend the college of his choice in a couple of months and we are sure he will perform well. We thank you for your invaluable guidance in getting him there. Kind regards."

- Lily, Y.

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"I was searching the Internet for someone who was experienced in the college process to help my daughter, Jess. I had previously engaged the services of a woman near us in Long Island, NY, for my son and was not pleased. I found College Connexxions, spoke with Dr. Marchese and, even though she was over an hour’s drive away, I decided we should meet with her.

When Jess met Dr. Marchese, it was an instant match. Dr. Marchese quickly grasped her circumstances and listened to her goals. She matched Jess’ interests with a number of schools where she could pursue a five-year Master’s in Special Education.

We drove over an hour each way a number of times to meet with Dr. Marchese as she assisted Jess in the college process . . . narrowing down the college selections, preparation of applications, review of essays and college trip preparation.

Dr. Marchese strongly believed that Marist should be one of Jess’s top college choices. When we made the visit, we both fell in love with Marist. My daughter applied Early Decision at Dr. Marchese’s suggestion and was accepted. Thanks to Dr. Marchese, my daughter’s dream has come true."

- Dean H.
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