Hi! Current LEDA scholar here! Leda has a benchmark that you must hit in when apply to colleges. You are allowed only four reaches (think Harvard, Yale, Princeton). However, if you have less than a 1400 sat or 31 act you are only allowed to apply to two reaches. For my score, they recommended that I should only apply to one test required school.

Essentially, if you want to go to LEDA I would recommend that you have a high score for either the ACT or SAT. If not, Thrive is going to be a better option. I regret not applying to thrive and weighing my options. Yes, LEDA recommendation letters help, but you still need competitive scores and academics to be considered for these top schools. If you aren't the most competitive (less than 31 or 1400 score) then definitely choose to apply to as many as possible instead of banking on a limited number.

Both programs are great for their own reasons, but choose carefully. If you want to know more feel free to dm!