STEM
ACADEMIC ADVISING AND COLLEGE ADMISSIONS
Seniors—Common App 2023-24 Essays!
College Admissions Tips: STEM College Planning
STEM College Advising In-Person and Remotely Throughout the US!
Get Insider Tips: STEM Planning & College Admissions
Recent STEM college Acceptances

STEM College Admissions expert Bonnie Rabin, PhD provides STEM educational advising and college admissions planning for middle and high school students throughout the United States. Personalized attention and dedicated support, guiding students of all academic levels and interests to gain admission to their top-choice universities and planning for long-term academic success.
Bonnie Rabin has a track record of guiding STEM students to setting and attaining their educational and college admissions goals. Please see our results and read our online reviews.
Congratulations to our STEM clients! Are you next?!
UPenn, Carnegie Mellon, Cornell, Stanford, Georgia Tech, UIUC, University of Michigan, Columbia, Princeton, Barnard, Brown, RPI, RIT, UCLA, University of Colorado at Boulder, UT Austin, Boston University, NYU, Colorado School of the Mines, University of Miami, Northwestern, , University of North Carolina, Vassar, Bowdoin, Wellesley, Emory, Notre Dame, Rice, University of Chicago, Washington University (WUSTL), Drexel, Tulane, Purdue, Swarthmore, Ohio, Georgetown, Middlebury, Vanderbilt, USC, Hamilton, Reed, UCLA, Johns Hopkins, Williams, Penn State, Villanova, Northeastern, SUNY-ESF, St. Johns, Embry-Riddle, Colgate, Fordham, Tufts, UC-Berkeley, Barnard, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, University of Florida, Wake Forest, Brandeis, SUNY Stonybrook, SUNY Binghamton, Duke, Case Western, Virginia Tech, Claremont Mckenna, Davidson, Westpoint, Amherst, Hamilton, George Washington, American, Indiana, and many more!

Our STEM College Clients Major in Traditional and Cutting-Age Majors:
Engineering (Mechanical, Aerospace, ECE, Civil), Computer Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Engineering Physics, Robotics, Data Analytics, Molecular Biology, Pre-Med, Game Design, Architecture, Animal Science, Zoology, Neuroscience, Computational Finance, Genetics, Cognitive Science, Computational Physics, Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Decision Sciences, Computational Biology, Financial Engineering, Industrial Design, Bio-Medical Engineering, Materials Science, Technical Writing, Technical Theater, Data Science, Actuarial Science, Environmental Science, Marine Biology, Architectural Engineering, Information Systems, Software Engineering, Physical Therapy, Nutrition, Nursing, Forensics, Biological Anthropology, Mathematical Economics, Artificial Intelligence, Bio-Ethics, Sound Engineering, Bio-Physics, Computer Music, Cyber-Security, Information Systems, Earth Science, Geology, Environmental Science/Engineering, Public Health, Infectious Disease and more!
Our STEM college admissions consulting services
SCHEDULE YOUR EDUCATIONAL and COLLEGE ADMISSIONS ASSESSMENT
A Strategic Educational and College Admissions Plan
There’s no magic formula for being accepted into a selective university, but I can guide each family through the college application process as well as increase the likelihood that your student will be successful throughout high school, and have a seamless transition to their undergraduate community.
- Building a challenging “synergistic” high school curriculum (AP, IB, AICE, Dual-Enrolled??) STEM students must demonstrate a solid foundation in mathematics and science.
- Understand the College Admissions Process– Key Dates, forms and factors for success in admissions and in maximizing financial aid.
- Create your curriculum map of high school and online programs to reach academic potential and prepare for success as a student and in the college admissions process. The foundation of coursework in high school impacts your success as an undergraduate.
- Extracurricular Activities: Identify opportunities for enhancing and refining your activities addressing educational and admissions red-flags. Embrace your strengths, take risks and discover uncharted paths! STEM students should have very specific opportunities to demonstrate informed interest in their college major. Typically this includes math team, robotics, HOSA, science fair and summer research programs.
- Recommendations for relevant summer programs to increase your admissions chances and confirm / discover an academic area of interest STEM summer research will help define emerging interests.
- Personalized learning strategies to confidence, increase grades and address concerns in one or more classes. Customized solutions for better time management
- Recommendations for Colleges and Majors (conventional and “unusual”)
- Clarity on standardized testing (and customized solutions for preparation) and discussion of colleges de-emphasizing their value in admissions decision making
- Activities Resume: Receive proprietary tools to build an eye-catching “activities statement” supporting your summer program applications, Common Application and Scholarship applications.
