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Intelligent Choices Made Simple.
BETTER INFORMATION FOR A BETTER FUTURE
In an online world cluttered with misinformation, finding reliable answers is a challenge. We’re surrounded by noise—a vast expanse of low-quality content that often leads us astray rather than to clarity.
At Intelligent.com, we’ve grown weary of sifting through endless digital debris in search of quality. That’s why we’ve committed ourselves to a mission of clarity and quality: to mine the digital chaos for the gems of truth. Our approach is meticulous and thorough—engaging with experts, analyzing extensive data sets, and deploying rigorous research methodologies to craft content that genuinely enriches your life.
Integrity First
Our pledge is to uphold the integrity of our content above all. We are on a relentless quest for a business model that supports our mission without compromising the quality and trustworthiness of our information.
STARTING WITH STUDENTS
The journey into adulthood is marked by pivotal decisions, with education standing as one of the most consequential. Whether it’s choosing the right college, navigating financial aid, excelling academically, or transitioning into the workforce, these are not just decisions but stepping stones to your future.
Located just a stone’s throw from one of the world’s leading universities, we find ourselves perfectly positioned to understand and address the needs of students—our immediate community and beyond.
Here’s How We’re Making a Difference:
Navigating the Pre-College Maze: We offer comprehensive college and program rankings, leveraging a wealth of publicly available data to guide your decision-making process.
Academic Excellence: Our guides synthesize the latest research with effective strategies and insights from today’s top minds to help students thrive in their academic pursuits.
Seamless Transition to the Workforce: With extensive databases of internships and sample resumes, we equip students with the tools they need to smoothly transition from academic life to professional success.
This is just the beginning. At Intelligent.com, we’re on a journey to illuminate the path to success, making smart choices simpler and guiding you towards a future of limitless potential. Join us on this transformative journey.
Making smart choices simpler, for a brighter tomorrow.
Meet the Team
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Chief Education and Career Development Advisor
Huy Nguyen
Huy Nguyen is a visionary entrepreneur and educational innovator with an extensive background in executive management serving in lead roles with technology startups and Fortune 100 companies. As an entrepreneur, he has launched several online consumer brands generating over $30 million in sales and continues to help small-to-medium sized businesses with digital transformation and developing new revenue opportunities through sales channel development, digital marketing, and business strategy consulting. As the Co-Founder of Solve Community Challenges (SolveCC), Huy has pioneered a transformative approach to higher education, enabling colleges and universities to deeply engage students with their communities through collaborative experiential learning. SolveCC's partnerships with academic institutions deliver programs that empower students to identify and solve local challenges, fostering essential skills, partnerships with local businesses, and creating an immediate, positive impact on their communities. Huy extends his impact beyond professional endeavors by leveraging his expertise and experience to empower students to become lifelong learners. He serves as a business and career advisor for the Newport Mesa Unified School District's Career Technical Education Program and George Washington University's Digital Marketing Certificate Program. Through these engagements, Huy bridges academic learning with real-world experiences, equipping students with the skills and mindset to thrive in an ever-changing professional landscape. Huy's passion for innovation extends to organizing competitions that challenge and inspire the next generation of leaders, including events for TEDxLA, TEDxOC, the TEDxTeenChallenge, and The Young Real Leaders Prize. Through these platforms, he has created opportunities for students and young leaders to develop and showcase their innovative solutions to real-world problems. Huy Nguyen's work and experience stands as a testament to his dedication to redefining how we learn and earn, preparing individuals for the future of work, where the jobs of tomorrow, may not exist today.
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Higher Education and Career Advisor
Diane Gayeski
Diane Gayeski, Ph.D., is a Professor of Strategic Communication at Ithaca College’s Roy H. Park School of Communications and served as Dean for 11 years. She’s a respected innovator in new technologies for learning and communication, with a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland. Through Gayeski Analytics, she has spearheaded 300+ consulting engagements globally, aiding clients like the US Navy and Panasonic in adopting innovative tools. A prolific author and speaker, she was named a Fellow by the International Association of Business Communicators. She specializes in bridging the worlds of academic research and corporate practice, helping college students and their future employers become prepared for each other, and developing innovative designs for new educational technologies.
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Admissions Consultant
Beata Williams
For the past nine years, Beata has been coaching students through the undergraduate and graduate admissions process. Ninety nine percent of Beata’s students have been admitted to at least one of their top choices. Not only has she helped students reach their dream programs, Beata alleviates the stress by breaking down the application process into manageable steps leading to consistent progress towards their goals.
