Research Study for
Black Executive Parents
of 6th–10th Graders
How post‑affirmative‑action is changing elite admissions for Black families—and the four‑year roadmap protecting your child’s options and mental health.
We’re conducting a focused research project on how Black executives and senior professionals are navigating the 8th–10th grade transition with their children in this new admissions climate.
Our goal is to map what actually protects Black students’ options and emotional well‑being while still aiming at selective colleges and strong merit aid—not just what looks “perfect on paper” to schools that are quietly changing the rules.
If you’re a Black partner, VP, dean, senior counsel, or senior leader parenting a high‑achieving 6th–10th grader, we’d value your perspective.
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We’ll walk through:
what’s really happening for your child at this stage and
how you’re thinking about strategy beyond “good grades and activities.”
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a concise four‑year roadmap snapshot highlighting where your child is already strong,
where the new post‑affirmative‑action risks live, and
the specific moves families like yours are making between 8th and 10th grade.
Who this study is for
This research is designed specifically for:
Black executives and senior professionals (partners, VPs, deans, senior counsel, senior directors in law, finance, consulting, tech, and higher ed).
Parenting high‑achieving 6th–10th graders at competitive schools.
Aiming at selective colleges and meaningful merit aid, and wanting to avoid the “perfect‑on‑paper but rejected” trap we’re now seeing post‑affirmative‑action.
What you’ll receive
After your conversation, you’ll receive:
A 4‑year positioning snapshot for your child focused on the 8th–10th grade inflection point.
A brief summary of patterns emerging from other Black executive families in the study (anonymized).
Early access to our larger findings on what’s actually working for Black students in this new era of admissions and merit aid.
Not parenting a 6th–10th grader—but have families in mind?
If you work closely with Black executive families—through your firm, campus, church, or community—and 1–3 parents of 6th–10th graders come to mind, we’d welcome a warm introduction.
We’ll invite them into the same 15–20 minute conversation and provide the same four‑year roadmap snapshot in return, so they walk away with greater clarity—even if they never work with us beyond the research.
FINAL CRITERIA
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Your student is currently in 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, or 10th grade.
Your student is of African or African American descent and a U.S. citizen.
Your student is high‑achieving (for example, mostly A’s or a strong academic trajectory)
You’re serious about college and scholarship planning.
You’re already investing — in schools, activities, or enrichment — and still worry your child might be doing “enough” on paper but not truly set apart.
You’re willing to be candid about what’s confusing, frustrating, or exciting about your student’s path to college right now.
Your combined household income is at least $90,000 and you suspect you’re in the ‘financial aid dead zone’ — too much income for generous need‑based aid, not enough to casually write a full‑price check.
You’re especially in the right place if you’re determined not to let your child be quietly managed instead of pushed — and you don’t want to overpay for a degree that leaves them starting adult life in debt.
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Your student is younger than 6th grade or older than 9th grade.
Your student does not identify as African or African American.
Your student is not a U.S. citizen.
You’re casually curious but not actively thinking about college, scholarships, or long‑term planning yet.
You’re primarily seeking generic ‘tutoring’ rather than a strategic roadmap to help your student stand out and avoid overpaying for college.”
If you’re outside these criteria but still want to stay connected, we invite you to join our email list for future resources and opportunities.
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We’re optimizing this research to serve families in the financial‑aid dead zone because their students are most at risk of being quietly overlooked by admissions and most likely to overpay without a clear merit and strategy plan.