How's this?

“The sun rose over the soccer field as I laced up my cleats, not knowing this game would change my life forever…”

I don't know if you're smirking or gagging, but if you were an admissions officer at an elite college, you'd probably be thinking one thought:

"Next!"

The essays and extracurricular activities are two major factors in every kid's control.

Yet, so many with impressive credentials, who "deserved" to get into the top colleges in the country, fail in these critical areas.

So they get dinged.

Rejected.

Thanks for playing. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Like that Roslyn (NY) kid with the $30M business, who was denied by every Ivy and the vast majority of colleges on his list.

In a few hours, tonight, I'll be dissecting exactly what a winning personal statement, supplemental essay and extracurricular activities section should look like, if you're young 'un has hopes and dreams of getting into a competitive college, today.

If you have a clas...

OK if I get real for a moment?

If the highlights of your kid’s activity list include “babysitting,” “band camp,” or “random club they joined in 11th grade,” they’re toast.
If their essay opens with a quote or a metaphor about climbing mountains, ditto
If you have a 2026 kiddo who's been "thinking" about working on their essays over the summer, when "get around to it"... wake up. It’s June.

I'm running a brand spanking new webinar tomorrow night, The Stone Cold Truth About Essays and Extracurriculars.

It's free and we will not be selling anything. But the information is pretty darn valuable, if I may offer my unsolicited, yet subtle, opinion.

I'm doing this presentation because you won't get this information from your guidance counselor...

...But you absolutely MUST hear it if you've got a 2026 or younger child gunning for a top college.

(Again with the subtlety.)

Here's a smidgeon of what's on tap tomorrow night:

What actually separates killer extracurriculars from résumé...

It's inevitable, every year, just as day follows night:

• High 90’s average
• National Honor Society member
• Varsity sports participant
• REJECTED from half their schools.

Why?

Because these poor kids never learned how to STAND OUT -- how to MARKET themselves.

Admissions officers have a different perspective than a sweet grandma knitting a blankie.

They’re skimming.

Judging. Comparing.

Tossing.

Your kiddo has mere minutes to grab their attention and sell them on their VALUE.

To answer the Invisible Question that's technically not on the Common Application, but in the hearts and minds of every admissions officer as they grind through 1,000 applications per year:

“Why are YOU different from the other 50,000 identical applicants you're competing with?”

That’s what I'm going to show you, Wednesday night: 

College Admissions Cheat Code
Wednesday, May 21
Register now → https://collegeplanningedge.com/

You will discover:

 The “Admissions Edge” strategy for turning a boring ...

What’s the difference between a kid who gets into an Ivy or other top 25 college…

 …and an equally strong student, who gets ghosted by their “dream school”?

It’s NOT grades.
It’s NOT SAT scores.
It’s NOT 400 hours of “community service” bagging groceries for retirees.

It’s STRATEGY.

Here’s the inconvenient, brutal truth: college admissions is a game, and it’s not fair.

But here’s the thing…

It’s not DESIGNED to be fair.

The winners aren’t necessarily the smartest and best students.

The ones who get the brass ring are those who know how to play the game.

Which is exactly what I'll be breaking down—step by step—at our upcoming free workshop:

College Admissions Cheat Code
Wednesday, May 21
Register now → https://collegeplanningedge.com/

Here’s a mere spattering of what's on tap Wednesday night:

The 60-40 method of how to get into Ivy/elite/competitive colleges (without lying, bribing or photoshopping)
How to write a college essay that sells (not bores)
How to slash college c...

If you know any class of 2025 high school seniors who just went through the college application process, their experience could be summed up in three letters:

WTF?

Shockingly low acceptances.  Thousands of students waitlisted at colleges they "deserved" to get into.

College admissions barely resembles what you and I went through, 30 ish years ago.

Yesterday's "Safety Schools" are today's impossible dreams.

Example: The idea of the well-rounded student hasn't been a "thing" in college admissions since people communicated by fax and drove horse and buggies.

Question:  How did Northeastern go from a 90% acceptance rate in 1986 to an elite, top 50-ish college in 2025?

The rules of the game have changed.

If you're confused, scared or you-know-whatting-a-brick about your son's or daughter's chances of getting into a decent -- let alone an Ivy or comparable college -- I have two things to tell you that should help.

