Zach Pava: Senior College Admissions Counselor

Hello! My name is Zach Pava and I am a Senior College Admissions Counselor with Insight Education. The oldest of three brothers, I grew up in Newton Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston, and graduated from Trinity College in Hartford with a B.S. in Psychology. It has been a wonderful experience to work with an extraordinary team of professionals at Insight, who provide a comprehensive, but personalized approach to college admissions counseling.

My previous experience as a teacher, counselor, and behavioral coach has enabled me to successfully guide Insight students from the more open-ended nature of freshman year to the more rigorous demands placed on upperclassmen. My background in psychology and managerial experience has allowed me to assess the specific needs of other people. No two students are exactly alike, as each brings his or her own unique personalities, talents, and goals to the admissions process.

A creative writer throughout my life, I believe there is no better place for students to distinguish themselves than through their college essays. Colleges want to know who you are, not just what you’ve done. With tutoring certifications in writing and editing and a decade spent guiding students to develop their ideas using constricted word counts, I will help to ensure that your essay is the one that stands out.

In my role as a college admissions counselor at Insight, I have worked with high school students applying to the UCs, CSUs, BS/MD programs, International schools, and world-class technical institutions like MIT. I have worked with seniors on the Coalition Application, which features UIUC, UT Austin, Maryland, and Washington, and also supported hundreds of students with the Common Application, which includes the Ivy League, the NESCAC, and the Claremont Colleges. I have helped students to successfully navigate applications to Stanford, Michigan, Duke, NYU, Northeastern, BU, Wisconsin, UNC, Purdue, USC, Santa Clara, Tufts, Emory, GaTech, CMU, and Northwestern, among others. Additionally, I have led Insight’s counseling clinics, taught ACT classes, and worked with many college students on transfer applications during their freshman and sophomore years at the university level.

As the lead counselor and head of our Boston office, I have the unique opportunity to work with live clients and remote clients from coast to coast. This enables my students the flexibility to work with a remote counselor from home while still utilizing all of the resources and services in our Cupertino office. I also travel to meet students in-person several times throughout the year.

When not conducting mock interviews, helping with course selection, or brainstorming college essays, I can be found cheering on the Celtics at the Garden, relaxing on the beaches of Maine, and exploring playgrounds with my kids, who always keep me on my toes.

I can’t wait to meet you!