Co-founder & director
Matt Symonds
Highlights & Achievements
- Co-Founder of Fortuna Admissions
- Columnist for Forbes, The Economist, BusinessWeek, BBC & AméricaEconomÃa
- Delivered Admissions Workshops to 80,000+ Applicants Worldwide
- 28+ Years of Experience in Global Admissions Strategy
Matt Symonds is one of the most influential voices in global education. In addition to co-founding Fortuna Admissions he has spent nearly three decades working with leading schools, deans, faculty, and applicants across every continent. A trusted columnist for Forbes, The Economist, BusinessWeek, the BBC, and AméricaEconomÃa, Matt brings a world-class perspective to Fortuna’s clients.
Matt is often the first point of contact for students, helping them assess their candidacy with directness, warmth, and an unmatched knowledge of what top-tier schools are looking for. Known for his candid assessments and belief in human potential, Matt has helped thousands of candidates – from all walks of life – get into programs like Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Cambridge, and beyond.
His reach in the industry and deep understanding of admissions strategy make him a sought-after speaker, media guest, and guiding voice in the education world. Prior to launching Kaplan Test Prep in Europe, Matt was lead singer in a rock band, and is still game for a karaoke challenge!
Real Reviews From Real Clients
Candidates Love Working With Matt
Went Above and Beyond the Stats
“Matt took a real interest in me as a person…he went beyond the stats to understand my goals and find the true strengths in my application.”
Stanford GSB, MIT Sloan
and Wharton admit
Supportive, Kind, Expert Guidance
“Matt believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. His support, kindness, and expert guidance played a huge part in my application journey.”
HBS admit
Q&A with Matt
What’s your coaching superpower?
I’m typically one of the first members of the Fortuna team to speak with enquiries, and with more than 25 years’ experience working with students I can usually give them a very informed sense of their chances of admissions success to the top schools. That means being very candid about their chances, whether at Harvard, Stanford, Oxford, or any other school. They all seem to appreciate the honesty, and are sometimes surprised by my belief in the quality of their profile and their personal story. It is so lovely many months later to then see them being admitted to their dream school. Humility is a wonderful quality, and more powerful when matched with self-belief.
What’s your top piece of advice for admissions candidates?
Though the selectivity of the top schools can be daunting, my advice is to embrace this opportunity to think about what you really hope to achieve in life, and enjoy applying to college. Just as you can tell when somebody is smiling on the other end of the telephone, so it is with admissions officers – they can tell when you have enjoyed this chance for self-reflection, and the outcome is always more positive.