Boot Camp
Deferral/Denial
A stronger path forward for every application still ahead.
An intensive, one-on-one program for students navigating a deferral or denial. Working closely with a former Admissions Officer, your student moves quickly to reassess and rewrite essays, strengthen application materials, sharpen positioning, and recalibrate their ED2 and/or Regular Decision strategy before the remaining deadlines.
Guided by a former admissions officer
ED2 and/or Regular Decision strategy
Limited capacity
For families seeking hands-on, strategic support through every remaining deadline.
In this comprehensive program, a former Admissions Officer works closely with your student every step of the way, drawing on the proven methodology of our signature Application Boot Camp® to turn strategic insight into stronger applications. Through intensive, one-on-one support, we help students sharpen their positioning, rethink and rewrite essays, and strengthen every element of the applications still ahead.
Many families begin with the Deferral/Denial Assessment and then continue into Boot Camp. Families who already know they need comprehensive, hands-on support may also enroll directly to guarantee a spot.
The Assessment identifies what should change. Boot Camp helps your student put that plan into action.
Both begin with a candid, section-by-section evaluation of your student’s application and a prioritized plan for what needs to change. Boot Camp then moves from assessment to execution, with sustained support, strategy, feedback, and accountability from a former Admissions Officer. The goal is an application that brings your student’s authentic strengths, voice, and potential into sharper focus.
A focused process, built around the deadlines ahead.
The timeline depends on your student’s remaining applications and deadlines, but the sequence is consistent: first understand what needs to change, then make the strategic decisions, strengthen the core application, and work through each remaining submission in priority order.
Reassessment and priorities
We begin with a comprehensive review of the application as it stands, followed by a working session to establish priorities. Together, we identify what needs meaningful revision, what can be sharpened, and what is already working well.
Strategic decisions
The highest-impact choices come first because they shape the work that follows: whether the application strategy needs to be adjusted, how the Regular Decision list should be adjusted, and, for deferred students, how to approach a Letter of Continued Interest.
The core application
Next, we focus on the pieces that carry across multiple applications: rethinking the personal statement, strengthening the activities list, revising honors and additional information, and making sure your student’s overall positioning is clear and cohesive.
School-specific essays
With the foundation in place, the work moves college-by-college and deadline-by-deadline. Your student develops and revises supplemental essays with ongoing feedback, ensuring each response is specific to the institution while remaining consistent with each broader application.
Final review and submission
Before each application is submitted, we conduct a final review of your student’s materials. Deferred students also receive support with Letters of Continued Interest, when appropriate.
$9,500 credit
Already completed the Deferral/Denial Assessment? That report becomes the foundation for Boot Camp, and the full Assessment fee is applied toward the program.
A comprehensive reassessment, followed by intensive action.
- A comprehensive, admissions-informed evaluation of the existing application — academics, activities, honors, testing, essays, additional information, and overall positioning
- A prioritized application strategy identifying what to retain, strengthen, reframe, or redevelop before the remaining deadlines
- Support across all remaining applications, including the Common Application and each college’s required materials
- Hands-on guidance for all required essays, including the main personal statement and every remaining supplemental essay
- ED2 and/or Regular Decision strategy, including application-round decisions and adjustments to the college list as deadlines approach
- Application-material revision, including the activities list, honors, additional information, academic interests, and other priority sections
- Letters of Continued Interest development and revision, when appropriate for deferred students
- One-on-one meetings scheduled as needed, based on the student’s work plan, progress, and upcoming deadlines
- Prompt, responsive support between meetings as questions and strategic decisions arise
- Unlimited time through February 1, 2027, and an in-depth review of every section of The Common Application. You’ll also receive comprehensive guidance on up to ten college applications, including the personal statement and all supplemental essays.
Common Questions
The answers, honestly.
Still have questions? A quick conversation is often the fastest way to find the clarity you need.
How is this different from the Deferral/Denial Assessment?
The Assessment delivers a candid evaluation and a prioritized plan. The Boot Camp includes that same evaluation and then carries out the plan with you: rebuilding essays, revising the activities list, making school list decisions, and reviewing every remaining application before it is submitted. If you have already purchased the Assessment, its full fee is credited toward this program.
What happens if we decide on Boot Camp after the Assessment?
The full tuition is credited toward the Boot Camp.
Is it too late for us to start?
Not necessarily, but timing matters. The window between early decisions and the remaining deadlines is brief, and beginning sooner gives your student more time for intentional strategy and meaningful revision. When you contact us, share the relevant deadlines so we can assess the remaining work, confirm availability, and be candid about what can be accomplished well within the time available.
Can you help if my student was denied, not deferred?
Yes. An early denial is disappointing, but it does not define the rest of your student’s admissions journey. The work of strengthening an application remains just as valuable for the colleges still ahead. For denied students, the focus shifts entirely to the remaining applications rather than a Letter of Continued Interest.
How much of my student’s time will this take?
This is intensive work in a compressed window. Families who get the most from the program are the ones whose students are genuinely available to invest in this process, typically with daily meetings and deadlines.
My student already has a school or independent counselor. What does this add?
This is not a second version of traditional college counseling. It is an admissions-informed diagnostic of the application your student actually submitted, drawing on the collective expertise of a team that includes former admissions officers from highly selective institutions. We assess how the application may have been received, identify what may have limited its effectiveness, and determine the highest-impact changes to make before the next round of decisions.
