Partnering with Families on the College Search: How Our Team Helps Students Find the Best-Fit College
Nick had all the hallmarks of a top contender for the nation’s most selective colleges — top of his class, a perfect ACT score in a single sitting, outstanding grades in rigorous coursework (including advanced math at a community college), an impressive slate of leadership roles, and hundreds of hours of service as a certified Emergency Medical Technician.
Yet his application season began with disappointment. He was denied at his Early Decision choice, the University of Pennsylvania, and deferred at several other selective schools through Early Action. By the time winter break arrived in late December, he still had no college acceptances — a rare situation for our students, as most have at least one offer by that point in the year.
In the spring, as the regular decision results rolled in, the setbacks continued. He was denied at Boston University, the University of Michigan, Northeastern, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Vanderbilt, Carnegie Mellon, Johns Hopkins, Tufts, and MIT.
Each “Ivy Day,” when many highly selective institutions release their decisions between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m., I’m glued to my phone, waiting for texts and emails from students eager to share their news. If I haven’t heard from someone, I give them space before checking in — silence often means the results have been disappointing.
That evening, I had radio silence from Nick. I suspected he was getting multiple rejections, and my heart sank for him. But the school he had saved for last turned out to be an acceptance — his only one that day – and it was a big one.
My phone lit up with a single word:
“Harvard!”
I immediately asked him to jump on Zoom so we could celebrate. When the camera came on, he was beaming, fists raised high, and exclaimed, “We did it!” — not “I got in,” but “We did it!” After a few moments of celebrating together, his father joined the call, and the screen filled with pure joy and relief — the kind of moment that lingers long after the acceptance letter.
Harvard was more than just an incredible “yes” — it was the right “yes.” With a mind on fire, Nick sought a college where fierce intellect was the norm — a place where peers and faculty would challenge him at the highest level. Applying to the School of Arts and Sciences to study mathematics, he wanted not only academic rigor but also a community that valued curiosity and depth of thought. As a certified EMT, he was also drawn to Harvard’s student-run CrimsonEMS program, which offered a way to continue responding to those who need care. And as a Jewish student, he believed he had found a welcoming environment where he could fully engage both intellectually and personally — and Harvard offered all of that.
This is the kind of success we strive for in every family partnership. But it wasn’t a straight line to get there. After his Early Decision denial, Nick was humbled — and finally open to advice he’d resisted before. He began to understand that his applications didn’t need to be an exercise in impressing others, but in honestly presenting who he was.
That mindset shift allowed him to embrace vulnerability and imperfection in his essays, replacing the urge to impress with a willingness to be open. In his remaining applications — including Harvard’s — he wrote candidly about the sources of comfort, resilience, and identity that had shaped him. He reflected on how intellectual passions, like mathematics, had anchored him through significant challenges, and how overcoming health issues had given him both empathy and grit. This new outlook brought a more distinctive and genuine voice to his writing. In a sense, Harvard’s application benefited more than any other from his new appreciation of what I had been saying all along: a student’s best chances of admission come from an authentic application to schools that are a true Deep-Fit™.
Nick’s Harvard acceptance — and the joy of celebrating it together — was the highlight of my application season. It wasn’t just about a Harvard acceptance — it was the culmination of a shared journey where setbacks reshaped strategy, collaboration deepened, and every person involved — Nick, his father, and me — worked in true partnership toward a Deep-Fit outcome.
Partner with us to help your student gain acceptance to their Deep-Fit college.
Partnering with Students and Families for a Successful, Best-Fit College Search
At Lantern, we see the college search as a collaborative journey — supported by guidance for the student, not a top-down process driven by parents or a counselor. True partnership means that the student, the family, and our team are all engaged, aligned, and working toward the same goal: finding the college environment where the student will thrive.
Our team-based approach to college counseling ensures that every student benefits from the combined expertise and perspectives of both of our counselors, making the process both strategic and deeply personal.
