Navigating the UC Admissions Pathway with Insight, Heart, and Strategy.
Boutique, accessible 1-on-1 guidance for California high school families aiming for UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC San Diego, and top UC campuses.
Demystifying the UC Comprehensive Review
The UC application weighs 13 distinct factors, and every Personal Insight Question is a chance to show who a student really is. My approach translates that complexity into an authentic, strategic story — one PIQ at a time.
1-on-1 Solo Advisory
Work directly with your lead consultant at every step — never passed off to junior staff.
UC System Specialization
Deep focus on A-G course rigor, California high school context, and strategic PIQ framing.
Transparent & Family-Friendly
Premium advisory outcomes delivered at accessible, honest price points.
About the Founder
A California parent who has walked this path firsthand
I'm the founder of Lodestar Pathways — a California parent and independent educational consultant who successfully navigated the competitive UC application process with my own family. That experience, combined with deep study of UC evaluation criteria, is the foundation of every session I run.
I built this practice because families deserve expert-level guidance without the overwhelm — or the price tag — of a large consulting agency. Every student I work with gets my full attention, a low-stress process, and strategy grounded in exactly how UC readers evaluate applications.
“Every student has an authentic story. My goal is to help them articulate their unique journey through compelling UC PIQs without losing who they are.”
Services & Pricing
Transparent, honest pricing — no hidden fees, no bundled add-ons you don't need.
Senior UC Application & PIQ Prep
Packages starting at $450
12th Graders (Fall)
- Comprehensive UC application review
- PIQ topic brainstorming & line-by-line editorial feedback
- Activity List optimization
- Final submission check
Hourly Advisory & Roadmapping
$60 per hour, flexible scheduling
8th, 9th, 10th & 11th Graders
- Course planning (AP / Honors / Dual Enrollment)
- Extracurricular strategy
- Summer program planning
- Academic check-ins & early milestone tracking
Comprehensive Multi-Session Consultation
Custom roadmap pricing
Families seeking full-cycle planning
- Full-cycle roadmap leading into senior application season
- Coordinated course & extracurricular strategy
- Ongoing PIQ development starting early
- Priority scheduling each application season
Target UC Campuses
Strategic guidance across all nine UC undergraduate campuses, tailored to each student's goals and profile.
Beyond the UC System
Students I've advised have also earned admission to top CSU campuses and select private colleges, including Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, San Diego State University, USC, Santa Clara University, University of Washington, NYU.
What Families Say
Stress reduction, authentic essays, and real admissions outcomes — in their own words.
“Working one-on-one made all the difference. Our daughter went from dreading her PIQs to actually feeling proud of what she wrote — and the process felt calm instead of chaotic.”
Parent of Highschool Senior
San Carlos, CA
“Grateful for all the guidance, support, and expertise throughout the process! From selecting the right high school classes and extracurricular activities to navigating college applications and crafting essays, you made every step feel much more manageable and less overwhelming.”
Parent of UC Santa Barbara freshman
Foster City, CA
“Affordable, honest, and genuinely invested in our son's story. No pressure, no upsells — just clear guidance every step of the way.”
Parent of UC San Diego freshman
Redwood City, CA
“The roadmap sessions starting freshman year took so much guesswork out of course planning. And the local school specific advice was very helpful. By senior year I felt completely prepared.”
UCLA Junior
San Mateo, CA
Let's Start the Conversation
Share a bit about your student and I'll follow up to schedule a complimentary intro call.
Frequently Asked Questions
Both. Sessions are held virtually for families anywhere in California, with optional in-person advisory available for local families within a 15-mile radius of San Mateo, CA.