Margo Macready, College Counselor
Margo likes to say she started college at three months old, having essentially grown up on college campuses with parents who dedicated their careers to higher education. She logged stints as an admissions officer at both University of Redlands and UC San Diego (her alma mater), where she read close to 20,000 applications and managed a team of 30 evaluators.
Since joining Collegewise in 2022, Margo has seen her students accepted to more than 100 colleges and universities, including all the UC (University of California) schools, Stanford, USC, Harvey Mudd, University of Chicago, Washington University in St. Louis, Rice, Tulane, Case Western, George Washington, Whitman, Bucknell, and Northeastern University.
Margo is the co-author of both the Inside the UC App: Tips and Tricks for a Stellar Application and our 66-page Collegewise Guide to the Common Application, a free document that’s been downloaded by more than 15,000 students, parents, and educators. She is also a frequent Collegewise webinar presenter, and delivers in-person workshops at local Orange County high schools.
Margo is at her counseling best when she’s breaking down college admissions into understandable chunks. Webinars, in-person presentations, conversations with students and parents—Margo sees each interaction as an opportunity to make the complex seem simple and the overwhelming seem manageable. Testimonials from Margo’s Collegewise families frequently mention the time she takes to get to know her students and their strengths, the way she makes the whole process feel more manageable, and her ability to consistently send families away from their meetings together feeling less anxious and overwhelmed.
While her work history gives her a particular expertise around UC admissions, Margo also enjoys working with students who don’t necessarily aspire to attend one of the country’s most selective colleges. As she puts it:
We hear so much about the top schools in the US and the top students. There’s this frenzy of being the best and getting into the best. Having not been one of those students, I’m called to do this work to support the students (and schools) who deserve a little extra care. I love encouraging students and opening their eyes to the amazing options they have even if the schools are not highly selective. I’m of the belief that some of the best college experiences are had at non-name brand schools!
When she’s not counseling students or presenting to eager audiences, Margo can most frequently be found hanging at the beach, binge-watching Bravo shows and Seinfeld reruns, and reading historical fiction.
Education & Experience
University of Redlands, B.A.
Admissions Officer, UC San Diego
Assistant Director of Admissions, University of Redlands
Professional Organization Memberships
NACAC: National Association for College Admission Counseling
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