To many students and families, the idea of receiving an admissions boost from simply being related to an alum seems outdated and unfair. If you share this opinion, you are siding with the majority of Americans—according to a 2022 Pew Research survey, 75% of Americans …
Like every aspect of a successful application, your extracurricular activities should tell a compelling and cohesive story about your development as a person and scholar. How should you approach extracurricular selection strategically? Which extracurriculars will help y…
High school seniors are now in the midst of the college admissions process; writing essays, polishing college lists, and preparing for interviews. However, high school seniors are not the only students with important deadlines approaching; students applying to boarding …
Summer break is not just a time to kick back with friends or read mystery novels on the beach—for high school students, the summer months are a critical opportunity to deepen your knowledge, develop new skills, and develop an application profile that will wow admissio…
As the admissions landscape at prestigious colleges grows increasingly competitive and the long-term benefits of elite higher education become even more significant, parents are seeking expert support earlier in their children’s educational journey, with many question…
During the 2023–24 admissions cycle, Harvard applications topped 50,000; UPenn’s applicant pool swelled by 10%, reaching over 65,000 applicants; and Yale saw a record-breaking number of applicants, totaling 57,465. Given these staggering numbers, many students assum…
Every application cycle, admissions officers read tens of thousands of applications, looking for “red flags” to weed out unqualified applicants in the arduous review process. While understanding what admissions officers are looking for is crucial for compiling stand…
The college admissions landscape has changed dramatically over the last decade—confronted by shifting testing policies, swelling applicant pools, the end of affirmative action, debates over legacy status, and increasing pressure for student specialization, many parent…
Brown’s world renowned offerings and distinct pedagogical approach distinguish it as one of the most prestigious institutions in the world. Below, Senior Mentor Sam Casale shares his insights on what Brown admissions officers are looking for—and how our mentors help…
Ranked the #10 university in the nation by U.S. News and World Report, the University of Pennsylvania’s rigorous academic programs and its reputation as the “social Ivy” draw tens of thousands of applicants each cycle. Every admissions cycle, Command Education Senio…
