Top Tier Scholars
Serious academic work, guided by the right mentor.
We pair motivated students with credentialed experts for one-on-one mentorship tailored to where they are starting—from revising an existing paper for publication to developing an original research project from the ground up.
Individualized research pathway
One-on-one mentorship
Publication-focused research
Our Approach
Serious academic work, matched to your student’s starting point.
Top Tier Scholars is for students who want to take an academic interest further, whether they are revising a nearly finished paper, strengthening a promising draft, or starting an original project from the ground up.
Rather than place every student in the same program, we offer three levels of support based on the work already completed. The result is mentorship calibrated to where your student actually stands.
Depending on the track, the work might become a scholarly research paper, a business plan, a humanities project grounded in primary sources, or a writing portfolio. What each engagement shares is sustained intellectual work, expert mentorship, and a final product the student can genuinely call their own.
For students also in Private Counseling, that work can become part of a broader admissions strategy, connected to their evolving interests, coursework, and long-term goals.
Matched to Your Starting Point
Three levels of support, from final polish on a finished paper to a full research project built from scratch. Students enroll at the level that fits the work already done.
One-on-One Mentorship
Each student works individually with a mentor who provides focused guidance throughout the project.
Developed Toward Publication
Students work toward a polished final product that may be appropriate for submission to journals, competitions, conferences, or other academic opportunities, depending on the nature and quality of the work.
The Three Levels
Choose the level of support that matches your student’s starting point.
Every student works one-on-one with a credentialed mentor. What differs is how much work the paper or project still needs. Early in the engagement, the mentor reviews the student’s existing work, goals, and intended outcome to confirm the scope and focus of the work ahead.
5 Hours
LEVEL 1
Publication Polish
For strong, substantially complete work that needs final revision before submission.
Support may include:
- Organization and flow
- Line-level editing and clarity
- Citations and formatting
- Alignment with submission requirements
- Final review and polish
10 Hours
LEVEL 2
Publication Development
For a completed draft with a strong foundation that needs substantive development before it is ready for submission.
Support may include:
- Strengthening the central argument or thesis
- Deepening and validating evidence
- Reorganizing sections for greater coherence
- Clarifying analysis and interpretation
- Revising with a specific journal, competition, or other outlet in mind
- Final revision and submission preparation
15 Hours
LEVEL 3
Research Immersion
Our most comprehensive level, for students beginning a new project or substantially reworking an existing one.
Support may include:
- Brainstorming and defining the research question
- Developing the project framework and methodology
- Identifying and evaluating sources
- Building the argument, analysis, or project concept
- Drafting and substantive revision
- Final preparation for an appropriate submission or presentation opportunity
Tutoring credits cannot be applied to Research Immersion.
If you are unsure how much support the work will require, Publication Development is often the best starting point. The 10-hour format allows room for substantive work on argument, structure, evidence, and preparation for an appropriate submission or presentation opportunity.
Families who prefer to begin with a smaller scope may start with Publication Polish. Early in the engagement, the mentor will review the student’s work and goals and can recommend adjustments to the scope if needed.
Working with a Top Tier Private Counselor?
Tutoring credits may be applied toward Publication Polish and Publication Development.
Available to students in grades 8–12. Purchased hours must be used within six months of purchase. Additional hours may be added if the scope of the project expands.
What We Do Together
Choose the track that matches your student’s interests.
The level of support determines how much guidance a project needs. The track determines the kind of work the student pursues and the expertise most relevant to that work.
Across all four tracks, students work one-on-one with a mentor whose background aligns with the subject area and goals of the project. The focus is always the same: rigorous, substantive work grounded in a genuine intellectual interest.
STEM
Explore, Create, and Excel
Students work one-on-one with a mentor holding an advanced degree in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. Together, they develop a research question, design a methodology, collect and analyze data, and produce a finished research paper. Project areas include biomedical engineering, environmental science, artificial intelligence, astrophysics, and more.
Output: Depending on the project and eligibility requirements, students may prepare work for an appropriate research journal or science competition.
Mentor: Mentors typically bring advanced-level training in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics, with expertise relevant to the student’s project.
Business & Entrepreneurship
Innovate, Strategize, and Lead
Students work with a mentor who brings real-world experience in business, entrepreneurship, or finance. Together, they develop a project grounded in a genuine business challenge: a market analysis, a business plan, a case study, or a prototype initiative. Project areas have included sustainable enterprise, financial modeling, technology strategy, and impact investing.
Output: Business plan, market analysis, or case study portfolio eligible for pitch competitions or business school recognition programs. Your mentor will help define a realistic project scope and deliverable within the selected hours.
Mentor: Mentors bring relevant expertise in business, entrepreneurship, or finance, offering personalized guidance and feedback tailored to the student’s project.”
Humanities & History
Investigate, Interpret, and Explore
Students work with a mentor holding a background in history, cultural studies, philosophy, religion, or a related humanities field. Together, they develop a scholarly project grounded in primary source analysis, archival research, historical argumentation, or cultural criticism. Project areas have included migration and cultural identity, the historiography of social movements, and the role of art and architecture in political transformation.
