Meet Taylor!

Taylor Merkel, College Counselor

In addition to earning degrees from Stanford University in biology and biomedical engineering, Taylor has also conducted more than five years of biomedical research in topics ranging from brain aging to blood vessel mechanics. But as much as she enjoyed designing tissue models, Taylor ultimately found more fulfillment (and just as much success) helping both STEM and non-STEM students achieve their full potential. She got her start as a highly-in-demand curriculum and test-prep tutor for high school students, as well for college students seeking to improve their MCAT scores (the admissions exam for American medical schools). Her results were far greater than improvements in grades or test scores. One of Taylor’s families raved to Collegewise that their student didn’t only raise their math grade under her direction—they also became “a more engaged student and thoughtful human being.” That’s exactly the kind of impact successful college counselors have on students. Taylor has shown teens, families, and our own team how she can seamlessly change a 17-year-old’s trajectory, helping them strive for outcomes they might have otherwise considered out of reach. As she describes it:
 
Whether my goal is to help a student ace a test or get into college, the underlying skill is the same—asking meaningful questions to assess where students are today, then identifying actions to help them get where they’re trying to go. I've been honing that skill for more than ten years and have stellar student outcomes to back it up.

At Collegewise, we consider great college counseling a blend of science and art. In Taylor, her students get the best of both—a trained scientist whose deep admissions knowledge is rooted in research, training, and statistics, and a caring supporter who genuinely believes in her students’ potential and wants to help them reach it. While Taylor works with students of varying goals and abilities, she particularly enjoys connecting with those who are anxious, self-critical, or doubtful of their own abilities. Taylor helps these kids appreciate their unique strengths and break the cycle of comparison to others that plagues so many teenagers (while there’s no magic formula for successful college admissions, this approach comes pretty close). 

When she’s not working with students, Taylor can often be found tinkering or working with her hands–she’s a fan of disassembling (and occasionally actually fixing) old video game consoles, crocheting, and tending her growing collection of house plants.

Education & Experience

Stanford University, B.S. and M.S.
University of Washington, Postgrad Bioengineering Work
Stanford University, Teaching Assistant (1 year)