College Admissions Counseling at Lantern: A Team-Based Approach to Student Success
Expert College Admissions Counseling, Delivered by a Collaborative Team
At Lantern College Counseling, students benefit from a unified team—two experienced counselors working together to support every student. Jennifer Stephan and Eliza Yuen bring decades of experience and a student-centered approach that’s grounded in shared insight and consistent collaboration. This dual-counselor model, rare in independent college counseling, ensures each student receives thoughtful, personalized guidance. We bring this team-based approach to every student—because at Lantern, “If you get one of us, you get both of us.”
Together, we bring over 25 years of experience helping high school students apply to and transition to college—and more than 45 years of experience advising and mentoring college students on campus.
Importantly, our partnership isn’t new. We worked as a team for six years at Tufts University, advising students in the School of Engineering. That long-standing collaboration forms the foundation of the seamless support we now provide through Lantern.
Our on-campus experience is a key differentiator. While many families look for a counselor with admissions committee experience (Jennifer served on the Wellesley College Board of Admission for eight years), it’s just as important to understand what happens after a student matriculates. Our deep, daily work with college students gives us the insight to help high schoolers find schools where they will truly thrive—not just get in. We know what success looks like in college, and we use that knowledge to help students make informed, intentional college choices.
This depth of knowledge led us to develop our proprietary Deep-Fit™ approach, rooted in helping students find colleges that support their academic goals, personal development, and long-term success. When you work with Lantern, your child benefits not only from a research-based, student-centered framework, but from a team that brings years of shared experience and unified insight to every student we support.
We don’t just guide students toward thriving in college—we also work with enrolled college students every day in our roles as campus administrators and advisors. Our firsthand experience supporting students once they’re on campus gives us a deep understanding of what success in college truly looks like—and how to help high school students choose the environments where they can thrive.
Over the years, families have told us they don’t just appreciate our expertise—they value the unique experience of having two engaged, experienced counselors working together in seamless partnership.
Explore how our team-based college admissions counseling approach can support your family.
Regular Collaboration, Shared Expertise
Our collaboration isn’t just a shared philosophy—it’s a regular practice. We stay in active communication about each student to provide thoughtful, responsive guidance throughout the process. From the earliest stages of list building—where we work together to develop balanced, personalized college lists with detailed admissions probability coding—to the final college choice, we work side by side to guide each student with care and insight.
We also review students’ essays and application materials together. Each draft benefits from two sets of eyes and complementary perspectives, helping students clarify their voice and strengthen their message. Throughout the process, our combined insight supports families in making informed decisions, reducing stress, and staying on track.
Two Experts, One Powerful Experience
Students benefit from the combined strength of our distinct experience—whether they’re pursuing computer science, exploring Canadian universities, or diving into the arts or business. Our ongoing collaboration brings together two perspectives, one mission, and exceptional support tailored to each student’s goals.
What Families Can Expect
Families who work with Lantern receive personalized, thoughtful support—delivered through a true team approach. Each student receives our full support throughout the process. But we also believe in consistent relationships, which is why one of us typically takes the lead in meeting with your child. Because we work in constant partnership, we’re always aligned—and we both bring our full attention and expertise to every student we support.
We’re in frequent communication with students and parents—providing updates after every meeting, offering personalized check-ins, and sharing regular emails with key deadlines, important updates, and timely advice to help families stay informed and on track.
Because we regularly collaborate so closely, there’s always continuity and alignment. Our shared insight, coordination, and deep investment in each student mean that no detail is overlooked. Families feel supported at every step—and students know they have a whole team in their corner.
As one parent shared, “Congratulations, Jennifer, for building such a caring and knowledgeable team!” Another reflected, “We could not be more pleased that we engaged in this process with Eliza, Jennifer, and the Lantern group.”
Two college admissions counselors, one mission: your student’s success.
Proven Success: Class of 2025 Outcomes
We worked with 30 students in the Class of 2025—an intentionally small caseload between the two of us that allowed for highly personalized, thoughtful support. Their outcomes reflect the strength of our collaborative approach and the depth of our student partnerships. Our students were accepted to a wide range of impressive colleges and universities—a testament to both the versatility of our Deep-Fit methodology and the power of our team-based model. The list below highlights a selection of schools where our students were admitted, showcasing the breadth of outcomes.
Boston University
Bowdoin College
Brown University
Carnegie Mellon University
Case Western Reserve University
Concordia University
Denison University
Georgia Institute of Technology
Harvard University
Indiana University
Lehigh University
Lewis and Clark College
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
McGill University
Northeastern University
Pratt Institute
Skidmore College
Smith College
Syracuse University
The New School
University of California–Los Angeles
University of Chicago
University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Rochester
University of Texas–Austin
University of Virginia
University of Washington–Seattle
Vanderbilt University
Villanova University
Washington University in St. Louis
Wesleyan University
and more!
Our students came from 26 public and 4 private high schools across 10 U.S. states and countries, including Massachusetts, California, Washington, Illinois, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, New York, Ohio, and India. Thirteen students will attend public universities, and 17 will attend private colleges. Nineteen students were admitted to a college they applied to in an early round.
Two students chose to attend university in Canada—McGill and Concordia—reflecting a growing interest in Canadian institutions that we are uniquely equipped to support. Now based in Canada, Eliza brings deep, firsthand expertise in the Canadian higher education system—she attended Canadian universities herself and, prior to joining Lantern, guided students through the Canadian admissions process during her years of work with Pathways to Education Canada. Her insight into Canadian application processes, academic structures, and institutional cultures ensures that students considering Canadian universities receive expert, regionally informed guidance.
Our cross-border knowledge expands the possibilities for students seeking a Deep-Fit beyond the U.S.
Our work spans every academic path—from highly selective STEM programs to wide-ranging liberal arts and interdisciplinary fields.
Our students pursued a wide range of academic interests:
8 students majoring in computer science
9 in other STEM fields (engineering, neuroscience, architecture, health, and environmental science)
13 in non-STEM fields (including business, political science, the arts, humanities, and social sciences)
While Lantern is well known for our STEM and computer science expertise, about half of our students—this year and in past years—express interest in non-STEM majors. This breadth reflects both the versatility of our Deep-Fit methodology and the strength of our collaborative model.
Our strong collaboration allows us to support students across every academic interest and goal. Whether a student is drawn to engineering, fashion design, game development, or global health, our focus remains the same: helping them identify the environments where they’ll grow, succeed, and thrive—academically and beyond.
Are you looking for expert, personalized college counseling?
Partnering Together and With You for the Journey Ahead
Choosing a college counselor is a big decision—and it matters who’s on your team.
At Lantern, our mission is to guide students to make thoughtful, informed college choices—helping them gain admission to schools where they can thrive with confidence, direction, and purpose. Deep-Fit is at the heart of this commitment—our framework for helping students discover colleges where they’ll be challenged, supported, and inspired to grow with purpose.
Whatever your student’s goals—academic interests, geographic preferences, or college type—we bring decades of insight to help them make informed, confident choices throughout the college admissions process.
When you work with Lantern, you gain more than just a college counselor. You gain a collaborative team with decades of campus-based experience, a structured and research-driven approach, and a deep commitment to student well-being. If you're ready to explore how this team-based, student-centered model can support your child, we’d love to connect.