- Understanding the Real Cost of Education. Specific Strategies for your family and an explanation of Financial Aid and Scholarship Eligibility.
RESULTS
Motivated, Self-Directed & Confident Young Adults
Ready to Succeed as High School and Undergraduate Students!
STEM EDUCATIONAL AND UNDERGRADUATE COLLEGE APPLICATION ADVISING
Expert STEM college planning and college advising isn’t limited to our physical office. You’ll have access to Bonnie Rabin, Ph.D. through online platforms including SKYPE & Zoom. Receive expert STEM college admissions and STEM application advice and personal service at convenient appointments to fit your busy schedule.
Your STEM path starts here with Bonnie R. Rabin, Ph.D. and Phyllis Serfaty, M.A., your STEM educational specialists!
Discover unique STEM majors many that cross disciplines in innovating and exciting ways!
Aspiring STEM students! STEM fields are UNIQUE!! Working with an expert in STEM College Admissions throughout high-school will prepare you for academic success.
Do you enjoy and excel in your science and math courses? Do you think you want to become a physician? Maybe you’ve learned to code and write APPs or were told you would make a great engineer?
Bonnie R. Rabin, Ph.D, provides pre-college STEM academic advising, ensuring academic success and helping you set yourself apart from other STEM college applicants.
- Develop your unique research interests in traditional & cutting-edge areas of science, math, engineering and technology.
- Receive guidance in selecting your high-school curriculum and competitive grade-level appropriate summer research programs enhancing your education and STEM activities resume.
- Receive support for identifying and participating in appropriate grade-level local, regional and national STEM competitions.
You might be the next Tony Stark or follow in the footsteps of Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook), Bill Gates (Microsoft), Sally Ride (NASA), Jeff Bezoz (Amazon), Shigeru Miyamoto (Nintendo), Jeffrey Katzenberg (Dreamworks Animation), Caterina Fake (Flickr), Helen Greiner (iRobot), or Antonia Coello Novello (Surgeon General).
What Exactly is a “STEM” Major?
Traditional STEM majors include: Science (Biology, Physics, Chemistry), Technology (Computer Science, Information Systems), Engineering (e.g. Mechanical, Chemical, Electrical, etc.) and Mathematics. The complete list contains dozens of other subjects and extends far beyond the courses you’ve explored in your high school AP, AICE or IB classes. See our list of recent student majors above.
Given your interests and strengths, let me guide you to the discovery of unique and cutting-edge STEM majors.
You might be surprised to learn that there are STEM majors for students who enjoy the liberal arts and those interested in business, social sciences and even the fine arts.
A variety of fields have been influenced by the analytical approaches and scientific techniques defining STEM programs. Collaboration taking place within multi-disciplinary teams is the direction of future innovation in all fields.
Discover your passion!
Meet with Bonnie R. Rabin, Ph.D., STEM Admissions Expert
HOW TO PREPARE FOR A STEM EDUCATION?
The nature of STEM fields continues to evolve. Advanced preparation for an undergraduate STEM major should include the following:
Mathematics
All STEM fields require a level of comfort and aptitude for quantitative analysis. For example, all engineering programs have math prerequisites; pre-med students need to complete rigorous chemistry classes requiring mathematics; and business school students, especially those in finance and marketing should anticipate coursework in advanced statistics and calculus. Therefore, we advise taking high school coursework that prepares students for calculus, statistics and advanced mathematical coursework.
STEM AP/AICE/IB coursework
STEM majors are more structured than others leaving few credits for exploration while enrolled as an undergraduate. Achieving high (threshold) scores on AP STEM exams related to your chosen major not only enhances your chances of college admission, but better prepares you for the challenging coursework ahead by creating opportunities to enroll in non-STEM electives/minors while enrolled as an undergraduate. Challenge yourself to complete as many of these AP classes as possible during high school: Computer Science, Calculus, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Statistics
Coding
Students in all fields, from gaming and filmmaking to finance and medicine, are at a competitive advantage if they have acquired basic programming skills. Robotics and Artificial Intelligence continue to influence all fields. Understanding the basics of coding is essential to success in STEM and many disciplines. Have you considered “Computational Finance” or “Computational Biology” as potential majors blending an interest in Computer Science with a traditional business or science field?
Multi-disciplinary problem-solving is typical in the fast-paced and incredibly competitive technical sector.
