- Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy
“I just wanted to say thank you to CollegeBound for all that you did for me in preparing all the parts of my graduate school application. Applying to graduate school is very intimidating and I felt it was somehow more difficult than applying to college all those years ago. You helped me get in touch with past professors and mentors, write excellent personal statements that really showcased my experiences both educational and professional. I could not have done it without you-- Or it certainly wouldn’t have gone as smoothly and turned out so well without you, that is!”
“Dear Iris, Thank you for making the process so streamlined, efficient, and effective. You reduced stress for our daughter and my husband and me by helping to create vision, assess college choices, direct testing and prep times and locations and kept our daughter on task. You are a master at what you do and I am grateful for your service.”
- Newport Harbor High School
“Iris, you are awesome. You astonish me with all you do. I mean it when I say I’m in awe of you! I have to thank you so much for what you have done for me. You have helped me and even the colleges I applied to realize what an amazing person I am and that I have a lot to offer, even if I don’t have perfect grades. You have helped me to see that I am a true student and even as a senior in high school, I know I will be going to graduate school after college. My new sense of self is so much more than I could have ever asked for in a college counselor; you’ve really become more like a mentor to me. A million thank you’s could not match how I feel about what you have done for me.”
- George Washington University Class of 2011, and Newport Harbor High School
“The waters of the college admissions process, especially today, are dangerous, risky, and sometimes scary; it seems like any wrong move can land you in a college not of your choice. However, with the help of navigation from my college counselor, Dr. Iris, the process was not nearly as daunting or intimidating. Together, we created a list of my favorite colleges, filled out the applications, brainstormed, wrote, and revised the admissions essays in the winning formula that admissions officers are looking for. Dr. Iris was knowledgeable about the facts and secrets of each college, knew what admissions officers were looking for, and offered a new, fresh, and accurate perspective about the college admissions process. With her help, I have been able to relax with the applications process, and my hope of getting in to a top college of my choice has become brighter!”
- U.S.C. Class of 2014, Sage Hill High School.
"Contacting Dr. Berkley was the best decision I made during the college admissions process, with her help and guidance, I was able to gain acceptance into my top choice college. Dr. Berkley's conscientiousness, enthusiasm, and devotion to her students is clear, and is manifested in the success her clients encounter. I am thankful to have worked with Dr. Berkley and I will definitely seek out her help once again when I am ready to apply to graduate school."
- UCSB Class of 2010, University of Oregon Class of 2012, and JSerra Catholic High School
“We have three children, and before we met Dr. Iris, we had never hired a tutor or counselor before. Not because our kids have perfect grades but because they always seemed to do just fine. My son took his first SAT test and did okay. He came to me a few days after receiving his results and asked if we would pay for a private tutor for him. Iris entered our lives with an incredible amount of directed, organized energy. Iris helped our son increase his SAT test score by over 250 points. The most important part of this whole process was that it truly became our son’s project and his college choices. He felt in control of his destiny, which we feel is extremely important as our kids enter the adult world. Iris kept the pressure off of my husband and myself by following up with our son consistently but not taking over his process. The money we spent on CollegeBound was the investment in a lifetime!”
- Stanford University, Class of 2014
"I first started working with Iris Berkley in the summer of 2008, when she was still working for Princeton Review. Iris pushed me to work harder and to always put more effort in. She has been a fantastic motivational force for me. While I was proud of my initial score on my first October SAT test in the fall of 2008, I was still unsatisfied. I worked with Iris again to study for the SAT test the following spring. I was again unsatisfied. Both Iris and I knew that if I pushed myself a little bit harder, I could achieve the kind of score that the selective schools were looking for. In November of my senior year, after months of practice tests, extensive SAT homework assignments, & hard work, I was able to celebrate receiving a score that a year before I had barely even dreamed of: 2250. Iris gave me advice on my applications, and was adamant that my own personal "sparkle" not get drained out by dry, pretentious essays. With Iris's guidance, I improved my SAT score over 400 points from my first initial practice test. In addition, I was accepted into my top choice school. Iris has been a fantastic role model and mentor. She has inspired me in more ways than I could possibly imagine."
- University of Oregon Class of 2013
“Iris, you are awesome. You astonish me with all you do. I mean it when I say I’m in awe of you! I have to thank you so much for what you have done for me. You have helped me and even the colleges I applied to realize what an amazing person I am and that I have a lot to offer, even if I don’t have perfect grades. You have helped me to see that I am a true student and even as a senior in high school, I know I will be going to graduate school after college. My new sense of self is so much more than I could have ever asked for in a college counselor; you’ve really become more like a mentor to me. A million thank you's could not match how I feel about what you have done for me.”