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College Counselor
Dana Marvin
Throughout her six years of experience, Dana Marvin has helped hundreds of students nationwide navigate through the college and career planning process. Her speciality is financial aid, tuition negotiation, scholarships, and financial planning for college costs. Dana’s expertise has led her to help students earn over $10 million in scholarship offers from colleges in the 2021-2022 education cycle alone. Her students have earned acceptances to top colleges such as University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth College, Penn State University, SUNY Binghamton, Bates College, Tufts University, UConn, and many more. She has a Master’s degree in Higher Education Leadership and Administration from Purdue University and a graduate certificate in College Counseling from UCLA. She currently resides in New York City, but helps students nationwide and internationally through the college admissions process.
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COLLEGE ADMISSIONS AND EDUCATION ADVISOR
Blanca Villagomez
Blanca Villagomez is a seasoned professional with over ten years of experience developing programs, curriculums, and initiatives supporting diverse and underrepresented student populations. She completed her master’s in Counseling at CSU Long Beach (CSULB). Her experiences navigating college as a first-generation, low-income student equipped her with a deep understanding of the educational inequities that impact student sense of belonging. Her formal training in educational counseling has equipped her with a skill set in fostering meaningful relationships with students that prepare them to graduate successfully. She currently serves as a Program Counselor and Coordinator for the University of California, Irvine (UCI). As a lifelong learner, Blanca strives to create growth experiences that help students thrive in college and beyond.
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Student Advising Center Director
Michelle Pickett
Michelle Pickett is an experienced higher education professional with over twenty years working with students. Her experience includes academic advising, student retention, program assessment, recruitment, and diverse populations. She’s currently the Director of the Academic Advising Center at Northern Illinois University, which oversees student advising services for undecided and pre-professional students, and where she recently developed a university-wide student advisor training program. As an adjunct professor, she taught classes in leadership and college reading and study strategies. Michelle has earned a Master of Science in Education (M.S. Ed.), Adult and Higher Learning and is a doctoral candidate in Higher Education and Student Affairs having completed a Graduate Certificate of Study in Advanced Qualitative Methodology.
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College Admissions and Education Advisor
Leslie Reyna
Leslie Reyna is a higher education professional with over four years of experience working with diverse student populations. She earned her Master's in Social Work and specialized in Community and Administrative Practice. As an Admissions Counselor for the University of Texas at Arlington's School of Social Work, Leslie planned events across the state of Texas, created recruiting material, and guided over 600 students every semester through the undergraduate and graduate admissions processes. Her experience in assisting students from the start of their college journey to their successful graduation has allowed her to create several instructional manuals to train new hires in her department. As an academic advisor, she has worked collaboratively with departments across the university to revitalize previous dual-degree agreements and create social work licensing guides. Leslie currently serves as a member of her department's Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee and volunteers as a mentor for the Fort Worth Hispanic Women's Network's Latina's in Progress Organization.
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Writer
Alex Kale
Alex Kale has worked as a professional writer and editor since 2016. Forever passionate about language and the stories it can tell, she holds an MFA in Creative Writing Fiction from Texas State University and a BFA in English Literature from Concordia University Texas. She enjoys researching higher education topics to create informative, reader-friendly content for current and prospective students.
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Writer
Meggie Patton
Meggie Patton is a higher education professional and a copywriter. She graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Master of Education in Higher Education in 2012. Since graduating, Meggie has worked in several institutions across various specialties, including college admissions, campus sustainability, residential life, and student support services. Currently, she works full-time for an education-based, nonprofit organization in Vermont.
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Education Policy Specialist for the National Association for the Deaf
Sarah Honigfeld
Sarah Honigfeld is a deaf adult who works as the Education Policy Specialist for the National Association for the Deaf, and as an Early Childhood Education Consultant on a national level. She works closely with various schools, programs, and agencies to provide bilingual, family-centered programming for deaf and hard-of-hearing infants and toddlers and their families. Her academic background includes a MA in School Counseling from Gallaudet University and a Certificate in Infants, Toddlers, and Families: Leadership, also from Gallaudet University. Currently Sarah is a doctoral student at the University of Colorado Denver, studying for a doctorate degree in Leadership in Educational Equity.
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Department of Veterans Affairs Benefits Advisor and retired Master Sergeant of the Marines
Jim Bivens
Jim is a retired Master Sergeant of Marines. His experience includes work as a Department of Veterans Affairs Benefits Advisor, and part of the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) program. Jim has mentored over 3K transitioning service members and their families on the eligible benefits earned through their service and managed five VA offices and 12 VA Benefit Advisors. Jim is considered a master trainer and briefer by the VA and was certified by the Department of Veterans Affairs to instruct a two-day course to support veterans with identifying licensures, degrees, and certifications to find employment. He has conducted veteran assessments, resume advice, job search assistance, interview skills training, and Warrior Transition Workshops. Recognized for outstanding ability to mentor personnel (100% success rate), Jim was selected to administer USO transition workshops in Italy and Germany resulting in a 100% success rate.
