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...

We're in the throes of arguably the bumpiest college decision season in history.   

Daily, I'm witnessing joy in Mudville, as well as reports of sobbing, bedridden kids crushed by rejections (sometimes the same person).

In the midst of this emotional, chaotic time -- especially today, a/k/a "Ivy Day" -- it's important to focus on an important, overlooked truth:

Where you go is not who you are

I know, your kid may not want to hear it seconds after a rejection.  But that doesn't mean it's untrue.

I won't bore you with one of those long lists of famous successful people who didn't go to an Ivy, or who were rejected by their top choice college, but it's far from the end of the world if you don't get into your top choice college...

...but I can't help myself, so here's a short list of some really successful, non-Ivy leaguers.

Howard Schultz, the Starbucks guy - Northern Michigan University

Marc Cuban -- Indiana University

Steve Jobs -- Reed College (dropout)

Michael Dell - UT Aust...

We're moments away from shutting the door on tonight's SAT Crusher class, but we still have three (3) spots left.

If you (or your friends) are interested, here's where to get the low-down on our GUARANTEED, small group tutoring class:

<<<<<SAT Crusher Class>>>>>

Use coupon code SPRING for a nifty $125 "scholarship" (discount).

That coupon code works for all the classes listed on that page, BTW.

Bottom line:

A strong SAT or ACT score can still open doors, win money, and get your kid into a better school.

Get Started >

- Andy "Tootin' My Tutor's Horn" Lockwood

P.S. Your instructor, Marissa U, doesn't merely believe in “just getting by" or "settling" for a "decent" score.

Her client Dylan Briody started with a 1330, and was hoping for a 1450. His final score, hot off the presses:

1520!

Our test prep courses are built to help students CRUSH the SAT and ACT. Here's how:

• Raise scores fast with proven strategies (75% strategby, 25% content. If that)
• Build "game day" confide...

SAT and ACT Prep Small Group Tutoring

Admissions results are a-rollin' in, and it's proving to be the bumpiest year I can recall.

I'm always trying to sift and sort through the data to make sense of it all, but it's not easy.

But one thing seems to stand out like a sore thumb:

SAT and ACT scores matter.

The higher your scores, the better your odds of admission.   Even in today's test-optional world.  

Yes, most colleges still let you APPLY test-optional.   But there's a difference between applying test-optional and getting in test-optional.

That’s the reality no one tells you during campus tours. They want EVERYONE to apply, because more applications means more rejections, and more rejections mean higher rankings.

That's how the College Admissions Matrix manipulates you.

But here’s the good news:

We specialize in helping students crush these tests.

Not just “do okay.” Not “get by.” We’re talking real improvement. Real confidence. Real results.

Like our client Dylan Briody,...

Picture this.

It’s December. It's a dark, chilly evening.

Your kid logs into their college admissions portal. You're trying not to hover or eavesdrop. Yet, here you are.

They click “View Decision,” their hands shaking, their stomach in knots.

The page struggles to load...Then, finally, you see the words:

"We regret to inform you…"

Maybe they don’t even finish reading. Maybe they slam their laptop shut, fighting back tears...while their friends celebrate acceptance letters from their dream schools.

Now you’re the one feeling sick. Could this have been avoided?

I won't pull punches. The answer is YES.

This year’s admissions cycle has been an absolute bloodbath.

Record-low acceptance rates

An explosion of applicants (even safety schools are rejecting top students)

Families losing out on five-figure scholarships because they didn’t know how to play the College Funding Game

But still…some students somehow beat long odds, and get in.

Many, “less qualified”. 

And thousands...