Top Tier AdmissionsShannon is a Senior Private Counselor at Top Tier Admissions with over 25 years of experience in the college admissions field. She has successfully advised students applying to top universities, including the Ivy League, Stanford, and MIT. Shannon previously served as Senior Assistant Director of Admission at Northwestern University and has also held leadership roles at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Chicago Waldorf School. Shannon holds a Master’s in Higher Education Administration from Northwestern and a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education from Penn State.
Summer is a critical time for high-achieving students to strengthen their college applications through meaningful academic enrichment. With so many summer options available, however, it can be difficult to determine which opportunities are truly worthwhile. At Top Tier Admissions, we develop strategic, personalized summer plans for our Private Counseling students that maximize impact and align […]
As college admissions grow more competitive and timelines stretch longer each year, students are increasingly turning to strategic application plans to improve their chances. While the benefits of Early Decision 1 (ED1) are widely known, Early Decision 2 (ED2) remains one of the most underutilized yet powerful tools in the application process. In 2025, ED2 […]
If you’ve had a bump in the road during high school, maybe a suspension, honor violation, or other disciplinary action, you’re not alone. For years, most college applications required students to disclose any high school disciplinary history. But that’s changing. Good news: A growing number of colleges no longer ask about a student’s disciplinary record. […]
I have personally toured more than 60 college campuses: first as a prospective student, then as an admissions officer, now as a counselor guiding other families and (most recently) as a parent walking my own child through the process. Each role offers its own lens, and seeing it all converge has been enlightening and sometimes […]
For families thinking strategically about college admissions, boarding school can be a transformative stepping stone. Many of the nation’s most selective colleges draw disproportionately from a small number of top private secondary schools (think Groton School, Deerfield Academy, Phillips Exeter Academy), what some call “feeder schools.” These institutions not only offer rigorous academics and creative, […]
Calling All Juniors!
Your August Edge Starts Here:
Application Boot Camp®
Complete your Common App and supplemental essays, build a school list aligned to your profile, and develop a clear admissions strategy—guided by the Top Tier Admissions team. In our 22 years running Boot Camp, our counselors have helped thousands of students earn admission to the country’s most selective colleges.