What families ask us

Equedu does not guarantee admission to any university, because each university's admissions committee makes the final decision. What Equedu guarantees is the process. The shortlist includes only programs where the student's profile is statistically competitive, and every application on it gets full support. Core Admissions and Complete Pathway carry the 80% Refund Guarantee. It guarantees a partial refund, not admission: 80% of program fees are refunded if the student submits a qualifying portfolio from the Approved School List and receives no offers. The qualifying conditions are written into the engagement contract.

Equedu takes no commissions from universities and has no partnerships with them. It is 100% independent. A commission would reward recommending the university that pays most rather than the one that fits the student. Our incentives sit entirely with the family, and our recommendations are the ones we would give our own family.

The student writes every essay and all application content, and Equedu edits without drafting, ghostwriting, or rewriting. Our role is editorial: brainstorming, structural feedback, prose-level coaching, and rounds of review that sharpen what the student wrote, in the student's voice. The same applies to extracurricular descriptions and short answers, which we review and refine. We do not write or edit letters of recommendation. Those must come from the named recommender in their own voice, and universities check for authenticity. We help the student choose whom to ask and give each recommender a clear brief.

Equedu permits AI for brainstorming, research, grammar, and spellcheck, and does not permit AI-drafted essays or AI rewriting beyond our authenticity threshold. Universities now check for AI use, so the limits are set conservatively to protect application integrity. The exact thresholds are written into the engagement contract. A student who uses AI for anything beyond basic grammar correction must disclose the tool to the consultant during editorial review. That keeps the student's voice consistent and lets us flag any line that might trigger an authenticity review at the application stage.

Equedu recommends Early Decision school by school and uses Early Action more freely. Early Decision can improve a candidate's odds at the right school, but it binds the student to attend. The Early Decision strategy is locked at the planning session for the Approved School List. Early Action carries less risk. The full strategy is part of the student's quarter-by-quarter plan.

Equedu decides school by school whether to send scores to a test-optional university, using the student's scores and the school's published data. Strong scores still help, particularly in competitive fields and at universities that ask for them after admission for scholarship consideration. We agree the policy with the family before submission.

The school finds out only if the family tells it. Equedu works directly with the student and family and does not contact the school without written permission. Whether to disclose is the family's decision, and we support either choice.

Equedu differs in four ways: CEO supervision, one Lead Consultant, fixed fees with no commissions, and depth in European admissions. The CEO supervises every engagement directly. The student works with the same Lead Consultant from intake through application. Equedu never accepts money from a university for recommending it. The team knows specific universities, scholarships, and visa pathways across Europe in depth.

Five things sit outside the programs: recommendation letters, subject tutoring, contact with admissions committees, FAFSA or CSS Profile forms, and legal immigration counsel. (1) We do not write or edit letters of recommendation. (2) One-on-one SAT tutoring is a separate Quad service. The programs include strategic planning and Quad platform access. (3) We do not communicate with admissions committees on the student's behalf. (4) We do not complete the FAFSA or CSS Profile. (5) We are not licensed for legal immigration counsel, so visa work stays at application support. Most of these are available as ad-hoc add-ons. Legal immigration counsel is the one firm exception.

The student meets the Lead Consultant by video every two weeks, with steady asynchronous work between sessions. Parents are welcome at any session, and Equedu recommends they join every third session, once every six weeks. The work is heaviest from September through January, the main application months, and lighter outside that window.

Equedu responds within 48 working hours, every time. The response time is a quality commitment written into the engagement contract. If a message arrives after hours, on a weekend, or on a public holiday in the consultant's location, the clock starts at 9am on the next working day.

In the first month, the student completes a profile diagnostic and an aptitude profile and receives the first draft of the strategy plan. The three run in parallel. The diagnostic covers the academic profile, extracurriculars, and likely impact factors. The aptitude profile grounds the choice of major in data rather than preference. The plan sets out the draft school list, the application calendar, and the gaps to close before deadlines. By the time the application cycle opens, the Approved School List is final and the work calendar is in place.

The student decides the day-to-day work, and the parent decides the contractual and financial questions. Day-to-day means which essay angle to develop, which extracurriculars to lean into, and how to spend preparation time. The parent decides the program, any ad-hoc work added, and the final shortlist. If parent and student disagree on something substantive, such as a country or a major, we raise it openly and ask both to align before continuing. We do not take sides. We keep the strategy moving.

A consultant from Equedu's senior pool takes over and picks up from the student's strategy plan and Approved School List, so the work does not start from zero. The CEO directly supervises every active engagement and approves each transition. Continuity is part of the engagement.

Nothing needs installing. The work runs through a browser-based shared workspace, a direct messaging channel agreed with the family, and video calls. The student needs a laptop or tablet that can join video sessions. The parent needs only email and one messaging app.

