What Parents Say About
The Academic Match
"Paula has been the best college counselor anyone can ask for. She helped guide our son with decisions, essays, and applications. Her diligence, enlightenment on colleges, and perfectionist style in editing helped to position him so that he was able to get into his first-choice school."
- Gail G.
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"College applications can be a daunting task. Paula Friedman has been an invaluable resource in making the process less intimidating. In editing my daughter's essays, Paula was at her best. She was careful to ensure that my daughter's voice continued to come through and she was mindful not to change words where it would be apparent that an adult had taken part in the writing. Most importantly, Paula was a pleasure to deal with and extremely timely in her responses."
- Sherrie F.
"Dear Paula,
We cannot thank you both enough for all of your knowledge and guidance this past year. Under your thorough and patient oversight, Audrey learned much about the college application process including the many frustrations of college essay writing and rewriting! Not only are you both extremely knowledgeable and professional, but the sincere devotion to your students is rare and truly appreciated. Thank you again for helping to Audrey get into her dream school!"
- Jane and Chris S.
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"Paula, thanks so much for all your help. You have made a significant difference in our lives."
- Helen P.
"We hired Paula Friedman to help edit our daughter's college essays and scholarship applications. She didn't change our daughter's thoughts or ideas - she just made her language a lot more clear and effective. Paula is an awesome editor and counselor, with a wealth of information. I highly recommend Paula and didn't hesitate to hire her for my other two children!"
- Diana T.
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"Our family has worked with Paula and The Academic Match Team, and their guidance was invaluable in our sons’ college application process. They have uniquely different styles of collaboration, each a perfect fit for our uniquely different sons. Paula took the time to get to know our boys as individuals, adeptly guiding them towards schools that would fulfill them not only as students, but as whole beings. Paula is extremely knowledgeable, managing to streamline the daunting application process. The Academic Match provides their students with a system of organization, keeps them on track, and encourages them to be detail-oriented in representing themselves. These are tools that will serve them throughout their lives. They are thoughtful and encouraging and genuinely care. I am forever grateful to them both, for helping us navigate this stressful aspect of our parenting journey!"
- Laurie F.
“We confidently and enthusiastically recommend Paula to any family who is seeking help with the college application process. She has exceeded our expectations, while working with our twins for several months. Paula’s knowledge and experience are very strong, but we would highlight other attributes that make her a tremendous partner. Paula truly gets to know each student as an individual; our twins are working with her in very different ways. She has great ideas and is confidently decisive. While helping students plan realistically, Paula is extremely positive and empowers students to feel good about themselves and their plans. Paula is an excellent and tactful communicator. She is exceedingly prompt and responsive, so that everything gets done quickly. Lastly, we believe that Paula offers high value for our investment, being very generous with her time and because her expertise is broad. Our girls feel so in control and confident about the college application process having worked with Paula.”
- Ellen M.
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“Hi Paula, Shaan got into UCLA!! He is thrilled! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for everything. We couldn’t have don’t it without your wonderful help and care.”
-Anjali (Mom of UCLA student)
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“Thank you so much for your quick reply and for helping us. You’re the best and saved us from unnecessary angst.”
-Eileen (Mom of Harvard MBA student)
What Students Say About
The Academic Match
After using a few different college advisors, I was delighted that my family chose Paula Friedman for the final choice. With her beaming personality and compassion for each of her clients, Paula is the perfect go-to person during this stressful time. I found her extremely accommodating to my schedule, which mitigated the pressure of finding time to go over my essays. She also helped discuss my final college application decisions and made me think about where I applied with a more open mind. She completely alleviated my anxiety during this process and I would recommend her to anyone looking for a great college advisor!"
- Shayna T., USC
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"Paula, thank you so much for all your help and support during the college application process. Your help was invaluable!"
- Joel G., UCLA
"Paula, I want to thank you for helping me with my essays and let you know that I was accepted to my dream school! Thank you so much for everything. I really can't say it enough."
- Ali L., Emerson College
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"Paula, you're like the MasterCard commercial — priceless!"
- Danielle F., University of Richmond
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"Paula, thank you so much for helping me grasp what is necessary for me to convey in my essay. I immensely appreciate your help and telling me to rework my essay, even when I thought I was right. I don't know where I'd be in this process without you and I cannot thank you enough."
- Zach G., University of Maryland
"Paula, thank you so much for all your help through the college admissions process. I would have been so lost without your help."
- Brigitte P., University of Colorado-Boulder
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“Applying to anything is stressful; let alone college or graduate school. Paula has been a tremendous help for me throughout my applications and truly helps ease this process for her students. I have been fortunate enough to work with her on two separate occasions: applying to college and now applying to law school. Undoubtedly, she is the most thorough person I have ever worked with. Not only did she aid me in my application process, but she also left a lasting impression I will surely utilize in future applications. Paula works 24/7 and always responded promptly. Never have I seen someone respond to emails so quickly, yet have a substantial number of effective suggestions. She is like a hawk with her attention to detail and always provides constructive feedback. Whether it is the application form, addenda, personal statements, or who to choose for your letter of recommendations, Paula is more than capable of helping you reach your goals. With her past experience and expertise, I highly recommend Paula to anyone seeking university or graduate school admissions. She has helped me tremendously and I know she will do the same for you. Feel free to contact me if you’re serious about working with an advisor who makes a difference.”
– Andy T. UC Berkeley’16/USC Law School
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“Paula Friedman is an amazing college counselor because she is always on top of everything no matter what is going on in her own life, brings creative ideas to the table, and genuinely cares about the students she works with. Paula is excellent at working with twins because she does not interchange anything between us, and treats us as individuals. I am grateful for Paula's help and I do not know how I would have survived this stressful college process without her!”
