The Competitive EDGE for Selective College Admissions
Meet The Expert
Biography
In 1991, Aaron A. Shipp, PCC was the first person from his home county in North Carolina to be accepted to and subsequently attend Yale University. In addition to being accepted to Yale as an Early Action applicant, Aaron was also accepted to Harvard, Stanford, and Duke as a Regular Decision candidate in the spring of 1992 as well as other highly selective universities. He was able to procure over $250,000 in scholarships and aid (including the prestigious Joseph P. Gordon Scholarship at Wake Forest University, the Joseph E. and Grace Needham Pogue Scholarship at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a full-ride scholarship to Davidson College) during his senior year of high school. He matriculated at Yale for four years and graduated in the spring of 1996 with his Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature with Theater Studies. He knows first-hand what it takes to create a competitive application to a top college as well as the value of a quality education and its ability to create opportunities for professional growth and social mobility.
Because of the opportunities his education has allowed him to enjoy, Aaron is passionate about helping bright and talented students create such opportunities for themselves. This passion led Aaron to launch The Ivy Edge in 2017. His mission is to help students create the most competitive applications possible. He does this by providing students with critical and supportive feedback on all aspects of the admissions process.
Experience
Aaron discovered his passion for college admissions during his time at Yale. He volunteered in local high schools to help Advanced Placement students with their college applications to selective institutions. Upon graduation, Aaron became a member of Yale’s Alumni Schools Committee and has interviewed hundreds of applicants to his alma mater. He has also worked with several nonprofit organizations over the years to help students with reviewing admissions essays, conducting mock interviews, and completing financial aid forms.
He is also the Founder & CEO of Y-Apply, a national nonprofit dedicated to helping high-achieving, low-income, public school students apply to top-tier colleges. Y-Apply has helped hundreds of students across the country, and helped families negotiate over $46M in financial aid packages. Students of the Y-Apply program are now attending some of the most selective universities in the nation. Aaron also spent two years as an adjunct instructor for New York University's School of Professional Studies (SPS), designing and teaching courses on the college application process and leadership development to high school students all over the world that participate in SPS's online programs.
In 1991, Aaron A. Shipp, PCC was the first person from his home county in North Carolina to be accepted to and subsequently attend Yale University. In addition to being accepted to Yale as an Early Action applicant, Aaron was also accepted to Harvard, Stanford, and Duke as a Regular Decision candidate in the spring of 1992 as well as other highly selective universities. He was able to procure over $250,000 in scholarships and aid (including the prestigious Joseph P. Gordon Scholarship at Wake Forest University, the Joseph E. and Grace Needham Pogue Scholarship at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a full-ride scholarship to Davidson College) during his senior year of high school. He matriculated at Yale for four years and graduated in the spring of 1996 with his Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature with Theater Studies. He knows first-hand what it takes to create a competitive application to a top college as well as the value of a quality education and its ability to create opportunities for professional growth and social mobility.
Because of the opportunities his education has allowed him to enjoy, Aaron is passionate about helping bright and talented students create such opportunities for themselves. This passion led Aaron to launch The Ivy Edge in 2017. His mission is to help students create the most competitive applications possible. He does this by providing students with critical and supportive feedback on all aspects of the admissions process.
Experience
Aaron discovered his passion for college admissions during his time at Yale. He volunteered in local high schools to help Advanced Placement students with their college applications to selective institutions. Upon graduation, Aaron became a member of Yale’s Alumni Schools Committee and has interviewed hundreds of applicants to his alma mater. He has also worked with several nonprofit organizations over the years to help students with reviewing admissions essays, conducting mock interviews, and completing financial aid forms.
He is also the Founder & CEO of Y-Apply, a national nonprofit dedicated to helping high-achieving, low-income, public school students apply to top-tier colleges. Y-Apply has helped hundreds of students across the country, and helped families negotiate over $46M in financial aid packages. Students of the Y-Apply program are now attending some of the most selective universities in the nation. Aaron also spent two years as an adjunct instructor for New York University's School of Professional Studies (SPS), designing and teaching courses on the college application process and leadership development to high school students all over the world that participate in SPS's online programs.
Aaron spent many years in New York City as a leadership development and communications coach to professionals at Fortune 100 companies. His experience differentiates him from other admissions consultants and uniquely shapes his approach to the process. Aaron uses values-based personality assessments to really get to know his students. He also uses coaching strategies and techniques he learned from the corporate sector to provide accountability and forward motion to help his students achieve their goals.
Approach
What most students and families enjoy most about working with Aaron is his no-nonsense, truth-teller approach to his work. There is a lot of misinformation and disinformation when it comes to the selective colleges admissions process. Aaron's clients continually applaud his willingness and ability to "give it to them straight" while still having compassion and empathy for how opaque and complex the process is for both students and families alike.
Also, unlike other independent education consulting firms, Aaron is the sole staff member for The Ivy Edge; clients know that their students will work directly with Aaron, and receive all the experience and expertise he brings to bear in the process. They never have to worry about receiving anything less than top-notch, quality service from anyone other than the expert himself!
Fun Facts
In his spare time, Aaron is a self-confessed gym rat and bookworm. Physical fitness, health and wellness are all very important to him, but his life-long thirst for great literature is unquenchable. When possible, you can find him with his nose in a book or with his Kindle on the elliptical. He enjoys cultural activities such as dance and theater performances, and has recently taken up golf, but his favorite activity is being a #PitDad to his doggos, Kobe and Blake!
Approach
What most students and families enjoy most about working with Aaron is his no-nonsense, truth-teller approach to his work. There is a lot of misinformation and disinformation when it comes to the selective colleges admissions process. Aaron's clients continually applaud his willingness and ability to "give it to them straight" while still having compassion and empathy for how opaque and complex the process is for both students and families alike.
Also, unlike other independent education consulting firms, Aaron is the sole staff member for The Ivy Edge; clients know that their students will work directly with Aaron, and receive all the experience and expertise he brings to bear in the process. They never have to worry about receiving anything less than top-notch, quality service from anyone other than the expert himself!
Fun Facts
In his spare time, Aaron is a self-confessed gym rat and bookworm. Physical fitness, health and wellness are all very important to him, but his life-long thirst for great literature is unquenchable. When possible, you can find him with his nose in a book or with his Kindle on the elliptical. He enjoys cultural activities such as dance and theater performances, and has recently taken up golf, but his favorite activity is being a #PitDad to his doggos, Kobe and Blake!
