Top Tier AdmissionsSam brings a rare blend of deep admissions expertise, program design, and student-centered leadership to her role as Head of Student and Family Programming at Top Tier Admissions. She previously served as an admissions officer at the University of Michigan and as Assistant Director of Admissions at Vanderbilt University.
With years of college counseling experience, Sam has guided students through the admissions process, building trusted relationships as she helped them identify and gain admission to best-fit colleges.
At Top Tier Admissions, Sam leads our annual Application Boot Camp® and our College Planning Retreat program. These curated, high-touch experiences are intentionally crafted to give students and families space for clarity, reflection, and confident decision-making—pairing strategic guidance with a calm, supportive environment that reduces stress and restores perspective during a high-stakes process.
Sam is a nationally recognized thought partner in college admissions strategy. She has presented at the National Association for College Admission Counseling’s Annual Conference and is the author of A Guide to Finding the Best-Fit College for Jewish Students.
Choosing a college is one of the biggest decisions a student will make, and too often, students approach it from a place of limited information. In the vast pool of thousands of colleges and universities across the country, there is a small handful of schools that have the most name recognition, familiarity, and notoriety. Doing […]
The Common App opens August 1. But the most prepared rising seniors don’t wait until then to get started. After AP tests and final exams, it’s important to take a moment to pause and reset after making it through a notoriously rigorous school year. But early summer is also the perfect time to get ahead […]
What is college life actually like beyond the brochures and campus tours? During our recent webinar, College Unfiltered: What It’s Like at Today’s Hottest Campuses, student panelists from a range of universities pulled back the curtain, offering candid insights into their day-to-day experiences. Top Tier Admissions partnered with Her Campus Media to host an open, […]
Just as the different types of application deadlines have seemed to grow over the years (expanding to Early Decision II, Early Action II, Single-Choice Early Action, and more!), so too have the types of decisions a student might receive from a college. Aside from the straightforward “accept” or “deny” decisions, many more students are logging […]
Top Tier Admissions is excited to announce the launch of Application Boot Camp® 2027, our signature college application program for current high school sophomores (Class of 2028) who will participate in the summer before their senior year—now offered in both in-person and virtual formats. This immersive, high-touch experience is designed for students who want to […]
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)