The 2 College Admissions Cheat Codes

Описание: Want personalized guidance for your family? Book a free strategy call: https://go.collegeconsulting.us/apply-yt

In this video, I break down the two most impactful things high school seniors (and underclassmen!) can do right now to drastically improve their college admissions chances. First, I explain why Early Decision is the ultimate cheat code—with data showing acceptance rates at schools like Vanderbilt jumping from 4.8% (Regular Decision) to over 18% (Early Decision).

Second, I dive into "Your Story"—the fourth tier of college admissions that separates admits from rejects when everyone has the grades and test scores. I'll show you how to create a clear "thesis statement" that makes it easy for admissions reps to say "I get this kid" in the 8 minutes they spend reviewing each application.

Connect with me:
Website: https://collegeconsulting.us
Instagram:   / jackdelehey  

GENERAL RESOURCES
🧠 Join 1,000+ families in the FREE College Confidence Community (100+ hours of elite college planning content): https://www.skool.com/college-confide...
✍️ Explore hundreds of free blog posts, downloads & tools: https://collegeconsulting.us/blog
📧 Get weekly college planning insights delivered to your inbox: https://collegeconsulting.us/newsletter
SEE OUR RESULTS
🔥 Hear from families who transformed their college journey: https://collegeconsulting.us/about/re...
🎯 Recent student success stories: https://collegeconsulting.us/about/ca...

VIDEO-SPECIFIC RESOURCES
*Correction at 1:45 - I meant Early Decision, not Early Action!
Vanderbilt ED vs. RD Data (Class of 2026: 24.1% vs. 4.7%): https://vanderbilthustler.com/2022/04...
Ivy League ED vs. RD Data (Class of 2026): https://toptieradmissions.com/resourc...

0:00 - Introduction: Two things to drastically improve admissions chances
0:49 - Cheat Code #1: Early Decision explained
1:33 - Vanderbilt data: 4.8% RD vs. 18%+ ED acceptance rate
2:23 - Early Decision downsides (binding, financial aid)
3:08 - The four tiers of college admissions
3:51 - Cheat Code #2: Your Story (Tier 4)
4:34 - Why 8-minute application reviews demand a clear path
5:20 - The problem with "well-rounded" but scattered activities
6:03 - Strategy: Pick your major and work backwards
6:48 - What if your child is undecided? (Jack's Vanderbilt example)
7:35 - The "thesis statement" or "sound bite" test
8:16 - Make it easy: One to two sentences that summarize your application
8:59 - Jack's personal story: "I'm the entrepreneurial guy"
9:46 - How the story creates the "it factor" for admissions
10:28 - Recap: Early Decision + Your Story
11:10 - Pro tip: Use the Additional Information section strategically
11:48 - This applies to juniors, sophomores, and freshmen too