At The College Investor, we want to help you navigate your finances. To do this, many or all of the products featured here may be from our partners who compensate us. This doesn't influence our evaluations or reviews. Our opinions are our own. Any investing information provided on this page is for educational purposes only. The College Investor does not offer investment advisor or brokerage services, nor does it recommend buying or selling particular stocks, securities, or other investments. Learn more here.Advertiser Disclosure
There are thousands of financial products and services out there, and we believe in helping you understand which is best for you, how it works, and will it actually help you achieve your financial goals. We're proud of our content and guidance, and the information we provide is objective, independent, and free.
But we do have to make money to pay our team and keep this website running! Our partners compensate us. TheCollegeInvestor.com has an advertising relationship with some or all of the offers included on this page, which may impact how, where, and in what order products and services may appear. The College Investor does not include all companies or offers available in the marketplace. And our partners can never pay us to guarantee favorable reviews (or even pay for a review of their product to begin with).
For more information and a complete list of our advertising partners, please check out our full Advertising Disclosure. TheCollegeInvestor.com strives to keep its information accurate and up to date. The information in our reviews could be different from what you find when visiting a financial institution, service provider or a specific product's website. All products and services are presented without warranty.
Every year, the college admissions process becomes increasingly more competitive. With admissions rates decreasing at top rated schools, a college admissions consultant can increase a student’s odds of getting accepted.
Top Tier Admissions tries to make the process as easy as possible. They’ve created a signature boot camp to help students knockout core application materials in a short period of time. With 95% of their students getting into their top school, Top Tier Admissions has found a formula that works for many of its clients.
Is Top Tier Admissions right for you? We’ll dive deeper into who they are, what they offer, and how they help a wide range of students increase their chances of getting into top-rated schools.
Quick Summary
Top Tier Admissions Review Details
Company Name
Top Tier Admissions
Services Offered
Prices
Application Boot Camp runs for $18,000 with more affordable services starting at $1,500.
Promotions
Table of ContentsTop Tier Admissions is a college admissions consulting company that works with students to improve their chances of getting into their top school. Based in Boston and with an office in Middlebury, VT, Top Tier Admissions has been guiding students through the college admissions process for more than two decades. According to their own data, 95% of students they work with get into one or more of their preferred schools.
Top Tier Admissions was founded by Dr. Michele Hernandez and Mimi Doe, both with backgrounds in Ivy League admissions and higher education. Their team hails from a number of top-ranked schools including Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford.
One feature that sets Top Tier Admissions apart from other college admissions consulting firms is their approach to ethics. They pride themselves in transparency and accountability, supporting students through the admissions process to the best of their abilities.
Top Tier Admission’s signature services include boot camps designed to help students develop compelling applications that increase their odds of acceptance. They begin working with students as early as the fourth grade and offer counseling services all the way up through grad school admissions.
Application Boot Camp is Top Tier Admission’s signature service. It’s so popular, there's a waitlist for it. The boot camp is a 4-day intensive where students work with the Top Tier Admissions advising team to develop a personalized strategy to navigate the college application process.
Students enroll in Application Boot Camp during their sophomore year. Prior to starting the boot camp itself, each student gets a personalized report that assesses their academic record and is used to develop a plan for getting into their top school. It takes into account creating a plan for standardized tests as well the student’s intended field of study. Students enrolled in the boot camp can review their personalized report directly with either Dr. Hernandez or Mimi Doe to get feedback to further tailor their approach.
The 4-day boot camp is held the summer before a student’s senior year and is used to complete application materials. Students work on the Common Application and their admissions essay. Students complete several versions of their essay and work with Top Review Admissions staff to review them and provide feedback. Students also work on preparing supplementary material like building out their resume and learning techniques to ace the interview.
Personal Boot Camp is another offering Top Tier Admissions provides. It’s a 3-day virtual program where students work with Application Boot Camp mentors.
Similar to Application Boot Camp, students receive a personalized report that assesses their academic career and college admissions goals. They work one-on-one with admissions counselors over Zoom to prepare their essay and other application materials.
Essay Guidance is a service that focuses on the personal essay typically submitted along with a college application. Top Tier Admissions experts work with students to hone their essay to capture the attention of college admissions officers.
The Essay Guidance program is offered in 5-, 10-, or 15-hour increments. Top Tier Admissions counselors provide extensive feedback on the essay and work with students to review different angles to take during the essay writing process.
Common Application 911 is a specialized program that provides one-on-one consultations to help students complete the Common Application. It advises students on how to leverage their school activities and write a compelling statement to round out their application, increasing their chances of standing out.
The two hour service provides students with tips on how to complete information succinctly within the limitations of the application fields.
Aside from these signature services, Top Tier Admissions also provides test prep, academic tutoring, transfer admissions support, and counseling on graduate programs. It’s Top Tier Futures program supports students in grades 4-8. It’s designed to provide strategic consultations with students and their families to develop an academic and enrichment strategy that aligns with their future academic goals.
Top Tier Admission's fees vary based on the program and the length of time a student expects to work with a counselor. Application Boot Camp is one of the most expensive options, running students $18,000.
Essay Guidance starts at $4,800 for the 5-hour service and goes up to $13,500 for 15 hours of support. Common Application 911 is a flat fee of $1,500. Top Tier Admissions offers bundles where students can do both Essay Guidance and Common Application 911 starting at $6,000 and going up to $14,700.
Top Tier Admissions doesn’t offer hourly support but they do sell packages of time. General academic tutoring starts at $1,800 for 5 hours’ worth of tutoring and goes up to $9,000 for 30 hours of support.
Top Tier Admissions isn’t the most expensive option but it isn’t the cheapest either. Its general academic counseling service costs around $300 per hour while their signature services can start at $900.
The transparency in what they offer and what they charge (although expensive) was refreshing compared to other companies that sometimes feel like a black box of offerings and price points.
Rating
