Congrats to our 2022 Student Grads!

DEAR TOP TIER STUDENTS,

 

As the summer winds down and the school year rapidly approaches, we would like to give a shoutout to our 2022 TTTP student grads who will be heading off to college in a few short weeks. You are all probably experiencing a crazy mixture of emotions rights now, from nervousness to excitement, but we are here to remind you that you are built for this!

GO GET ‘EM! We beam with pride and excitement thinking of all the wonderful places you’ll be going and things you’ll be learning. And to current and future Top Tier students, let our grads serve as a shining example of what can be accomplished with passion, hard work, and a bit of master prep in reading, grammar, and math!

 

Congrats and best of luck to the following (just a few of our accomplished 2022 grads):

 

●      Liam Bennett Villanova University

●      Sanvi BhatnagarLehigh University – Health, Medicine, and society

●      Claire CardozaTulane University

●      Fiona CullenWake Forest University  

●      Gavin DorflerVillanova University – School of Business 

●      Veronika DubovisUniversity of Mass. Amherst – Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 

●      Gwen FluscheMassachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

●      Sean Fortunato Boston College – Carroll School of Management  

●      Alexis Grana Bucknell University – School of Engineering

●      Dina GuemerylThe College of New Jersey – School of Nursing 

●      Brian HarrisonSyracuse University – Maxwell School of Public Policy

●      Peter JosephUniversity of Richmond

●      Dylan Leith - Penn State University

●      Jack Lira Colgate University 

●      Sarah Marcovici Colgate University 

●      Ani MartirossianBucknell University – School of Arts and Sciences  

●      Max MasleyevCornell University – Atmospheric Science 

●      Ellery McSpedonFairfield University – Marketing

●      Ella MillsteinSyracuse University – Whitman School of Business

●      Max NussbaumClark University

●      Sam Saraceno - University of Michigan

●      Taylor Tauscher - Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)

●      Bobby Turso Mount Saint Mary’s University 

●      Alexander Vincenti Columbia University

●      Henry White Bucknell University  

●      Will WhiteOhio Wesleyan University

●      Ryan Willemann University of Vermont – Biochemistry

●      Phoebe Williams Johns Hopkins University 

●      Bulent Yesilyurt UCLA – Mathematics/Economics  

●      Devrim Yesilyurt Boston University – Biomedical Engineering

 

Meet Jordan Babin...

Jordan Babin - Cropped.jpg

Name: Jordan Babin

Undergraduate College / University: University of Maryland - College Park

Graduation Date: August 2019

Degree, Major, Minor: Bachelor of Science, Major in Behavioral and Community Health, Minor Neuroscience

What factors influenced your final choice of college?

  • Flexibility of changing major / school within the university

  • Large size of school

  • School spirit and sports

  • Undergraduate research opportunities

  • Multitude and accessibility of study abroad programs

  • Location of school - proximity to large metropolitan area

Extra-Curricular Activities: Colleges against Cancer, Camp Kesem, undergrad research, Greek life.

Awards, honors, or fellowships:

  • Member of Phi Alpha Epsilon - School of Public Health Honorary Society

  • College Park Scholars Program - Public Leadership

  • Presidential Scholarship

  • Behavior and Community Health Honors Program

  • Deans List and Academic Honors

Internships:

Association to Benefit Children (ABC) - Open Door Intern - I was an intern for ABC's family resource center that serves underprivileged families in New York City. I was in charge of creating and implementing lesson plans for nutrition and gardening classes for the Head Start program, organizing field trips for families in order to introduce them to New York City’s free resources, and researching local public health efforts in order to promote them to families in the community.

Clean & Delicious Social Media Intern - I managed the social media postings of this small health and nutrition business.

Dun & Bradstreet - At Dun & Bradstreet I have the opportunity to take on a few different roles. My main role is to manage a group of High School interns as they navigate their first experience in a professional environment. I enhanced the 6 week program to maximize learning and development for the young people as they gear up to join the professional world. Additionally, I work with the Finance team to execute specific functioning on Salesforce. Lastly, I work alongside the People team on a marketing project that focuses on promoting the Dun & Bradstreet employee community.

