Laplace vs. Traditional College Consultants: What's Different

The college consulting industry is full of people who mean well but graduated college 15-25 years ago. They know the general mechanics — deadlines, requirements, essay prompts — but the admissions landscape has changed dramatically, and continues to change every year.

Laplace was built by students who just went through this process. Here's what that means in practice.

We Know What Actually Worked — Because We Did It

Traditional consultants advise based on what they've heard works, or what worked for their past clients. We advise based on what we personally did to get admitted to Stanford, Harvard, and MIT within the last two years.

We remember which essay drafts got scrapped, which extracurricular positioning felt authentic versus forced, and exactly what our applications looked like when we submitted them. We share real examples — our own applications — not hypothetical templates.

Speed and Availability

Most traditional consultants schedule sessions weeks in advance and take 5-7 days to return essay feedback. We guarantee 12-hour essay turnaround as standard, and our top-tier clients get 24/7 access.

College admissions is stressful. When your student has a question at 10pm the night before a deadline, they need an answer now — not next Tuesday.

We Understand the Current Landscape

Admissions has changed significantly in just the last few years. Test-optional policies, the end of affirmative action, AI detection in essays, shifting yield rates — these all affect strategy. Traditional consultants often lag behind these changes. We lived through them.

We Speak the Same Language

There's a generational gap between a 50-year-old counselor and a 17-year-old student. We're peers. Students are more honest with us, more willing to share the real story behind their activities, and more receptive to feedback. That honesty leads to better essays and more authentic applications.

Every Deliverable is Founder-Reviewed

At many large consulting firms, you pay a premium for the brand name but work with junior associates. At Laplace, every essay, every school list, every strategic recommendation is reviewed by a founder — someone who was admitted to Stanford, Harvard, or MIT. No exceptions.

The Honest Truth

We're not for everyone. If you want a consultant with 30 years of experience and a long track record of clients, there are plenty of options. But if you want someone who viscerally remembers what it feels like to stare at a blank Common App essay at 2am, who can tell you exactly what Stanford supplemental essays look like from the inside, and who will text your student back at midnight — that's us.