a nonlinear path
with a very clear purpose.
She didn't always know she'd end up in education consulting — but looking back, it makes perfect sense. Cristina has always been drawn to stories, systems, and the people navigating them. She's spent over a decade helping students find their voices, tell their stories, and get into schools that feel like the right fit.
The Academic Chapter
Her path started in academia. She double-majored in Sociology and Public Policy at Hobart & William Smith Colleges in New York, and her research on powerful women in Vietnamese history took her across the world — to Vietnam for the first time.
A Fulbright Research Fellowship brought her back to Hanoi, and later, an M.S. in Sociology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison deepened her focus on economic development.
Hanoi & Finding My Place
She returned to Hanoi to design her dissertation — but something shifted. While tutoring and mentoring students, she realized she loved this work. Like, really loved it.
In one of those "let's be honest" conversations with herself, she made the leap from academia to admissions consulting.
Today
Since then, she's led academic departments, trained teams, and worked with hundreds of students applying to schools in the U.S. and Canada.
She founded Cristina Bain Consulting to guide students and families through essays, interviews, and financial aid with warmth and clarity.
She's an active member of IECA and NACAC, staying updated on the ever-changing admissions landscape so her clients don't have to.
the credentials
behind the guidance
Years of experience
academic foundation
College Counseling Certificate, UCLA
Masters in Sociology, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Fulbright Research Fellow, Vietnam
Bachelors in Sociology & Public Policy, HWS
professional experience
Founder & Counselor
Founder of CB Consulting, a boutique advising practice supporting 25+ students each year through highly personalized university guidance.
Admissions Consultant
12+ years guiding students through undergraduate, graduate, scholarship, and international applications with strategy, structure, and care.
Program Director
Designed college counseling curricula, led writing and application workshops, and trained students, parents, and staff across Vietnam's admissions community.
professional memberships
IECA
Independent Educational Consultants Association — Active Member
NACAC
National Association for College Admission Counseling — Active Member
the person
behind the consultant
When she's not working with students, she's usually running, reading, cooking, walking Gus the dog, or planning a new project (over coffee, always!). She's spent much of her adult life abroad, and that has shaped how she advises students heading off to study and explore the world: with curiosity, enthusiasm, practicality, and a respect for the different ways people grow.