Families can start any time from Grade 9, and the latest we recommend starting is October of Grade 12. Grades 9 to 11 leave time to shape the profile itself: extracurriculars, testing schedule, and subject choices. Complete Pathway is built around that work. From Grade 12 the work shifts to application execution, which Core Admissions covers. After January, options narrow to universities with rolling admissions, and the work becomes a sprint rather than a build. Tell us where the student stands, and we'll say plainly what is still workable.

A change of target country or major before the Approved School List is finalized is generally accommodated within the standard scope. After that point, significant pivots may need additional time and could be billed as ad-hoc strategic advisory. The list is frozen six weeks before each deadline, and universities added after that are billed as add-ons. The strategy plan is built to change, and we revisit it at strategy sessions. Raise a change early, and we'll say plainly what is still workable.

Core Admissions covers up to four application tracks, and Complete Pathway up to six. Inside each track, the student can apply to as many programs as that system allows. For most families that comes to 10 to 15 applications. The maximum is 20 per client, and US add-on applications count toward it. The list stays balanced: no more than about 40% Reach schools, and at least three Likely schools across at least two systems. It is frozen six weeks before each deadline, and later additions are billed as add-ons.

A track is one application system. It can be a national system: UCAS in the UK (up to five choices), Studielink in the Netherlands (up to four bachelor's programs), or Parcoursup in France (10 wishes). CAO in Ireland, universityadmissions.se in Sweden, and hochschulstart in Germany count the same way. Sciences Po counts as one track, because it runs its own application. So do up to two direct-apply universities, such as Bocconi, IE, or the University of Geneva. Inside a track, the student applies to every program the system allows.

Yes. Core Admissions and Complete Pathway families can add one of two US packages. US Essentials ($2,750) covers the Common App and up to 5 US colleges. US Extended ($4,500) covers the Common App and up to 10. Both include the Common App main essay, the activities list, each college's supplements, and Early Decision and Early Action strategy. US applications count toward the maximum of 20 applications per client, so we plan the European tracks and the US list together. The student writes every essay, and Equedu edits.

The limit keeps every application strong. Past 10 to 12 well-chosen applications, the odds of an offer barely move, while the time for each essay shrinks and quality drops. A balanced list protects a student more than a long one. So Equedu sets a maximum of 20 applications per client, US add-ons included, and asks for at least three Likely schools across at least two systems. It may also decline applications with little chance of an offer or a poor fit.

Equedu labels each university by comparing the student's GPA, test scores, and course rigor with that university's admitted-student data. The data comes from official admissions reports, published data sets, and our internal records from years of cohorts. Each shortlist is balanced across Reach, Target, and Likely schools so the portfolio is competitive without being reckless. The specific banding method is part of our internal practice.

Often, yes, because many European universities admit on subject results, entrance exams, or a single qualifying score rather than cumulative GPA. Examples include the Politecnico tests in Italy and various IELTS and SAT combinations across Europe. If one of those routes suits the student's profile, we find it. If none does, we say so plainly rather than take the fee.

Many of these situations are addressable, and the first step is to tell us at intake. The right strategy depends on the specific record and the specific universities. The Duty of Candor clause in our contract matters because a strategy that works needs the full picture.

Yes, Equedu works with transfer students, gap-year students, and re-applicants, each under a separate Statement of Work. The strategy differs from a first-time application. We often recommend a gap year to students who would benefit from a stronger profile next cycle, and we structure the work around the gap-year activity. Tell us the situation, and we quote after an initial conversation.

Equedu students have received over 1,200 acceptances since 2020, in more than 14 countries. Most are in Europe: the Netherlands, the UK, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Spain, and Switzerland, with placements in the US, Canada, and Asia. Our cohorts have secured €1.8M in scholarships.

Yes, Equedu works with students from any country, and the service is fully remote. Families have come from Europe, the Middle East, North and South America, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia. Scheduling handles time zones, and we routinely pair consultants and clients across continents.

Equedu coordinates with a school counselor only with the family's written permission and only if the family asks. Many schools prefer the consultant to stay external, and some private schools encourage coordination. Confidentiality is the default. To have us work with the counselor on transcripts, recommendation requests, or application administration, tell us and we will bring the counselor in.

Core Admissions and Complete Pathway carry the 80% Refund Guarantee. Under it, the family is eligible for an 80% refund of program fees if the student completes a qualifying portfolio and receives zero offers of admission. The Refund Guarantee applies only to the Approved School List. That list stays balanced: no more than about 40% Reach schools, and at least three Likely schools across at least two application systems. It is frozen six weeks before each deadline. A qualifying portfolio requires four things. (1) A minimum number of unique applications submitted from the Approved School List. (2) The agreed Likely schools kept on the final list. (3) Applications submitted before deadline. (4) The final-approved version of every essay used. The refund terms and qualifying conditions are written into our Master Service Agreement, which the family sees before signing. Pathway Blueprint is strategy-only and does not carry the Refund Guarantee.

