Guides & Resources
A growing library of resources designed to make the college admissions process a little less mysterious.
How Highly Selective Colleges Evaluate Applicants
See what admissions officers are actually evaluating, why seemingly “perfect” applicants are sometimes denied, and how the pieces of an application work together.
Finding Your Fit
Figure out what you actually want from college, from size and setting to academics, campus culture, social life, and everything in between.
Exploring College Majors
Figure out what you're curious enough to explore next, how majors actually work, and how your academic interests can shape your classes, college research, and eventual application strategy.
How to Build a College List That Goes Beyond Rankings
Figure out what you actually want in a college and build a list around academic, social, and financial fit instead of somebody else’s ranking.
Financial Aid Guide
Understand financial aid, scholarships, loans, and the numbers that matter before cost becomes an unpleasant surprise.
The University of California Guide
Understand how UC admissions actually works, then explore what makes each of the nine campuses different, from academics and competitive majors to campus culture, student life, and overall fit.
The Ancient Eight
Meet the eight Ivy League universities as eight very different college experiences, then compare their academics, settings, cultures, dealbreakers, and overall fit.
College Application Plans 101
Understand ED, EA, REA/SCEA, Priority, Rolling, and Regular Decision, including the commitments, restrictions, tradeoffs, and strategy behind each application plan.
Honors Colleges 101
Learn what honors colleges actually offer, how they differ from the larger university, what the tradeoffs can be, and how to decide whether applying is worth the extra work.
Letters of Recommendation 101
Learn how to choose the right recommenders, ask strategically, give them something meaningful to write about, and manage the process without becoming That Student.
Demonstrated Interest 101
Learn what demonstrated interest actually means, when it matters, and how to engage with colleges genuinely without turning the process into a performance.
SAT vs. ACT
The SAT and ACT test many of the same skills, but they can feel VERY different. Learn what actually separates them, which differences matter, and how to figure out which test gives you the better opportunity to perform at your best.