Mid May through End of August (Summer)
For families who first come to us over the summer before the Early Action/Early Decision deadline, the path forward is as follows:
Step 1 15-Minute Consultation
Ivy Coach offers a complimentary 15-minute consultation to parents and students via phone (or Zoom audio for international families) to learn about our college counseling services
Students are not required to join the preliminary call. This consultation is about how Ivy Coach can help navigate the highly selective college admissions process.
Step 2 PreMortem
The one-hour PostMortem is with a former elite college admissions officer.
A one-hour senior strategy session with a former elite college admissions officer to ensure we correct mistakes that your child likely doesn’t realize are mistakes before they begin preparing applications this summer. We understand their focus is on preparing outstanding applications. But before they start writing the many college admissions essays and filling out The Common Application, they need to zero in on their Early Action/Decision strategy and how they should position their case for admission. After all, writing about sports, music, community service, grandparents, or travel in their essays and activities can torpedo their candidacies.
Additionally, even though you may think their activities, senior year courses, and testing are all set in stone, they’re not. Wouldn’t you want to know if taking AP Stats as a senior, thinking that’s math, or not continuing foreign language, puts them at a competitive disadvantage (irrespective of their school’s offerings or which courses they completed before senior year)? Wouldn’t you want to know if their activities make them seem well-rounded, since admissions officers at our nation’s elite universities seek to admit singularly talented students? There’s still time to zero in on the kinds of activities that matter — this summer and fall.
Ivy Coach’s PreMortem is a much-needed wake-up call. And if your child’s already begun writing essays, they’ll likely be sent in a very different, more compelling direction from their original plan.
Step 3 Ivy Coach’s College Admissions Packages
Ivy Coach’s packages, which are based on the number of colleges families work with us on through the admissions process, include the following college admissions assistance and key deliverables:
Putting Bandaids on Course, Testing, and Extracurricular Mistakes
When families come to us during the final year of high school, there will be some mistakes we can’t correct. But there will be other mistakes we can correct — before they jeopardize their child’s case for admission. As such, we’ll brainstorm a few new activities for them to get involved in so they can better showcase a singular hook. And we’ll fix the course and testing mistakes we can. AP Statistics doesn’t count as senior-year math. Stopping or switching a foreign language isn’t good. Students can still enroll in courses outside their schools to address these errors.
Brainstorming and Revising Material for Recommendations
We don’t leave it to teachers and school counselors to write powerful letters of recommendation for our students. In our experience, when left on their own, school counselors and teachers write generic letters of recommendation. As such, we help our students prepare anecdotes that they then share with their counselors and teachers. While our students will never be privy to what these recommenders write, in our experience, counselors and teachers overwhelmingly want to help their students. So they’ll so often use what they’re given.
Brainstorming and Revising Material for College Essays
Do you think there’s one admissions essay, the Personal Statement? That’s cute. There are tons of college admissions essays, and they’re all equally as important. Most highly selective universities have their own supplemental essays, many of which must be uniquely tailored to the respective institution to demonstrate a student’s commitment to attending. We brainstorm and revise every paragraph of every essay, with each essay serving as a critical puzzle piece in a student’s admissions file.
Assistance with the Non-Essay Portions of Applications
There are landmines throughout each college application. Including a social security number implies the student will apply for financial aid. Not listing significant points of contact undercuts a student’s efforts to demonstrate interest in the college to which they’re applying. We make sure that our students don’t make such mistakes.
Interview Prep
While the alumni interview has become one of the least important components of the elite college admissions process, we prepare students to stand out, impress, and showcase their singular hook.
September through Early November (Fall)
For families who first come to us over the fall before the Early Action/Early Decision deadline, the path forward is as follows:
Step 1 15-Minute Consultation
Ivy Coach offers a complimentary 15-minute consultation to parents and students via phone (or Zoom audio for international families) to learn about our college counseling services
Students are not required to join the preliminary call. This consultation is about how Ivy Coach can help navigate the highly selective college admissions process.
Step 2 PreMortem
The one-hour PostMortem is with a former elite college admissions officer.
A one-hour application review to ensure that we correct mistakes that your child likely doesn’t realize are mistakes before the submission of Early Action/Decision applications. We offer feedback on each section of The Common Application and up to three individual applications, letting your child know what works, what doesn’t, what needs to change, and they should reposition their case for admission to avoid deferrals and denials.
In the event they haven’t yet worked on many essays, don’t have them waste time and effort by starting on essays before the PreMortem. After all, during this session, we’ll steer them to how to best position their case for admission so that they present as singularly talented rather than well-rounded in their storytelling and effectively dare admissions officers not to offer them admission.
Step 3 Ivy Coach’s College Admissions Packages
Ivy Coach’s packages, which are based on the number of colleges families work with us on through the admissions process, include the following college admissions assistance and key deliverables:
Putting Bandaids on Course, Testing, and Extracurricular Mistakes
When families come to us during the final year of high school, there will be some mistakes we can’t correct. But there will be other mistakes we can correct — before they jeopardize their child’s case for admission. As such, we’ll brainstorm a few new activities for them to get involved in so they can better showcase a singular hook. And we’ll fix the course and testing mistakes we can. AP Statistics doesn’t count as senior-year math. Stopping or switching a foreign language isn’t good. Students can still enroll in courses outside their schools to address these errors.
Brainstorming and Revising Material for Recommendations
We don’t leave it to teachers and school counselors to write powerful letters of recommendation for our students. In our experience, when left on their own, school counselors and teachers write generic letters of recommendation. As such, we help our students prepare anecdotes that they then share with their counselors and teachers. While our students will never be privy to what these recommenders write, in our experience, counselors and teachers overwhelmingly want to help their students. So they’ll so often use what they’re given.
Brainstorming and Revising Material for College Essays
Do you think there’s one admissions essay, the Personal Statement? That’s cute. There are tons of college admissions essays, and they’re all equally as important. Most highly selective universities have their own supplemental essays, many of which must be uniquely tailored to the respective institution to demonstrate a student’s commitment to attending. We brainstorm and revise every paragraph of every essay, with each essay serving as a critical puzzle piece in a student’s admissions file.
Assistance with the Non-Essay Portions of Applications
There are landmines throughout each college application. Including a social security number implies the student will apply for financial aid. Not listing significant points of contact undercuts a student’s efforts to demonstrate interest in the college to which they’re applying. We make sure that our students don’t make such mistakes.
Interview Prep
While the alumni interview has become one of the least important components of the elite college admissions process, we prepare students to stand out, impress, and showcase their singular hook.
TOWARD THE CONQUEST OF ADMISSION
If you’re interested in Ivy Coach’s college counseling,
fill out our complimentary consultation form and we’ll be in touch.
Get Started