About Novellea

Shaped by Growth. Defined by the Future

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Mission statement

Our Mission

At Novellea, we are dedicated to guiding families and students through one of the most pivotal and often challenging phases of life: the journey toward higher education.

We recognize that the college application process is not only academically demanding but emotionally complex—especially for students who are still forming their sense of identity, and for families striving to support them. Our mission is to provide clear, compassionate, and strategic guidance that supports both personal development and academic outcomes.

We work closely with students and parents to identify the most fitting educational pathways—schools that align with each student’s strengths, values, and long-term goals. At every step, we aim to be trusted advisors, committed to both the student’s growth and their success.

why novellea

What Makes Us Different

Personalized Strategy

Every student’s journey is unique. We create tailored plans based on each student’s strengths, interests, and long-term growth — not templates or rankings.

Family-Centered Approach

We work closely with both students and parents, building a strong partnership to support independent development while keeping families informed, aligned, and empowered.

Growth Beyond Admissions

Our focus extends beyond the application process. We help students discover their passions, build real-world skills, and prepare for meaningful success in college — and beyond.

The Team

Meet Our Counselors

Hua Songyan Jiang

Hua Jiang is not your quiet, clipboard-toting college counselor. She’s the one you call when things are messy, unclear, or just a lot…

  • University of Wisconsin–Madison double major in Communication Arts and East Asian Studies
  • Master’s degree in Human Resources Management
  • 11 years of college counseling experience; over 200 families supported across international and U.S.-based schools
  • 5+ years as senior strategist specializing in profile positioning and application planning
  • Student acceptances include: Princeton, MIT, Harvard, Yale, UChicago, UPenn, Northwestern, Cornell, Williams and more
  • Known for her high-energy, solution-oriented style and ability to keep families grounded—even when everything feels overwhelming

Hua Jiang is not your quiet, clipboard-toting college counselor. She’s the one you call when things are messy, unclear, or just a lot.  With over a decade of experience in education consulting, Hua combines deep strategic insight with a sharp sense of humor and a talent for cutting through chaos.

She’s guided hundreds of students toward schools that truly fit—academically, personally, and emotionally—while helping parents navigate the anxiety and pressure that often come with the process. Her background as a lead strategist makes her especially skilled at identifying patterns, challenges, and strengths in a student’s profile, fast.

She’s known for her loud laugh, direct communication, and relentless focus on finding a way forward—no matter how complicated things get.

Counseling Philosophy:

Confidence is contagious—and so is clarity.

Hua believes in showing up fully for her students: with honesty, positivity, and a plan. Her goal is to make families feel seen, supported, and completely capable of handling whatever comes next.

Carol Wang

Carol is a UC Berkeley-certified educational counselor who brings a unique blend of institutional insight and cross-cultural expertise to her practice…

  • UC Berkeley-certified counselor with a Master’s in Education from The Ohio State University

  • 9 years of cross-cultural counseling experience, having guided 150+ students from U.S., U.K., Hong Kong, Singapore, and Mainland China-based international high schools

  • Over 90% Top 30 U.S. university acceptance rate in recent years

  • Student-centered, globally minded guidance that fosters civic awareness and lifelong growth

Carol is a UC Berkeley-certified educational counselor with a Master’s degree in Education. With over six years of hands-on counseling experience in the San Francisco Bay Area, including roles in both a public high school and a private educational company, Carol brings a unique blend of institutional insight and cross-cultural expertise to her practice.

After returning to Asia, Carol has focused on guiding students from U.S., U.K., Hong Kong, Singapore, and Mainland China-based international and bilingual schools through the complex U.S. college admissions landscape. In recent years, over 90% of her students have been admitted to Top 30 U.S. universities and liberal art colleges, including Stanford, Columbia, UChicago, Northwestern, Cornell, Wellesley, Pomona and more.

Counseling Philosophy: Empowering students to find their own path and their place in the world.
Carol’s counseling style is rooted in encouragement, trust, and individualized support. She works closely with each student to help them understand themselves, explore meaningful options, and make decisions that truly reflect their values and aspirations. At the heart of her philosophy is a commitment to fostering civic awareness and social responsibility, empowering students not only to gain college admission, but to grow into engaged global citizens prepared to thrive in a complex world.

Elena Li

With an analytical mind and a reader’s curiosity, Elena thrives on helping students uncover paths they might not have seen themselves…

  • University of British Columbia, Bachelor of Science
  • 8+ years guiding students across international curricula (IB, AP, A-Level, and US boarding school curriculum)

Elena isn’t just a counselor—she’s a collaborator. With an analytical mind and a reader’s curiosity, she thrives on helping students uncover paths they might not have seen themselves. Elena meets each journey with patience, precision, and an open map of possibilities.

Her background is as multidimensional as her students: 100+ students supported with admits to Cornell (Architecture), CMU (Music), ArtCenter (Transportation Design), NYU (Nutrition and Food Studies), Emory (Human Health), UC Berkeley (Enviromental Design), NYU Shanghai, Duke Kunshan, and more.

Elena believes the best choices emerge when logic and intuition shake hands. She combines data-driven planning with a human touch. Her counseling philosophy: Education is about options, not just outcomes.

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