Top Tier Test Prep Student in: 2013 - 2014

What was the single most valuable part (tip, strategy, or even psychological / behavioral benefit) of your test preparation with TTTP?

Math: Practice. Practice. Practice. When it comes down to it all math sections of the SAT are relatively similar. TTTP motivated me to complete many practice exams and eventually I was able to recognize the similarities between the tests, which allowed me to speed up my timing.

Reading: The best tip I got from TTTP is to take practice exams with the same amount of energy and urgency as when you take the actual exam.

Essay Prep: When writing your personal essay GET PERSONAL! The colleges you are applying to want you to show that you are a REAL person. Sometimes the best essays come from the simplest details of who you are.

If you knew then what you know now, what advice would you give a high school student who is about to begin the college admissions process?

Apply to a wide variety of schools even if you are convinced you know exactly what kind of school you want to go to. When you go through the college search process you are 15 or 16 years old and what you want in a college can easily change by the time you are 18 and deciding which college you want to go to. It’s important to keep an open mind and apply to schools that differ from each other so that you have choices.

Meet Brendan Saunders...

Brendan Saunders

Name: Brendan Saunders

Undergraduate College / University: Georgetown University

Graduation Date: May 2018

Degree, Major, Minor: Bachelor of Arts, Major in Economics, Minor in Government and French

What factors influenced your final choice of college?

I spent a great deal of time discussing with family and friends the qualities I looked for in a school, and ultimately was most influenced by academic quality and fit, the opportunities available in the university’s surrounding area, and my comfort level on the campus. For me, Georgetown was the perfect option in each of these categories. As someone studying economics and government, I greatly appreciated the opportunity to study these subjects in the city (Washington, DC) where decisions related to these disciplines are made daily. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to intern in DC during the year and loved the restaurants and attractions in the Georgetown community. Once I visited the campus again for the accepted students weekend and had the opportunity to speak with current students and professors, my choice was confirmed.

Extra-Curricular Activities: Georgetown University Student Association (student government), College Academic Council, Hoya Helpers Tutoring Group, and Georgetown University Undergraduate Law Review.

Internships:

Summer Intern at Abernathy MacGregor - As an intern at Abernathy MacGregor, a strategic communications firm specializing in corporate public relations, investor relations, mergers and acquisitions, and crisis management, I researched information on company and market trends, analyzed reporter coverage, and presented my findings from a research project to the firm.

Summer Intern at Vagianos and Ordway for New Jersey State Assembly - As an intern for a local political campaign, I supported the two candidates by participating in voter contact and outreach, conducting issues and opposition research, attending campaign events, and managing a constituency database.

Top Tier Test Prep Student in: 2012 - 2013

What was the single most valuable part (tip, strategy, or even psychological / behavioral benefit) of your test preparation with TTTP?

Reading: The reading section of standardized tests was the part I wanted to focus on most, and I felt more confident on test day by having a fixed set of tips and strategies that I had practiced for weeks and was comfortable employing.

English / Writing: Since I felt confident in this section of the exams, the most beneficial part of working with TTTP was having weekly check-ins, before which I would need to have completed certain sections of tests for practice. This kept me to a diligent schedule and ensured I would always be able to get any questions I had answered before I had forgotten them.

Essay Prep: Working with Mrs. Petrone was a phenomenal experience for essay prep, as she continually encouraged me to refine my word choice and helped me brainstorm creative and relevant essay topics. As a result, I felt my final essays were sharp, clear, and interesting.

If you knew then what you know now, what advice would you give a high school student who is about to begin the college admissions process?