- Camryn M., Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo
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“The entire college application process is difficult, and I could not imagine working with anybody better than Paula. Paula is kind, caring, and extremely hardworking. She was always available to assist me along the way during my college application process, and stopped at nothing to make sure that my essays and applications were perfect! Paula is the ideal college counselor, for she not only worked extremely hard during the entire process, but she made sure to get to know me to ensure that my essays were that much better and represented me. I am forever grateful for her help!”
– Natalie M., Cornell University
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“Hey Paula. I just wanted to share this college acceptance letter with you. I’m really excited and I can’t thank you enough for all your help!”
- Josh A., University of Arizona
“Paula, Thank you SO much for all the help. It really wouldn’t be possible without the help you gave me. You will be the first person I notify when I get an answer!”
- Raffi A., USC Transfer Student
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“Hi Paula! Just wanted to let you know I got into UC-Davis! So excited for school and I wanted to thank you for all your help. Couldn’t have done it without you!”
- Morgan G., UC-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine
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"I was lucky enough to work with Paula for undergraduate applications as well as grad school applications. Both times I worked with Paula, I was admitted to a majority of the schools I applied to. Paula is extremely professional, organized, and encouraging. Paula is very on top of her work and always puts her students first. She is extremely thoughtful and takes the time to get to know you and your story, so you can have the best essays possible. She also knows how to keep you on track and motivated during a very difficult and stressful time. Paula is the best!"
- Talia T., USC Doctor of Physical Therapy Program
"Paula is Super Woman! Law school applications have been overwhelming for me, but with Paula’s help, the task has seemed achievable. Paula is an excellent counselor, mentor, and editor—she is truly skilled in her field. Paula helped me break down both my personal statement and my diversity statement for law school. Not only is she an expert at college applications, but she also consults with an incredible team of colleagues, to ensure I created the best possible versions of my essays. Paula is meticulous, thorough, and has been a true advocate for me. She helped me create strong application essays while keeping my voice and personality alive in my essays. I would highly recommend Paula and The Academic Match to anyone applying to college or graduate school. I believe my applications are exponentially stronger thanks to her guidance, mentorship, and support!"
- Laura P., UCLA Law School
"Paula was such a pleasure to work with. She provides constructive feedback with the utmost attention to detail as she works with each client. She helped me craft a beautiful resume that accurately reflected my professional life and provided me with valuable interview tips. Without Paula’s help, I was not receiving many responses to my job applications. After working with her, two-thirds of the jobs I applied for called me for an interview. Paula’s help was instrumental in my job search process. I truly believe her expertise and guidance helped me land my first job out of college, 3 months before graduation. I highly recommend Paula and The Academic Match for all of your college and career guidance needs!"
- Marissa L., ASU
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"Working with Paula took so much of the stress out of college applications. She helped me not only to craft a strong application but to manage the whole process of applying to college. She thoroughly reviewed my essays and was always available when I needed help, no matter the time of day or how many essays I was working on. Throughout all this, she was kind and supportive. Her vast knowledge of colleges was very helpful, and I would definitely recommend working with Paula."
- Lindsay F., Stanford University
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"I got the Regents and Chancellor's Scholarship from UC-Berkeley and could not have ended up in a better position. Thank you for all your guidance!"
- Matthew W., UC-Berkeley Regents and Chancellor's Scholarship Recipient
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“Hi Paula, I got into all the UCs I applied to. Your graduation gift is so thoughtful and it’s my first UCLA attire. I will definitely be using them at UCLA and could not have done it without your help!”
-Pooja B., UCLA
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“Hey Paula! I just received a call from the Dean of Admissions at UCLA Law School notifying me I’ve been accepted and I’ve officially committed to UCLA for law school! Thank you for helping me with my law school applications.”
-David G., UCLA Law
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“Thank you kindly for the awesome UCLA lanyard! I feel very lucky to have had your expert guidance during the college application process. I really appreciate everything! Thank you again.”
-Shaan L., UCLA
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“Paula, I wanted to thank you for all your help throughout the process. Do not know what I’d do without it.”
-Kian N., Chapman
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“Hi Paula! I committed to UCSB! Thank you for all your support and help throughout this process! I’m so appreciative of all of your help throughout the college application and decision-making process. I really couldn’t have done it without you!”
-Nidhi S., UCSB
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"Paula truly cares for each student under her guidance, and it is evident in every interaction she has with them. From a consultation which was personalized to my specific needs and goals, to her constant support, prompt responses, and thoughtful feedback, she took every care to ensure my needs were met and that she was supporting me along my application process! Her knowledge from her years of college counseling experience and admissions is invaluable to a student going through the process, and is a welcomed perspective when crafting the perfect essay or resume. I cannot recommend Paula enough to anyone interested in seeking the help of a college/grad school counselor. She gave me peace of mind and confidence as I submitted my applications. Thank you Paula for all your help!”
-Nicole K. (USC Masters of Public Administration and Masters of Urban Planning. Recipient of City/County Management Fellowship & Dean's Merit Scholarship.
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Paula played an indispensable role in my acceptance to Northwestern Kellogg's MBA program. Her guidance was crucial in navigating the complexities of the application process with confidence and clarity. From our initial consultation, Paula showed a deep commitment to understanding my aspirations and crafting an application that authentically reflected my journey and ambitions. Her expertise in admissions strategy and attention to detail ensured that every aspect of my application, from essays to resume, was finely tuned to resonate with the admissions committee. Thanks to her unwavering dedication and personalized approach, I was able to provide the strongest application possible and ultimately find success in the application process. I wholeheartedly recommend Paula to any graduate school applicant seeking expert guidance and support on their journey to academic and professional success.
-Lucca N., Northwestern