Malissa Takacs

As a licensed counselor and social worker, I have worked in the field of college counseling and admissions for two decades. Currently, I am transitioning into full-time private educational consulting after serving as an international school college counselor in Singapore and Switzerland from 2015-2023 (Tanglin Trust School, Singapore American School, and the International School of Basel). Prior, I spent eight years at a therapeutic college preparatory boarding school in Virginia, where I served as Director of College Counseling.

I have given oversight to all aspects of the college counseling and post-graduation processes, and have worked closely with hundreds of students on the submission of thousands of undergraduate applications. My students have applied to a range of institutions of higher education as well as boarding and other secondary schools, and community colleges. I’ve worked on transfer and graduate school admissions, as well as internship, summer, and gap year planning. My students come from around the world, with many different talents and strengths; however, I’m just as invested in students who have inconsistent transcripts or have overcome great personal and academic obstacles as those with flawless grades and test scores.

I am deeply committed to helping students realize their full potential while guiding parents, too. I mentor students through a process of self-discovery to promote the version of themselves that feels most authentic — through essays, resumes, interviews, and the many other application components they must complete. I take great effort to counsel students through identifying the universities that fit their needs and communities where they see themselves living, learning, and thriving.

Being available to students and parents in a way that ensures the least amount of stress and the most amount of excitement about future opportunities is what truly matters to me.