At Ivy Coach, our blog is your go-to resource for all things elite college admissions. Our team, composed of former elite college admissions officers, offers insider tips on how to secure a spot in the most highly selective schools in the nation. We also debunk common misconceptions about the college admissions process and call out hypocrisy wherever we see it. In a time of unprecedented competitiveness and record-low acceptance rates, it’s crucial for families to navigate this process armed with accurate, up-to-date information from those who have been in elite admissions offices and made these decisions themselves.

An education from a top school can transform lives for the better. For many, it’s a key to socioeconomic mobility. For others, it’s a lifetime pass to access networks of the nation’s top talent and titans of industry. Considering admission to a top school an essential tool for self-actualization, we believe in speaking truth to power and helping to break down the barriers to entry that unjustly affect certain groups. For example, we were among the first to sound the alarm bells against anti-Asian discrimination at Ivy League schools. We’ve long pointed out that recruited athletes, development cases, and legacy applicants receive an admissions boost at most schools, and we’ve scrutinized these unfair practices while maintaining that the path forward must not jeopardize financial aid for low-income students by disgruntling major donors.

Ivy Coach is the Ultimate College Admissions Truth-Teller

We have made it our mission to help students optimize their odds of admission to top schools while assisting families to steer clear of the pitfalls and wrong turns that plague this often-fraught process.  For example, did you know that few colleges are actually “need-blind?” That’s right — it’s a complete and utter myth perpetuated by colleges that would have you believe they don’t consider your finances. If this were true, don’t you think they wouldn’t ask about your family’s financial situation on their application? It’s a load of malarkey coming from the most prestigious schools in the nation, and we’re here to catch them in their lies!

How about the constant insistence that “Demonstrated Interest” isn’t a factor in admissions decisions? We know better. Admissions officers want to admit highly enthusiastic students into their campus community. And who can blame them? These students are far more likely to enroll, take advantage of resources and opportunities on campus, and make the most of their time. Hence, it should come as no surprise that Early Decision acceptance rates — in which students commit themselves to their prospective college early on in the cycle — are much higher than Regular Decision acceptance rates. It should also come as no surprise that college tours and deep knowledge of campus traditions, history, and culture are weighed in the decision process, despite what they’d have you believe.

Well-Rounded Applicants Face Routine Rejection. We Have the Solution

The “well-rounded” approach to college admissions hasn’t worked since the early 1980s. Yet, families are still duped into buying into it by English teachers, pop culture, and wayward college counselors alike. Ivy Coach helped pioneer the highly competitive alternative to this misconceived approach: the singular admissions hook. Nowadays, applicants who have distinguished themselves with a highly specific, often small, and unique pursuit, cause, discipline, or passion fare the best at the elite college admissions level. 

Instead of encouraging you or your child to shell out thousands for a pre-college summer program, go on expensive mission trips or foreign travel experiences, or focus your application around a “third-rail” topic, our team will guide you with a strategic approach that highlights the many ways you will make the most of your time on campus. Admissions officers only take the gamble on students who apply with a game plan for engagement on campus. Helping to craft those types of students is Ivy Coach’s bread and butter. So what are you waiting for? Fill out our complimentary consultation form and we’ll be in touch.