Tillie Gottlied Headshot on a cream background
MEET YOUR COLLEGE COUNSELOR

Tillie Gottlieb

she/her
Tillie (she/her), Senior College Counselor & Content Specialist at College Essay Guy, has been working with students from around the world for over 15 years.

Core Values

Close Relationships

Curiosity

Authenticity

Tillie’s worked in all facets of the college application process, first as an Admission Officer recruiting students, assessing applications, and awarding scholarships. She then worked as a counselor in elite boarding schools, at a private counseling firm in South East Asia, and then spent 5 years in the San Francisco Bay Area as a Co-Director of College Counseling at The Athenian School.  She served on the WACAC Executive Board as Professional Development Co-Chair, and has devoted considerable time to creating counseling curricula and educating fellow counselors. Most recently she was an undergraduate application reader for USC and has consulted with students and organizations across the nation. Tillie believes in treating her students like the young adults that they are – working with serious attention to detail, deep listening, and a healthy dose of humor. She specializes in helping students craft a cohesive, compelling story through their applications, essays and portfolios.

EDUCATION

Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (M.A., International Education Management); Whitman College (B.A., Theatre)

A few things about me

Former admission officer at Whitman College & admission reader at USC
Award-winning filmmaker and tv game show competitor
Has worked as a college counselor around the world – literally from Berkeley to Bangkok!
Hiked 100+ miles on the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain

Quick Questions

What I love most about this work

Students make me hopeful. Their creativity, ingenuity, dedication, and earnestness constantly remind me that we, as a society, are in good hands because these young people are our future.

My best advice for students

The college application process can actually be one of real exploration, reflection, and clarity if you give yourself permission to enjoy it (even just a little bit)!

Something families are often surprised to learn

Even though it may feel like it, there is nothing random about the admission selection process! Colleges and universities have specific institutional priorities that drive their decisions AND the truth is that there are simply too many qualified applicants to accept everyone.