College applications can feel hellish.
We change that.
Founded in 2023, Eden Academic Advising is a boutique college admissions advising group that seeks to provide the ‘holding hand’ that we lacked during our college application process.
Em Mai Chmiel
Em graduated from Columbia University in 2025 with a bachelor’s in Political Science and Visual Arts. She is a published journalist and writer, currently pursuing her master’s degree at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.
During her time at Columbia, she completed an exchange semester at Cambridge University where she researched the impacts of generative AI on labor forces, intellectual property, and ethics.
Additionally, she was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in Criminal Justice and a Pritzer Pucker Fellowship in the Arts, and later was part of the NYC’s Bridge program’s 2024 cohort—a mentorship program for emerging photographers.
Em is Vietnamese-American and originally from Wilmington, Delaware. She is the first in her family to attend an Ivy League/Oxbridge Institution and is passionate about helping other young students actualize their goals.
Co-founder, mentor
Denizcan Özdemir
Co-founder, mentorDenizcan graduated magna cum laude from Columbia University in 2025 with a degree in Political Science and Human Rights. He is a New York-based educator, advocate, and organizer.
During his time at Columbia, he served on the executive board of the Columbia College Student Council, advising the Dean of the College and the University President on policies affecting the experiences of undergraduate students.
During his senior year, he received several awards recognizing his academic and extracurricular involvement, including the Edward S. Brainard Prize, awarded to the member of the graduating class judged by their classmates to be most worthy of distinction for qualities of mind and character; election to Phi Beta Kappa, the highest scholastic distinction for Columbia College students; and departmental honors in Political Science for his thesis research on New York City public schools.
Denizcan is the first person in his family to graduate from high school or attend college. For several years, he has had the privilege of helping students from a wide range of backgrounds navigate the college admissions process and is deeply committed to expanding access to educational opportunities.
Discover Your Fit
Dream Bigger.
Your future begins with understanding what’s possible. Together, we explore what life at an elite university really looks like—from academics and campus culture to opportunities beyond the classroom—to identify the schools where you can truly thrive.
Build Your Path
From Ambition to Admission
Once you know where you want to go, we help you build the path to get there. From academic planning and standardized testing to extracurricular strategy, school selection, essays, and applications, we guide you through every step of the admissions process with intention and clarity.
Begin Your Next Chapter
From Acceptance to Arrival
Getting accepted is only the beginning. We help you navigate the transition from admission to your first day of university—from making informed decisions about your offer to preparing for the academic, social, and practical realities of college life—so you arrive confident, prepared, and ready to make the most of your experience.
Why EdenYou shouldn’t have to navigate the road to college alone.
Eden was founded by two Ivy League graduates who finished at the top of their classes and were the first in their families to attend an elite university. We know firsthand how much of the admissions process is left unexplained—and how different the process feels when you have someone in your corner.
Your next chapter starts here.
Whether you’re just beginning to explore your options or already deep in the admissions process, we’ll meet you where you are.
Tell us a little about yourself and what you’re looking for. We’ll be in touch to find the right way to work together.
Questions? Reach us at edenacademicadvising@gmail.com