The college journey shouldn't take over your family.
Between grades, demanding courses, activities, testing, college expectations, and the pressure to "do everything," high school can quickly become a source of stress for everyone. Parents can find themselves becoming project managers. Students can feel like every decision is a judgment about their future.
It doesn't have to feel that way.
We provide the structure, perspective, and accountability to navigate High School years and the college admissions process.
The result is a student who becomes more capable of managing what's ahead, leading to stronger academics and increased success.
We help make the path clearer.
- Your student gets a trusted coach who knows them, not just their transcript and list of activities.
- You get guidance without having to manage every deadline, decision, and conversation.
- And together, we create a plan that makes sense for your family, not someone else's.
Our coaching grows with your student.
Our student's needs at 9th grade won't necessarily be their needs at 11th grade. That's why our coaching isn't designed to lock families into a rigid formula. Some students need help getting organized. Some need stronger academic habits. Some are capable but overwhelmed. Some need accountability. Some need help figuring out what they actually want. Some are already thriving and need someone to help them think strategically about what's next. And many need more than one of these things at different points in high school. We continually ask:
What's working? What's changing? What's getting harder? What does your student need now?
The answer guides how we plan every next step.
We don't start with a package.
We start with your student. We learn where they are, where they want to go, what's getting in the way, and what kind of support will actually help. Your student's needs determine the plan. Not the other way around.
Our Story
A mission born from personal experience, built to serve every family with care.
They have substantial experience in Higher Education and had to navigate the college processes as from scratch themselves.
Meet the founders: A partnership that you can trust:
Eliana
Co-Founder
Eliana came to the United States as an international student and spent nearly two decades transforming complex systems in corporate technology before founding Encoding Academic Coaching. Throughout her history, she has established a clear pattern of organizational transformation, while designing training structures that elevate everyone around her. With a career defined by a commitment to mission-driven work, Eliana specializes in consultative and educational Discovery, bridging the gap between complex technological solutions and the unique needs of educational institutions. She lived as a student the weight of well-meaning parents who didn't understand the US system, and now, as a mother herself, she is dedicated to building the support she wishes she had found.
Dr. Maria
Co-Founder
Dr. Maria is a child of immigrants from Latin America and has been a professor of engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. After attending a highly competitive high school on the East Coast, she attended Ivy League universities, graduating Cum Laude with bachelor's and doctorate degrees in engineering. She has earned numerous awards that reflect her technical leadership, innovative creativity, and excellence in student mentoring and education. She has served in a number of institutional leadership roles and community boards (locally and nationally), where she participates in leading national conversations about the future of education and the role of higher education in shaping our future leaders. One of her passions is mentoring independent STEM student research projects and helping students gain confidence in their own talents.
Together, our founding team believes that every student, regardless of background or starting point, can thrive in finding their own success and way to have impact with the right support. They are committed to creating welcoming growth-minded environments where students freely explore potential careers, build their confidence, and gain the tools they need to succeed in the tech-powered world ahead.
Our Counselors
Eliana I.
Founder · 20 yrs in education & tech
College strategy, bilingual family advising
Dr. Mariana S.
PhD, UT Austin
STEM research & passion projects
James T.
Cornell University, BA
Essay coaching & narrative craft
Priya N.
Princeton University, AB
International student admissions
Begin your student's story with a single conversation
No commitment. No pressure. Just a free consultation where we listen to your family and your student.