What are the chances of getting into the college of your choice next year? The Ivies are next to impossible. Private colleges are tougher than ever. And forget about “safety” schools – they are fast becoming “reach” schools. Consider these facts:

• Four years ago, Columbia University (Columbia College) accepted 12% of applicants. This year: 8.9% -- one of the lowest rates of any American university.
• Washington University accepted 34% in 2000; in 2005 – only 22%.
• SUNY Binghamton accepted only 38% this year -- down from 43% last year -- and stopped accepting applications six weeks early because they already had so many.
• Nearly 25% of the entering freshman classes at private colleges – i.e., the students who actually got in -- used private college counselors.

But private college counselors are expensive. And school guidance counselors are overburdened. (In some states, there’s only one counselor for every 1,000 students.) With the odds of getting in nearing crisis levels, most families have had nowhere to turn for advice. Until now.

Starting in September, a brand new kind of counseling becomes available and affordable for families everywhere. ApplyWise (www.applywise.com) is a unique, interactive online college admissions tool that helps students and their families navigate their way through the process, organize their efforts strategically and gain acceptance at their top choice colleges.

ApplyWise is the brainchild of Dr. Katherine Cohen, one of America’s most in-demand experts on college admission and the author of two books on the subject. Dr. Cohen founded IvyWise, one of the nation’s premier college counseling organizations, known internationally for guiding its private clients through the process with extraordinary results. In 2006, 90% of IvyWise clients were admitted to one of their top two choices, and 100% were admitted to one of their top three. Now, she’s made her proven methodologies available online to students everywhere using a unique combination of personalized content, video lessons, and interactive exercises designed to guide students through the college admission process.

“The competition has become fierce,” says Dr. Cohen. “because more students are applying for the same number of slots than ever before.” In fact, over 1.4 million applications went to the same 223 institutions – all schools with acceptance rates under 50%. More women than men apply, and since colleges usually try to balance the sexes, the odds are even tougher for women.

“Most people don’t know that nearly one quarter of the freshman classes at private colleges are students who used the services of a private counselor. ApplyWise levels the playing field and makes the college application process a more positive, less stressful experience for students and their parents.”

ApplyWise starts at the dashboard, which serves as the personal content management and information system, with views for both students and parents. Students are guided step-by-step through the admission process via twelve 20-30 minute online counseling sessions. The sessions cover everything from the best way to handle college visits to what steps to take if you are deferred – and everything in between. Each session contains a video introduction by Dr. Cohen and interactive exercises, games and instruction leading them through key tasks like assembling their college list, creating their “brag sheet,” and writing their essays. These assignments all ultimately help create the most effective applications.

The personalized home page includes a document center where students can edit, download and upload documents and use scheduling tools, a personalized calendar and communication tools. They receive worksheets and document templates as well as samples from successful applications. There are also links to useful sites, and parents and students each get their own versions of podcasts, tips and news. Students are assured of privacy, and parents are kept informed as the process moves forward.

Instead of paying thousands of dollars for private counseling, students can buy ApplyWise (the full 12 sessions) for $299. The 12 sessions can be spread out over two years (junior and senior) or can be completed by seniors in time to make their January application deadlines. Optional upgrades include a 45-minute telephone counseling session ($125) and an essay review ($75). ApplyWise makes its debut in September 2007.

Dr. Cohen emphasizes that, like IvyWise, ApplyWise empowers and enables students. “We fill in many of the gaps school counselors may not have the time or resources to fill,” she said. “ApplyWise actually provides students with their own virtual counselor all the way through the process and helps them work more effectively with their own high school college counselor. They can also speak with an ApplyWise counselor if needed.” For more information, visit: www.applywise.com.

Contact:
Paula Maliandi 973-655-9175
paula@pmprworks.com or
Bobbi Schlesinger 973-226-6097
schlesinger@freemanpr.com