Receive Insider Tips
STEM Planning & College Admissions
Why is STEM College Admissions Different?
How do I increase my Chances of Admissions?
First and foremost, the most important piece of advice I can provide is to discover an area that you are truly passionate about and dive in! My proprietary approach to guided academic discovery allows each student to build a unique and well-informed STEM Educational and College Admissions Plan as early as middle school! What question do you want to answer?
INFORMED INTEREST
STEM curricula are intense and challenging! An astounding 25% of all intended engineering students exit the field after their freshman year. Only 40% of college students who declare a STEM major complete their degree. Therefore, it is essential that you demonstrate to the admissions committee that you understand the challenges ahead.
More than any other major, STEM applicants must clearly demonstrate informed interest. Your application must leave no doubt that you are prepared to succeed in some of the most demanding academic majors.
How do I increase my chances of admission?
With our guidance, you will demonstrate STEM “informed interest” and:
- Develop your unique research interests in traditional and cutting-edge areas of science, technology, engineering and math.
- Strategically select your high school curriculum and competitive grade-level appropriate summer research programs, enhancing your education and STEM resume.
- Identify STEM extracurricular activities and independent projects.
- Explore new interdisciplinary majors that overlap with STEM like Computational Finance, Oenology, Cognitive Psychology or Human-Computer Interaction.
- On your Common Application, write thoughtful college specific supplemental essays to demonstrate your maturity and ability to tackle STEM majors.
- Learn how to present an effective admissions portfolio showcasing your strengths and/or research accomplishments as an aspiring STEM student.
- Identify and participate in appropriate grade-level local, regional and national STEM competitions.
- Explore and consider traditional and lessor-known cutting-edge STEM fields and BLENDED STEM MAJORS
Allow me to help you think outside the box, increasing your chances of admission. STEM majors such as Nanotechnology, Computational Finance, Oenology, Cognitive Psychology, Human Computer Interaction are just the tip of the iceberg of exciting STEM fields of study.
Many colleges have unique programs balancing a STEM field with an interest in the social science, liberal arts, business or even the fine arts! With the cost of a four-year education continuing to rise, families are justified in exploring the ROI of any major. Employers are seeking STEM graduates who demonstrate an ability to communicate, manage and collaborate with others.
Ask me about unique STEM degree programs combining engineering with liberal arts, fine arts and international studies!
Do you know which universities offer higher merit-based scholarship for STEM majors?
With three decades of university experience, Bonnie R. Rabin, Ph.D., has extensive knowledge of undergraduate and graduate curricula and degree requirements. Based on your academic strengths and personal interests, we will work together to help you create a personalized STEM Educational and College Admissions plan.
Be Inspired! Let me help you take the next step!
Request your complimentary consultation.
STEM RESEARCH AND COMPETITION
Engage in competition at the local, state and national levels!
Why is participating in STEM research competition particularly important for success on your Common Application?
- Enhance your high school STEM education!
- Develop your unique research interests: i.e. Biomedical Tissue Culture, Animated Film, Genomics, Green Energy!
- Increase your chances of admission and make your Common Application stand out!
- Present an effective admissions portfolio showcasing and distinguishing your strengths as an aspiring STEM student. (Learn how to showcase our research accomplishments on your Common and Coalition college applications).
- By participating in a major STEM competition (contact me to match you to a specific and grade-appropriate competition), you’ll set yourself apart from other high school applicants having the same GPAs and extensive extracurricular accomplishments.
- Admissions representatives prefer students who have already demonstrated an ability to conduct independent research essential to the problem solving you’ll experience as a STEM undergraduate.
- Through academic research (lab work, computer science programs/APPs, math competition), STEM competition not only enhances your pre-college education, it effectively demonstrates an ability to accomplish a major task validating your creativity, independence and ability to see a task to completion.
It doesn’t matter whether you win first place at Intel; participation is impressive and unique!
We maintain an extensive database of available STEM based venues as well as ideas for feasible independent projects.
Think beyond FIRST Robotics, Science Olympiad or HOSA.
So much more awaits you….
MEET PHYLLIS SERFATY
OUR EXPERIENCED STEM COMPETITION EDUCATOR
Phyllis Serfaty has been a science research teacher and consultant for the past 17 years. She has managed over 350 students, many of whom have won first place in national and international science competitions. She holds an M.S. in Biology and an M.S. in Educational Administration, having taught at both the University and high school levels. She has been instrumental in launching research programs in both public and private settings.