Dr. Shirag Shemmassian
Dr. Shemmassian is the Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and one of the world's foremost experts on medical school admissions, college admissions, and graduate school admissions. For nearly 20 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into medical school and top colleges using his systematic and proprietary approach.
While in high school, Dr. Shemmassian took a keen interest in the higher education process. He navigated the admissions process with limited college counseling and became the only Ivy League graduate in his high school’s nearly 60-year history. Specifically, Dr. Shemmassian received his B.S. in Human Development from Cornell University. Despite graduating with a 3.9 GPA as a pre med student, Dr. Shemmassian’s interests in mental health led him to complete his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at UCLA, during which time he received prestigious awards including the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans and the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. Throughout his education and beyond, Dr. Shemmassian successfully guided students into top colleges, medical schools, and graduate programs, and has found his professional calling in helping others achieve their educational and career goals.
Dr. Shemmassian’s admissions expertise has been featured in various media outlets, including The Washington Post and Business Insider. Moreover, he has been invited to speak at Harvard, Yale, Stanford, UC Berkeley, and other prestigious institutions about various aspects of the admissions process. Dr. Shemmassian is also routinely consulted as an expert witness on cases regarding the admissions process at the nation’s leading schools.
Dr. Shemmassian was born in Los Angeles to Armenian parents who immigrated to the United States from Lebanon. He now resides in San Diego with his wonderful wife, two boys, and 9-pound dog. Dr. Shemmassian is an avid cook and, while he dislikes the term, a “foodie” who routinely travels long distances for a great meal—his friends call him “Human Yelp” for his recommendations. He is also a huge basketball fan (Go Lakers!) and lover of geography.
