Top Tier AdmissionsNellie has spent her entire career in teaching, admissions, and counseling. As Associate Director of Admission at Brown University, she spent nearly a decade recruiting and evaluating applicants. In her role as chair of selection committees, Nellie made executive decisions on applicants and also served as a central member of the athletics committee. Armed with a nuanced view of the review process in highly selective institutions, Nellie moved into college counseling at independent schools, helping students craft essays and guiding them through every stage of the college search and application process Nellie’s students have gained admission to the top schools in the country, among them Harvard, Yale, Brown, Dartmouth, Columbia, UPenn, Northwestern, Duke, Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, Amherst, and Middlebury. Nellie graduated from Harvard and holds an M.Ed. from Notre Dame in Secondary Education and an Ed.M. from Harvard in Higher Education, where she was awarded the Pforzheimer Fellowship.
As the calendar turns to May, many high school juniors are focused on AP exams, SATs, ACTs, and finishing the school year strong. While most students are looking forward to rest and relaxation over the summer, as a “rising senior” this is not the summer to take your foot off the gas. In May, November […]
In college admissions, the term “grade inflation” is frequently used. It refers to the trend of teachers awarding higher grades for the same level of work over time. As a result, grades become less meaningful, making it harder for colleges to determine what truly constitutes A-level work. THE RISE OF THE HIGH SCHOOL GPA Colleges […]
As a parent of two middle school children, I’ve recently fielded several calls, emails, and texts from friends asking if it’s “too early” to think about college. Like many parents, they are curious about how they can help their children prepare for high school and set themselves up for success. As we’ve mentioned before in […]
I’ve recently fielded many questions from middle school parents who are curious about how private counseling could help their younger students. As a parent of middle schoolers, I know from personal experience that it is a time full of intellectual, personal, and social change. At Top Tier Admissions, we capitalize on these changes, build confidence, […]
When selecting a high school, the curriculum’s strength is often at the top of a family’s list of priorities. Two of the most recognizable advanced curricula are Advanced Placement (AP) courses and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme. AP vs. IB: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW History and Current Trends Both the AP and IB […]
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