Top Tier AdmissionsEliza has years of experience at Top Tier Admissions, helping students gain admittance to top-flight colleges and pioneering the Writing Center. She holds a B.A. in English with Honors and Distinction from Stanford University, where she was a two-time recipient of Stanford’s Rebele Journalism Fellowship. She earned her MA and PhD in English Literature at the University of Virginia. Prior to working at Top Tier, Eliza taught in UVa’s English Department and its Academic and Professional Writing Program. The effectiveness of her teaching and her commitment to her students earned her multiple awards, including the All-University Graduate Teaching Award and honors from UVa’s Seven Society. Eliza’s own writing has appeared in publications ranging from academic journals to The Philadelphia Inquirer. She also has experience in publishing, digital humanities, and study abroad programming.
As a former creative writing major and teacher of college English classes, I love working with young writers. Writing, as I have seen firsthand as a Top Tier Admissions Senior Private Counselor, not only allows students to exercise their imagination, but also to challenge expectations, build empathy, and, of course, expand their vocabulary. But when […]
Last year, amid a barrage of negative headlines around Ivy League universities, Forbes introduced a list of New Ivies. These schools, the magazine claimed, reflected public and private universities that were producing smart, successful graduates with excellent employment prospects. This spring, Forbes released its second annual list, using a methodology that considers school size, selectivity, […]
When planning for the college application process, we often focus on the parts of the application you create: your essays, your extracurricular activities, your award-winning projects, etc. The reality, though, is that your complete college applications will also include the writing, insights, and feedback of many other people: your teachers, your high school counselor, your […]
Summer: a time to relax, lay out on the beach, and—return to the classroom? It’s true! Intellectual exploration is not reserved for the school year alone. In fact, admissions officers are increasingly interested in how students are using their summer breaks, recognizing that, for many students, summers represent the largest amount of free time they […]
With Early Decision deadlines in the rearview mirror, seniors are now turning their attention to their next round of applications. For some students, that means regular-round applications for schools like Wake Forest and Emory, which require all students interested in merit scholarships to submit their applications by November 15th. For others, the next big application […]
The Senior Year Roadmap
Every deadline from August to May – test dates, applications. decisions – in one place. Signup to download the full 9-page Senior Year Roadmap (PDF)