and why is it so critical to elite college admissions?

Your ‘summa factor’ is the key differentiator that will get you noticed and help you to stand out in the hyper-competitive world of elite college admissions. It's the selling point that will have admissions officers fighting over you and telling their colleagues, "We need this kid at our school!"

For better or worse, today’s highly selective colleges - Ivy League schools like Harvard, Princeton, and Yale, and a number of other top-rated institutions such as MIT, Stanford, Northwestern, University of Chicago, and Duke - are looking for Unicorns in a sea of Thoroughbred applicants.

With applications topping 60,000+, and admission rates to top schools as low as 3%, there are no shoo-ins or guaranteed acceptances today. Harvard alone typically rejects thousands of perfect SAT and ACT scores, and over 8,000 Valedictorians per year. That's more than 3X the total number of applicants they accept. Gaining acceptance to a top college is not simply about having the right test scores or grades. It’s a complex process that requires far more planning and strategy than most families realize. And if they do, it’s often too late.

Successful applicants today know both the art and science of a strong application, and many work with an advisor who's been there themselves and can help them navigate the complexities of the admissions process. You need every edge you can get. Working with a strong strategist and storyteller can help you craft your narrative in a way that will give you the greatest odds of acceptance possible.

It's no secret that great grades, near perfect test scores, and strong extracurricular activities are table stakes in today's admissions process. The biggest difference in your odds of success come from the impact of your essays, a comprehensive and consistent narrative, and what we call the ‘summa factor’ - that one thing that makes you totally different, and desired, by the admissions officers at your dream school.

A needle-moving ‘summa factor’ and hook that gets you noticed requires serious thought, time, resources, and effort to successfully execute. But it's well worth the effort. Your unique ‘summa factor’ should be the hub around which the rest of your application is built. It's the anchor that makes all the difference, and it’s what we specialize in helping our students design and implement into their success plan.

If you think we might be a good fit, schedule a conversation by clicking ‘Book Your Free Consultation Today’ and see how we can help you get into your dream college.

And if you're an entering senior in the class of '25, time is short and only a few spots remain, so don't delay.

I look forward to speaking with you soon!