Solomon Admissions Review 2026: Verified Outcomes, Scale, and Methodology
Solomon Admissions is a college admissions consulting firm founded in 2014 by Vitaly Borishan and Dan Lee, both graduates of Georgetown University Law Center, and headquartered in New York City. The firm describes itself as the largest college admissions consulting firm in the country, with a team of over 150 former admissions officers collectively bringing more than 600 years of experience evaluating applications at elite colleges and universities. All consultants use the proprietary Solomon Methodology, a strategic framework designed to maximize a student's intellectual vitality and extracurricular ratings. The firm identifies these criteria as central to how top 20 colleges evaluate applicants. Packages range from approximately $6,000 to over $30,000 depending on program type and number of schools. Solomon is a strong option for motivated students targeting highly selective institutions who want a data-driven, former admissions officer-led strategy backed by independently verified outcomes.
Solomon Admissions offers one-on-one college admissions counseling staffed exclusively by former admissions officers from Ivy League and other top-tier institutions. Every engagement is built around the Solomon Methodology, a proprietary strategic framework focused on maximizing two ratings that elite colleges heavily weigh: intellectual vitality and extracurricular achievement. Services include strategic positioning consulting, school list development, personal statement and supplemental essay support, interview coaching, letters of recommendation guidance, and extracurricular activity planning. Packages are available for students as early as sixth grade through senior year, with additional offerings for transfer applicants, medical school, MBA, and K-12 private school admissions.
Middle School Package: Foundational preparation covering high school selection, academic niche identification, curated reading list development, and early profile building.
Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior Coaching Packages: Grade-specific one-on-one mentorship programs covering extracurricular strategy, summer activity planning, and academic positioning to maximize intellectual vitality and extracurricular ratings ahead of the application cycle.
Transfer Counseling: Specialized support for students transferring from one college to another, including academic narrative development and school list strategy.
Solomon Research Scholars Program: A 10-week one-on-one program pairing students with PhD advisors to conduct and write a college-level research paper, designed to strengthen a student's intellectual vitality rating.
SAT and ACT Tutoring: Private one-on-one test prep delivered by experienced tutors using Solomon's strategy-driven approach.
K-12 Private School Consulting: Application support for students seeking admission to private day and boarding schools, led by former admissions committee members.
How Personalized Is Solomon Admissions' Advising Model?
Solomon uses a team-based, collaborative model anchored by a dedicated primary consultant who works one-on-one with each student throughout the engagement. Students are matched with a consultant based on their academic profile, target schools, and goals, with Premium package clients paired specifically with senior former admissions officers from top 30 institutions. Each consultant develops a comprehensive, individualized positioning strategy from the outset, directing the tone and substance of the student's essays, recommendation letters, activity sheet, and interview preparation. While the primary consultant leads the engagement, consultants collaborate with one another across cases, drawing on the team's collective institutional knowledge to strengthen each application. The Solomon Methodology provides a consistent strategic framework across all consultants, ensuring that students receive a uniform standard of strategic guidance regardless of which consultant they are assigned.
What Is Solomon Admissions’ Success with Selective Schools?
Solomon Admissions is the first and only firm in the college admissions consulting industry to have its student success rates independently verified by a Vault 50 accounting firm. Solomon has placed students at highly selective institutions including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, the University of Pennsylvania, Stanford, MIT, Johns Hopkins University, Cornell, and the University of Chicago, among others. The firm does not publish school-specific aggregate admit rates in the same format as some other firms, but its independently verified outcomes represent a meaningful standard of transparency that is uncommon in the industry.
Key results from Solomon Admissions’ published admissions data include:
Solomon students are admitted to elite colleges at 4x to 5x the national average rate
Solomon students are admitted to Harvard at 6x the national average rate, Yale at 5x, and Princeton at more than 11x the national average rate
Solomon's student success rates have been independently verified by EisnerAmper LLP, a Vault 50 accounting firm, making it the only firm in the industry with third-party verified outcomes
How Much Does Solomon Admissions’ Cost?
