After college application season was finally over, and I had decided (after much deliberation) between Harvard, Princeton, and Yale (three of my long-time dream schools), I was able to look back on the whole college process with a clear mind. What this ultimately lead to was me seriously questioning how the things I did in high school and my college applications equated to such success. Here's what I think set me apart from other applicants: Being authentic and passionate! Reflecting back, these two things were the overarching themes of my journey to getting into college, and were equally as important. ...

I interviewed for Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Brown, Columbia, and University of Pennsylvania. I interviewed for Princeton and Brown in my local coffee shop, interviewed for U Penn in the lobby of a local hotel, interviewed for Harvard in a local office building, interviewed for Columbia in an office building in the nearest big city (San Francisco), and interviewed for...

I tried to apply too early by participating in early decision. If you are feeling stressed out/not your best self/uncomfortable about applying early, I would recommend not doing it. I felt all these things, and had 0 success with my early decision ventures. Looking back, I should have realized that I was not...

For recommenders, start early. As soon as possible, identify persons who are the closest related to your academic interests and/or who know you the best. The best recommenders are teachers/school staff/coaches/others who you...

After my college acceptances came back, it was clear that I had to choose between the top 3 schools I had gotten into: Harvard, Princeton, and Yale (I might have considered a competitive local school from my state [CA] if they provided better financial offers, but Harvard, Princeton, and Yale all gave me the best financial aid I was offered). Between these 3 schools, their academics and resources all are very similar and only fluctuate slightly at least in my eyes (Harvard, Princeton, and Yale generally fluctuate around the top 10's of most "Best Universities" lists around on the internet in numerous...