Oberlin College and Conservatory of Music
B.A. Art History and Voice Performance
University of Southern California
M.F.A. Film Production
bmillan@esmprep.comCollege Counseling
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Brooke Millan brings over twenty years of experience in college admissions and counseling to ESM Prep. Throughout her career, she has worked with students pursuing a wide range of academic interests, and believes deeply that there is a great college fit for every student.
Brooke began her career in admissions at her alma mater, Oberlin College and Conservatory, where she gained early experience guiding students through the college application process. She later worked in admissions at the University of Southern California for both the Thornton School of Music and the School of Cinematic Arts while completing her MFA in Film Production.
After graduate school, Brooke spent several years in the film industry as a production supervisor at Disney Feature Animation, contributing to films including The Princess and the Frog, Winnie the Pooh, and Wreck-It Ralph. She later returned to higher education, serving as Director of Admission at Otis College of Art and Design and ArtCenter College of Design, where she oversaw admissions processes and worked closely with students and families navigating college choices.
In 2019, Brooke relocated to Northern California and reviewed transfer applications for UC Santa Cruz, gaining valuable insight into the University of California admissions process. In 2022, she moved to the counseling side of the field and began working directly with high school students throughout the Bay Area, supporting students from a wide range of academic and personal backgrounds as they prepare for college.
Brooke is an active member of several professional organizations in college access and admissions counseling, including NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counseling) and NCAN (National College Attainment Network). She has presented at both NCAN and the Northern California College Promise Coalition on topics related to college access and student success.
Brooke works with students pursuing a broad range of academic pathways, including STEM, social sciences, humanities, business, and the arts. She is particularly knowledgeable about the University of California application process and provides detailed guidance on personal insight questions and Common Application essays.
She lives in Santa Cruz with her husband Doug, six chickens, and two cats. Outside of counseling, Brooke is training for the Santa Cruz 70.3 Ironman triathlon and taking classical guitar lessons whenever she can.