The Competitive EDGE for College Admissions
Why The Ivy Edge?
The primary goal of college admissions consultants (also known as independent education consultants) is to help students and families design and execute a strategic approach to secondary education opportunities that position the student to be competitive in an applicant pool of many qualified candidates. College admissions consultants serve as trusted advisors to students and families as they navigate the complex process of college admissions.
The goal of The Ivy Edge is to help participating families design and execute an overall strategy that positions students to be competitive applicants to America’s highly selective post-secondary education institutions. At The Ivy Edge, we define highly selective post-secondary education institutions as four-year accredited colleges and universities that typically admit, on average, less than 30% of their applicant pool; the acceptance rate for these colleges last year (the Class of 2022) was 27.3%.
The goal of The Ivy Edge is to help participating families design and execute an overall strategy that positions students to be competitive applicants to America’s highly selective post-secondary education institutions. At The Ivy Edge, we define highly selective post-secondary education institutions as four-year accredited colleges and universities that typically admit, on average, less than 30% of their applicant pool; the acceptance rate for these colleges last year (the Class of 2022) was 27.3%.
Areas of Focus
Students admitted to top-tier colleges and universities have consistently achieved high levels of academic preparedness that is measured by standardized test score performance and cumulative secondary education grade point averages. Students admitted to highly selective post-secondary education institutions also demonstrate preparedness for success by developing leadership opportunities, cultivating areas of distinguished excellence, possessing a keen interest in personal development, and demonstrating a passionate interest in global citizenry and opportunities for service.
To that end, The Ivy Edge has developed five areas of focus by which to measure a student’s progress in developing themselves as competitive applicants in highly selective applicant pools: 1) academic planning & course selections, 2) leadership development & extracurricular opportunities, 3) distinguished excellence, 4) personal growth & development, and 5) global citizenry & opportunities for service. The following is a brief description of these five areas:
To that end, The Ivy Edge has developed five areas of focus by which to measure a student’s progress in developing themselves as competitive applicants in highly selective applicant pools: 1) academic planning & course selections, 2) leadership development & extracurricular opportunities, 3) distinguished excellence, 4) personal growth & development, and 5) global citizenry & opportunities for service. The following is a brief description of these five areas:
Academic Planning & Course Selection
Admissions officers of highly 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.
Admissions officers of highly 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.
Distinguished Excellence
Conventional wisdom suggests that students admitted to highly selective institutions are well-rounded candidates that have a variety of interests. Actually, the opposite is true. Admissions officers to highly 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 pursue opportunities in these areas.
Personal Growth & Development
Highly 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 highly 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 highly 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.
