Meet Kelly

Kelly Chester is a college admissions consultant and the founder of the Application Workshop. After receiving her graduate degree from Columbia University, she taught English at several competitive Manhattan private schools. In 2007, the New York Times described her teaching as being “on a level that most college professors might envy.” She founded the Application Workshop after noticing that many college consultants lacked the pedagogical background necessary to motivate and inspire students to craft essays that would resonate with admissions officers. Kelly works closely with families to identify ideal schools for applicants based on transcripts, standardized test scores and interests. In addition, she specializes in the preparation of applications and the development of authentic and impactful personal statements and supplemental essays. Her proven success rate has provided her with a nuanced understanding of what competitive colleges look for in their applicants, which is why over 90% of her students have been admitted to one of their top three schools each year.