About Us
“Shalini was incredibly responsive to us and our son, partnering with him as he wrote his essays. His dream school is known for quirky essay prompts, and her expert guidance and experience allowed him to focus on exactly what the school valued: creativity, individuality, and drilling down into the essence of the question. While he wrote his essays, her assistance was critical in helping his application stand out in an extremely competitive process. Shalini was available at a moment’s notice, whenever any of us had questions about the essays or the admissions process in general. She is a consummate professional and if you are serious about your child going to an elite school, you should not hesitate to put your trust in her, as we did.” — Miami Parent
THE FLEMING DIFFERENCE: Why Work with Us
We know you have options when it comes to college counseling services. We also believe that we can provide students and families with uniquely superior support. Here’s why:
we haven’t just worked at some of the most elite, selective colleges in the country— we have served in significant leadership positions at these schools so we know how admissions decisions are made in the end. Most other firms employ staff who have served only in entry- or mid-level admissions roles.
we are 100% transparent with our services and costs. Go ahead— try and find pricing and packages for other college counseling companies online. Most will ask you to set up a consultation first, but we know you’re busy students and parents and don’t have time to jump through hoops for basic information. And if you are finally able to get other companies’ rates, you’ll find that they are often more expensive than we are.
we’re there when you need us, day or night. Most college counseling companies hound you until you sign a contract, and then take their sweet time responding when you have questions. Some counselors even go offline during major breaks and holidays (this is unacceptable and you shouldn’t take that service, as that is when most students work on their applications). We are exactly the opposite; we never chase or pressure you but if we work together, we’re here at the ready: evenings, weekends, holidays.
students love working with us. Okay, we know this is a little intangible, but don’t take our word for it. Meet us and see for yourself. Or ask us for parent references. And as always, your first consultation is free.
“Working with Shalini was an absolute pleasure; her experience and advice was invaluable in my college essay process. She helped me to find different perspectives and insight into what exactly admissions officers were looking for in my writing. Her friendliness eased my doubts and allowed me to work through my application process with more confidence. “ — Michigan Student
Your Counselors
Shalini Uppu: Co-Founder & Counselor
Shalini grew up in Miami and is a proud alumna of Miami Palmetto Senior High School. After Palmetto, she attended Yale University where she earned a B.A. in history. At Yale, she also worked in the admissions office as a senior interviewer and admissions representative.
For over fifteen years, Shalini served in undergraduate and graduate admissions offices across the country, including leadership positions at the University of Chicago, Reed College, and Duke University. She has reviewed thousands of college applications, chaired admissions committees, and presented at national conferences. She has also given workshops to local schools and teachers on recommendation letters, athletic recruitment, and the role of standardized testing.
During her professional admissions career, Shalini oversaw major initiatives and projects. As director of admission, she participated in merit scholarship decisions for admitted students. She supervised admissions officers at all levels, including training counselors in application review and committee presentation. Finally, Shalini managed office-wide recruitment travel to ensure staff schedules included trips to rural and under-resourced school districts. She has personally recruited and reviewed applications from Florida, New York, California, Washington, Oregon, D.C., and New England.
Shalini serves on the board of the Yale Club of South Florida and volunteers broadly across Miami. She enjoys racquet sports, puns, and long walks at Publix.
shalini@flemingeducationpartners.com
Jessica Morrison: Counselor
With a background in career and college preparation, Jessica brings over twenty years of educational experience to designing and implementing state recognized career and college counseling programs in Colorado.
Prior to this role, Jessica was the founding Executive Director for the Southwest Colorado Education Collaborative that supports building rural collaborations across k-12, higher education, and industries to provide access to career and college opportunities for all students. Previously she held the Director of Career and College Counseling role at Colorado project-based charter school focused on building a career and college going culture and supporting students with acceptances from highly selective institutions across the country. Additional previous experiences include serving as an AmeriCorps NCCC volunteer, teaching philosophy in Honduras, leading prevention programs for youth with Full Circle of Lake County, and providing academic advising as an Academic Advisor for TRiO Talent Search.
Through her years of advising experience, Jessica has received awards from the state of Colorado for her commitment to career and college counseling, advisement, and for curriculum she has built and implemented. Many of her curricular content has been exhibited as state exemplar models for ICAP and are used as resources in the state of Colorado.
Jessica graduated from Bloomsburg University in 2004 with a B.S. in Secondary Education, and in 2015 from Fort Lewis College with an M.A. in Education, Teacher Leadership. She is an alumna of Semester at Sea, Class of 2003, and is a Leadership La Plata graduate with the Class of 2019.
When Jessica is not working to help build a strong community focused on career and college education, she can be found traveling to new places, skiing, backpacking, canning, gardening, and hiking with her husband, Casey, and their dog Olive.
jessica@flemingeducationpartners.com
Partners and Advisors
Lauren Carpenter
Lauren co-founded Carpenter Fine Violins & Collectibles, the leading company in selling fine musical instruments, after having worked at Google for six years. In 2009, she co-founded the Salome Chamber Orchestra in New York City and has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Steinway Hall, and the MET Museum of Art.
She serves on the Boards of Redmont Wealth Advisors as well as the Princeton University Music Department Committee and Salzburg Music Festival Society.
In 2006, she graduated from Princeton University Magna Cum Laude with an A.B. in Politics and minors in Germanic Language, Political Economics, Finance, and Music Performance. Her senior thesis, awarded the Carolyn Picard Thesis Prize, studied the German university system. A winner of the 2004 and 2005 Princeton University Concerto Competitions, Lauren performed the Shostakovich Concerto No.1 and the Brahms Violin Concerto with the Princeton University Orchestra, the same orchestra for which she served as Concertmistress.
Lauren is a tireless advocate for the value of education in our lives and communities. Aside from her distinguished musical pedigree, she has broad-ranging interests in art and art history, neuroscience, business, health and wellness, and international travel. She calls South Florida home where she plays tennis, enjoys the sunshine, and connects great students to the resources they need to begin their college journeys.
Senior Advisor
Christine Oscai
Advisor
Christine Oscai is a product and digital transformation leader specializing in AI, analytics, data modernization, and enterprise technology. Her experience spans healthcare, life sciences, consulting, and technology, including roles at Boston Consulting Group, Pfizer, and UnitedHealthcare. As a Senior Product Manager for Analytics & AI at Availity, she leads the development of AI-powered products and data solutions. She additionally advises organizations on digital transformation, helping them modernize operations, implement ERP and data platforms, and leverage technology to drive growth and efficiency.
Christine is a Chicago native and attended the University of Illinois where she graduated magna cum laude with a BA in Economics. She was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa chapter there. She went on to study at Yale University where she earned an MPH in 2014. Christine is dedicated to helping organizations, companies, and nonprofits improve efficiency and build capacity through technology.