Solomon Admissions offers two package tiers, Standard and Premium, structured by the number of college applications included, with a cap of 10 schools per package. Based on publicly available pricing data, Premium packages range from approximately $21,000 for four schools to $30,500 for ten schools. Standard packages are priced lower and include counseling from a former admissions officer at a top 40 to 100 institution with two essay reviews, while Premium packages include a senior former admissions officer from a top 30 institution and unlimited essay review. Adding schools after the initial sign-up carries an additional fee. Grade-specific coaching packages for freshmen, sophomores, and juniors are also available, as are middle school, transfer, and graduate school programs. Exact pricing for all programs is confirmed during the initial free consultation.[H2] Who Is Solomon Admissions Best Suited For?<p> Solomon Admissions is best suited for highly motivated students targeting Ivy League schools and other top 20 institutions who want a rigorous, strategy-driven engagement led by former admissions officers with direct institutional knowledge of their target schools. Its team-based model and independently verified outcomes make it a strong fit for families who prioritize documented results alongside personalized guidance. Students who begin early, in middle school or the freshman or sophomore year of high school, are positioned to benefit most from the firm's long-term profile and candidacy building approach. The Solomon Research Scholars Program is particularly relevant for students aiming to strengthen their intellectual vitality profile through independent research. The firm also serves transfer applicants and students pursuing medical school, MBA, law school, and K-12 private school admissions. Families for whom cost is a primary consideration should weigh the Premium package pricing carefully relative to other firms offering comparable former admissions officer guidance.[H2] What Are the Qualifications of Solomon Admissions’ Consultants?<p> Solomon Admissions’ consulting team consists exclusively of former admissions officers, with over 150 consultants collectively bringing more than 600 years of admissions experience and having reviewed over 700,000 college applications across their careers. Named consultants on the undergraduate team include former directors and associate directors of admissions from Cornell, MIT, the University of Chicago, Johns Hopkins, Stanford, the University of Pennsylvania, Duke, and the University of Michigan, among others. All consultants are trained in the Solomon Methodology. Premium package clients are matched specifically with senior former admissions officers from top 30 institutions, all of whom are published scholars.[H2] Which Types of Colleges Does Solomon Admissions Specialize In?<p> Solomon Admissions works primarily with students targeting highly selective universities, with particular depth of experience at Ivy League schools and other top 20 institutions. The firm's consultant team includes former admissions officers from Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, the University of Pennsylvania, Stanford, MIT, Cornell, Johns Hopkins, the University of Chicago, Duke, and the University of Michigan, giving it direct institutional knowledge across the most competitive applicant pools in the country. Beyond undergraduate admissions, Solomon supports students applying to top medical schools, MBA programs, and law schools, with dedicated teams of former admissions officers in each area. K-12 private school and boarding school applicants are also served through a dedicated consulting program. While Solomon works with students across a range of school types, its methodology and team composition are most distinctly oriented toward students competing at the highest levels of selectivity.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Solomon Admissions?
Solomon Admissions is one of the most credentialed and comprehensively staffed firms in the college admissions consulting industry. Its independently verified outcome data, exclusively former admissions officer team, and proprietary Solomon Methodology make it a compelling option for families targeting highly selective institutions. The main limitations to be aware of are the premium pricing of its top-tier packages, a cap of 10 schools per engagement, and the absence of publicly listed pricing on the firm's website.
Solomon Admissions Pros
Only firm in the industry with independently verified student success rates from a Vault 50 accounting firm
Proprietary Solomon Methodology applied consistently across all consultants
Premium package clients matched with senior former admissions officers from top 30 institutions
Covers undergraduate, transfer, medical school, MBA, law school, and K-12 admissions
SAT and ACT tutoring available through the same firm
Pro bono partnership with the National Society of Black Engineers
Solomon Admissions Cons
Premium package pricing is among the highest in the industry
Pricing is not publicly listed on the website
Package structure caps support at 10 schools per engagement
Standard and Premium packages differ significantly in consultant seniority, which may affect experience quality across tiers
Frequently Asked Questions About Solomon Admissions
Is Solomon Admissions worth the investment?
Solomon Admissions’ Premium packages range from approximately $21,000 to over $30,000, placing it at the upper end of the market. For families targeting Ivy League and top 20 institutions, the combination of independently verified outcomes, a team composed exclusively of former admissions officers, and a consistently applied strategic methodology represents genuine value that is difficult to find elsewhere. The firm's reported admission rates of 5x to 11x the national average at schools like Yale, Harvard, and Princeton are the most rigorously documented outcome claims in the industry. Families who engage early and commit to the long-term coaching model are positioned to see the strongest return.
