Top Tier AdmissionsAs Assistant Director of Admissions, Heidi evaluated and made executive decisions on 7,000+ undergraduate applications to Cornell University’s College of Arts & Sciences. With additional experience in the admissions offices of Dartmouth College and Temple University, she brings deep insight into the review process at highly selective institutions. Heidi’s admissions experience is complemented by a 15-year career in communications and publishing. As Medical Editor at Cambridge University Press and Science Editor at Cornell University Press, Heidi collaborated with STEM faculty and physician authors to bring dozens of books to successful publication. Heidi now enjoys using both her firsthand admissions experience and editorial skills to advise students on how to distinguish themselves in the admissions process.
After attending Castilleja School in Palo Alto, California, Heidi graduated cum laude with an Honors thesis from Dartmouth College as a double major in Classical Archaeology and Comparative Literature. At the University of Pennsylvania, Heidi was a Williams Fellow in the graduate program of Art and Archaeology of the Mediterranean World. She has conducted archaeological field work in Sardinia, Cyprus, Greece, and Turkey.
Cornell is one of the hardest Ivies to decode because its admissions process is not organized around a single undergraduate admissions pool. Cornell’s famous motto, “any person…any study,” feels expansive, inclusive, and open-ended. And, in many ways, it is. But from an admissions standpoint, Cornell is highly structured: applicants apply directly to one of Cornell’s […]
Every year, talented students with high grades and scores, many extracurricular accomplishments, and worthy volunteer contributions begin the college application process feeling confident, only to be surprised by disappointing admissions outcomes. Understanding the most common college admissions mistakes is the first step — because all too often, it’s not a lack of achievement that holds […]
College application volume through the Common App has risen by nearly 94% since 2020 with over 10 million applications submitted in the 2024-25 cycle. Following this increased competitiveness, more college-bound seniors than ever are taking strategic advantage of the early application rounds, which can be a win-win for both students and colleges. For colleges, with […]
A new billboard welcomes students driving into Boston for college visits: “Bentley University – Top 1% in ROI.” In a city dominated by some of the most sought-after schools in country— Harvard, MIT, Northeastern, Tufts, and Wellesley—Bentley’s declaration reflects a national trend that prioritizes the return on investment (ROI) of college over more nebulous qualities […]
With the launch of the digital SAT in March 2024 and the more recent updates to the ACT in April 2025 (both of which introduced significant changes to test formats) the standardized testing landscape is more uncertain than ever. At Top Tier Admissions, we’ve received a steady stream of questions about these shifts, so we’re […]
The Senior Year Roadmap
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