Lynda McGee  (she/her)

Lynda is a veteran college counselor born and raised in Los Angeles, where she has guided thousands of students—many from first-generation and underrepresented backgrounds—toward higher education. She is a graduate of Xavier University in New Orleans, where she received her Bachelor’s degree in English Education, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, with a Master’s in Educational Psychology. She furthered her education with a College Counseling Certificate from UCLA. 

Known for her fierce advocacy and personalized guidance, Lynda has spent her career helping students navigate the complex college admissions process, secure financial aid, and challenge their own boundaries by considering amazing colleges across the country. Beyond her work with students, Lynda has served on Counselor Advisory Boards for UC Berkeley, Franklin & Marshall College, and UPenn, and is a past member of the NACAC Ad Hoc Committee for Public School Counselors. She was named College Counselor of the Year by the California Student Aid Commission in 2017 and is a frequent speaker at local and national conferences, working for equity and access in higher education.

In her free time, Lynda loves to travel to new places and seek out the colleges there, as well as reading for pleasure and spending time with family.

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Favorite College Experience: "While I had great professors who opened my eyes to the world through literature, my most meaningful experiences in college were wrapped around my friendships and involvement with student government and my sorority. I was pushed to challenge myself and I grew tremendously by pushing through the fear of failing. I am still in touch with many of my college friends."

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Advice for High School and College Students: "Don’t limit yourself by sticking with what is comfortable. Get to know people outside of your friend group and look for experiences different from anything you’ve done before. You will never again live in a world with so many people under 25, so take advantage of your freedom while still having the safety net of your school around you."

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Favorite Food: "I love tamales, especially pork ones! Every year my friend makes me tamales at Christmas and I have one more reason to love December."