Email Mario
Graduate & Doctoral Admissions Coaching
Strategic guidance for applicants pursuing master’s, Ed.D., Ph.D., and Psy.D. programs.
Applying to graduate or doctoral programs is one of the highest-stakes pieces of writing most people will ever do, and most applicants do it without ever having seen the process from the inside. I have. For more than 20 years, I have worked in higher education admissions, most recently as Associate Director of Admissions at a top-25 professional school. I hold a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy from The University of Texas at Austin, where I completed my doctoral work while continuing in a full-time admissions leadership role.
That combination, credentialed insider and seasoned practitioner, is unusual in admissions coaching. Most coaches have done one or the other. I do this work because the difference between a strong application and a forgettable one is rarely about credentials; it is almost always about clarity, fit, and the discipline of revising. Those are coachable skills, and I enjoy coaching them.
My clients are typically:
If your situation does not fit one of these categories but you think we might still be a good match, please reach out. I would rather decline a fit conversation than take on work where I cannot deliver disproportionate value.
Every engagement begins the same way: you complete a detailed intake questionnaire, I review it carefully alongside any draft materials you provide, and we hold a kickoff conversation where I present a written strategy proposal specific to your case. From there, the work depends on which service you have chosen.
I work primarily asynchronously. Most of my best feedback happens in writing, with track changes and detailed margin notes, where you can sit with it, return to it, and revise on your own schedule. Synchronous calls are scheduled where they add value, not by default.
All work is delivered remotely. I am based in Fort Worth, Texas, and serve clients across the United States and internationally.
Best for applicants who need focused help on one or two specific pieces of the application. Each service stands alone and can be combined with others.
Pricing is current as of July 1, 2026 and is subject to change. The fee for your specific engagement is confirmed in your Coaching Services Agreement and Selected Services Exhibit.
Deep, structural feedback on the single most important document in your application.
What’s includedReformat and reframe your CV for graduate school admissions committees.
What’s includedA written analysis of where you should apply and why, tailored to your goals and profile.
What’s includedA coached, written plan for who to ask, how to ask them, and what to give them.
What’s includedStructured preparation for graduate program interviews.
What’s includedBest for applicants who want strategic guidance across the entire application, not piecemeal help. Packages are priced at a meaningful discount relative to assembling the same services à la carte.
Strategic support across your core application materials, designed for the applicant who has a clear sense of where they’re applying and wants expert help getting their materials right.
What’s includedComprehensive end-to-end coaching from school selection through final submission, designed for the applicant who wants a strategic partner throughout the entire process.
What’s includedThe most comprehensive offering, designed for applicants pursuing multiple programs or degree types at once, or who want a full-cycle strategic partner with a built-in safety net if the cycle does not go as planned.
What’s includedBeing clear about what I do not offer is as important as being clear about what I do. I will not:
À la carte services are paid in full at booking. Packages may be paid in full at booking (preferred) or in two equal installments: half at booking and half before the midpoint deliverable. Payment is via secure invoice (Stripe). I accept all major credit cards and ACH transfer.
If I have not yet begun work on your engagement, you will receive a full refund. Once work has begun, refunds are prorated based on work delivered. If at any point I conclude that I cannot help you effectively, I will end the engagement and refund any unearned portion of your fee. A $175 nonrefundable onboarding/administrative fee applies to all engagements. Full refund and cancellation terms are set forth in your Coaching Services Agreement.
Everything shared in our work together is confidential. Insights gained through coaching may inform educational content I create, but never in a form that could identify you. I will always request explicit permission before referencing any specific aspect of your story, even anonymously.
Stated turnaround times reflect first-draft feedback. Total engagement length depends on the speed of your own revisions and your application deadlines. I generally accept new clients on a rolling basis, but will pause intake when current commitments require my full attention.
Most communication is via email. Scheduled calls are conducted via Zoom. I respond to client emails within 1–2 business days during active engagements. I do not work weekends except on prior arrangement for specific deadline support.
If you would like to work together:
Email me at [email protected] with a brief note about your situation: what degree you are pursuing, which application cycle, and which service or package interests you. A few sentences is plenty.
I will reply within 2 business days, usually with a few clarifying questions and, if we appear to be a fit, a link to book a complimentary 20-minute fit conversation. This fit conversation is limited to assessing mutual fit and does not constitute coaching or professional advice.
After the fit conversation, if we agree to work together, I will send a service agreement and invoice. Once paid, you will receive the intake questionnaire and our work begins.
There is no obligation in any conversation prior to the signed agreement. I would rather have an honest fit conversation that ends in “we are not the right match” than begin an engagement neither of us is excited about.
Graduate school applications are emotional work as much as intellectual work. They ask you to articulate, in unfamiliar language, what you want your professional life to mean. Most applicants underestimate how difficult that is until they are sitting in front of a blank screen at midnight. My job is not to make that work easy (it isn’t easy) but to make it less lonely and more productive.
The applicants who do best are the ones who arrive willing to be coached, willing to revise, and willing to be honest about what they want and where they are starting from. If that is you, I would be glad to talk.