About Sydney Matthes

Since 2011, I’ve had the privilege of working one-on-one with students, families, and school districts to guide them through the exciting (and sometimes overwhelming) college admissions journey. Over the years, I’ve reviewed more than 3,000 applications, read what feels like 10,000 essays, and presented on college admissions topics to audiences ranging from high school parents to school counselors at the National Association for College Admission Counseling’s national conference. No doubt about it—my love for college admissions and helping families navigate the process runs deep.

My entire career has been devoted to higher education and college counseling, and I’ve held roles such as:

• Instructor at UCLA Extension in the College Counseling Certificate Program

• Chief Program Officer at a national college access nonprofit

• Owner of Matthes College Counseling

• College Counselor for a leading college consulting firm

• College Counselor at a public high school in Northern Virginia

• Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions at George Washington University

At home, college conversations are part of the daily chatter. Since my son was 4, he's had his heart set on going to college at Miz(ZOO), and my daughter is all about schools with bird mascots. As a former military family, we’ve had some amazing adventures—Northern Virginia area? Lived there. Hawaii? Check. Colorado? Been there. Texas? Our new home. If anything, our time in the military taught me patience, project management, and flexibility—skills that feel a lot like navigating the college admissions process, don’t you think?