Meet Racquel Hill | Education + College Admissions Consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Racquel Hill and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Racquel, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
I founded my business, A City on The Hill, over a decade ago as a high school educator. I was fresh out of college and determined to solve all of the world’s problems. Some could say I was giving true Janine Teagues energy (shoutout to Abbott Elementary)!

I had the honor of teaching chemistry at the historic Booker T. Washington High School, here in Atlanta, where I took on the challenges and excitement of our school community. I noticed my students had an interest in attending college but I repeatedly heard them say, “I’ll just wait and figure it out senior year.” From first-hand experience, I knew that senior year was late to start and it would be overwhelming for my students to organize and execute everything in one semester. When I asked students why they wanted to wait, they shared they didn’t know where to start. We talked about their fears about college and identified the areas of the process where they would need support. I then developed a mini-course that allowed students to complete the full application for admissions.

Starting in 9th grade, students used the resources I innovated to simulate the entirety of the application process. I hosted group coaching sessions for students to receive support from myself and their peers. Transcript review, essay writing, and interview role-plays were all sample activities that I infused into enjoyable, yet informative sessions. I coordinated with 7 colleges across the nation to donate college swag that students could earn as part of their “acceptance package” (aka completion of the program). This initiative introduced college admissions to students in a fun, creative way that decreased the fear and intimidation of the unknown. More importantly, because they had clarity, students completed their applications quickly and accurately once they became seniors! They were earning acceptances AND scholarships to their top choice schools. It was incredible to watch and they were so proud of themselves. With guidance and access to the correct information and structure, the students were thriving! This mini-course developed into the framework I still use for coaching students through the admissions process.

I believe there are many talented students who would thrive in the college admissions process if they had access to the right information. I offer 1:1 and group coaching, and this summer I am offering an exclusive program that will guide rising seniors to complete their entire college application in JUST two weeks! Visit our website, www.acityonthehill.com, to learn more and register.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
This work in college admissions is important to me because it’s personal. In 2000, I had the privilege of receiving a scholarship to attend a private high school in New York City. Although I was taking my hour-and-a-half commute to the school building and physically in the same four walls as my classmates, I was NOT getting the same access to information. Nor were my parents. This became abundantly clear to me as my classmates and I applied to college. I was blessed to receive support from a program called Prep for Prep which opened my eyes to how much work, effort, time, and resources are required to create a successful, competitive application. I vowed to pay it forward and share the learnings and expertise I have gained over the years.

As a coach, I take the complex, nuanced process of college admissions and simplify it into bite-size chunks for students and families to understand. I guide students through their entire college application. My coaching covers brainstorming and developing powerful personal statements, building stand-out activities lists, strategizing persuasive letters of recommendation, and identifying the best academic match and financial fit schools. Empowered with this information, parents can ask the right questions of their school counselors and students can feel confident they are putting their best foot forward as they apply.

The imposter syndrome was one of my biggest challenges in starting this business. I am extremely grateful to students and their parents who circle back to remind me of how much I have helped them. Given my own personal work to “stand in my shine,” I help my students to become confident in themselves and their abilities. Once they believe in themselves, it becomes much easier for us to craft an application that reflects the truth of their accomplishments. We focus on ensuring students have a great academic, social, and emotional fit to their college which is huge for ensuring a student will persist beyond their first year.

I am proud of my work in this space because my students and families are empowered to advocate for themselves and with my coaching, they are able to get results. In my time in college access, I have helped students earn over 500 acceptances and over $40MM in aid. More importantly, 100% of my coaching students are accepted into at least one of their top three colleges or universities choices, including Duke, Georgia Tech, Hampton, Ohio State, Clemson, Howard, MIT, Morehouse, and Spelman. A City on The Hill is the trusted partner families need to get started with college admissions and achieve results.

I offer 1:1 and group coaching, and this summer I am offering an exclusive program that will guide rising seniors to complete their entire college application in JUST two weeks! Visit our website, www.acityonthehill.com, to learn more and register.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love this question!! I’m from New York and hopefully, this will help me convince more of my family and friends to come and visit! I tell them all the time, come on down- Atlanta is always a good time! My ideal weekend would include:

Food: If we can squeeze in a reservation, we are headed to Poor Calvin’s. My husband and I went a few months ago and it was incredible! This is an excellent restaurant where there is not only exquisite food but just an overall great vibe with excellent service. If you’re into cocktails, I highly recommend the Dixie Derby with pear brandy and bourbon.

Exploring: We are headed to the Beltline! There is so much fabulous scenery and great conversation that we can have along the beltline while we get in our steps! I have had some of the best times just relaxing and catching up with friends while on a stroll. There is always something going on in Atlanta so it is easy to get overwhelmed or stuck in traffic. The Beltline allows you to enjoy the city at a different pace.

Music: I love live music so we would definitely have to attend one of the music festivals here in Atlanta. Last year, the Jazz Festival fell on my birthday and featured one of my favorite artists, Masego. It was a no-brainer to attend! His smooth combination of instrumentation, jazz, and African influence is top-notch. He has a song for EVERY mood. With a sandwich from Publix and a glass of wine, his performance was the perfect backdrop for our picnic. We had a fabulous time and enjoyed all of this great music, for FREE!! I highly recommend getting a group of friends and heading down to Piedmont Park! I’ll bring the blanket and meet you there!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First and foremost, I have to shout out G-O-D! God really has been stretching me in recent years and I have to thank Him. He has placed people around me that constantly affirm me and keep my spirits lifted when the fears or strain of entrepreneurship feel overwhelming.

A HUGE THANK YOU to:
– My parents! They instilled in me the faith and the tenacity to keep trying and trust God during trials.
– My little sister, Dr. Mona! She is one of the smartest people I know and hypes me up with prayers and gifs.
– My bomb.com husband Ricky! He is my best friend, cheerleader, and partner that God knew I needed. He reminds me of my accomplishments and does not let me get crippled by imposter syndrome. I love my family and am especially grateful for them.

I also want to give a shoutout to my Prep for Prep family, Duke friends, Blue/White Pham, my not-OG friends, my Marco Polo thought partners Andi and Norledia, and my mentors along the way.

I receive countless prayers, texts, referrals, check-ins, calls, gifs, and messages from my village and they consistently keep me motivated. My story doesn’t happen without all of these contributions!

Website: www.acityonthehill.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acityonthehill_/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/acityonthehill/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083041345429

Image Credits
Photography by Mhandy Gherard.