1.  It's not your fault!  

You're not taught this. And your high sch...

Let me be blunt.

If your son or daughter is applying to college anytime soon… they’re up against a tsunami of near-identical applicants who all look the same on paper:

Good grades
Decent test scores
Solid extracurriculars
Pretty little essay about “growth”

Guess what?

That’s exactly why most of them will get tossed into the reject pile without a second glance.

But not your kid.
Not if you join us TONIGHT at our no-fluff, no-BS college admissions workshop.

Here’s what we’re laying out:

Tested and proven strategies (not the usual counselor "advice") to help your teen rise above 30,000+ other “well-rounded” applicants.
The Edge that makes admissions officers perk up, lean in and say “this one’s different.”
How families—yes, even families who “make too much”—are legally and ethically stacking $20,000… $40,000… even $80,000+ in fat, juicy scholarships.
What to do right now to avoid financial aid mistakes that cost families tens of thousands every year.

I'm not giving vague inspi...

I'll cut to the quick because I respect your time:

College admissions for the Class of 2025 was a bloodbath.  So many qualified kids who "deserved" better, tossed into the Reject Pile without rhyme or reason.

Correction: APPARENT rhyme or reason.

It doesn't have to be a bloodbath for your kiddo, if he's a class of 2026, 2027 or younger.

First, you have to learn the rules of The Game.  If you don't know what it takes to get into an Ivy or other competitive college, I want you to know one thing:

It's not your fault.

You're not taught the "secrets" (a/k/a non-politically correct factors hiding in plain sight) that admissions committees look for.

Some of these considerations are out of your kid's control.  But many aren't.

Either way, college acceptance success starts with College Knowledge.  The good news is that I'm running a free webinar tomorrow night, The College Application Edge System.

At this workshop, we'll cover actual, tested and proven strategies and tips that -- if im...

The ACT is "transitioning," and the SAT just changed a few months back.

What do these changes mean for your kiddo?

Tonight we're running a free class to help you figure out Which Test is Best...

...so that your son or daughter can CRUSH the test, get into his Dream College and win an unconscionable amount of fat, juicy scholarships. :)

Here's where to go:

Learn more...

- Andy "Test Not Optional" Lockwood

P.S.  Many colleges are still Test Optional, but that number is on the decline.

The SAT and ACT still matter, because they are good -- not perfect -- predictors of how well a student will perform in college. 

P.P.S.  Questions you might have:

Is the SAT or ACT best for strong math students?

Which test is best for Sciencey kids?

For slow test takers?

For ast test takers?

For "Bad" test takers?

That's just a few snippets of what you will discover, tonight!

How do you figure out whether your kiddo should take the SAT or *new* (improved?) ACT?

Which one's best for strong math students?

Sciencey kids?

Slow test takers?

Fast test takers?

"Bad" test takers?

Tomorrow night, our Chief Standardized Test Officer Marissa U will help you figure out Which Test Is Best...

...so that your young 'un can crush the test, and get into her Dream School...

...and win bucketloads of merit scholarships!

Here's where to get more details about tomorrow's web class:

Learn more...

- Andy "Testing, Testing" Lockwood

P.S.  Many colleges are still Test Optional, but that number is on the decline.

The SAT and ACT still matter, because they are good -- not perfect -- predictors of how well a student will perform in college.  Admissions officers would rather see scores than not.

Applying Test Optional is not the same thing as GETTING IN Test Optional.

College Negotiations Help

It's not exactly a newsflash, but colleges are businesses.

That means, like every red-blooded, capitalist enterprise, they would prefer to get more money out of you than less. 

They may not be terribly forthcoming about how to "appeal" or negotiate with them, after they dole out a financial aid or merit aid offer that leaves you wondering, "Where's the beef?"  Here are my thoughts:

• Yes, you actually can negotiate your offer (many parents don't realize this)
• No, they won't rescind your acceptance or do some other dastardly, punitive thing to you just because you asked for more cashola
• The three most effective arguments you can make to a college about why it should give you more money are:
  • Severe drop in income since the Base Year of your financial aid applications (for 2025 grads, the Base Year is 2023)
  • Significant expenses that were not disclosed on the financial aid applications (But "We live in a high cost area" will not sway their opinion)
  • Bett...