The Game: A Guide to Elite College Admissions

Want to have us analyze your current profile for top colleges in an upcoming episode? Email us at info@greatmindsadvising.com Unfortunately, despite possessing excellent grades, course rigor, and test scores, the vast majority of applicants to top colleges lack the type of compelling resume outside the classroom that actually differentiates accepted from rejected students. In this episode, we unve...

Want to have us analyze your current profile for top colleges in an upcoming episode? Email us at info@greatmindsadvising.com Early decision, or placing a binding commitment, is the strongest possible signal of demonstrated interest at any top college and is often rewarded with a significant increase in a student’s chance of admission.  In this episode, however, we consider how colleges at which a...

Top colleges look to admit students with focused passions or “hooks” that they’ll uniquely contribute as part of the incoming freshman class. However, not all hooks—or the intended college majors they’re associated with—are created equal. And certain hooks/academic areas may even jeopardize students’ ability to earn admission to a top college at all. In this episode, we spotlight what we deem the...

In this episode, we dig into early vs. regular decision acceptance rates, what a deferral in the early round signals about a student’s chance of admission in the regular decision round, and how to understand and correctly analyze deferrals at various top colleges before potentially making other high-stakes decisions. —— “The Game” is hosted by Sam Hassell and brought to you by Great Minds Advising...

Top colleges fundamentally look to admit future high-impact scholars and leaders. In this episode, we analyze three characteristics or “signals” top colleges aim to identify in their applicants that are highly predictive of future promise.  We explain why different components of the application should showcase different traits, and why sending the right signals in the right places can be the diffe...

In this episode, we break down one of the most misunderstood topics in college admissions — how many times you should take the SAT or ACT.  We cover the ideal test scores for top colleges, explain why retaking the tests carries virtually no downside, how to think about risk vs. reward, and why one top college’s “submit all scores” policy doesn’t change the strategy for most students. —— “The Game”...

For the first time, we reveal the anatomy of a “perfect” activity when applying to top colleges. Using real past examples, we illustrate why this activity is so differentiating and leaves almost every other resume-builder for elite admissions in the dust. —— “The Game” is hosted by Sam Hassell and brought to you by Great Minds Advising. Great Minds Advising’s unique, hands-on mentorship program an...

Assuming you haven’t been living under a rock since the 90s, you (hopefully) know by now that top colleges no longer want “well-rounded” students. The same old boring applicant admissions officers at top colleges see in droves––the student who plays sports, the violin, is editor of the school newspaper, and class president.  The type of profile that makes admissions officers at highly selective co...

In this episode, we upack what top colleges actually expect from your math track. While many students targeting top colleges will have similar course rigor, we introduce a simple “two-slider” model to determine more precisely what math and other course levels are optimal. We consider a particularly difficult case study to further illustrate additional constraints on course selection—such as admiss...

In this episode, we dismantle the mythology of overrated concepts in admissions counseling such as “demonstrated interest.” We show why most of what students and families are told when it comes to applying to top colleges barely moves the needle and can even hurt a student’s candidacy by diverting attention from higher-priority concerns.  We share a simple two-factor analysis for evaluating admiss...

Masterclass Registration – Oct 15th @ 7pm ET (Zoom) In this episode, we tackle the question of whether “gifted and talented” programs and designations like Johns Hopkins CTY or Davidson Young Scholar actually matter to top colleges. While these labels may sound impressive, we break down why admissions officers may view them as redundant with other more relevant components of a student’s applicatio...

Masterclass Registration – Oct 15th @ 7pm ET (Zoom) Elite college admissions isn’t just about “getting to apply to Stanford” or “taking your shot at Penn”—it’s about layering every possible decision and advantage so that when the time comes, you’re not playing a lottery like everyone else. In this episode, we challenge students and families to reverse engineer the process from the perspective of a...

In this episode, we analyze the application strategy of a high-achieving student preparing to apply Early Decision in the 2025–26 cycle. We evaluate her academic and extracurricular profile, explore how to elevate her thematic positioning around identity, language, and global impact, and cover which colleges offer the best strategic fit for her ED choice. —— “The Game” is hosted by Sam Hassell and...

