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FREE PARENT WEBINAR

The Early Application Advantage in College Admissions

Hi, I'm Jared Rivers, a former admissions officer at Cornell, Brandeis, Bates, and the University of Maine. Alongside my colleague Nick Kary, a former admissions officer at the University of Minnesota, I'm hosting a free live session on something most families get wrong: treating Early Decision and Early Action as a scheduling question instead of a strategic one.

Applying early can move your teen's odds of acceptance by 3 to 5 times at some schools. It can also lock your family into a decision before you've seen a financial aid offer. Join us to learn how to use that advantage without walking into that risk.

In this webinar, you will learn:

   What Early Decision, Early Action, and Restrictive Early Action actually mean, and how they differ from Regular Decision

   How Collegewise builds a strategy around your student's specific needs and goals

   How applying early can raise acceptance odds so much at selective schools

Whether the early round helps or hurts your family's financial aid, before you commit

   Why the early round matters so much to colleges, and how that shapes your teen's odds

Early Presentation (2)
Hosted by

Jared R.

Former Cornell Admissions Officer
Mon, Sep 21, 2026
 
4:00 PM PT / 7:00 PM ET

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Meet The Speakers

jared
Jared Rivers
Former Admissions Officer at Cornell University, Brandeis University & Bates College

A seasoned admissions expert who has evaluated over 20,000 applications across top institutions, including serving as Senior Associate Dean at Bates College and Assistant Director at Cornell University, Jared Rivers leverages deep insider knowledge to help students gain admission to premier universities such as Brown, Duke, Johns Hopkins, Cornell, and UC Berkeley. As a former college athlete and lead athletic admissions liaison, he possesses specialized expertise in guiding student-athletes through the recruitment and evaluation process. Renowned for his warm, relatable approach, Jared quickly earns students' trust like an experienced mentor while providing parents with the peace of mind that comes from top-tier admissions experience and a proven track record of elite placements.

Nick Kary
Nick Kary
Former Associate Director of Admissions at the University of Minnesota

A former Associate Director of Admissions who personally evaluated over 1,000 applications annually at the University of Minnesota, Nick Kary combines deep procedural expertise with a proven knack for bringing clarity and calm to the college application journey. Over nearly a decade in higher education, Nick managed recruitment operations and admissions teams while guiding students to acceptances at elite universities including Duke, Notre Dame, USC, Georgia Tech, UCLA, and the University of Michigan. Known for his warm, engaging personality and talent for uncovering what makes each applicant unique, Nick excels at building immediate trust with parents while helping students craft compelling applications that highlight their true impact and potential.

About Collegewise

 

For over 27 years, families have turned to Collegewise for clarity and trusted expertise, especially during times of change. As higher education evolves, we stay on top of every update so you don’t have to.

 

27+

Years of College
Admissions Experience.

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Of Students Admitted to a Top-choice School.

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Families Recommend Collegewise.

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