Ten years…

I’ve been working to help students apply to college. Unlike many other consultants who come into college advising from other industries, I have an extensive background in education. I’ve given lectures at SFSU, worked in SAT/ACT test prep for five years, and been a middle-school English teacher at a bay area private school for five years, all while supporting high schoolers in their journey to college. I have first-hand knowledge of the topography of the South Bay’s academic landscape, and as an educator, I will get to know your student and help them identify colleges that will meet their needs. Whether you need help applying to colleges and writing your essays, or you want support to get better grades in Humanities and Social Science core subjects, I have the experience to help your student attain their goals.

Nick Dawes

My experience with education was different growing up. My parents taught elementary school and middle- and high-school Math and Science. My aunt and uncle also taught in the Fremont Union High School District, and my aunt and cousin both currently teach Science in the Bay Area. I grew up seeing school from both sides of the teacher’s desk, and my parents knew my teachers—really knew them, as colleagues. For my part, I attended the University of California, Davis and majored in History and Philosophy. I then became a substitute teacher in Cupertino and Campbell while attending San Francisco State University to attain my MA in History, where I also edited an academic journal, published my own writing, gave lectures on campus, and tutored college students in their History classes.

After graduating, I worked for C2 Education for five years providing SAT and ACT prep help, college admissions guidance, and AP course and test support. After that, I transitioned into a private-school classroom at Stratford Schools for another five years teaching English while continuing to work with students on college and private high-school admissions. I am also a member of the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA), the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), and the Western Association of College Admissions Counselors (WACAC).

As a lifelong learner, I have been teaching myself different sports and languages. I’m currently learning Mandarin (after already learning French, Japanese, and Latin). In order to get outdoors and practice mindfulness, I learned to shoot a bow, and I now compete in target archery, traveling to LA, Sacramento, and the Central Valley for state-wide and national tournaments. I am also learning to golf.

I have a lovely Taiwanese-American wife who teaches second and third grade and a vocal, energetic Pit-Bull Terrier named Nami whom we adopted from the Humane Society of Silicon Valley. When we’re not teaching, my wife and I love traveling, trying out the diversity of delicious food in the Bay Area, camping among the redwoods, or going to the drive-in with our puppy to catch a movie.

“Successful and unsuccessful people do not vary greatly in their abilities. They vary greatly in their desire to reach their potential.”
— John Maxwell

experience and qualifications

  • BA from the University of California, Davis

  • Taught English for five years at Stratford Schools

  • Helped students gain admission to UPenn, MIT, UCLA, and UC Berkeley

  • Worked with students for private high-school admissions for five years

  • Edited for an academic journal

  • Tutored and provided admissions help at C2 Education for five years

  • MA from San Francisco State University

  • College Admissions Counseling & Career Planning Certification from UC Berkeley

  • Member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA), and the Western Association for College Admissions Counseling (WACAC).

  • Scored above the 95th percentile on the SAT2400 and the SAT1600