Counselor Profile
Katie is a former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at MIT and specializes in guiding international students through the admissions process and supporting students interested in STEM.
Katie graduated from Boston College with undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Human Development and went on to get her master’s degree in Higher Education Administration also at BC. While pursuing her graduate degree, Katie worked in the undergraduate admissions office at Boston College as a graduate assistant, reading applications and counseling prospective students and their families on the admissions process at BC.
After completing her graduate degree, Katie went on to work in admissions at MIT. As a Senior Assistant Director of Admissions, Katie was responsible for reading and evaluating domestic and international applications, as well as traveling to various regions of the U.S. Katie has extensive experience reading international applications, specifically those from Europe and Asia. In addition to her time at MIT, Katie was a Director of College and School Counseling at a Boston-area independent school.
Katie loves working with students and their families to help them achieve their higher education goals. She particularly enjoys helping students use their college search process as a time for self-exploration and discovery. Applying to college is a stressful experience for families and Katie seeks to demystify the process and help families to enjoy the experience, using her honest, straightforward perspective and humorous demeanor.
Katie has extensive experience working with students interested in pursuing STEM, Pre-Med, interdisciplinary studies as well as international students attending high school both in the US and abroad. As a graduate of a prestigious American school in the Netherlands, Katie is very familiar with many international school curricula, including the IB, British system (GCSEs/A-Levels), French Baccalaureate, and German Arbitur, among others. Katie has worked with students from across the globe, including those coming from across Europe, the MENA region, Central America, and Southeast Asia. She is also a Counseling Team Leader, helping to train and provide ongoing professional development to all IvyWise counselors.
Outside of college counseling, Katie enjoys sharing her love of cooking, baking, gardening, many forms of exercise, and — most importantly — traveling the world from her home in Maine with her husband and two young children.
Counselor Features
Webinars
- MIT: How to Get In and What to Know
- Catch Their Eye: How to Write Compelling College Application Essays
- Standardized Testing in a Test-Optional Landscape
Articles
- How to Build a Strong Student Profile for College Admissions
- What Do Admissions Officers Look for in STEM Applicants?
- Developing “Pointy” Students: Taking a Cue from Fictional Icons
- An Expat’s Guide to U.S. College Admissions
IvyWise in the news
- So Your Teen Wants a Summer Job—How Much Should Parents Step In to Help?
- A tool across eras: How college rankings continue to shape school prestige
- Everything You Need to Know About College Rolling Admissions
- Reporting on College Rankings and Ratings
- In Her Own Words: Katie Burns’ advice to parents and kids on college choices
- How to Deal With a Bad College Roommate
- High school students making the most of Summer break: Plan for College
- Is Graduate School Worth the Cost?
- College Counselor discusses National College Decision Day
- Seeking College-Admissions Edge, More Students Take Gap Year
- Decision Time: Which MBA Program Offer Should You Accept?
- How Did the Pandemic Change STEM Careers?
- Will Scandal Change How People View College Rankings?
- Paying for Meals at College: What to Know About Costs
- Admissions Consultants Praise College Board’s Shift to Virtual SAT
- The Impact of COVID-19 on Higher Education
- Schools Are Doing Away With Admissions Advantages for Children of Alumni. Will It Change College Prep?
- 5 U.S. College Admissions Mistakes International Students Make