Aiming for Harvard Law?

Calandra’s career spans big firms, small firms, and government practice. For the past 20 years, she has specialized in appellate litigation in her current role. She has also served as an alumni interviewer at Harvard College. Her deep understanding of the legal profession informs her strategic approach to admissions consulting, helping candidates craft compelling narratives and strong applications.

As a coach, Calandra's primary goal is to help students gain acceptance to the country’s top law schools. However, she seeks to accomplish much more for them, given that law school is one of the most significant commitments anyone can make. Calandra aims to empower students to achieve success, happiness, and fulfillment in the rapidly evolving and competitive field of law. She helps students identify and articulate their personal and professional goals before strategizing to select the law schools that best align with those goals. 

Calandra’s passion for consulting is deeply rooted in her own career journey, including her admissions success and her struggles to find career satisfaction in the early stages of her profession. She believes her experience demonstrates the impact of well-thought-out applications and individualized career planning. Drawing on the lessons she’s learned, Calandra is driven to support students in reaching their goals while helping them avoid the common pitfalls that applicants, students, and new lawyers often face.

Aside from her passion for law and guiding students, Calandra loves cats and Home Depot, and she'll be the first to admit she might be a bit obsessed with both!

At American University, Todd was awarded the AU Presidential Scholarship based on academic excellence. He was a member of the AU Honors and Early Identification Programs—the latter being an invite-only program for exceptional, high-performing students. Before attending law school, Todd worked in the tech sector in Washington, D.C. and New York City. 

At Harvard Law, Todd focused on international law and bankruptcy, later clerking and working abroad while continuing to consult and write about law school admissions trends. Todd accumulated 1,000 pro bono hours while studying at Harvard and received the Dean's Award for Community Leadership. He was also selected for multiple fellowships, including the Chayes Fellowship, Heyman Fellowship, and Public Service Venture Fund Fellowship.

Todd takes a holistic and strategic approach to each student’s journey, guiding applicants through every phase of the admissions process—from school selection and personal narrative development to final decision-making. He specializes in helping students think long-term about their legal careers and identify the right law school experience to match their goals.

Todd’s diverse background and experience working with applicants from a wide range of personal, academic, and professional circumstances enable him to offer highly personalized guidance. He is committed, empathetic, and tenacious in helping each student craft an application that reflects their unique strengths while navigating any obstacles along the way. His years of admissions coaching experience have also helped him gain key insights into what the most competitive law schools seek in applicants. 

Outside of consulting, Todd is an avid traveler who has visited 80 countries and 47 states. He enjoys hiking, cooking, exploring local art scenes, and volunteering with youth-focused organizations. He is also active in local legal associations and enjoys staying engaged with the broader legal and educational communities.

Troy has a Bachelor’s degree in ethics, politics, and economics from Yale University and a JD from Harvard Law School. After graduating from Yale, Troy taught math and science in the Mississippi Delta with Teach for America. Afterward, they pursued their passion for supporting socioeconomic equality through summer positions at the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau while attending Harvard Law. At the same time, Troy kept up their interest in education by consulting for standardized test designers. 

With a wealth of experience in coaching and tutoring, Troy expertly guides students through every step of the application process. Having worked with hundreds of students, they are dedicated to cultivating individual growth and empowering each student to reach their full potential.

As a dedicated coach, Troy excels at guiding students through the intricate law school admissions process. They provide invaluable support in navigating its complexities and streamlining the process to alleviate student stress. Troy works closely with each student to help them present their best selves to top-tier law schools, ensuring they effectively highlight their unique strengths, experiences, and aspirations.

When Troy isn't coaching, they enjoy exploring their vast knowledge of coffee, cocktails, and Japanese denim. They also have a background in streaming on Twitch, where they were a speedrunner for the cult indie game Crypt of the Necrodancer. In addition, Troy is the proud owner of a tortoiseshell cat named Demerara.