Angelica Harris (BS ’21, BSBA ’21, MS ’22) drew from her personal experience struggling with standardized tests when founding her startup, Top Tutors for Us. The company designs educational programs and curricula to help Black and Brown high school students gain admission to elite colleges and universities, and pairs students with tutors from similar backgrounds to support their academic success. An active member of the entrepreneurial ecosystem during her time at WashU, Harris won funding for Top Tutors through the Skandalaris Venture Competition in 2022 and 2023, and participated in the Skandalaris Launchpad accelerator program the following summer. This past spring, Top Tutors was a finalist for the 2025 Global Impact Award.
In the following interview with Zellie McClelland, Harris describes the origins of her tutoring business, WashU’s uniquely collaborative ethos, and the rippling impact of philanthropy in her life.
Why did you found Top Tutors for Us?
I’m from Louisiana, and to get the state scholarships, you have to hit a 20 on the ACT. But the average score for Black students in Louisiana is under 16.
Despite attending a great high school, excelling as a varsity athlete, and leading youth mentorship programs, I struggled with standardized testing. My ACT score was in the teens in 11th grade. None of the big-brand test prep companies worked for me. So, I homeschooled. I built my own test prep program and moved from the bottom 20th to the top 99% percentile. I’d realized that many big-brand test prep companies focus on teaching students how to take the test, but I went back to fill in content gaps: English grammar rules; writing skills; reading skills. And then, along the way, I learned different strategies to move faster.
At Top Tutors, I’ve taken my experience and turned it into a resource for other kids. Students in our program get individualized lesson plans based on their academic skill gaps and opportunities. They get a personalized tutor, and we partner with local school districts. These are students who want to go to college. And, if they get the right resources, they can do it. They can raise their score and get the scholarship.
Did WashU prepare you to launch your start-up?
Yes! Top Tutors started as my comp sci master’s project — a full-stack web application running on Amazon’s servers to manage a database. At WashU, I learned how to bring all these tools together, and it gave me confidence. It’s a rigorous school, no doubt. All those hours studying, prepping for exams, and managing academic pressure taught me tenacity. I figured out how to tackle tough tasks, break down projects, gather resources, iterate, and see things through to the finish line.
I also saw the benefits of collaboration. I remember it personally. I was on the golf team and struggling with my first-year classes, trying to make sense of this one math course. An older player — a super busy pre-med — sat down with me and tutored me. The professors were also willing to set up time outside of classes. They really did try to make sure I succeeded. And that’s the culture there. People are just willing to help.
And, as you see, I did end up doing well. I moved successfully through school and beyond. Now, I’ve built that into my Top Tutors programming. I pass on confidence. I pass on practice and commitment.
How do scholarships shape individual success stories like yours and expand impact?
Scholarships unlock potential. Many underrepresented students only get to WashU because of scholarships. For me, the Ervin scholarship was life-changing. As a high school senior, I was deciding between two colleges, but the Ervin opportunity made the difference.
Ervin was more than access — it felt like family. We had regular check-ins with advisors, cohort meetings, group lunches, and retreats. On campus, Ervins would just come up and hug you. That support made school manageable, even when it felt overwhelming.
One more thing I’d say about Ervin — it directly inspired Top Tutors. The scholarship was created to bring more talented Black students to WashU. Being part of such a driven, diverse community sparked an idea: “What if we built a network to help students like us succeed on standardized tests?”
Today, because my scholarship allowed me to choose WashU, I’ve helped more than 500 students across the country improve their ACT scores and aim higher.
The above interview by Zellie McClelland was written for With you, The WashU Campaign.