The Competitive EDGE for Selective College Admissions
The Ivy Edge Method
The success of clients of The Ivy Edge may be traced directly to the methodology—The Ivy Edge Method—developed by Mr. Shipp based on his training and years of experience as an executive coach. He brings his past success with these coaching methodologies to his work and it is this expertise that differentiates him from other in the profession. Mr. Shipp takes a a full-bodied approach when working with his clients, monitoring their emotional and psychological health as they go through this process as well as guiding them to make choices that position them to highly competitive in applicant pools to selective colleges and universities.
The goal of The Ivy Edge is to help families design and execute an overall strategy that positions students to be competitive applicants to America’s selective post-secondary education institutions. At The Ivy Edge, we define selective post-secondary education institutions as four-year accredited colleges and universities that typically admit, on average, 40% of their applicant pool or less. The type of students consistently admitted to selective colleges and universities possess the following attributes:
To that end, The Ivy Edge has developed five areas of focus--The Ivy Edge Method--by which to measure a student’s progress in developing themselves as competitive applicants in selective applicant pools:
The goal of The Ivy Edge is to help families design and execute an overall strategy that positions students to be competitive applicants to America’s selective post-secondary education institutions. At The Ivy Edge, we define selective post-secondary education institutions as four-year accredited colleges and universities that typically admit, on average, 40% of their applicant pool or less. The type of students consistently admitted to selective colleges and universities possess the following attributes:
- achieve high levels of academic preparedness, measured by standardized test score performance and cumulative secondary education grade point averages;
- demonstrate preparedness for success by pursuing leadership opportunities;
- have a keen sense of self-awareness and desire personal development;
- create or seek ways to use their gifts and talents to serve their communities; and
- find one or two areas in which to excel.
To that end, The Ivy Edge has developed five areas of focus--The Ivy Edge Method--by which to measure a student’s progress in developing themselves as competitive applicants in selective applicant pools:
- Academic Planning & Course Selection;
- Leadership Development & Extracurricular Opportunities;
- Personal Growth & Development;
- Global Citizenry & Opportunities for Service, and;
- Distinguished Excellence.
Academic Planning & Course Selection
Admissions officers of selective institutions look for applicants who take the most rigorous courses at their secondary institutions. At The Ivy Edge, we help students examine all of the opportunities available and make recommendations about what courses a student should take through an in-depth dialogue with each student about current and future course selections. Students should choose courses that challenge them academically as well as play to their particular academic strengths.
Admissions officers of selective institutions look for applicants who take the most rigorous courses at their secondary institutions. At The Ivy Edge, we help students examine all of the opportunities available and make recommendations about what courses a student should take through an in-depth dialogue with each student about current and future course selections. Students should choose courses that challenge them academically as well as play to their particular academic strengths.
Leadership Development & Extracurricular Opportunities
Secondary education institutions offer opportunities for students to develop leadership skills, explore interests, and cultivate the strength of designing and executing project-based initiatives. We help students seek leadership opportunities within their respective communities as well as serve as a sounding board to students as they explore their extracurricular interests. We also help students determine if leadership opportunities and extracurricular interests are consistent with the larger goal of developing a competitive application to highly selective institutions.
Personal Growth & Development
Selective institutions admit students from all parts of the globe. Admitted students are expected to be able perform academically in an environment that fosters diversity of thought and perspective. We help students develop a sense of self-awareness through direct conversations about each student’s goals, aspirations, thought processes, and natural curiosities about themselves and the world at large. This work is critical to the application process to highly selective institutions as many of the essay questions on the applications to such institutions are of a highly personal nature. Students must be able to talk about themselves in-depth as human beings as well as expound on their accomplishments.
Global Citizenry & Opportunities for Service
As selective institutions admit students from all across the globe, strong applicants are expected to have a sense of themselves as global citizens with an interest in contributing solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. Opportunities for service, even at a local level, demonstrate a sense of empathy and connectedness to others as well as the importance of community. More and more applications to selective colleges and universities are specifically asking for students to discuss volunteer and/or community service experience separately from other parts of the application. We help students explore opportunities for service projects or initiatives that are aligned with their passions or interests.
Distinguished Excellence
Conventional wisdom suggests that students admitted to selective institutions are well-rounded candidates that have a variety of interests. Actually, the opposite is true. Admissions officers to selective colleges and universities prefer to see that students have distinguished themselves in one or two areas. Students excel best in this arena when they pursue opportunities that are aligned with their innate abilities and passions. We help students discover what subject matters intersect with their abilities and passions and then advise them on how to best pursue opportunities in these areas.
Secondary education institutions offer opportunities for students to develop leadership skills, explore interests, and cultivate the strength of designing and executing project-based initiatives. We help students seek leadership opportunities within their respective communities as well as serve as a sounding board to students as they explore their extracurricular interests. We also help students determine if leadership opportunities and extracurricular interests are consistent with the larger goal of developing a competitive application to highly selective institutions.
Personal Growth & Development
Selective institutions admit students from all parts of the globe. Admitted students are expected to be able perform academically in an environment that fosters diversity of thought and perspective. We help students develop a sense of self-awareness through direct conversations about each student’s goals, aspirations, thought processes, and natural curiosities about themselves and the world at large. This work is critical to the application process to highly selective institutions as many of the essay questions on the applications to such institutions are of a highly personal nature. Students must be able to talk about themselves in-depth as human beings as well as expound on their accomplishments.
Global Citizenry & Opportunities for Service
As selective institutions admit students from all across the globe, strong applicants are expected to have a sense of themselves as global citizens with an interest in contributing solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. Opportunities for service, even at a local level, demonstrate a sense of empathy and connectedness to others as well as the importance of community. More and more applications to selective colleges and universities are specifically asking for students to discuss volunteer and/or community service experience separately from other parts of the application. We help students explore opportunities for service projects or initiatives that are aligned with their passions or interests.
Distinguished Excellence
Conventional wisdom suggests that students admitted to selective institutions are well-rounded candidates that have a variety of interests. Actually, the opposite is true. Admissions officers to selective colleges and universities prefer to see that students have distinguished themselves in one or two areas. Students excel best in this arena when they pursue opportunities that are aligned with their innate abilities and passions. We help students discover what subject matters intersect with their abilities and passions and then advise them on how to best pursue opportunities in these areas.
