Helping students find their path forward

Lumera is an education consulting firm helping students navigate the journey from academic planning to university applications with clarity, strategy, and personalized guidance.

We believe every student deserves a brighter path forward — one shaped around who they are, where they want to go, and what makes them different.

Our Story

University admissions has become increasingly complicated and competitive, but the process can often feel transactional: chasing rankings, building the “right” profile, or following a standardized formula.

We created Lumera because we believe good education counseling should be different. Students need strategic guidance, but they also need someone who takes the time to understand their individual strengths, interests, ambitions, and circumstances.

Our goal is not simply to help students get into university. It is to help them make thoughtful choices throughout the process and build a path they are genuinely excited about.

Our Approach

  • No two students should have the same roadmap. Recommendations are built around each student's goals, strengths, interests, and circumstances.

  • We bring structure to what can otherwise be an overwhelming process— from long-term academic and extracurricular planning to school selection and applications.

  • We help students present the strongest version of themselves rather than manufacture an admissions persona.

  • We give students and families realistic, straightforward advice— even when it isn't necessarily what they expected to hear.

Meet Your Mentors

Schools: Wharton MBA & UC Berkeley Bachelors in Science
Outside Lumera: Traveling (43 countries and counting!), HYROX, singing and dancing, discovering new restaurants
Favorite part of counseling: Helping students figure out what makes their story uniquely theirs and helping them be more confident when interviewing or talking to college admissions!

Ariel began her undergraduate studies at the age of 16 and went on to earn her Bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley. After graduating, she spent three years in the United States building her career across strategy and technology, working at Accenture Strategy in San Francisco and later at Yelp in Los Angeles.

She then pursued her MBA at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, before moving to Singapore, where she spent two years working in investment banking at Evercore. Her experiences studying and working across the United States and Asia have given her a broad perspective on the different paths education can open and the importance of making thoughtful choices early in one’s academic and professional journey.

Ariel has always believed that education can fundamentally change the trajectory of a person’s life. Beyond providing access to opportunities, she sees education as a way for students to better understand themselves— their strengths, interests, ambitions, and the kind of future they want to build.

Through Lumera, Ariel hopes to play a meaningful role in that process. She wants to help students look beyond simply gaining admission to a university and instead use the journey as an opportunity to discover what makes them unique, build confidence in their abilities, and develop their full potential. Her goal is to give students the guidance, structure, and perspective they need to make thoughtful decisions and pursue opportunities they may not have previously imagined possible.

Ariel Aldrin

Vanessa Adithia

Schools: UC Los Angeles Bachelors in Arts & Shoreline College Associate Degree
Outside Lumera: Tennis, singing, and the musical arts!
Favorite part of counseling: Helping students get into their dream universities and seeing them smile when they get accepted :)

Vanessa began her educational journey in the United States at the age of 15, starting at Shoreline Community College before transferring to UCLA, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Economics at 19.

After graduating, she gained professional experience in Los Angeles before returning to Indonesia, where she spent two years in corporate banking at PT Bank UOB Indonesia. Alongside her corporate career, Vanessa pursued her long-standing interest in education by mentoring students through the university admissions process. Over two years as an educational mentor, she supported students with university planning and applications, including students who went on to attend universities such as UCLA, UC Berkeley, and UC Irvine.

Having navigated the U.S. education system herself, Vanessa understands how overwhelming the university admissions process can feel, particularly for students trying to find their place in an increasingly competitive global environment. She believes that strong outcomes are not reserved only for students who appear exceptional on paper, but can also come from thoughtful preparation, consistent effort, and the right guidance.

Through Lumera, Vanessa hopes to help students approach their futures with greater clarity and confidence while building a path that reflects their individual strengths, ambitions, and potential.

Ready to Move Forward? Let’s Talk

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