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Higher Education and Career Advisor
Dr. Elizabeth A. Pierce
Dr. Elizabeth A. Pierce brings extensive experience in academic advising and teaching to her roles in higher education. She is known for fostering productive relationships across multiple departments and implementing practical process improvements. As an Adjunct Instructor at Southern New Hampshire University, she is deeply committed to providing personalized support to learners, responding promptly to inquiries, and ensuring collaboration with academic teams. As a Graduate Military Academic Advisor, she stands out for her leadership in program improvements, her management of significant student caseloads, and her commitment to training military graduate advisors. A solid foundation of academic achievements and practical experience has shaped her path to becoming an academic advising expert. She holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, which has equipped her with a comprehensive understanding of business principles and management strategies. Elizabeth also earned a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership and Business, which has deepened her knowledge of leadership dynamics and organizational behavior.
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Writer
Jomana Papillo
Jomana Papillo is a Ph.D. candidate in Business Psychology (ABD) with a concentration in Behavioral Economics. Her life’s passion has always been teaching, especially at the college level, and even in her non-academic careers, she has found herself in teaching roles in one capacity or another. She spent eight years as an adjunct instructor in the Department of Business at Wheeling University, teaching in the areas of Organizational Behavior, Behavioral Economics, Organizational Leadership, Consumer Behavior, Strategic Business Planning, and Marketing.
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Writer
Chris Snellgrove
Chris Snellgrove is an English professor who has been an educator since 2005. He holds a Master's in English and a Ph.D. in English from Auburn University. He is passionate about helping students discover how developing writing skills can help them achieve academic and vocational success.
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Founder & CEO of The Jonathan Foundation for Children With Learning Disabilities
Raja Marhabar
Raja Marhabar founded The Jonathan Foundation for Children With Learning Disabilities, Inc. in 2001 to help the families of students with disabilities navigate the education system. Her passion for special education rights stems from the unjust experiences her sons had in their school district. Through her own journey with her sons, she gained an incredible amount of expertise, courage, and drive to advocate and change the education system on behalf of other families. In 2006, Raja was selected and successfully completed the first cohort of the federally-funded Special Education Advocate Training (SEAT) Program. After her completion of the SEAT Program, she was selected to be a member of the Education Panel & Committee for the Juvenile Division of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, which is comprised of special education attorneys and advocates, who are court-appointed to represent the educational needs of children involved in the foster care and probation systems. Raja continues to advocate for students with disabilities and serves as the CEO of the Jonathan Foundation. Her tireless advocacy efforts earned her the 2021 Diane Lipton Award for Outstanding Advocacy and the 2019 L’Oreal Paris Women of Worth Award as well as many other accolades.
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Licensed Psychologist
Dr. Andrea Slaughter
Dr. Andrea Slaughter is a licensed psychologist with a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Kentucky. During her matriculation, Dr. Slaughter attained numerous authorship credits in scholarly journals, clinical textbooks, and conference presentations focused on her area of interest — providing culturally competent therapy services to a diversifying population.
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Writer
Paul Schmidt
Paul Schmidt holds a bachelor’s degree in education from USAT and has worked in education for over two decades. As an English teacher, he has taught students of all age ranges, from primary school children to adults. His teaching experience includes classroom instruction, private tutoring, and online teaching, and he has taught students from various countries in Europe, Asia, and South America. He lived in Russia for two years, working in several public and private schools throughout Moscow.
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Writer
Susanne Reed
Susanne Reed has a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and an M.A. in Educational Psychology. Susanne has worked in several positions at the higher education level. She was the International Student Advisor, helping students from more than 70 countries transition to university life and assisting them in choosing academic programs for their desired career paths. She has also been an adjunct professor in psychology, teaching first and second-year students.
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Writer
Valerie Kalfrin
Valerie Kalfrin has worked as a writer and editor since 1992. She has copyedited books and materials for The College Board, such as the book Meeting College Costs: What You Need to Know Before Your Child and Your Money Leave Home, as well as consumer publications. From her years as a daily journalist, she draws an enthusiasm for research, an attention to detail, and a knack for making complex issues accessible. Passionate about storytelling, she has a BA in English from Montclair State University with a concentration in creative writing. She also works with a screenwriting group where she enjoys helping students with their craft.
