Testimonials

What our previous students have said about us:

Gamze kazakoglu, robert college, istanbul, class of 2020 | YALE, Class of 2024

I feel incredibly lucky to have met you at the end of 11th grade. You were not only a college counselor who helped me decipher and perfect the meanings my own sentences, which sometimes didn’t even make sense to me having written them, but also a mentor who wholeheartedly encouraged me to not give up on the SATs, always found the best solution by getting to the root of any problem, and helped me realise my dreams.
Thanks to your humanism, which always reminded me of the Pink Floyd song, “Us and Them,” “and after all we’re ordinary men,” that balance you always struck between your expectations, positivity and disciplined work ethic encouraged me to always improve myself without making me feel stressed out. You offered me constructive criticism about things that someone else would have likely been harsher about, and you always encouraged me to discover new interests and areas with your innate and constructive curiosity. You also helped me to self-reflect on my experiences. Thank you for supporting me in my journey to my dream school Yale, through your impeccable essay guidance, your supportive attitude, your dedication to your values and your warm smile.

Nil erbas, koc school, istanbul, class of 2019 | Penn, Class of 2023

Every high school student eventually goes through the exhausting process of applying to colleges and endures aggravating times while waiting to hear back from colleges. Thanks to Oya Christie-Miller, when I look back at my own application process, I do not recall distressing times as most of my peers do, but remember the process as one that helped me grow. Oya did not only supervise me on choosing the schools I would be a best-fit at, but helped me realize and exhibit my skills and talents with her unique way of guidance. Thanks to her reachable and affable nature, I never had a problem communicating with her. Whereas these qualities make her an approachable person and allow her students to quickly feel comfortable with her, her systematic manner of guidance makes sure there is no place for disorganization. I am more than grateful to have had Oya Christie-Miller as my guidance counselor.

STUDENT, SJI INternational school, singapore, class of 2019 | London School of Economics, Class of 2023

Oya and I worked together for over a year and a half - we met frequently to discuss how I was handling school, extracurriculars, things going on in my personal life, and application strategies. We developed a fantastic relationship and I always felt comfortable telling her what was going on in my life, and how this might be geared towards impressing universities. What I think has been the most beneficial from my sessions with Oya was that she helped me improve my introspection skills - this ability to self-reflect was crucial in my writing of successful college applications, but has also extended beyond university into my daily life!

DENIZ SAHIN, deutsche schule, istanbul, class of 2018 | AMHERST COLLEGE, class of 2023

I worked with Oya from around the end of 2014 to January 2019. During this time, she had a significant contribution to my academic and personal development. She helped me determine which countries, subject areas and universities were right for me, and develop a roadmap. Oya supported me entirely, both through her wide-ranging knowledge and her flexibility in adapting to my needs. Oya maintained her professionalism throughout, yet I never felt that I could not be honest, which meant that I was able to discuss any and all problems that I encountered during the college application process. She was by my side especially during the most difficult parts of the process. She worked harder than I did to ensure my applications were perfect and on time, and helped me make decisions that were the best and most right for me. Compared to friends who were working with other counselors, I always felt that I had a lot more attention and that I had a more honest relationship with my counselor. Two highlights of the process for me were: when it came to making an application list, Oya helping me consider a wide range of possibilities and closely evaluate each; Oya helping me systematize the entire essay application process when I felt like I didn’t even know where to start. I consider Oya not only someone who helped me throughout high school, but also one of the few people who have set an example for me. She has contributed to my development in ways that cannot be summed up only by the list of acceptances, which were substantial.

Isabel Teo, JAKARTA INTERCULTURAL SCHOOL, jakarta, CLASS OF 2019 | University of southern california, Class of 2023

I worked with Oya for a year, where I always felt supported during the application process as Oya would schedule an appointment every week not only to make sure that I was on track for deadlines but also check up on how I was doing- the college application process can be very stressful. 

I definitely did have some challenges whether it was deciding on which schools to apply, which major to choose or rather later - deciding which school to commit to and I felt as though Oya was always there to guide me. She was never biased towards a school and always helped me to objectively pick out which one would be the better option for me. 

I was very happy with the relationship that I had with Oya as a counselor as I felt comfortable talking to her about my opinions on the whole application process- even if they were narrow-minded opinions or perspectives. Whenever I had problems, even if it wasn’t necessarily about the application process, I felt as though I could talk to Oya about them and ask for her opinion. 

One of my highlights when working with Oya was picking out which colleges to apply to, as I still remember Oya telling me about all these different schools and how each of them could be a good fit for me. Researching what each school has uniquely was also another highlight. Looking back, working with Oya has also taught me some writing/essay brainstorming skills. I really like the way we brainstormed ways that I could answer my college essay prompts - it also allowed me to realize some of the things in my life that I needed to work on or even let out because of frustration. I am very glad I had Oya to guide me through this process as she not only allowed me to learn more about myself as a person and my habits, keep me on track, guide me in the whole process and help me with my essays/applications but also she was someone I could talk to when I was feeling stressed or anxious.

Ayda Kulaksızoglu, uskudar american academy, istanbul class of 2019 | King’s College London, Class of 2023

Even though Oya and I worked together for only one year, we took care of many application-related tasks that had previously been neglected. I really felt her contribution to my development as a student. Always within the framework of mutual respect, I felt very comfortable with Oya and felt that I could share everything without feeling intimidated. As someone who gets stressed out and panics easily, I felt that Oya’s close attention and ability to solve problems really made a difference. Even though Oya was in another country, she followed my progress and paid a lot closer attention than other counselors. Within a short time, she got to know me well, and was able to direct me and tell me what strategy would be right for me. I felt that she prioritised not only ranking and prestige but also my happiness. She checked in with me at every step of the way. Most importantly, instead of doing things for me, she taught me how to do them myself. This is why I think my essays were unique to me and reflected me well. Oya never pressured me during the application process, and in fact relieved a lot of pressure when I felt it. Beyond getting into a good university, I learned how to work methodically and stress out less.