Montara College Counseling
Strategic, personalized counseling from middle school through decision day — combining profile building, specialized writing support, and a proven admissions track record. Starting early or on a tight deadline? We work with both.
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Real results from real students — across the most competitive universities in the country.
0Stanford
0Harvard
0Yale
0Cornell
0Duke
0USC
0Northwestern
0MIT
0Princeton
0UPenn
0Wharton
0Brown
0Columbia
0Georgetown
0UC Berkeley
0UCLA
20+UCSD
0UT Austin
0UNC
0Michigan
Co-Founder and Head of College Counseling
Quest Sandel is a co-founder of Montara and its lead college counselor. He has personally placed students at Stanford, Harvard, Yale, MIT, Michigan, UC Berkeley, UCLA, UT Austin, and dozens of other top universities.
His approach rests on three convictions: every student has a story worth telling, strategic profile-building matters as much as polished essays, and effort should concentrate where it counts most — on your student’s highest-priority schools.
Quest doesn’t just evaluate the profile in front of him. He builds the path forward — mapping out the activities, projects, and positioning that turn a strong student into a competitive applicant for their top schools. The work is part college counseling, part life coaching: the habits students develop with Quest carry into the careers that follow. His former mentees have gone on to rewarding careers in politics, top medical schools, strong roles at leading tech companies, Wall Street, elite law schools, and beyond.
Quest also runs a tech-forward practice — leveraging modern tools to keep strategy sharp, feedback fast, and the process more transparent for families. He partners with Adrian Baek, a Stanford undergraduate and Montara’s dedicated writing specialist, who meets with students on a recurring basis to develop and refine drafts. Together, Quest and Adrian provide the kind of hands-on writing partnership most counseling firms either skip or reserve for premium tiers.
Most counselors review what’s already there. Quest builds what comes next — and stays with the student long after the application is submitted.
Why Montara
Your student works with Adrian Baek, a Stanford undergraduate writing specialist, through live sessions and async feedback — dramatically improving essay quality from first draft.
We don’t just package what exists. Quest works with students to build Michigan-worthy profiles — identifying gaps, recommending projects, and developing the experiences that make applications compelling.
Students gain access to the Ascend flywheel — a network of entities that enables real project creation, leadership roles, and substantive extracurricular development.
Rather than spreading effort equally, Quest allocates the most time and attention to your student’s highest-priority schools — maximizing impact where it matters most.
This isn’t a factory. Each student receives an estimated 25–30 hours of one-on-one attention — between Quest’s strategic guidance and regular writing sessions with our specialist.
We analyze every prompt, every story your student can tell, and every element of their resume to build a comprehensive narrative strategy — not guesswork.
Our Process
A proven 4–6 month process that takes your student from self-discovery to submission day with confidence.
We start by deeply understanding your student — who they are, what they’ve experienced, and where the gaps are.
Your student begins working with Adrian Baek, our Stanford writing specialist, through regular live sessions plus async review.
Quest takes the lead on the critical “middle section” — connecting your student’s stories to each school’s specific prompts.
Students turn outlines into polished essays through an intensive, multi-round writing process.
We’re with you through the finish line and beyond — from final polish to decision day.
Why It Matters
Investment
Transparent pricing for every stage of the journey.
The complete college counseling process — from foundation through decision day.
Recommended start: April/May of junior year
Get StartedStrategic guidance for students in grades 8–11 — building the foundation early.
For students in grades 8–11
Learn MoreGrades 8 – 11
The students with the strongest applications don’t start senior year — they start in middle school. Our Ongoing Advising program gives younger students the strategic guidance to build meaningful “spikes,” start substantive projects, and develop the profile that makes admissions officers take notice.
Community College Transfer
The transfer pathway is one of the most underutilized routes to a top university — and one of the most misunderstood. Community college students who plan strategically can earn admission to UC Berkeley, UCLA, and selective private universities at rates that rival or exceed freshman admission.
Montara offers dedicated transfer advising built around the specific mechanics of the transfer process: TAG agreements, IGETC certification, UC Transfer Pathways, and the distinct essay and application strategy that transfer applicants need.
Transfer advising is offered as a standalone engagement. Reach out to discuss your student’s timeline and target schools.
Get in Touch →Get Started
Reach out and we’ll help you understand exactly what support makes sense for your student.
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