Meet the College Admissions Counselor

Gloria Chun

B.A., Cornell University, Ph.D., University of California at Berkeley

As an academic herself, Gloria Chun understands first hand what it takes to prepare for college admissions and how to put forth a winning college application. She received her B.A. in English at Cornell University and then her Ph.D. in the Social Sciences at the University of California at Berkeley. Her teaching career spanning seven plus years includes positions at Columbia University, Princeton University, and Bard College, where she received her tenure in the year 2000. Since then, she has decided to move back to her alma mater with her family to work in graduate admissions, counseling prospective graduate students at Berkeley.

As a published author and instructor of creative nonfiction, she provides expert help on the college application essay. She understands the importance of writing essays that convey distinguishing and unique strengths of her students. For many years, she has taught writing to pre-college freshmen at the Institute of Writing and Thinking in New York. She is a free lance editor and is the published author of numerous articles and a monograph, Of Orphans and Warriors. Occasionally she teaches a course called “Writing the American Narrative” at UC Berkeley.

She is certified as a college admissions and career counselor from UC Berkeley. Gloria continues to travel extensively so that she can offer a first-hand account of campuses across the country. Moreover, she regularly attends conferences, consults with college admissions officers, and keeps up with the latest trends and developments in college admissions to make sure that her students receive the most up to date information. As a member of the National Association of College Admissions Counselors, she upholds its prescribed standards of practice and ethics.

Credentials and experience aside, a distinguishing mark of her service is her personal touch. When she meets her students and their families, she sees not clients but lasting relationships. Students describe her as being friendly, always accessible, warm, very knowledgeable, and encouraging. Many of her students continue to stay in touch after moving on to college of their choice. Gloria puts both parents and students at ease with her expert skill and service.

Contact Information

Phone: (925) 934-2061

(510) 590-1382

E-mail: gchun@astound.net