Founders, not handlers.

Raphael Montes

Managing Partner | Head of Admissions & Education

Raphael Montes leads Classical's admissions practice and educational strategy. Over the past fifteen years, he has advised students seeking admission to the world's most selective secondary schools, universities, and graduate programs. His students have matriculated at Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Columbia, Chicago, Penn, Cornell, Duke, Northwestern, Michigan, the London School of Economics, and HEC Paris, among many others.

After being homeschooled until the age of thirteen, Raphael transitioned to Phillips Exeter Academy, where he graduated with distinction in Classics. That experience continues to shape his approach to designing rigorous, individualized educational pathways beyond the conventional model.

Raphael holds a JD, an MBA, and undergraduate degrees in Applied Mathematics and Classics from Columbia University. Before returning full-time to education, he practiced U.S. securities law at A&O Shearman in London.

He is also the author of Highly Selective, where he writes about education, AI, and the economics of elite institutions. His essays articulate and refine the analytical frameworks that underpin Classical's approach to human capital development.

Michael Labib

Managing Partner | Head of Career Development & AI Strategy

Michael Labib leads Classical's career development practice and AI strategy. He guides students through every stage of recruiting, from résumé and cover-letter development to technical interview preparation across finance, consulting, engineering, and technology. His students have secured offers at Goldman Sachs, Apollo Global Management, Hospital for Special Surgery, Related Companies, Eastdil Secured, Blue Owl Capital, UBS, Wells Fargo, Oxford Properties, Girls Who Invest, StepStone, and SemiAnalysis, among many others.

A published researcher on bioelectronics and biosensors at Weill Cornell Medicine, Michael brings over ten years in healthcare and medical technology to his advising.

Michael earned a BBA in Strategic Management, Health Innovation, and Entrepreneurship from Emory University's Goizueta Business School, pursued alongside a premedical curriculum. He also attended the University of Cambridge as a visiting student at sixteen.

He leads the firm's integration of AI into advising, building the systems that translate Classical's educational philosophy into practical outcomes for students navigating an increasingly AI-driven economy.

Akshay Raghuram

Head of Academics

Akshay Raghuram leads Classical's academics practice. He mentors students through coursework, exam preparation, and research development, guiding them from hypothesis creation through manuscript submission and publication, and equips them to excel both academically and professionally.

After completing his third year of medical school, Akshay is pursuing an orthopedic surgery research fellowship at the Hospital for Special Surgery, focusing on sports injuries of the hip, knee, and shoulder.

Akshay specializes in advanced STEM tutoring, offering targeted support across Calculus, Linear Algebra, Chemistry, and Physics, alongside preparation for the MCAT and USMLE, drawn from a deep command of complex coursework and standardized testing.

He earned a BA in Chemistry and Mathematics from Emory University, where he contributed to research on HIV-related therapeutics. Across medical school and a research fellowship at Yale School of Medicine, he has published in cardiac, burn and plastic, and orthopedic surgery, allowing him to guide students interested in conducting clinical research.