Are you running faster just to stay in the same place?
In his latest video, Jack Delehey completely reframes how we should think about college preparation. He shares a concept from Sahil Bloom's book "The Five Types of Wealth" called the Red Queen Effect - where we're all running faster and faster just to stay in the same place.
This perfectly describes what's happening with college admissions today. While 99% of students are stuck on what Jack calls "the treadmill" - taking more AP classes, joining more activities, and sacrificing sleep just to keep up - the top 1% have discovered a completely different approach: "the rocket ship."
The difference is striking:
Treadmill Approach (99% of students):
"Just work harder" mentality
Blindly charging forward
Doing what everyone else is doing
A stressful 9-12 month sprint
Results feel out of your control
Rocket Ship Approach (top 1% of students):
"Work smarter, not harder" mindset
Knowing the rules before playing the game
Taking unique, different actions than others
A stress-free 4-year process
Complete control throughout the journey
Watch:
Time: 16:11
What really stood out to me was Jack's point that most students get rejected from their dream schools. If you want different results, you need a different approach - one that focuses on building an authentic story over four years rather than cramming in activities at the last minute.
This message is especially powerful for parents of 7th-10th graders who still have time to embrace the "rocket ship" approach before it's too late.
To your college planning success,
Melina Kazanas
P.S. - Have a high-performing high schooler w/ a 3.7 GPA or higher? We'll help get them into at least one of their top 5 dream colleges...and if we don't get them into at least one of their top 5 dream colleges, you don't pay us a penny. Seriously. College admissions isn't rocket science...but it is a science. And we've cracked the code...year, after year, after year. You can learn more about our world renowned all-inclusive, start-to-finish college coaching here and to see if your family qualifies for an introductory call.
P.P.S - Our most common question is "When should we start?!" The answer is, if you truly care about giving your high schooler the best chance of college planning success, you should start NOW. 9th grade is not too early to start! 10th grade is certainly not too early to start! And 11th grade is far, far too late! (supporting data here to show just how much of an advantage you give your child by starting the process early).
