Endorsements

Topher has been a wonderful counselor to guide my daughter. We sought his services late during the fall application season, so we were concerned that we were too late to gain good college results. While English is not our native language, we had many questions about the process. Our daughter began middle school with limited English speaking ability in an American middle school, but we were overjoyed when she was admitted to her dream school, UC Berkeley. Topher knows help students of different cultural backgrounds understand how to present themselves for competitive college applications. We were very pleased with his level of engagement and support to our daughter and us.

John Liu – (dad)
Sierra Liu
Mills High School, Millbrae, CA
UC Berkeley, Class of 2023

I can’t thank Topher enough for helping me choose such a great college. Topher taught me that at the end of the day, the right fit is what truly matters, not the name and prestige. With that mentality in mind, I was able to determine that applying Early Decision was the best option for applying to the Program in Liberal Medical Education. Now after my first year, I know I made the best choice. Without Topher, attending a top institution would not have become a reality. Through engaged and timely support, Topher helped me reach my #1 choice, Brown University. Thank you, Topher!”

Adam Fayad
Saratoga High School, Saratoga, CA
Brown University, Class of 2022
Program in Liberal Medical Education

Topher was an excellent mentor and guide to walk our family through the complex university selection and admissions process. His approach educated and inspired Zachary in understanding his passions, priorities, and opportunities when it came to exploring his life work interests, option for a major, and best-fit universities. In the end, Zach has been accepted to several universities and is making a decision based on a well thought out process! We couldn’t have done it without Topher!

Judy Crawford – (mom)
Zachary Crawford
Cupertino High School, Cupertino,
Enrolled: the University of Oregon, Class of 2021
Transferred: Oregon State University, Class of 2021

I would not have successfully endured the college application process without Topher’s guidance and support. Along with his complete knowledge of everything from financial aid to interviews as well as a knack for revising and cutting down essays, Topher’s unique and best quality as a college counselor is his ability to inspire introspection and to truly get me to think about who I am as a person and what drives me. Topher is much more than just a college counselor – he provided me with priceless guidance and emotional support through what is a challenging time for all high school students.

Roei Cohen
Cupertino High School, Cupertino, CA
Pomona College, Class of 2021

I was very lucky to have Topher assist me throughout the college application process, especially with strengthening my profile strategically and choosing the right colleges. I was impressed with how he could identify my personality and match it with the right colleges right away just by looking at my profile. Because of his rich knowledge and experiences in this field, he managed to help me make my essays and application appealing before submitting them. To me, Topher is not just a counselor, but also a very reliable mentor who always provided me with inspirational advice and allowed me to explore myself. All in all, I wouldn’t have had such amazing results without his support. Thank you, Topher!

Andrew Yeh
Pacific American School, Hsinchu, Taiwan
UC San Diego, Class of 2021

Topher is an exceptional counselor who provides a holistic college application experience. His years of experience truly assisted me in navigating the process and finding schools that were a fit for me. Most importantly, he gave me candid feedback on my application to ensure that I could genuinely portray myself to colleges. I couldn’t have asked for better mentor and supporter during my senior year.

Moksh Jawa
Washington High School, Fremont, CA
The University of Pennsylvania, Class of 2021

Topher was a great guidance counselor to me during the admissions process, narrowing down the wide host of schools to a select few, tailored to my interests, passions, and personality. He always answered any questions I had, thanks to his years of experience, and gave me valuable feedback that helped me strike the right note in my essays and on my applications in general. When I was struggling with what to write on my essays, he helped me not by telling me outright what I should do but by asking me questions and allowing me to come to the conclusion on my own. Topher was an enormous help in a very challenging time and I would recommend him as a guidance counselor to any rising high school seniors.

Rhea Dash
Leland High School, San  Jose, CA
UC Berkeley, Class of 2021

Without Topher’s guidance through the college process, I would’ve never been so confident as a graduating senior. Not only did he aid in my college application and decisions, but he also helped me discover who I really am and shed light on my potential. I started the application process with little to no knowledge, however, Topher developed a strong foundation and created a relationship with my family and I that I believe will last beyond the scope of my college decisions. With continuous patience and answers to every question, Topher is very knowledgeable about the admissions process and knowing which school is the right fit for each student. I truly don’t think I could’ve endured the stress of college applications without the help of Topher!

Durga  Ramesh
Amador Valley High School, Pleasanton, CA
Univ. of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Class of 2021

Beyond the nitty-gritty of interviews, essay revisions, and application support, what I found most important were Topher’s life lessons. These ended up becoming the foundation of my genuine approach in writing essays and presenting myself holistically. Topher seems to have the instinct that the college application process is more than about systematically applying to as many colleges as possible, so he engages with students on humanistic and supportive levels to find the most meaningful and best fit for them.

Cliff Liu
​Washington High School, Fremont, CA
UC Berkeley, Class of 2021

Topher is a fantastic guidance counselor; he helped me realize my goals and interests and conducted thorough research to find schools that would be a good fit. From brainstorming various career paths to giving me valuable life advice, Topher became much more than a consultant, but a mentor that I could confide in. Knowing little about the college admissions process, I voiced many questions and concerns to Topher, to which he answered to my satisfaction. Without his help, I would not have been able to choose from a plethora of prestigious universities and ultimately pick the one that resonated with me.

William Yu
Monta Vista High School, Cupertino, CA
The University of Washington, Class of 2019