Meet Olivia!

Olivia Isseks, College Counselor

Over her nine years in K–12 education, Olivia has supported hundreds of students in achieving their higher education goals, guiding them through every stage of the college application process at two high-performing public high schools in California and Texas. A Bay Area native, she earned her undergraduate degree from UC Santa Cruz and her Master of Arts in Counseling from Saint Mary’s College of California. Olivia has worked extensively with diverse student populations at San Ramon Valley High School and Westlake High School, managing caseloads of 500+ students while providing comprehensive academic, personal, and career guidance. Her students have gone on to attend some of the most competitive universities in the country, including Princeton, Duke, MIT, Stanford, Brown, Dartmouth, Johns Hopkins, the University of Pennsylvania, and UT Austin.

What sets Olivia apart as a counselor is her ability to transform what many families view as a stressful process into an exciting journey of self-discovery. Rather than focusing on finding the “best” college, Olivia helps students and families identify the “best fit”—because, as she puts it, there truly is a college out there for every student. Her approach centers on helping students explore their interests, build strong academic profiles, and make the most of their high school experience before diving into applications. Whether students are determining what matters most in their search, learning how to stand out, or simply figuring out where to start, Olivia provides knowledgeable, compassionate guidance throughout the journey.

Olivia has helped a wide range of students reach their desired colleges—from first-generation college students, to those with learning differences and documented support plans, to those applying to the UC system, Texas schools, and colleges nationwide. She also brings particularly deep expertise in working with recruited student-athletes, having coordinated with athletic directors and coaches at institutions like UT Austin and Duke University to support students earning full-ride scholarships and navigating early graduation timelines.

Olivia’s counseling superpower is finding the silver lining when students stumble. As she puts it: “Let's take that mistake and turn it into a chance to grow and learn more about yourself.”

When she’s not guiding students toward the right college or playing with her son, Holden, Olivia enjoys exploring Austin’s coffee shops and farmers’ markets (and taking advantage of the entertainment scene in the Live Music Capital of the World), biking the Veloway, and walking the trails around Lady Bird Lake. She’s an avid reader with a serious sweet tooth who loves to bake, and she frequently returns to the Bay Area to visit family and friends along the coast.

Education & Experience

University of California, Santa Cruz, B.A. 

Saint Mary's College of California, M.A. 

School Counselor, Westlake High School

School Counselor, San Ramon Valley High School

College and Career Counselor, De Anza High School

California Pupil Personnel Services Credential

Certified School Counselor

Professional Organization Memberships

NACAC: National Association for College Admission Counseling