#145 Early College Application Strategies with Jeff Levy & Jennie Kent

Flourish Coaching

Oct 22, 2024

In this episode, Lisa, Jeff, and Jennie discuss:

The different types of early college applications and what they each mean.
Navigation strategies and deadlines for early applications.
Which students will benefit from early applications, and which might not.
What the data really says about early application acceptance rates.

Key Takeaways:

Because Early Decision (ED1 and ED2) is a binding contract that the student, parent, and high school counselor sign stating the student will enroll if admitted, only one early decision application can be submitted.
Most colleges do not give an admission advantage for early action.
Single Choice Early Action and Restricted Early Action are two names for the same thing. Read the fine print carefully as the rules vary greatly by school.
Just because ED is available does not mean it is the right decision for everyone. If your teen isn’t in love with a school or is relying on financial aid, it is likely not the right choice.

“The data is not the reason why you should make your decision about where to apply ED. There are a number of reasons that I think are more important. Particularly, is this a school that you love more than any other school on your list?” – Jeff Levy

About Jeff:

Jeff has been an educational consultant since 2007, based in the Los Angeles area. His students live in Southern California and throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, and Australia. In his prior profession, he spent over twenty years in the film and television industry, where he worked on set with many of the industry’s most accomplished writers, directors, producers, and actors and was able to observe many paths to creative and professional success.

Jeff has visited over 300 colleges and universities in the U.S. and abroad, often meeting with admission representatives during these visits. He believes that before recommending colleges to our students, we should be deeply knowledgeable of their programs, campus culture, and geographical setting.

About Jennie:

Jennie is a proud graduate of Northfield Mount Hermon School, received her B.A. from Skidmore College, and has a Masters in Education from Framingham State as well as a certificate in independent educational consulting from UC Irvine. She is also one of 280 educational consultants worldwide who have earned the designation of Certified Educational Planner. Because she is an active member of her professional associations with a broad network of colleagues and professionals, the answers to your questions are never far away.

She has visited over 500 schools and universities worldwide, trying to get a feel for each one of the cultures and expand her knowledge. Convinced that transparency is critical in the admission space, Jennie compiles important admission and financial aid resources annually for families and colleagues and has presented about them both domestically and internationally. Wanting to help raise others to their full potential, Jennie also co-founded the Independent Educational Consultants Association’s Student and Associate Virtual Roundtable, a networking and learning space for newer members.

Episode References:

Early and Regular Decision Acceptance Rates: https://lookerstudio.google.com/u/0/reporting/60d2d60b-ce9c-400d-84e6-2f8576af18fd/page/p_92z1mm9d7c?s=oCkDSl5aSI8
#123 College Institutional Priorities: Understanding Who Gets In with Aly Beaumont

Get Lisa’s Free on-demand video: How-to guide for your teen to choose the right major, college, & career…(without painting themselves into a corner, missing crucial deadlines, or risking choices you both regret).

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