"We are parents and lifelong educators who want to help students and families to navigate the college admissions process."
Twenty-plus years of college admissions experience and a love for education brought Tim and Shereem together for a purposeful project. Their unyielding love for Black people and their pursuit of education pushed them to author the definitive guide about college admissions for Black families and educators who work with Black children.
About The Authors
Timothy Fields and Shereem Herndon-Brown are on a mission to redefine success in the college admissions process. Their Understanding the Choices umbrella serves as the hub for their bestselling book, The Black Family’s Guide to College Admissions: A Conversation About Education, Parenting, and Race, their podcast, Application to Admission, and forthcoming non-profit.
Less than two years after the release of their book, they have released a 2nd edition, which is timely and necessary. With three new chapters and updates, the duo has added chapters about the recent Supreme Court decision about ending affirmative action for Black and Brown students, the power and importance of college essays, and a provocative and critical examination of how parents, high schools, and colleges all play a role in the alarming concerns about students’ mental health.
With a combined 50+ years in college counseling and admissions, Tim and Shereem have been speaking across the country as change agents committed to closing the college admissions information gap. Tim is the Senior Associate Dean of Undergraduate Admission at Emory University. A native of Arlington, Timothy is a former college athlete who earned a BA in Psychology from Morehouse College, an M.Ed from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and has completed all doctoral work at Georgia State University. In contrast, Shereem is the Founder and Chief Education Officer of Strategic Admissions Advice, an educational consulting company specializing in college counseling curriculum creation for charter schools and school districts, personalized college advice, and essay coaching. Brooklyn-bred, Shereem is a graduate of Westtown School, Wesleyan University (BA, English and African-American Studies), and Middlebury College/Breadloaf School of English (MA, English).
Inspirational and informational, Tim and Shereem are veteran college admissions experts who need to be read and heard. Their much-appreciated “fire and ice” approach is relatable and truthful. On their podcast, Application to Admission, they spar verbally offering respectfully different opinions while showcasing their deft understanding of the current trends in college admission. Their work has been featured on platforms such as Grown and Flown, NPR, Black Enterprise, the LA Times and many others. At the 2023 NACAC (National Association of College Admissions Counselors) Conference, Tim and Shereem were awarded the John Muir Award for their outstanding contributions to the college admissions profession.