Output: Research paper or scholarly essay eligible for academic publications including The Concord Review. Your mentor will help define a realistic project scope and deliverable within the selected hours.
Mentors bring deep subject expertise developed through advanced-level training or professional experience in history, cultural studies, philosophy, religion, or related humanities fields, guiding students in rigorous research and original analysis.
Writing
Craft, Create, and Communicate
Students work with a mentor holding an advanced degree in English, creative writing, journalism, or communications. The focus is developing a polished, professional-quality writing portfolio: analytical essays, creative nonfiction, journalism features, literary analysis, or short fiction and poetry. Mentors guide students through every stage of the writing and revision process.
Output: Your mentor will help define a realistic project scope and deliverable within the selected hours.
Mentor: Mentors hold advanced degrees in English, creative writing, journalism, or communications from leading institutions.
A student came to Top Tier Scholars with a longstanding interest in Stoic philosophy and enough Latin to begin working directly with primary sources. With guidance from a mentor specializing in ancient philosophy, he narrowed that broad interest step by step: from Stoicism to neo-Stoicism, then to the work of a single seventeenth-century thinker and an overlooked question about patriotism.
The student located and evaluated primary and secondary sources, developed a working translation of his chosen text, and examined it in the historical context of the European wars of religion. Through that process, he developed an original argument and produced a substantial scholarly paper on a topic his mentor believed had received little detailed treatment.
The student independently selected an appropriate publication outlet and submitted the work. His paper was ultimately published.
Humanities & History Track / Recent Student Project
Common Questions
The answers, honestly.
Still have questions? A quick conversation is often the fastest way to find the clarity you need.
How do the three levels work?
Top Tier Scholars offers three levels of support based on how much development the student’s paper or project still needs.
Publication Polish (5 hours, $2,500) is designed for strong, substantially complete work that needs final revision, such as organization, line-level editing, citations, formatting, and submission preparation.
Publication Development (10 hours, $4,800) is for a completed draft that needs more substantive work on its argument, evidence, structure, clarity, and preparation for an appropriate publication or submission opportunity.
Research Immersion (15 hours, $6,600) is our most comprehensive level, designed for students starting a project from the ground up or substantially rebuilding an existing one.
Early in the engagement, the mentor reviews the student’s work and goals and helps focus the scope of the project. If you are unsure which level is the best starting point, our team can help you think through the options before you purchase.
How do I know which level is right for my student?
The right level depends on how much of the work is already complete and how much development still remains. Publication Polish is best for strong, substantially finished work that needs revision before submission. Publication Development is designed for completed drafts that need deeper work on argument, evidence, structure, or clarity. Research Immersion is the right fit for students starting from the ground up or substantially reworking an existing project.
Can tutoring credits be applied?
Yes. Available tutoring credits may be applied toward Publication Polish and Publication Development, but not toward Research Immersion. If your family is enrolled in Private Counseling, our team can help you understand how any available credits may be used.
Does my student need prior research experience?
No. Prior research experience is not required. Some students begin Top Tier Scholars with a developed paper or project already underway, while others are new to formal academic research. What matters most is genuine intellectual curiosity, a willingness to engage deeply with the subject, and readiness to do sustained, rigorous work. The mentor provides guidance appropriate to the student’s starting point and the scope of the project.
What fields are available?
Top Tier Scholars offers four tracks: STEM, Business & Entrepreneurship, Humanities & History, and Writing. Within each track, projects are shaped around the student’s interests, goals, and the expertise available within our mentor network.
Because the range of possible topics is broad, we encourage families with a specific subject in mind to reach out. Our team can confirm whether we have the right mentor match for the proposed area of work.
How is a student matched with a mentor?
We start by understanding what the student is genuinely interested in, what they already know, and where they hope to take the work. We then match them with a mentor whose expertise can help move the project forward. Sometimes that means a direct subject match; other times, the strongest fit crosses disciplines and leads the student in a direction they may not have considered at the outset.
Is publication guaranteed?
No. Publication is never guaranteed and ultimately depends on the quality and fit of the work, the requirements of the chosen outlet, and the decisions of its editors or judges. Top Tier Scholars focuses on helping students produce rigorous, polished work and, when appropriate, identify credible opportunities for submission.
Depending on the subject and project, potential outlets might include student research journals, academic publications, writing competitions, or other scholarly opportunities. Examples our team has explored with students include The Concord Review, Columbia Junior Science Journal, and The Curieux Review, among others. Eligibility and submission requirements vary by outlet.
How does this fit into a college application?
Top Tier Scholars is designed to help students develop substantive work around a genuine academic interest. That work may become part of an application through the activities section, additional information, essays, or other appropriate materials, particularly when it reflects sustained intellectual engagement.
Publication or submission can add useful context, but the greater value is the work itself. Students who have explored a question deeply, developed an original perspective, and followed a project through with rigor are better able to articulate what excites them intellectually and why. That depth can strengthen the broader story their application tells.
