Our Story

Our mission is to prepare education leaders and innovators who will change the world by expanding opportunities and outcomes for learners everywhere.

What Makes CollegeReach Special

CollegeReach was founded in 2026 by Alex Poll, Kenan Tabachnik, and Sean Lu with a
simple but powerful belief: every student deserves accessible expert guidance through one of the most important journeys of their life. the college admissions process. While the journey from high school to college can be complex, opaque, and overwhelming, and we’re here to change that.

CollegeReach stands out amongst other programs by pairing your students with vetted, top-performing current college students acting as Mentors in the college admissions process. This means clients receive guidance that is current, relevant, and rooted in real, recent experience, not outdated playbooks.

We are also deeply committed to making our services accessible. CollegeReach
is built on an affordability-first model, offering flexible pricing designed to serve
families across all financial backgrounds. Expert college consulting shouldn’t be
reserved for a select few, and with CollegeReach, it isn’t.

Founders

Kenan Tabachnik

Bio: Kenan graduated from Ohio State University, where he studied Finance and Leadership. Through coursework in organizational behavior and communication, he learned how to guide people through difficult decisions, and brought that to life as a recruitment host for Ohio State Football, walking prospective students through the college decision process firsthand. He brings that same approach to CollegeReach, believing every student deserves real guidance when it matters most.

Alex Poll

Bio: Alex graduated from the University of Texas School of McCombs with a degree in Management Information Systems. He has spent several years in college admissions consulting and has helped dozens of students gain admission to their dream schools. He also spent a year in a fellowship program with Teach For America, tutoring students across subjects. Now he brings that same experience and passion to families at CollegeReach to help students unlock their full educational potential.

Sean Lu

Bio: Sean graduated from Vanderbilt University, where he studied Economics and Human & Organizational Development. Sean’s passion for education and access runs deep – as Vice President of Better Education for Stronger Teeth, he helped bring oral health education to over 13,000 underprivileged children across the world. He brings that same commitment to CollegeReach, believing every student deserves a clear path forward in the admissions process.

Advisors bios

Currently attends: Johns Hopkins University

Graduation year: 2029

High School Statistics: Class ranked 14/277; 4.4 GPA Weighted, 4.0 UW

Current major(s): Public Health

Currently attends: Dartmouth

Graduation year: 2029

High School Statistics: 1490 SAT, AP Scholar with Distinction, Valedictorian

High School Extracurriculars: Harvard & Yale Book Awardee, Non-Profit Founder, Intern @ Advanced Surgical Care, President at Women in STEM Club

Current major(s): Neuroscience

Current minor(s): French

Currently attends: University of Pennsylvania (UPenn)

Graduation year: 2029

High School Statistics: 1550 SAT

High School Extracurriculars: Varsity Golf, Business Club VP, Philosophy Club President, 250+ hours volunteering teaching Hindi, Non-profit founder

Current major(s): Economics

Current minor(s): Real Estate Concentration, Data Science

Currently attends: Swarthmore

Graduation year: 2029

High School Statistics: Top 5% of class

High School Extracurriculars: Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar, QuestBridge Scholar, Writing Center, President of 4 Student Organizations

Current major(s): Psychology, Education

Current minor(s): Pre-Law Certification

Currently attends: Graduated; Ohio State University alumni

Graduation year: 2024

High School Statistics: Top 5% of class, 33 ACT

High School Extracurriculars: Football, National Honor Society

Current major(s): BBA, Finance

Current minor(s): N/A

Currently attends: Graduated; Vanderbilt University alumni

Graduation year: 2024

High School Statistics: Top 10 in class, 35 ACT

High School Extracurriculars: Varsity Tennis, National Honor Society

Current major(s): Human and Organizational Development, Economics

Current minor(s): N/A

Founding Team

Alex and Kenan share a conviction that the college admissions process shouldn’t be a maze that only some students know how to navigate. They built CollegeReach to change that, bringing structure, expertise, and genuine care to a process that can define a student’s future.

Alex Poll graduated from the University of Texas, where he studied Management Information Systems. Kenan Tabachnik graduated from Ohio State University, where he studied Finance and Leadership. The two met working together in management consulting at L.E.K. Consulting, where they developed a shared passion for structured problem-solving, coaching, and helping others reach their potential.

Alex also previously co-foundered College Connected, a college consulting company he helped build and scale, giving CollegeReach a proven operational foundation and a track record of real student outcomes from day one. Together, they’ve assembled a growing team of carefully vetted college student mentors, each selected for their academic track record and ability to connect with and guide prospective applicants.

No two students are the same, and CollegeReach is built around that reality. Whether your student is a high achiever aiming for elite schools or someone still figuring out the right path, our team has the experience to meet them where they are and guide them toward where they want to go.

Why Us

Mentors who've just been there. Our mentors are carefully vetted current college students whose recent, firsthand experience makes them deeply relevant. They know today's admissions landscape because they navigated it themselves, so the guidance your student receives is timely, accurate, and grounded in how the process actually works right now.

Flexible for every student. No two students are the same, so our programs are built to adapt. Whether your student needs light monthly guidance or intensive, hands-on support, we shape our plans around their goals, pace, and circumstances, making sure every kind of student has a path that fits.

Accessible to all students. We price our programs to be within reach, offer scholarships to families who need them, and do pro bono work to support the broader community. Quality college guidance shouldn't depend on what you can afford, and we build our business around making sure it doesn't.

Committed to your satisfaction. We guarantee satisfaction and stay engaged throughout the process, checking in regularly on both progress and how your family feels about it. Our holistic programs are designed around constant communication, so you're always supported and always confident in where things stand.

Our Value Proposition

Expert Mentors, Real Results

Our mentor network is made up of vetted, high-performing current college students who have recently navigated the admissions process themselves. Their firsthand experience, combined with CollegeReach's training and oversight, means your student gets sharp, relevant guidance at a price point that works for families of all backgrounds.

End-to-End Support

From building a balanced college list to finalizing enrollment, CollegeReach covers the full arc of the admissions process. We offer college list curation, essay reviews, test strategy, interview prep, financial aid guidance, extracurricular coaching, and more, all through one streamlined online platform.

Accessible for Every Family

We believe affordability and quality can coexist. CollegeReach is designed from the ground up to serve students of all backgrounds, with flexible pricing that reflects our commitment to making expert guidance available to everyone.

A Team That's Invested in You

Every student has a unique story, unique strengths, and a unique path ahead. When you work with CollegeReach, you get a dedicated team that takes the time to understand all of that, tracking your student's progress, keeping your family informed, and staying genuinely committed to helping them succeed.

Transforming students' lives is what we do.

Alex, Sean, and Kenan have a track record of transforming students’ post-secondary futures, no matter their starting point. Schedule a call with us now and understand the impact we can have with your student.