Chelese Belmont: Senior College Admissions Counselor

Hello!

I’m Chelese Belmont, a Senior College Admissions Counselor at Insight Education—and proudly the longest-tenured member of our counseling team outside of ownership.

For more than twenty years, I’ve been helping students craft powerful college applications and personal statements that open doors to their dream schools. I do this work with heart, grit, creativity, and a touch of humor. I’m known for being a straight shooter who earns the trust of teens quickly, connects deeply with families, and never stops advocating for my students. Whether we’re brainstorming essays or mapping out a college list, I meet students where they are and push them to uncover their authentic voice and present their very best self.

I’ve had the privilege of guiding students into the Ivy League, top UCs, elite liberal arts colleges, and highly competitive national universities, as well as selective graduate and doctoral programs. Over the years, my students have earned admission to some of the most sought-after schools in the country, including Duke, Georgetown, Northwestern, Pomona College, Stanford, UT Austin, the University of Michigan, UC Berkeley (including the prestigious EECS program), Carnegie Mellon University, UCLA, UC Davis and all of the UCs, the University of Chicago, Harvard University, USC, Babson, Dartmouth, Johns Hopkins, NYU and NYU Stern, the University of Oregon, the University of Arizona, Washington University in St. Louis, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Virginia, the California Institute of Technology (CalTech), MIT, and McGill University in Canada, among many others.

In addition to college admissions, I also help students gain entry into highly selective summer programs and internships that give them both a competitive edge and a sense of direction. My students have been accepted to programs such as Penn’s Management & Technology Summer Institute and LBW, Boston University RISE, Stanford SIMR, COSMOS, CSSSA, Yale Young Global Scholars, UC Santa Barbara RMP, UC Santa Cruz’s Science Internship Program (SIP), UC Irvine x GATI, the University of Michigan’s Ross Business Academy, and world-renowned music intensives at Tanglewood and Interlochen. They’ve also secured internships with Boeing, Google, Greenspring Associates (a venture capital firm), the ACLU, and state and local political offices.

Before rejoining Insight Education full-time, I served as Director of College Counseling for a large educational organization where I led a team of 25 counselors while still managing my own caseload. Earlier in my career, I worked as an SAT instructor, AP tutor, and test-prep curriculum developer—including writing practice materials for the redesigned SAT. And yes, I’m that person who loves brainstorming Common App essays and parsing test questions for fun.

My path into education began at UC Berkeley, where I graduated with Honors in U.S. History in just three years. While at Cal, I mentored junior high and high school students in Oakland and discovered my passion for helping young people find their voice. After Berkeley, I earned my Master of Fine Arts in Acting from the Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University, which sharpened my storytelling instincts and deepened my ability to help students express themselves with clarity, confidence, and creativity.

When I’m not working with students, I’m also a professional actress, screenwriter, and independent film producer. My creative life fuels my counseling—I know what it means to take risks, chase bold ideas, and fight for a spot at the table. I bring that same tenacity and resilience to every student I work with.

In my free time, you’ll find me hiking, baking, experimenting with resin art projects, indoor rock climbing (I’m braver on the wall than I am on a rollercoaster), walking my dog, and fully embracing my role as the doting aunt who loves to spoil her nieces and nephew.

If you’re looking for a counselor who is experienced, strategic, and deeply invested in your child’s success, I’d love to meet you. Let’s take the next step together!