5. Empirical data leads to smarter college decisions.

Old Way

We leave what is potentially a $200,000-300,000 decision in the hands of a teenager. We pick colleges based on factors that do not predict success.

Old Result

We end up with students unhappy from a break-up with their girlfriend or boyfriend. They realize that their other friends have changed. Students find themselves over or underwhelmed from their coursework. Students drop-out, transfer, or end up living at home on your couch. Parents find themselves with student debt they cannot afford.

New Way

We evaluate colleges with the latest metrics available and with the greatest predictors of success in addition to meeting the students social and personal expectations of the college experience. We strike a balance between finding the college your student wants and finding the college your student needs. For parents, we find colleges that are affordable.

New Result

We use empirical data as a foundation for college success. Students find themselves exactly where they should be and where they want to be. Parents find themselves able to pay for it.

College is an emotional decision. There are a lot of ways to choose a college but we believe that objective data is the best place to start the college search before we take any subjective and emotional factors into consideration.

How students pick colleges

I want to go where my friends are going.

I want to go where my boyfriend / girlfriend is going.

I want to go to a “big” school.I want to go where there is football.

I want the college experience.

This college has a 24/hr Taco Bell.

I want to go close to home / far from home.

How parents pick colleges

Money - Can we afford this? (HS Sophomore Year)

Money - How are we going to afford this? (HS Junior Year)

Money - Help! (HS Senior Year)

Good academic programs.

"I went there."

Prestige & Status - Bumper sticker appeal

Any college within a 2-hour drive.

How we should pick colleges: Get in. Fit in. Get paid… Get out.

It really comes down to pace. How we define fit.

There are a lot of competing theories as to what these standardized tests measure and if they predict success. We believe that students should thrive at college, that the college environment should accommodate the student’s unique academic fit.

We believe that your student’s test score is not an IQ test but rather a measure of pace. We have developed an empirical selection strategy designed to cut through the noise. This is how we start the college search. This is our Theory of Student Positioning.

FAQ

Are there any guarantees? This can’t be an exact science. We are working with teenagers that are hard to talk to and can change their mind at any moment. Why should I pay for this?

You are right. Teenagers can be difficult to work with and we’ve seen them change their minds too. We guarantee nothing. What we can do is offer a methodology that adapts. We can also offer a voice that comes from a source other than their parents, a source your student may be willing to listen to. We believe at the end of the day, we have to start somewhere. We’ve seen the other college planning approaches and we understand your concerns.

Can’t I just go on Google and the online message boards and figure this out on my own?

You can but many families simply do not have the time to achieve the same results. The problem isn’t knowing where to get the answers. The problem is that often times, many students and families end up asking the wrong questions. You can wash your own car or mow your own lawn but some people just choose to have the work done by a professional. With college, the stakes are clearly higher.

My student is not a good test taker can you still help?

We still can. There are many variables to successfully finding a great college that you can afford. We believe that every student deserves a shot if they are willing to put in the work. In addition, we recognize that many institutions have adopted a test optional policy and can tailor our approach as these trends develop.

How do you find colleges that parents can afford?

Our data sets also allow us to predict college costs by projecting grants and merit awards based on the family’s financial aid profile. Yeah, it’s a pretty neat trick! This is what we mean when we say that our process is hilariously predictable and ridiculously consistent.

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