Celebrating Within Reach’s Class of 2026: Reflecting on a Successful Admissions Season

As another admissions cycle comes to a close, we at Within Reach Education are taking a moment to reflect on the accomplishments of our students and the exciting paths they are preparing to begin this fall.

Every year, college admissions results remind us that there is no single definition of success. While we are incredibly proud of the impressive admissions outcomes our students achieved this year, what matters most to us is helping students find colleges that genuinely fit their goals, personalities, and aspirations.

Within Reach’s Class of 2026 earned acceptances to a wide range of highly respected colleges and universities across the country. Among this year’s highlights:

• Four students will attend Ivy League institutions, including Yale University, Harvard University, and Cornell University

• Students were also accepted to schools such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Georgetown University, Vanderbilt University, University of Notre Dame, Northwestern University, Washington University, The U.S. Naval Academy, University of Virginia, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Williams College, Tufts University, University of Michigan, UCLA, University of Texas at Austin, Washington & Lee University, University of Southern California, and Rice University

While these results are exciting, here are some other stats that are deeply meaningful to us: 

• 90% of our students were admitted to either their first- or second-choice school

• 70% were admitted to their first-choice school

We are also proud of the success our students experienced at Georgia’s most competitive public universities for admissions, both widely recognized as Top 20 public universities in the country:

• University of Georgia had an overall admission rate of approximately 30%, while Within Reach students were admitted at a rate of 78%

• Georgia Institute of Technology reported admission rates of 28% for in-state applicants and 9% for out-of-state applicants, while Within Reach applicants were admitted at a rate of 85% for in-state and 100% for out-of-state 

Of course, admissions statistics never tell the full story.

Behind every acceptance letter was a student who spent years working hard in the classroom, pursuing meaningful extracurricular involvement, navigating setbacks, and learning more about themselves along the way. There were students who discovered new passions through research opportunities, leadership experiences, part-time jobs, artistic pursuits, athletics, and community involvement. There were students who challenged themselves academically and students who grew tremendously in confidence throughout the process.

Most importantly, there were students who learned that college admissions is not simply about chasing prestige. Fit really, really matters.

At Within Reach, we strongly believe that “success” means finding a college where a student will thrive academically, socially, and personally. It means helping students identify environments where they feel challenged, supported, and excited about the future.

We are incredibly grateful to the students and families who trusted us to be part of this journey. Watching our students grow over the years is one of the most rewarding parts of our work, and we cannot wait to see what this graduating class accomplishes next.

Congratulations to the Within Reach Class of 2026!