When I was beginning the college search, I thought I had a clear list of criteria I could almost mathematically employ to determine which school was the best fit for me. Now, I realize that while these criteria were certainly helpful in making my decision, the culture of the school should be of greater prominence to anyone beginning the admissions process. Many schools can be in fun cities or have a particular program you like, but each school brings its own traditions, values, and personalities which shape your everyday life, and it’s important to identify which set of these best fits your own character. In addition, I would recommend more generally that anyone embarking on this process view it as an exciting endeavor rather than as a burdensome chore. Determining where you will be living and working for 4 years is important, and you should have fun considering your endless possibilities. While test prep and essay writing may be stressful in the short term, it’s important to keep in mind the long-term gains.

 

Meet Kathryn McCarthy...

Kathryn McCarthy

Name: Kathryn McCarthy

Undergraduate College / University: Bucknell University

Graduation Date: May 2010

Degree, Major, Minor: Bachelor of Arts, Major in History and Political Science

Other Schools to which you were accepted: University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin, Penn State University, Miami of Ohio.

What factors influenced your final choice of college? Size - coming from a small town / high school with a strong community feel, I was looking to replicate that feeling at college. Gut feel - an intuitive reaction to how I felt at each school.  Campus visits were vital.

Extra-Curricular Activities: Multi-cultural Student Services, Students for Barack Obama, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Hillel: Foundation for Jewish Campus Life, New Student Orientation

Awards, honors, or fellowships (Undergrad): Cum Laude, Dean's list 7/8 semesters, Alpha Lambda Delta Academic Honor Society, Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society, Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honor Society

Internships:

U.S. Fund for UNICEF - Compiled one page summary reports and donor handbooks to educate potential donors about current UNICEF initiatives.

Camp Shalom - As an intern for a local political campaign, I supported the two candidates by participating in voter contact and outreach, conducting issues and opposition research, attending campaign events, and managing a constituency database.

Musicians on Call - Trained guide to lead musicians for bedside performances at NYC hospitals.

Starlight Foundation - Assisted in organizing activities and large scale events for terminally ill children and their families.

Graduate College / University: University of Pennsylvania - Fels Institute of Government

Graduation Date: May 2015

Degree: Master of Public Administration

Other Schools to which you were accepted: University of Chicago, Duke University, Cornell University, John Hopkins University, University of Virginia, UNC Chapel Hill, Columbia University, University of Pittsburgh, University of Michigan

Awards, honors, or fellowships (Graduate): Summa Cum Laude, Audrey Miller Poritzky Leadership Award, Robert A. Fox Research and Service Fellow, Richard Bryer Award for Service to Fels Institute of Government

Post Graduate Positions: Deloite Consulting (Strategy and Operations Consultant), Leadership for a Networked World - Harvard University (Lead Researcher and Author), Wharton Executive Education (High Performing Team Consultant), Fels Institute of Government (Associate Consultant), Foundation Center (Communications Assistant / Associate)

Top Tier Test Prep Student in: 2012

What was the single most valuable part (tip, strategy, or even psychological / behavioral benefit) of your test preparation with TTTP?

Reading: Motivation and positivity - Top Tier Test Prep provided both in high doses.  THis can't be understated - college prep is stressful and staying positive, encouraged, and focused is essential!

English / Writing: Probably the most valuable part of test prep - a structured process that forced me to practice and stay on track.

Essay Prep: How to effectively / efficiently outline my essay before writing;  brainstorming examples (from books, current events, history) that I could reference in my responses.

If you knew then what you know now, what advice would you give a high school student who is about to begin the college admissions process?

Start the process early!  Applying to college can be a stressful process - studying for SATs, writing college essays, completing applications and meeting deadlines.  Reduce stress by giving yourself plenty of time to apply.  Staying organized (i.e. simple spreadsheet of school applications requirements / essays and deadlines) will help you prioritize appropriately.  And obviously go to TTTP!  Took the stress / nerves out of the SAT studying part of the application process.

What advice would you give to a student who is about to begin the post graduate admissions process?

Aim high!  I had a much different experience applying to graduate school.  I was a stronger candidate than I thought and wish i would have applied to more reach schools.