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Writer
D.G. Farnsworth
D.G. Farnsworth is a freelance journalist and author of 17 books with a journalism degree, a Master of Management, and 63 graduate hours in multiple education programs. At the University’s Kentucky Athletics Association’s Center for Academic Tutorial Services, he was a mentor English tutor to seven members of two N.C.A.A. basketball teams. D.G. wrote the department’s tutorial handbook. For seven years, he produced the nightly news for Kentucky Educational Television, linked to college classrooms nationwide.
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Director of LGBTQ+ Resources Center at George Mason University
Josh Kinchen, M.Ed.
Josh Kinchen, M.Ed. is a university LGBTQ resource center director at George Mason University, nationally published researcher, and a United States Marine Corps veteran. His mission is to create affirming, healing campus communities where students can be their full, authentic, selves in all aspects of their intersectional identities.
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Writer
Katelynne Shepard
With over 8 years of experience in postsecondary tutoring and academic admissions advice, she has expertly guided high school and college students toward their academic goals. At Kent State University, she taught the First Year Experience course, guiding students as they explored and selected majors and scheduled classes. She holds a Summa Cum Laude Bachelor of Arts in English and a Magna Cum Laude Bachelor of Science in Psychology. Additionally, she brings over 12 years of experience writing about higher education. Her unique blend of academic insight and practical guidance has made her a trusted resource for students navigating their educational journey.
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Writer
Kristen Scatton
Kristen has over 11 years of experience in college admissions, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Her experience includes working with freshmen, transfer, and graduate students, particularly in arts and social science-related fields. Kristen is passionate about helping students make wise decisions regarding their education and career paths.
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Writer
Hannah Rail
Hannah Rail has a diverse academic background, including earning an Associate of Arts in Cultural Anthropology and Philosophy, a Doctorate in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and a Certificate of Acupuncture from accredited institutions. As a Rotary Club committee chair, she’s deeply involved in professional and business communities and has extensive experience writing policy and procedure manuals as an administrative consultant in law, real estate, and public relations.
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Writer
Jennifer Gunner
Jennifer Gunner is a professional writer and educator with more than 10 years of experience writing education-related content. Her degrees include a Bachelor of Arts in English and Creative Writing from the University of California, Riverside, and a Master of Education from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She is passionate about guiding students into the next steps of their lives, whether it’s as a classroom teacher, an educational writer, or a mother of two college-bound boys.
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Writer
Haley Nothstein
Haley Nothstein is an experienced professional writer with a passion for helping people understand topics related to education and careers. She holds an associate degree in marketing and a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from the FIDM in Los Angeles, CA. Her academic background and practical experiences in higher education enable her to produce helpful content that guides potential students through the complexities of educational and career decisions.
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Writer
Alannah Koene
Alannah Koene has written extensively for various consumer publications since 2020, with a focus on in-person and online education programs. While earning her Bachelor of Arts in English, she completed extensive coursework in non-fiction writing, philosophy, and sociology and contributed to grant-funded academic research projects and special collections of bibliographies. Her involvement in work-study programs and campus recreation, as well as her experiences completing her degree between multiple educational institutions, brings an immersed student perspective to her writing. She enjoys helping current and potential students weigh their college and degree options and get the most out of their education.
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Writer
Mary Van Keuren
Mary Van Keuren is a writer and editor with more than 30 years of experience in the profit and non-profit worlds. She served for many years as the Director of Publications for Nazareth University in Rochester, NY, where she edited the award-winning college magazine Connections. As a freelancer, she works with colleges and universities throughout the U.S., including the University of Rochester, Northeast College of Health Sciences, and Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Prior to this, Mary was an educator at St. Mary's Secondary School in Lushoto, Tanzania, East Africa.
Editorial Policies
What Our Editorial Independence Means to You
Intelligent.com is a free, privately-supported website that’s editorially independent. This enables us to bring you unbiased, accurate, and fact-based information on a wide range of issues.
Accuracy and Review of Content
Hundreds of experts, educators, advisors, and consumers have been interviewed during the production of our original content. Our content is also periodically checked and reviewed for accuracy.
Our View on Self-Improvement
At Intelligent.com, we’re awed by the advancements made in information transmission. We also understand that the continuous self-improvement is a human art as well as a science. Every story is valid, every experience unique. We’re most interested in the experience of those seeking self-improvement. We believe that everyone should question everything, including their mentors, teachers, government but also seek the best possible relationship with those very same people.
Information is a critical tool for self-improvement. It’s also important when navigating an environment that is oftentimes complicated and vague. We recognize the importance of different approaches to self-improvement, and we strive to provide perspective on every approach where relevant.
Advertising
Intelligent.com is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.
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