Graduate school application consulting

Graduate admissions rewards fit and argument, not volume. The Crossing narrows the program list to the ones that match your direction, then builds an application that makes the case — advised by someone who has worked inside higher education for a decade.

Book a free Bearing Check

Sessions run online — students work with their advisor from anywhere in the U.S. or abroad.

Who it's for

Where students usually start

Undergraduates applying straight through to a master's or doctoral program
Candidates weighing several programs and unsure which are a real fit
Applicants who need funding to be part of the plan, not an afterthought

The work

What we work on together

Program selection Faculty, focus, and outcomes weighed against where you're actually trying to end up.
Statements of purpose Drafted and revised until the argument for you is explicit rather than implied.
Recommendations Who to ask, when to ask, and what to hand them so the letter can be specific.
Funding strategy Assistantships, fellowships, and program funding built into the application timeline.
Interview preparation Mock interviews with feedback, for programs that interview.

How it runs

Three steps, whichever route you're on

Step 01 · Free

Bearing Check

A free 30-minute conversation about where you are and where you're pointed. No pitch — you leave with three concrete next steps either way.

Step 02 · Week one

Your route plan

A dated, written plan in your portal: targets, deadlines, drafts, and who owns what.

Step 03 · Ongoing

Sessions & drafts

1:1 working sessions with feedback exchanged through your portal, tracked from new to final.

See the full process →

Questions

Common questions

What kinds of programs do you advise on?

Advising covers the application itself — fit, statements, recommendations, funding, and interviews — across master's and doctoral programs. Bring your list to a Bearing Check and we'll talk through it.

Who will I work with?

Dr. Taiwo Adefiyiju-Monwuba directly. She holds a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and a Master of Education in Higher Education, and has advised students on graduate applications, personal statements, and interviews across six years in student affairs and her current role as a dean of students.

Also on the route

Other ways we help

High school · Grad school applicants

Essay & personal statement coaching

Personal statements, supplemental essays, and statements of purpose — brainstorm to final draft, in the student's own voice.

Career coaching & the job search

Major-to-career mapping, internships, résumés, interviews, and job-search sprints through the first offer — and the first 90 days after it.

Start with a conversation, not a contract.

Book a free Bearing Check