I’m Laura Clarke, a mom, spreadsheet lover, and natural skeptic who loves to ask “what is your evidence for that claim?” I’ve worked on a broad range of energy topics — hydrogen production prospects, nuclear regulatory issues, and political risk in oil-exporting countries — in and out of government for more than a decade. I graduated magna cum laude from Princeton with a major from the Woodrow Wilson School and certificates in Arabic and Near Eastern Studies.
So why college admissions? The Varsity Blues scandal made me think about the market failures of higher education. There is so much demand for slots at super-selective schools that parents were willing to break the law to get them. Why don’t elite colleges expand supply? What are the incentives and constraints that have led to the cruel absurdities of college admissions today?
To get some answers, I took a class in college admissions advising from a major public university (many people in this business take this class). I was dismayed by how un-empirical the course was. The instructors conveyed their personal experiences as universally true, took colleges at their word, ignored academic research, and were skittish about anything quantitative, even simple survey results.
So I went to more reliable sources: data and documents produced in lawsuits, deposition and trial testimony, academic studies, and the firsthand accounts of (often-disillusioned) admissions officers. I drew lessons from thousands of pages of research and distilled them into actionable insights you can use to give your child an edge.
What makes me different
I’m relentlessly empirical
I don’t rely on personal experience, PTA lore, hunches, or colleges’ PR to understand the admissions landscape. I rely primarily on peer-reviewed academic papers, a broad range of firsthand accounts by admission officers, and data and documents colleges were forced to release in lawsuits.
Transparent and affordable pricing
You only have to pay for what you need. I won’t lock you into a five-figure, ten-hour package if you only want one hour of advice. Though if you want to spend five figures, feel free!
Strategy, not project management
Many college admissions advisors provide a mix of advice and help with executing that advice — and they’re happy to charge you for both. I’ll make a plan with you. If you and your child are then content to carry out that plan on your own, Clarke College Insight is the right choice for your family.