Top Tier Admissions
Eliza 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.
There’s nothing more intimidating than a blank page. For students, and even for professional writers, the idea of diving into a new essay or piece of writing can be even more overwhelming. Personal statements and other college essays often feel particularly fraught, as they are some of the most important pieces of writing high school […]
We’ve spoken before about the importance of college interviews, which give schools a chance to get to know you outside of the written pages of your application. These interviews also offer you a chance to learn more about your target schools and—equally important—to demonstrate interest in them, which can have a serious impact on your […]
Parents often ask us what their children can do in middle school to begin preparing for the college admissions process. You might be wondering, “Is it too early to think about college?” After all, college admissions officers generally only look at students’ high school records. In reality, however, the choices students make in middle school […]
The term “Southern Ivies”—meant to denote schools that offer Ivy League-quality educations in the lower half of the United States—has been applied to schools ranging from Davidson College to UT Austin. As with “public Ivies,” there is no consensus on a definitive list of schools in this category. Below, we’ll introduce you to some of […]
For high school seniors, the beginning of January generally brings a sense of relief. After months of writing essays, filling out applications, and stressing about your college choices, your applications are finally in! Pretty soon, though, you may find yourself feeling a new kind of stress—the kind that comes from waiting to hear your college […]
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)