What
Highly Selective is a newsletter about admissions, hiring, and the systems that shape elite outcomes. Written for discerning parents and future professionals, it translates news from higher ed, AI, and the job market into real-world strategy and reflects on what we’re really optimizing for.
Authored by higher ed and career strategist Raphael Montes, Columbia JD/MBA and co-founder of Classical Advisors.
Who
I’m Raphael Montes, Columbia JD/MBA, and former associate at a Magic Circle law firm in London. Seven years ago, I founded Classical Advisors, a higher ed and career strategy firm that helps students and families navigate elite admissions, graduate programs, and the high-stakes transitions that define ambitious careers.
Before that, I studied Classics and Applied Math at Columbia and graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy.
Why
I started Highly Selective because I kept seeing two things: brilliant families making avoidable mistakes, and institutions quietly rewriting the rules. This newsletter is where I track those shifts: in education, AI, policy, and hiring.
I write for discerning parents and future professionals who want more than hot takes. Strategy, yes, but also reflection on what we’re really optimizing for.
If you know someone who’d benefit from this, feel free to share.
