Concourse Match: Let Universities Compete for You

Imagine an admissions environment in which you are the prize and universities compete for you. Such a platform exists! 

Over the past three years, Ivy Options has piloted Concourse Match applications with selected students. During that time, our students have received admissions offers from a wide variety of universities in the U.S., Canada, U.K., and Europe such as Tulane, Purdue, Parsons, Simon Fraser, Western University (Canada), University of York, American University of Paris, and Franklin University Switzerland. These offers have been accompanied by over US$13 million in scholarships. Based on this success, we are expanding our use of Concourse to supplement our application process for all interested clients.

What is Concourse Match?

It’s an online platform through which students can apply to universities worldwide. 

How it Works

The traditional admissions process is essentially reversed and operates a bit  like speed dating. Universities partner with Match to access student profiles, which are anonymous except for information on academic performance, student preferences, and financial needs. Universities review these profiles and may extend certified, non-binding offers to students that they ‘match’ with based on their individual academic criteria and institutional goals. A student’s personal information such as name, gender, and race are not revealed until after a student accepts an offer.

Understanding Your Matches

• Certified admissions: Offers come directly from a university’s admissions department.

• Non-binding: Receiving an offer does not mean you have to accept.

• Upfront scholarship and grant: Many are offered.

• Conditional offers: Some offers may include academic or other criteria.

Best Match vs Best Fit

• Look beyond the familiar. Don't be afraid to explore universities, programs, and regions that you have never heard of. You never know – you could love them.

• Consider culture. While academic criteria and data points could align a student’s profile with a school, it doesn’t guarantee happiness or success. Concourse’s matching process does not factor in geography, social environment, student population, curriculum style, campus structure, and other elements that shape the college experience.

Matched: Now What?

This is the fun part – start engaging!

• Sort through your offers and rank them by your top values.

• Compare your Concourse offers with those on your traditional university application list, and get to know the schools that interest you: talk to admissions, take a campus tour in-person or online, and attend virtual events or webinars. 

• Make your final university decision no later than May 1.

Ivy Options will act as your counselor throughout the Match process, writing personal letters of recommendation for our students and supporting their interactions with admissions officers. We also will help families evaluate whether scholarship offers would influence admissions decisions, and research more deeply about the programs offered at each university that shows interest in our students.

There is so much to gain and nothing to lose! Speak with your Ivy Options counselor about whether Concourse might be a smart addition to your application strategy.