Webinar overview
The rules around how elite colleges evaluate applications have shifted in the last few years, and a lot of the advice families are still hearing hasn't caught up. If you're a Black student or parent trying to figure out what's actually changed and what it means for your application, this session is built for you. In this webinar, Prepory co-founder and CEO Daniel Santos shares what Black families need to know about applying to elite colleges today. He'll cover:
- How elite colleges are approaching diversity and evaluating applications in today's admissions landscape
- How to authentically highlight leadership, community impact, and cultural identity in an application
- How to build a highly selective college list around your family's specific goals
- What families should know about timelines, resources, and the key steps at each stage
- Live answers to your specific questions during an interactive Q&A
Meet your webinar host: Imani Ifedi
Imani is a graduate of Duke University and an Admissions Coach at Prepory. She has helped students earn admission to top schools including Yale, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Chicago, and UNC–Chapel Hill.
Meet your webinar host:
Imani is a graduate of Duke University and an Admissions Coach at Prepory. She has helped students earn admission to top schools including Yale, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Chicago, and UNC–Chapel Hill.
Frequently asked questions about college admissions for Black students
Elite colleges can no longer consider race as a standalone factor, but they still care deeply about the perspective, identity, and lived experience each applicant brings. That means how a student writes about their background, community, and culture matters more than ever. Admissions officers are trained to read essays and activities lists for authentic voice and context, not checkboxes. Families need to understand this shift so students can present their full story through their own words rather than relying on demographic data alone. This is exactly the kind of strategy shift Prepory helps families navigate.
The key is specificity, not summary. Instead of stating an identity, show it through a real moment, a decision made, a lesson learned, or a community role held. Admissions officers read thousands of essays and can tell when a story is authentic versus performed for effect. Your student's cultural identity should surface naturally in how they describe their values, challenges, and impact, not as a separate paragraph bolted onto the essay. The strongest essays connect identity to action: what the student did, built, or changed because of who they are.
Start with your family's priorities, not just rankings. Consider financial fit, campus culture, support systems for Black students, academic programs, and geographic comfort before building a list of reach, target, and likely schools. A strong list balances ambition with realism and reflects what will actually help your student thrive for four years, not just get admitted. Families often overweight name recognition and underweight fit, which can backfire once a student arrives on campus. A thoughtful list-building process takes real conversation, research, and honest reflection on what matters most to your student specifically.
Yes, and earlier is better. This session covers timelines, resources, and the steps families should take at each stage, which is most valuable before applications are already underway. Understanding how elite colleges evaluate identity and leadership now gives you time to help your student build a genuine record of impact rather than scrambling senior year. Whether your student is a sophomore just starting to explore options or a senior finalizing a list, the strategies covered apply. You'll leave with a clearer sense of what to prioritize next, regardless of where your student currently stands.
