07/02/2026
When we first met Jerry Liu, we saw what we always look for at VJB: a young person whose gifts ran deeper than any transcript could capture. Our job โ the job we have been doing for over 50 years โ was to find the school that would let those gifts flourish.
That school was The Peddie School in Highstown, New Jersey. And flourish he did.
On May 24th, Jerry Liu, Class of 2026, delivered the valedictory address at Peddie's commencement โ the highest academic honor his class could bestow. As a freshman, he was already enrolled in Multivariable Calculus. By sophomore year, he was competing at the USAMO level and earned a bronze medal. By junior year, he was sitting in a Real Analysis course at Princeton University.
Colleges took notice, and Jerry was accepted to Harvard, Stanford and Princeton, to name just a few.
This fall, he will matriculate at Stanford.
Jerry is also a rower. A bassist. A clarinet player. A young man who, when asked about his philosophy on life, said simply: โLive life with little regret. Accept how things are and move forward.โ
This is the kind of work that we do. By finding the right school fit, we allow our students to develop confidence, dive into their passions and be superstars in their own right. Jerry is a perfect example of this.
At VJB & Associates, we don't chase rankings. We don't follow a formula. We go deep and get personal. We listen, we learn. We understand our students, their strengths, their weaknesses. Then we recommend educational environments that will support and challenge each student with whom we work so that they can create their own success story. Over 5 decades of working intimately with Americaโs finest boarding schools has taught us that the โright fitโ is never obvious โ it takes experience, relationships, and the patience to look beyond the surface.
Jerry found his best fit at Peddie. His star shines so bright. We couldnโt be more proud.
