The Top Tier Admissions Story

Over two decades ago, Top Tier Admissions Co-Founders Dr. Michele Hernandez and Mimi Doe built a business that created an industry. To this day, Top Tier Admissions remains the leading voice on college admissions. One of the first private college counseling companies in the world, Top Tier Admissions has an unsurpassed record helping students achieve their college goals, without the stress, through strategic, personalized guidance. This is the story of Top Tier Admissions—a business that disrupted college admissions and made a notoriously confusing process more transparent.

THE BOOK THAT LAUNCHED AN INDUSTRY

In 1997, Dr. Michele Hernandez wrote A is for Admission, the tell-all book that blew the lid off Ivy league admissions based on her four years as an admissions officer at Dartmouth College. For decades, Ivy League schools denied using any kind of admissions formula, even though they calculated an “Academic Index” for every applicant. This secret formula was comprised of test score averages and a student’s high school GPA. A is for Admission revealed what actually happened behind closed doors in selective college admissions and showed students how to calculate their AI so they could create a more informed application strategy. When Business Week featured Michele as the cover story (“I Can Get your Kid into an Ivy”) she was back in the news, speaking on talk shows and to national publications about selective college admissions. At that time, she was not only the most well-known, but also the most exclusive college consultant in the burgeoning industry. The demand grew for expert help cracking the Ivy code.

DON’T WORRY, YOU’LL GET IN

In 2002, Michele joined forces with award-winning author and educator, Mimi Doe, who shared an interest in making college admissions more transparent and less stressful. Mimi is the author of Nurturing Your Teenager’s Soul, Busy but Balanced, and 10 Principles for Spiritual Parenting, which was awarded a Parents’ Choice Approved Seal and was a finalist in the Books For a Better Life Award. Together, Mimi and Michele wrote Don’t Worry, You’ll Get In, a book that aimed to take the stress out of the admissions process with clear action and step-by-step guidance. As parents and educators, they saw firsthand the toll the college admissions process took on students and families.

DISRUPTING COLLEGE ADMISSIONS (AGAIN): APPLICATION BOOT CAMP®

Mimi and Michele disrupted the college admissions world once again by creating Application Boot Camp®, an unprecedented program that streamlines the college essay writing process and Common Application in four intensive days of “admissions-committee style” essay review and strategic guidance. They launched this program live in New York City and Los Angeles with a team of admissions officers and writing experts. Many companies have tried to copy this proprietary concept, but none have succeeded in replicating the success of TTA’s trademarked Application Boot Camp®. For almost 20 years, ABC is the longest running and most successful application event in the world, always sold out with a waitlist. It has been featured in Forbes, Business Week, and The New York Times.

BUILDING THE TOP TIER ADMISSIONS TEAM

For the next 15 years, Mimi and Michele built their counseling business by hiring the most experienced admissions counselors and educators in the country and training them in the Top Tier Admissions methodology. Top Tier Admissions is ranked among the top college consulting firms in the world with a deliberately small team and a customized boutique approach that improves students’ odds of acceptance to the Ivies by up to 11x. The TTA private counseling team of admissions experts and educators has an intentional blend of recent admissions office experience and scholarly depth. From skilled educators and published authors from elite institutions to high-level admissions deans and admissions officers from the best colleges in the country, TTA counselors have deep knowledge in their respective fields. The team’s roundtable collaboration ensures each student benefits from the perspectives and experiences of the entire TTA “brain trust.” Top Tier provides the highest quality counseling and is well-known as the most trusted team in college admissions.

WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS

The college admissions landscape has shifted dramatically and will continue to change. Through it all, Top Tier Admissions has adapted to serve its families, maintaining its position as a trusted resource with global recognition.

Mimi and Michele’s vision of transparency, personalized guidance, and stress reduction has not only revolutionized how students approach the admissions process, but has also set a gold standard for the industry. The depth and breadth of today’s Top Tier Admissions team ensures that it remains at the forefront of private college counseling.

The journey that began over two decades ago is far from over. The story of Top Tier Admissions is a testament to the transformative power of education, mentorship, and innovative thinking. As college admissions changes, Top Tier Admissions is here to guide a new generation of students. 

Most importantly, Top Tier Admissions will remain committed to its families and believes that every day is a chance to realize the vision of helping students maximize their potential and achieve their dreams.