The College Solutions Team is Growing! Meet Our Three Newest Experts
We’re thrilled to share some exciting news: The College Solutions team is growing!
As our team and our knowledge base continues to expand, the College Solutions community remains committed to strategically guiding students in every step of their college application journey. We’re dedicated to bringing in experienced professionals who care deeply about student success and understand admissions inside and out.
Please join us in welcoming our three newest team members:
Pierce Coughter
VP of Policy and Outreach & Senior Counselor
Pierce joins College Solutions as our new Vice President of Policy and Outreach and as a member of the Leadership Team. A graduate of the University of Virginia, Pierce brings more than a decade of admissions leadership experience, including senior roles at UVA and most recently serving as Director of Undergraduate Admissions at UVA’s McIntire School of Commerce.
His background spans highly selective admissions, undergraduate business programs, and transfer admissions. At College Solutions, Pierce will serve as our resident expert on transfer students while also leading research and policy analysis initiatives and supporting counselor education. Pierce will also work directly with a full counseling load of students, ensuring his leadership remains deeply grounded in the day-to-day student experience.
Jessica Kochiss
Counselor
Based in Davidson, North Carolina and a graduate of Clemson University, Jessica brings a strong background in admissions, partnerships, and program development across higher education.
Her experience includes work with UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, Wake Forest University, and Davidson College. She has also served as an admissions reader for both Duke University and the University of Wisconsin. Jessica brings deep expertise in building pre-college programs, cultivating strategic partnerships, and supporting outreach and communications efforts, strengthening our ability to connect meaningfully with students and institutions alike.
Emily O’Brian
Counselor
Emily has served as an Assistant Director in UNC–Chapel Hill’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions for three years. A graduate of Vanderbilt University, Emily brings extensive, hands-on experience reading highly competitive first-year and transfer applications, supporting merit scholarship selection, and counseling both students and families. She also offers valuable expertise in honors colleges and international recruitment, further broadening the insight and guidance available to our clients.
We could not be more excited to expand the College Solutions team with these three talented and experienced professionals. As our team grows, so does our collective expertise, ensuring that our students have an exceptional depth of knowledge and perspective.
Please join us in welcoming Pierce, Jessica, and Emily to our growing community of experts!