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Stanford admissions

Harvard vs. Stanford: Which one is right for you?

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I’ve finally enabled comments on this site, so please leave me thoughts, questions, and more! Slight change of pace today. Instead of the standard focus on college admissions topics, we’ll talk about life in college itself. Stanford or Harvard? Harvard or Stanford? It’s a question that many people debate. Obviously, getting into either is a [...]

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How to get a Stanford-caliber letter of recommendation for college admissions

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Letters of recommendation are probably the most underlooked (and consequently underutilized) tools in the college admissions process. There’s a fundamental reason why – high school students are afraid of their teachers/bosses/coaches. They’re afraid of asking for what they really want – an outstanding, glowing letter of recommendation that highlights strengths and re-affirms the student’s story. [...]

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Future pre-med students: what every high schooler needs to know

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Today, we’re switching directions slightly to focus on a particular niche – future pre-meds. We’ll also discuss a little more about how to be successful in college (including how to choose the right school), which is something that all high school student should start preparing for ASAP. So what should you be thinking about as [...]

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Get into Harvard: science research at your local college

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Recently we covered the topic of taking college classes for college admissions. Today, I’ll explain another big opportunity available at your local university. When I say local university, I don’t mean community college. I mean real, 4-year fully accredited universities! This applies specifically to the science/math/academically focused students – but everyone should be sufficiently well-rounded [...]

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5 secrets about Advanced Placement (AP) tests and classes

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AP tests are a rite of passage for most high school students. Some of you are international students (advice on that here), some are in IB programs, but the majority will be taking Advanced Placement classes and tests. Here are some insights on APs: 1) Take as many AP classes as you can fit into [...]

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Why reading lists won’t help at all – don’t listen to your high school counselor or college advisors

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If you’ve read some of my previous articles on college admissions, you’ll realize that I’m blunt and will tell you exactly how I view an issue. Let’s talk about reading lists. Reading lists are the biggest waste of time. High school counselors, private tutors, expensive admissions coaches – everyone will tell you that reading lists [...]

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How Ivy League schools look at your high school extracurriculars

A typical Ivy League school like Yale will look at the following things: 1) Leadership Was the student an officer of the club? Did he/she manage people, lead and organize events? Was he/she elected to increasingly more prominent positions, like president? Leadership is an important characteristic of the strongest applicants to the best universities. What [...]

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Five last minute tricks to get into Harvard and Princeton

Many of you are lazy and will wait until junior or senior year before starting college applications. It’s a horrible idea. I’m guilty of it as well – that’s what my last minute guide to Harvard and Stanford admissions is all about – how to make yourself sound like a top candidate in the weeks [...]

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