Hanifa Abdul Sabur, College Counselor
Hanifa has been passionate about higher education since deciding to be a professor at age 13. After an amazing journey as a student at Swarthmore College (bachelor’s degree) and Columbia University (two master’s degrees), this passion shifted to a lasting commitment to helping others access and make the most of their own life-changing college experiences. For over 15 years, Hanifa has taught and counseled every kind of student, from high schoolers across the United States and around the world to Ivy League college students to nurses struggling to balance schoolwork with saving lives during a pandemic. As an instructor and advisor at colleges like Columbia University and the George Washington University and a college counselor for several years, Hanifa has helped over 1000 students accomplish their goals on their paths toward academic and career success. Most of all, she loves learning about and supporting the fascinating interests and passions that make her students excited about their futures.
Hanifa’s work with students on both sides of admissions decisions drives her college counseling approach, which is to help students prepare to not only get into colleges that match their strengths and needs, but also to thrive in those places. Taking time to get to know each student, Hanifa applies a strengths-based perspective to help students to maximize the unique talents and perspectives they already bring to the table. Hanifa has guided students to discover and express the best versions of themselves as they gain admission into colleges that are excited to welcome them, like the University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth College, Cornell University, UCLA, Johns Hopkins University, New York University, Emory University, University of Chicago, Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Oxford, and many more.
When not counseling students to greatness, Hanifa enjoys hanging with her own crew of four kids, forcing her friends to partake in online personality quizzes, breaking rules in the kitchen, and trying to find out if love really is blind on Netflix.
Education & Experience
MA and MPhil, Cultural Anthropology, Columbia University
BA, Sociology and Anthropology, Swarthmore College
Certified Career Services Provider, National Career Development Association
15 years of academic counseling and coaching experience
Extensive experience working with International Students
Professional Organization Memberships
NACAC: National Association for College Admission Counseling
Ready to tackle the admissions process?
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