Application Strategy With HS Senior

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 institutions. Given the student is already in the process of applying to colleges and cannot fundamentally alter much of his profile at this very late stage, what can we do to help?In this deep dive episode, we devise a comprehensive strategic plan for the student’s applications that will make best use of the strengths he does possess at the time of application, as well as leverage other strategic factors and late-stage candidacy building opportunities to maximize the student’s chances of admission despite many significant obstacles.In particular, we cover the following:Student Profile & AnalysisThe Missing “Hook” ProblemStrategic Positioning: Factors & Liabilities to Consider for Direct Admit Business/EngineeringAnalyzing Student’s Responses to Common Essay PromptsDevising New, Optimal “Hook” For StudentLate Stage Resume-Building: “Low-Hanging Fruit” Opportunities Still Available to Reinforce The HookDecision Planning: Optimal Use of Early Decision 1, Early Decision 2, & Early ActionOverall Application Psychology + StrategyOptimal Reporting of Test Scores (ACT, AP)Personal Essay: Content Considerations, Reinforcing Hook, Traps/Cliches, and StructureActivities/Honors/Additional Information: What To Include, Order, Relevance to Hook, and Writing Compelling DescriptionsWashU Supplement: Major Selection & Why The Hook Isn’t = Major Per SeOptimal “Why Major” Essay Response: Content, Structure, ConsiderationsOptimal “Community” Essay Response: Approach for Diversity vs. Non-Diversity Students, Why So Many Students Write “Cliche” Essays, and Devising Outside-the-Box AnswersSubmitting Q1 Senior Grades——“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 its deep strategic insight into the application review process have earned the company a nation-leading track record of excellence, with 100% of its students gaining admission to a top-choice school in the 2025–26 application cycle.Its students have recently gained admission to Stanford, Princeton, Yale, Columbia, Penn, Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell, Duke, Georgetown, Vanderbilt, Johns Hopkins, Rice, Northwestern, UC-Berkeley, and WashU (among many others) and are admitted to the Ivy League at a rate 14x the national average (90% when applying early).Web: greatmindsadvising.comContact: greatmindsadvising.com/#contactNewsletter: greatmindsadvising.com/#newsletterEmail: [email protected]: facebook.com/GreatMindsAdvising/IG: instagram.com/greatmindsadvising