For students, partnership means having a trusted guide who can challenge them to think deeply about fit and help them present their authentic story. For parents, it means having an experienced ally who listens, understands family priorities, and helps balance ambition with perspective. And for us, it means investing the time to truly know each student — not just their transcript and résumé, but their personality, motivations, and long-term goals.
When all three voices are part of the process, the results are not only stronger applications, but also more confident decisions. Families finish the process not just with an acceptance letter, but with a shared sense of accomplishment and pride — the kind that leads to a “We did it!” moment.
How Our Partnership Approach — and Deep-Fit Methodology — Helps Students Get Into Best-Fit Colleges
Partnership at Lantern isn’t just a philosophy — it’s a set of concrete practices that shape every stage of the college search. From our first meeting to final decisions, we work with the student and family as a united team, ensuring that every step is intentional, informed, and aligned with the student’s long-term goals.
One way we bring this partnership to life is through our Deep-Fit methodology. This process helps students identify what they seek and value — academically, socially, and personally — and turn those priorities into a targeted, authentic college search. Deep-Fit isn’t about chasing rankings or checking boxes; it’s about building applications that reflect who the student truly is and where they will thrive.
In practice, partnership means staying closely connected and responsive throughout the process. We guide students in aligning their goals with their college choices and in presenting their most authentic story in their applications. We support families in having open, productive conversations about priorities, expectations, and trade-offs. Between meetings, we keep everyone aligned through personalized summaries and are available to meet as needed so questions are addressed before they become concerns.
Throughout the process, our goal is to keep everything cohesive, collaborative, and focused on the student’s success — ensuring that each step builds confidence, clarity, and momentum toward the best outcome.
We guide students and families through every step of the college journey.
From “I Got In!” to “We Did It!” — The Power of Family–Counselor Partnership in College Admissions
Nick’s joyful “We did it!” wasn’t just about a Harvard acceptance — it was about the shared journey that got him there. The long conversations about priorities. The realignment after early disappointments. The steady communication that kept his family informed and involved. The trust that allowed him to present a version of himself in his applications that was both authentic and compelling.
As his father later shared, seeing his son present his best self — and knowing exactly how to get there — was the direct result of our shared work and unwavering partnership.
That’s the true impact of partnership: the emotional payoff of celebrating together and the practical payoff of a better college fit, smoother decision-making, and less stress along the way. When we work in this way with students and families, they not only build stronger applications, but also gain skills — reflection, self-advocacy, and agency — that serve them well in college and beyond. That’s the essence of our partnership with families on a Deep-Fit college search and application process.
Stories like Nick’s are a reminder that the college search is as much about growth as it is about outcomes. Through a thoughtful college search, students develop habits that will serve them well long after the acceptance letters arrive. In that way, the process becomes more than just a path to a Deep-Fit college; it prepares students for thriving in college and in life.
If your student is beginning a college search, take a page from this approach:
Talk about more than rankings. Invite your student to share what excites them intellectually, the environments where they feel most alive, and the kinds of challenges they want to take on.
Share your priorities in context. Be honest about your hopes and concerns, but also explain the “why” behind them so your student understands where you’re coming from.
Listen as much as you talk. Give your student space to express their own hopes and fears without immediately problem-solving or redirecting.
Maintain perspective. The college process can be unpredictable, but a thoughtful, fit-focused approach almost always leads to a positive outcome.
Seek expert support when needed. An experienced counselor, like those on our team, can help you navigate complexities, see options you might miss, and keep the process aligned with what matters most to your student.
The student’s voice leads our process. We help them reflect, listen, and grow — shaping a Deep-Fit college search where they can thrive.
At Lantern, this is the work we do every day — guiding students, supporting families, and aligning everyone around the goal of finding the college where the student will thrive. Connect with us to learn how we can help you have your own “We did it!” moment.
Looking for more guidance? These articles may help:
How to Use a College’s Mission to Find Your Deep-Fit & Increase Your Chance of Acceptance
How to Identify Deep-Fit Colleges (Beyond the Obvious Criteria)
How a Deep-Fit College Search Builds Student Confidence and Agency for a Bright Future
The College Application Process: How to Apply to College (With Timeline)
