Lumis Admissions Coaching | Yale Alum

Exceptional 5.0(25)
  • 16 hires
  • Based in Oakland, CA
  • 16 years in business
  • 1 employee
  • Background checked

About Lumis Admissions Coaching | Yale Alum

Hi! I'm here to help you make the most of your education. I coach my students to realize their full potential while maintaining wellness, strengthening mental health, and developing essential skills for work and life. I bring an uplifting, thoughtful and compassionate approach to my work with students, as I aim to inspire and support them broadly. Since 2010, I have helped more than 120 students and families earn admission to their desired schools. I graduated from Yale cum laude with an award of distinction in my major. I am also a Marshall Goldsmith Forefront coach, under the auspices of MG100 Coaches - one of the world's foremost coaching networks. ____ [ My Services ] I offer four Service Lines: 1. Applications Guidance. Determine your ideal college list, write wonderful essays, and submit your college applications. For Grades 10-12. 2. College Coaching 1:1. Make the most of your high school years and build an awesome resume for university admissions, from extracurriculars to academics to recommendation letters and more. For Ages 13-18. 3. Passion Project Coaching. Build a stand-out passion project that energizes you, builds your lifelong professional skills, and takes your extracurricular accomplishments above and beyond. For Grades 9-12. 4. Mentorship. Develop your confidence, identify your talents, apply your talents productively. Learn stress management techniques based in yoga to help you feel better, support mental health, experience calm, or enhance mental focus. For Grades 8-12. Note: Although this page is for my personal profile, I am on the Spike Lab college coaching team, where we have a team of 18 coaches who collaborate to give our students the best possible service. By working with me, you get the benefit of my personal expertise, as well as access to our full team of expert coaches, if appropriate. ___ [ About My College Counseling Practice ] I have been guiding students through the college process since 2010. As a Yale grad (cum laude and distinction in major) with more than 10 years of application seasons under my belt, I know what works. I served on the Yale admissions interview team from 2016-2019. I know how to set ambitious but realistic goals, inspire personal growth, nurture self confidence, and motivate my students. When you decide to work with me, you will: 1. Maximize your admissions outcomes 2. Earn admission to schools where you can thrive 3. Minimize stress and confusion from your process 4. Build your collaborative and professional skills. My students and their families excel in their college applications. We work together as a team and we build an outstanding candidate profile. My promise is that you will matriculate to an excellent school where you will enjoy your college years - and thrive. ___ [ My Purpose as a College Counselor ] When I was in high school, I was blessed to have incredible teachers who supported me. With their help, I earned admission to my top schools, including Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth, University of Chicago, Amherst, Williams, Swarthmore and Pomona, and more. Even more importantly, my counselors helped me choose my best fit school, helping me see through the brand names to find what I truly needed. I knew how fortunate I was, so I started my college coaching business in 2010 with a purpose: Pay it forward. Today, I hope to support you in the same way I was supported. This process is a formative time in your life, but it can also be daunting, so you’ll want a steady hand by your side. I will give you my very best. ___ [ My College Application System ] I have built a dedicated online system based in Google Drive to support my students. Each student who works with me receives an: 1. Application Portal. A single place where all of your work is stored, organized, and completed. 2. Apps HQ. Capture your application information for quick and convenient reference, saving you time and reducing repetitive work. 3. Gantt Chart. Chart out your entire application process. Set clear goals, view all deadlines in a single place, reduce stress and eliminate confusion. 4. Feedback Tool. Submit feedback at any time to improve your experience and get the most out of your time with me. ___ [ My Credentials & Track Record ] I founded my college consulting and coaching business in 2010. I have mentored over 100 students one-on-one. I graduated from Yale University cum laude and with distinction in my major. I am a three-time entrepreneur, which is the source of my expertise as an Entrepreneurship Coach. Most recently, I co-founded Beson Education (a college admissions agency) and raised $1 million in first-year capital from private investors. I helped to found Gakko Education in 2012 and raise $5 million in corporate sponsorship (Benesse and Hinoki). I am also a certified Spike Coach at The Spike Lab. There, I train young entrepreneurs who want to stand out to top colleges by building exceptional projects. I offer my entrepreneurship coaching through The Spike Lab. My students have earned admissions to a wide range of schools including Princeton and Yale, small liberal arts colleges including Swarthmore and Amherst, and major cosmopolitan universities like NYU and BU. I focus on getting my students into best-fit schools where they will thrive, both during college and in their careers afterwards. ___ [ Logistics & Details ] I work both locally and over Zoom with American and international students. I coach you through the entire application process while minimizing stress and maximizing outcomes. We approach the application strategically, ensuring you make the best impression possible. I love transforming the application process into an opportunity for personal growth and lifelong skill-building. I am dedicated to helping all of my clients achieve their college goals and longer-term career goals. I care deeply about every person that I coach! Reduced rates available for POC, LGBTQ+, and first-gen immigrants. It is my mission to coach good people to earn admission to good colleges. Spread the word! ___

Reviews

Saahil S.Aug 2023

Nathaniel helped me answer a lot of questions about the college process that I felt uncertain about and helped me strengthen my narrative to help me get closer to being accepted into my dream schools. He's a great counselor who I'd love to meet again with.

Annemary W.Oct 2022

Nate has been an incredible partner in helping our family through the challenging process of choosing and applying to college. By creating a strong relationship with our son, Nate has managed to motivate and help create a timeline to make achieving milestones completely doable. Our family highly recommends Nate Toppelberg for success in the college application and acceptance process.

Keegan B.Sep 2022

Nathaniel has been an excellent help in the college applications process. At first, I was very anxious about writing college essays and navigating the applications process. Not only is he great at assisting with those, but is also very caring, encouraging, and open-minded, which has lessened that anxiety. He strikes the perfect balance between giving you control of your work and process while also providing great advice. I feel good about what I will be sending to colleges, and my potential in the future.

Yue-Jane L.Mar 2022

I am very glad that I decided to work with Nathaniel. He was great at helping me understand my values, thus allowing me to initiate a Spike project that was focused on something I deeply care about. He is patient and always willing to listen to my thoughts and ideas when working together. When I am hesitant on making a bold move, he knows how to encourage me and give me a gentle push to just go for it. I had a valuable experience working on my Spike with Nathaniel. I was always motivated and excited to take the next step. Looking back, I experienced a lot of growth as a person in general. I am a lot more confident and proactive in life than I was when I first started working with him. I am extremely thankful to Nathaniel for working with me in the Spike program.

Farzana N.Feb 2022

Nathaniel was a wonderful coach to my daughter throughout the admissions process. He is very friendly and connected with her on a personal level, helping her develop her essays by truly understanding her experiences and values. The quality of her essays increased significantly while they were working together making it clear that his approach is strategic, insightful and effective, and I believe that she developed communication and collaboration skills with him that will be valuable to her in the years to come. I plan to work with him again with my other daughter.

Jonathan d.Dec 2021

Nate was outstanding. He worked so well with my daughter, providing her invaluable mentoring, guidance, and assistance at every step of the college application process. He truly invests his heart and soul into his students. He is extremely personable and provides his students with an outstanding level of professionalism. My daughter was late to start her application process, but Nate had her synchronized within a week. I highly recommend him for any student.

Thumbtack customerJan 2016

Everything went well, we are very satisfied with Nate's work, ready to recommend to other friends.

Services

Lumis Admissions Coaching | Yale Alum★ 5.0
Check availability