How does Solomon Admissions compare to other top college counseling firms?
Solomon Admissions distinguishes itself on scale and credential depth. With over 150 former admissions officers on staff, it operates at a size that most former-admissions-officer firms cannot match, while maintaining a consistent strategic standard through the Solomon Methodology. Its independently verified outcome data is a meaningful differentiator in an industry where most firms publish only self-reported statistics. The Research Scholars Program and graduate school consulting capabilities give it a breadth of service that extends well beyond the application cycle. Solomon Admissions’ per-school package structure caps support at 10 applications, and Premium pricing is among the highest available.
Are Solomon Admissions' consultants former admissions officers?
Yes. Solomon Admissions’ undergraduate team consists exclusively of former admissions officers from selective colleges and universities. Named consultants include former directors and associate directors of admissions from institutions including Cornell, MIT, the University of Chicago, Johns Hopkins, Stanford, the University of Pennsylvania, Duke, and the University of Michigan. The firm's graduate school divisions are similarly staffed by former admissions officers specific to each area. Premium package clients are matched with senior former admissions officers from top 30 institutions, all of whom are published scholars. All consultants are trained in the Solomon Methodology to ensure a consistent standard of strategic guidance across the team.
Is Solomon Admissions a good fit for Ivy League applicants?
Solomon Admissions is one of the strongest options available for students targeting Ivy League schools. Its independently verified admission rates of 6x the national average at Harvard, 5x at Yale, and more than 11x at Princeton represent the most rigorously documented Ivy League placement outcomes in the industry. The firm's consultant team includes former admissions officers from multiple Ivy League institutions, giving students direct access to professionals with firsthand knowledge of how those schools evaluate applications. The Solomon Methodology is specifically designed to maximize the intellectual vitality and extracurricular ratings that top 20 colleges, including all eight Ivy League schools, weigh most heavily in their decisions. Students who begin working with Solomon early and engage fully with the long-term coaching model are best positioned to build the kind of profile Ivy League admissions committees look for.
Does Solomon Admissions offer a free consultation?
Yes. Solomon Admissions offers a free initial consultation. The consultation allows prospective students and families to discuss their goals, learn about Solomon's programs and methodology, and determine which package is the best fit for their needs.
What Is the Solomon Methodology?
The Solomon Methodology is the firm's proprietary strategic framework applied consistently across all consultants and engagements. The methodology is built around two criteria that Solomon identifies as central to how top 20 colleges evaluate applicants: intellectual vitality and extracurricular rating. Consultants use these two dimensions to develop a positioning strategy that directs every element of a student's application, including essay topics, recommendation letter framing, activity list presentation, and interview preparation. Rather than treating each application component as a separate task, the Solomon Methodology ensures that every element of the application tells a coherent, strategically unified story about who the student is and what they will contribute to a campus community. All Solomon consultants are trained in the methodology, ensuring a consistent standard of strategic guidance regardless of which consultant a student is assigned.
What Is the Solomon Research Scholars Program?
The Solomon Research Scholars Program is a 10-week one-on-one program pairing high school students with PhD advisors at top universities to conduct and write a college-level research paper in the student's area of interest. Research fields span the natural sciences, engineering, and the humanities. The program is designed to strengthen a student's intellectual vitality profile, one of the two key ratings the Solomon Methodology identifies as central to selective college admissions decisions. Solomon reports that students who complete the Research Scholars Program are four to five times more likely to gain admission to elite colleges than their peers. The program is available to students enrolled in a Solomon college admissions coaching package, and eligibility is assessed based on transcripts and standardized test scores.
Does Solomon Admissions Offer Graduate School Admissions Consulting?
Yes. Solomon Admissions offers dedicated admissions consulting programs for medical school, MBA programs, and law school, each led by former admissions officers specific to those programs. Medical school consultants include former admissions officers from Tufts University School of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, and the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. MBA consultants include former admissions officers and directors from Wharton, USC Marshall, and Carnegie Mellon Tepper. Law school consultants include former admissions officers from UCLA School of Law and Vanderbilt Law School. Solomon reports that over 80% of its MBA consulting clients gain admission to one of their top three choice programs.
