If you are the parent of a rising senior, or a rising senior yourself, you probably know the feeling that arrives right about now. Fall deadlines are inching closer, the Common App is open, and that blank essay page is not getting any less intimidating. Here is the reassuring part: you do not have to navigate it alone. With the right counselor beside you, summer becomes a season of completion and confidence. Completion of your college applications, and the confidence of starting senior year ready to focus on everything else it brings.
That is exactly what Eliza does. A Senior Private Counselor at Top Tier Admissions and one of our Personal Application Boot Camp® mentors, Eliza is known for a particular gift: helping students who are certain there is nothing interesting about them discover the story that makes them compelling. We sat down with her to talk about what really happens inside PABC, how to thrive through the process, and why so many families leave the program feeling calm instead of overwhelmed.
That calm is by design. Now in its 23rd year, Top Tier’s Application Boot Camp® centers on an intensive four-day curriculum, and students leave with a completed application and a full suite of essays, the bulk of the work behind them before senior year even begins.
Beyond the small group format, we offer a limited number of Personal Application Boot Camp® spots each year. It is the same rigorous program, built around your schedule.
Meet Eliza: Counselor, Writer, and Educator
Before we dive in, a quick introduction to the counselor behind these answers:
- Nearly a decade at Top Tier Admissions (since 2017) and a senior Personal Application Boot Camp® mentor.
- Studied English and creative writing at Stanford University, with journalism internships at The Philadelphia Inquirer through Stanford’s Rebele Journalism Program.
- Graduate work at the University of Virginia in digital humanities, where she also taught undergraduate writing.
- A published author whose students have a strong record of placing their own creative writing in competitive journals.
- Known for helping students uncover the narrative that ties their academics, activities, and essays into one clear, authentic story.
How long have you been a counselor for Top TierAdmissions?
Nearly a decade now! I began working as a counselor for Top Tier Admissions in 2017.
What do you love about counseling students in a Personalized Application Boot Camp format?
I love working with students to figure out their narrative. While most of us can tell lots of engaging stories about our lives, we often struggle to find the story, the one that sums up who we are as scholars, advocates, and community members. It’s such a joy to chat with students about their goals and interests and to help them identify the key moments that have shaped their development. It’s particularly wonderful when a student comes to Boot Camp claiming there is “nothing interesting” about them and leaves with a new understanding of how impressive and engaging they really are.
What are the benefits of PABC?
The biggest benefit of PABC is efficiency. Students (and their parents) are always shocked by how much we are able to accomplish in just four days. I’ve worked with several students who have finished all of their college applications during a single PABC, which makes for a pretty low-stress senior year!
For some students, PABC also represents a chance to see their interests and accomplishments from a new perspective. In preparation for each PABC, I assess the student’s profile and identify the fields that align with both their goals and their current extracurricular activities. In some cases, these subjects come as a surprise to the student! Last year, for example, I worked with a student who wasn’t quite sure of his interests, but when reviewing his record, I noticed lots of work with and support for senior citizens. I suggested he apply with a focus on the sociology of aging—a subject that not only made him a compelling candidate at his target Ivy League school, but also gave him new ideas about what he might want to pursue in college.
What kind of student would be successful in a PABC program?
The most successful PABC students are those who are open to feedback and work well in fast-paced environments. The program can also be a particularly good fit for students who find the college application process overwhelming. Knocking out a lot of applications in just a few days really helps take the pressure off!
What do you most enjoy about PABC?
I love getting to know students through PABCs. After spending four intensive days together, brainstorming personal narratives, and working together on dozens of essay drafts, my students and I often form a surprisingly strong bond. I’ve kept up with quite a few PABC students during and even after college, and I am always delighted to hear about their post-high school adventures!
Eliza’s Top Three Tips for a Successful Boot Camp
- Come ready to discover your story, not to defend one. Many students walk in convinced there is nothing interesting about them. The best Boot Camp work happens when you stay open and let the conversations surface the moments you have been overlooking.
- Do the pre-work, and know your schools. Completing your questionnaires and brainstorming ahead of time lets us spend our days refining ideas rather than starting from scratch. The same goes for researching your target colleges thoroughly. It makes you a more compelling applicant and a more confident writer.
- Keep reading and keep writing. The students who write most easily are the ones who read widely and draft often. Even fifteen minutes of reading a day, or a habit of producing rough drafts over breaks, gives us strong material to shape together.
Ready to work with Eliza?
Eliza mentors a limited number of Personal Application Boot Camp® students each year, and those one-on-one spots fill on a first-come, first-served basis. If her approach sounds like the right fit for your student, now is the time to claim a place on her schedule, before senior fall arrives.
Connect with our team to request a Personal Application Boot Camp® with Eliza, and give your rising senior the clarity, momentum, and confidence to submit applications they are proud of.
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