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S2E4: This Mindset Shift Will Completely Transform You or Your Child’s College Experience
Is your college list based on what you actually want—or what someone else told you to want?
If the idea of an Ivy League school has taken over your college admissions strategy, you’re not alone. The allure is real. But when the prestige of a name outweighs the actual experience and alignment, you (or your child) could end up in the wrong place, chasing someone else’s dream.
Too many students build their college list backwards—starting with a dream school instead of a dream experience. Counselors push, parents pressure, YouTube raves, and suddenly, you’re sinking time, energy, and thousands of dollars into a goal that may not even make sense for you. This episode will help you break free from that Ivy tunnel vision and build a strategy that actually fits your life.
BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU’LL DISCOVER:
-
Why Ivy League prestige doesn’t guarantee career success (and the real stats behind the myth)
-
How your school counselor’s advice might be driven by their priorities, not yours
-
The surprising red flags that your “dream school” may not be the right fit
-
A 3-step process to build a college list based on alignment, not assumption
Whether you're a student navigating this process or a parent supporting your child, this episode is your permission slip to ditch the default Ivy obsession—and choose with clarity, confidence, and intention.
TAKE ACTION🎯 Start here: An Admissions Strategy Session where we'll identify your student's unique path and create a custom roadmap for their success. No generic advice—just a personalized strategy that works.
🚀 Go deeper: Apply for The Roadmap—our signature consulting experience that turns uncertainty into clarity (and acceptances to dream schools). We work with just a handful of families per year.
📧 Stay connected: Get our weekly newsletter with insider admissions strategies that traditional counselors won't tell you.
👑 Follow along on Instagram or TikTok
SHARE THIS EPISODE
🌟 If this conversation sparked something for you, leave a review—it helps more families, educators, and students discover the show and start rewriting their own success story.
View all episodes
By Cathleen McCaffery
5
4949 ratings
Is your college list based on what you actually want—or what someone else told you to want?
If the idea of an Ivy League school has taken over your college admissions strategy, you’re not alone. The allure is real. But when the prestige of a name outweighs the actual experience and alignment, you (or your child) could end up in the wrong place, chasing someone else’s dream.
Too many students build their college list backwards—starting with a dream school instead of a dream experience. Counselors push, parents pressure, YouTube raves, and suddenly, you’re sinking time, energy, and thousands of dollars into a goal that may not even make sense for you. This episode will help you break free from that Ivy tunnel vision and build a strategy that actually fits your life.
BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU’LL DISCOVER:
-
Why Ivy League prestige doesn’t guarantee career success (and the real stats behind the myth)
-
How your school counselor’s advice might be driven by their priorities, not yours
-
The surprising red flags that your “dream school” may not be the right fit
-
A 3-step process to build a college list based on alignment, not assumption
Whether you're a student navigating this process or a parent supporting your child, this episode is your permission slip to ditch the default Ivy obsession—and choose with clarity, confidence, and intention.
TAKE ACTION🎯 Start here: An Admissions Strategy Session where we'll identify your student's unique path and create a custom roadmap for their success. No generic advice—just a personalized strategy that works.
🚀 Go deeper: Apply for The Roadmap—our signature consulting experience that turns uncertainty into clarity (and acceptances to dream schools). We work with just a handful of families per year.
📧 Stay connected: Get our weekly newsletter with insider admissions strategies that traditional counselors won't tell you.
👑 Follow along on Instagram or TikTok
SHARE THIS EPISODE
🌟 If this conversation sparked something for you, leave a review—it helps more families, educators, and students discover the show and start rewriting their own success story.