College Admissions is like a Video Game
Jack Beecher here.
Just like in video games, in admissions, don’t spend your time on level 30 when you haven’t even passed level 1.
Let me explain:
People love to overcomplicate things to avoid spending time on the basics. (I myself am a victim of this)
Take the example of health and nutrition.
Instead of focusing on getting 10,000 steps a day (level 1), people will attempt to find the perfect macronutrient split for their body (level 30).
Although the 2nd is beneficial, if you’re focusing on that instead of the first, you’re probably not optimizing your time.
The same thing happens in college admissions.
People spend hours modifying their phrasing for their 7th activity instead of studying for a huge final exam they have coming up.
Here are the first 10 levels of college admissions:
Level 1: Hitting the median GPA of your dream college
Level 2: Hitting the median standardized test score of your dream college
Level 3: Deciding on what application window to apply to colleges in
Level 4: Having a showstopper activity
Level 5: Writing strong essays that show why your interested in the college
Level 6: Having a story your application is built around
Level 7: Having activities that relate to your story
Level 8: Showing clarity of thought in essays without grammatical errors
Level 9: How your core activities are worded
Level 10: Filling out the Honors Section
Level 30: Whether you use a semicolon or period in the 5th paragraph of your essay
This isn’t to say that the higher levels don’t have any impact on your chance of admission. They just have far less impact than the lower levels.
Next time you catch yourself spending too much time on level 30, reevaluate and spend your time on the basics.
Treat these levels like a video game. Progress through them sequentially, checking each of the lists as you go. I promise if you focus on these 10 things, instead of being reactive to whatever you feel like doing each day in the admissions process, you will be successful.
Best of luck,
Jack Beecher
P.S. - Have a high-performing high schooler w/ a 3.7 GPA or higher? We'll help get them into at least one of their top 5 dream colleges...and if we don't get them into at least one of their top 5 dream colleges, you don't pay us a penny. Seriously. College admissions isn't rocket science...but it is a science. And we've cracked the code...year, after year, after year. You can learn more about our world renowned all-inclusive, start-to-finish college coaching here and to see if your family qualifies for an introductory call.
P.P.S - Our most common question is "When should we start?!" The answer is, if you truly care about giving your high schooler the best chance of college planning success, you should start NOW. 9th grade is not too early to start! 10th grade is certainly not too early to start! And 11th grade is far, far too late! (supporting data here to show just how much of an advantage you give your child by starting the process early).
