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college planning expert guidance Private Counseling Summer

Strategic Summer Planning: How to Build a Standout College Profile

Earlier this week we hosted an incredibly practical and timely webinar, “Crafting a Strategic Summer,” led by Dr. Tina Brooks, Senior Private Counselor at Top Tier Admissions. With summer fast approaching, families are asking the same question: What actually matters, and what’s just noise? The answer, as Dr. Brooks made clear, is that a strong […]

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college admissions expert guidance Freshmen private college admissions counselor Private Counseling

Is 9th Grade Too Early for College Prep? Why a Head Start is Your Student’s Secret Weapon

Is ninth grade too early to start thinking about college? Our enrollment team is often asked this along with whether it’s actually detrimental to introduce high-stakes concepts like standardized tests, college essays, and recommendation letters while students are adjusting to the social and academic transition of high school. It’s a valid concern–parents naturally want to […]

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college admissions Ivy Day Regular Decision

What Is Ivy Day 2026? Date, Time, and What to Expect

Ivy Day 2026 is almost here! All eight Ivy League schools will release regular decision admissions results for the Class of 2030 around 7:00 PM ET. Here is everything you need to know before decisions drop. When Is Ivy Day 2026? Ivy Day is the annual date when Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Penn, Brown, Cornell, […]

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Campus Visits College Visits Insider Tips Spring Break

Spring Break College Visits: 9 Smart Tips to Make Every Campus Tour Count

Spring break is one of the most popular times for college visits. Campuses are active, classes are usually in session, and students have time to explore multiple schools in a single trip. But a college visit shouldn’t just be a quick walk across campus. The most valuable visits are intentional and focused on understanding what […]

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Admissions Trends Common Application early admissions trends early application trends

2025–26 College Admissions Trends: Test Scores, Diversity, and the Rise of Southern Colleges

The newest application-cycle update from the Common Application provides an early snapshot of how the 2025–26 college admissions season is unfolding, aligning with insights from Top Tier Admissions Senior Private Counselor and former Dean of Admissions at Dartmouth College, Maria Laskaris, in her recent post, Class of 2030 Early Application Trends: Reading the Tea Leaves, […]

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