Allyson capitalizes on her curiosity to understand each student and their family to find the best academic, social, and emotional growth experiences and college matches. She is a champion of her students and excels at helping them create and tell their authentic stories. Her enthusiasm and encouragement inspire students throughout their journey to college. 

“My favorite thing about this work is identifying each student’s strengths and values and tailoring the process to honor those at every step. Teenagers are my favorite because they never fail to teach me about being fearless; I’m always humbled by the opportunity to be alongside them in this journey. Also, we can always find something to laugh about, even in the most stressful moments.

As a college essay nerd, I enjoy working with students and fellow coaches in the writing process. I often read college essays for fun because they always surprise me, and stories are what connect us. I know I have succeeded as a consultant when students complete their work with me and realize they are only just beginning to discover what is possible for them. 

Allyson has worn every hat at College MatchPoint and contributes her humor, creativity, and infectious positivity to empower those around her to succeed. She has an undergraduate Liberal Arts Honors degree from Plan II at UT Austin, as well as a B.A. in Latin American Studies. Her M.S. is from Johns Hopkins University. She is a passionate educator, mentor, and writer who grew up in a military family and was raised in Japan, Washington, D.C., Hawaii, and Arizona before moving to Austin in the fourth grade. She spent 18 months as an exchange student with Spanish Heritage during high school and is fluent in Spanish. She led the Cal State Advanced Placement Summer Institute, which trained and certified hundreds of AP teachers from all over the world. Allyson has worked as a classroom teacher, university professor, and university program administrator. She enjoys exercising, geeking out about music of all genres, going to concerts, and spending time exploring and traveling with her two sons. 

“A great and necessary addition to the school guidance counselor if you have a high-achieving kid. Not a replacement for a guidance counselor—just a help—especially for writing. The personal statements our twins wrote were excellent and better than anything we could have produced without College Match Point.” 

— Kathleen Zimmerman