Portfolio Science. Narrative Art.
Your Path to College Admissions Success
Schedule a Free ConsultationWith nearly 4,000 colleges in the U.S. alone, narrowing down your list can be overwhelming. How do you identify and balance dream schools, target schools, and safety schools for your individual student so you can prioritize your time, energy, and resources on where they matter most?
Our patent-pending model revolutionizes college selection by applying sophisticated portfolio management principles to the admissions process. Taking into account factors such as your unique student profile, preferences, high school background, and college characteristics, our proprietary model:
This data-driven approach enables you to optimize resource allocation and concentrate your efforts on building the strongest applications for a well-balanced list of schools that align with your goals and strengths.
*Patent pending
Customized plans to capture your passion, highlight your strengths and build your unique brand for colleges of your dream.
We work with you to discover your story and create a strategic roadmap for your college journey.
Services include:
Comprehensive optimization and management of every element of your college application for maximum impact.
We are here to support you throughout the college application journey, conducting regular check-ins and close communications with students and families to ensure nothing falls through the cracks.
Create and refine a compelling resume that captures defining moments and presents a cohesive narrative of your achievements.
We help you craft and polish your resume to highlight pivotal experiences and accomplishments, ensuring it tells a holistic story that immediately resonates with admissions committees.
Provide guidance on how to present your achievements in a limited word count and how to answer questions mindfully.
We help you strategically present your accomplishments within tight word limits and craft thoughtful responses that highlight your strengths while staying authentic to who you are.
Strategic guidance on selecting recommenders and equipping them with context to authentically reinforce your narrative from multiple perspectives.
We help you identify the best recommenders and prepare the materials and insights that enable them to authentically present your narrative from different angles, creating a cohesive and compelling application story.
Craft compelling essays that authentically capture your unique story and personality and stand out to admissions committees.
We help you brainstorm topics that reflect who you are and help you distinguish yourself. We also review and refine your language to ensure your authentic voice shines through every word.
Build confidence with tailored mock interviews and expert feedback to showcase your best self.
We lay out common college interview questions, practice answers with you, and prepare meaningful communications to leave a lasting impression.
Expert guidance through acceptances, deferrals, waitlists, and rejections to help you choose the best-fit college for your future.
We help navigate decision making through different outcomes, providing expert advice on landing the final place that's right for you.
As a parent, I've navigated the college admissions journey firsthand with my two daughters. Through this experience, I witnessed how overwhelming and opaque the process can be—the countless choices, the uncertainty, the lack of clear guidance.
My eldest daughter earned a $180,000 scholarship from RPI (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute), top 10 Return on Investment among nationwide colleges. My youngest was accepted to Harvard through Early Action. These successes didn't come from luck—they came from strategic planning at an early stage, data-driven decision-making, and authentic storytelling.
But I also learned something more important: families need a partner who truly understands both the analytical and emotional sides of this journey. Someone who can cut through the confusion with clear insights while supporting students to build their authentic brands.
That's why I founded Criterion Admissions—to share these learnings and help other families navigate this critical journey with confidence, clarity, and success.
Bonnie Wen brings over 20 years of Fortune 500 experience launching global brands and driving over $100 million in business. She holds a Master's in Journalism and an MBA. As founder and CEO of Criterion Admissions, she helps high school students navigate competitive admissions, discover and build their own authentic brands based on their passion and strengths, strategize academic and extracurricular plans, and execute seamlessly. Her approach combines data-driven insights, personalized mentoring, global perspective, and resilience. Bonnie lives in Wellesley and has two daughters—one a senior at RPI (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute), the other a freshman at Harvard.
Dr. Andrew Foland brings a decade of experience in academic admissions, advising, and essay coaching. A former Harvard professor (and admissions committee member), Cornell Ph.D., and Harvard undergraduate, he brings unparalleled insight into the admissions process. He excels in guiding students to articulate their unique stories, ensuring applications stand out in competitive admissions processes. Dr. Foland also adopts the concept of economic portfolio management in college selection, using patent-pending modeling to evaluate the likelihood of being admitted to each college and recommend a strategic list to achieve the best outcome for matriculation.
We offer flexible pricing options to meet your needs, whether you prefer hourly consultation or comprehensive end-to-end support.
Partner with Criterion Admissions to navigate the admissions process with expertise and confidence.
Schedule Your Free 30-Minute Consultation