In this episode, we break down the profile and application of a top student deciding between Yale/Stanford for early action in the upcoming 2025-26 application cycle. We analyze both the strengths and weaknesses in her profile, identify admissions hooks that portray the most compelling view of her resume, and overhaul the initial draft of her application, optimizing critical themes and through-lin...

Much of what students and families worry about or hear in college admissions actually matters less than they know.  In this episode, we expose the most overrated pieces of the process—and traditional guidance—from the importance of leadership, service, and GPA weighting to launching “passion projects” or communicating with admissions officers. —— “The Game” is hosted by Sam Hassell and brought to...

In this episode, we flip the script and walk through the 10 fastest ways to sabotage your college admissions chances—so you can do the opposite.  From staying “well-rounded” to avoiding commitment to a hook, we discuss common traps that smart students fall into. We cover why being passive and waiting for permission or perfection when it comes to resume-building are silent application killers—and h...

In this episode, we answer three listener questions on the following topics: how to best strategically position a pre-law student how to take college courses that improve your candidacy the role of legacy at top colleges and early application strategy —— “The Game” is hosted by Sam Hassell and brought to you by Great Minds Advising. Great Minds Advising’s unique, hands-on mentorship program and it...

In this episode, we reveal three common pieces of misinformation that admissions officers often convey to applicants and their families, breeding a false sense of complacency and a dangerously naive view of admissions at top colleges. In particular, we cover: how applications are actually reviewed, with many being discarded long before they are given a “holistic review” as admissions officers purp...

In this episode, we perform a case study analysis on acceptance/matriculation data from one of the top private high schools in the U.S. and a well-known Ivy League “feeder school.” We cover the following: Most Recent Year and 5-Year Ivy League Matriculations Ivy League Acceptance Data for “Unhooked” Students (i.e. non-legacy/donor, recruited athletes, etc) Hooked vs. Unhooked Student Acceptance Ra...

In this deep dive episode, we analyze the profile and application of a current high school senior applying to Stanford. We pinpoint critical strategic mistakes affecting the quality of the student’s presentation across both the Common Application and the Stanford supplements––errors that are very often committed by top academic students in general and students targeting Stanford in particular. ——...

In this episode, we return to the popular online forum Reddit to answer college admissions Qs from students across the country. In particular, we cover the following topics: Additional Information Section: Good or Bad? Including A Third Teacher or Supplementary Recommendation Early Action Plans That Prohibit Early Decision To Other Colleges Help With My Vanderbilt Essay! Strategic Implications Of...

For the first time, we analyze the profile of a current HS senior targeting three top colleges: WashU, Vanderbilt, & Michigan. While the student possesses a strong academic foundation (perfect GPA in 15 APs, 34/36 ACT, ranked #1 in HS class), he significantly lacks the type of extracurricular profile, depth, and admissions “hook” that will differentiate students targeting highly selective inst...

In this episode, we cover ten primary ways students can build their admissions hooks to differentiate their applications at top colleges, the pros/cons of each activity type, and several common activities that tend to contribute minimally to—and even potentially jeopardize—a student’s odds of acceptance. —— “The Game” is hosted by Sam Hassell and brought to you by Great Minds Advising. Great Minds...

In this episode, we break down the timeline and significance of the PSAT and various National Merit awards associated with strong PSAT scores: PSAT for students in grades earlier than 11th (e.g. PSAT 8/9 + PSAT 10) The PSAT/NMSQT exam in 11th grade Score ranges for juniors who might be in play for National Merit awards connected to their PSAT/NMSQT scores Timeline for PSAT/NMSQT score return Calcu...

In this episode, we dive into the many different types of “demonstrated interest” and the particular case of contacting admissions officers: Why “demonstrated interest” is generally overrated and over-discussed compared to other candidacy-building factors for students targeting highly selective colleges “Strong” vs. “weak” demonstrated interest: defining highly strategic forms vs. mere “checkbox”...