The Refund Guarantee does not apply once the student receives any offer of admission, and in four other situations. (1) The student received an offer of admission from any school on the Approved School List, even one. The Refund Guarantee exists for the case where a student has no options. (2) Likely schools were removed from the Approved School List against our written advice. (3) An extracurricular or capstone we flagged as critical was not completed. (4) Academic or disciplinary information was withheld at intake. (5) Submission proofs and decision notifications were not provided inside the required window. Waitlists and deferrals are not offers. If every application ends in a rejection, a deferral, or a waitlist that never converts, the Refund Guarantee is still active.

File a written claim with PDF copies of the original decision letters from every institution on the Approved School List. The claim window is set in the contract, typically 14 days from the final decision of the last school on the list. We review and respond within our standard advisory cadence. If approved, the refund is processed within 30 days under the terms of the engagement contract.

Pathway Blueprint ($2,500) is paid upfront. Core Admissions ($5,500) and Complete Pathway ($9,500) are typically paid in installments across the engagement, with the schedule set in the Statement of Work. Depending on your country, installments can run through Klarna, Affirm, or a similar provider. All fees are exclusive of VAT, GST, or local sales tax where applicable. An unpaid invoice triggers a temporary service pause until it is settled, per our standard contract terms.

Yes, and the Pathway Blueprint fee credits in full toward Core Admissions or Complete Pathway, so nobody pays twice. Many families start with Pathway Blueprint, the strategy-only program, to see whether our approach fits. The credit has no time limit as long as the upgrade happens within the same admissions cycle.

Paid consulting is worth the most where the stakes are highest: competitive programs in Europe or the US. There, an offer changes a family's finances through scholarship money, lower tuition, or better job outcomes. Our cohorts have collected €1.8M in scholarship funding to date. For a shortlist of local public universities with open admission, Equedu is not needed. We would rather families choose correctly than pay for advice they do not need.

Full scholarships exist but are rare. Partial funding is more common: merit awards, need-based grants, and country-specific scholarships. Tuition at European public universities often runs €2,000 to €15,000 a year. We identify what fits the student's profile, coach the scholarship essays, and align the shortlist with what the family can afford. Final awards are competitive, and we do not promise specific outcomes.

Equedu handles scholarships in three steps: matching the shortlist to the family's budget, finding each university's institutional scholarships, and editing the scholarship essays. (1) Every target school is one we believe the family can afford to attend. (2) Institutional scholarships are more reliable for international applicants than third-party aid. (3) The student writes each scholarship essay, and we give editorial guidance. Our cohorts have collected €1.8M in funding to date. Every award is competitive, and we do not guarantee specific outcomes.

Yes. Public universities in most German states charge international students no tuition, only a semester contribution, usually a few hundred euros. Baden-Württemberg and TUM in Bavaria charge non-EU students, and so do Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. Living costs and the proof of funds a student visa requires still apply. We model the full cost of attendance so the family can decide whether a tuition-free program works for them.

Complete Pathway includes basic financial aid appeal support, and Core Admissions and Pathway Blueprint families can add it as ad-hoc advisory at our standard rate. We help draft the appeal letter and frame the change in financial circumstances or the competing offer. The decision is the university's, and we cannot promise an outcome.

Yes, in Core Admissions and Complete Pathway, scholarship identification and essay coaching are included in the fee. Pathway Blueprint does not include them. They are not sold as add-ons, because financial viability is part of choosing the right university. Identifying external (non-institutional) scholarships is the student's responsibility. We focus on institutional aid, where our research and editorial work count most.

If a visa is rejected, Equedu guides the family to licensed local representation or, where appropriate, an alternative route: a different country, a different visa class, or a deferred start. Most rejections come from a paperwork error or insufficient financial proof. The Visa & Immigration application support in Complete Pathway is designed to prevent both, and we audit every document before it is submitted. We are not licensed immigration counsel. Visa application support is not included in Core Admissions or Pathway Blueprint.

In Complete Pathway, vetted partner agencies in each city find verified listings before they reach public sites, and our partner attorneys review the lease. We also arrange viewings and negotiate terms. Student housing in Amsterdam, Milan, Paris, and Barcelona is competitive: listings disappear in hours, and deposit fraud is common. We strongly advise against transferring funds until the lease review is complete.

In Complete Pathway, support continues after the acceptance letter, through the move and settling in. That covers health insurance setup, opening a local bank account, the residence permit, and registering with the local authorities. In Core Admissions and Pathway Blueprint, support ends at the application stage by design, because those programs are priced for the admissions work.

Equedu protects student data with encryption in transit and at rest, multi-factor authentication on every internal system, and access limited to the consultants on the engagement. For EU and UK families we operate under GDPR as Data Controller. For US families we handle records consistent with FERPA expectations. We retain records for three years after the engagement closes to support our own legal and tax obligations, then securely delete or permanently anonymize the data. If a verified data breach involves personal information, the family is notified within 72 hours of discovery. We never share or sell data to third parties.