Consultation

[ About Us ]

Every student deserves someone who is both genuinely caring and genuinely expert — someone able to build a real strategy for their future.

MARIA KOEN, Founder

University admissions is neither a race nor a lottery. It is an architectural project in which academic achievement, extracurricular engagement, essays, and interviews are built to work together as one coherent whole.

Three Principles

Integrity

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Respect & Trust

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Expertise & Care

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[ Founder ]

Maria Koen

Founder, Koen Admissions Architects

20+ years in education

Master's in Linguistics

CELTA Pass A

Certificate in Advanced Methodology

Maria's teaching and curriculum development experience includes the Kitaygorodskaya Research & Education Center, the HSE–LSE International College of Economics and Finance (ICEF), the International Baccalaureate programme (English A: Language and Literature), and the Australia Institute of Future Education, where she served as a course designer. Before founding Koen Admissions Architects, she spent six years working independently as an admissions consultant.

Maria's teaching and curriculum development experience includes the Kitaygorodskaya Research & Education Center, the Higher School of Economics in collaboration with London School of Economics, the International Baccalaureate programme (English A: Language and Literature), and the Australia Institute of Future Education, where she served as a course designer. Before founding Koen Admissions Architects, she spent six years working independently as an admissions consultant.

In 2022, Maria moved to the United States.

The firm grew out of professional expertise and out of Maria's own experience of taking her children through admissions.

Koen Admissions Architects

A boutique educational consulting firm focused on strategic admissions guidance for students applying to American universities — both in the United States and at overseas branch campuses.

We work with families across the globe, primarily supporting International Baccalaureate and A Level students who start preparing in Grade 9.

Our central philosophy is to build a complete admissions architecture rather than isolated components — from the initial assessment through to the final admission decision.

Our central philosophy
is to build a complete admissions architecture rather than isolated components — from the initial assessment through to the final admission decision.

Expert Team

Each family works with a team of specialists, every one of them responsible for a distinct area.

Former Ivy League Admissions Officers

More than 10 years of experience advising students worldwide on admission to Ivy League universities, as well as other leading U.S. institutions such as NYU, Northwestern, the University of Chicago, UCLA, and UC Berkeley. Oversees strategy for Extracurricular Activities, Honors, and Capstone Projects, as well as Common Application positioning and final application review through the lens of an admissions officer.

300+ client applications reviewed

Bachelor’s — UCLA

International Educators

Bilingual teachers and native speakers, including former language examiners as well as IB and A Level subject specialists across a wide range of disciplines.

Career Counselors & Coaches

Experienced professionals who work with both students and parents to support thoughtful academic and personal development.

Public Speaking Coach

Author of the Effective/Affective Presentation methodology. Prepares students for interviews and video presentations with confidence and clarity.

Campus Advisors

Program alumni who were admitted to their target universities and are now enrolled there and now provide guidance directly from campus.

Our educators include former faculty at leading international schools and universities, and educational institutions.

Meet the Experts

Koen Admissions Architects