Getting admitted to selective colleges is about pleasing yourself, not about pleasing them. Once you understand that you can avoid painful mistakes, like tanking your college applications with essays, honors, and extracurriculars that blend in with thousands of other applicants. Using actual essays, honors, activities, and letters of continued interest from accepted applications to the University of Virginia, Duke, Yale, Princeton, and Cambridge University, Standing Out by Stepping Back The Zen of Getting Into Selective Colleges shows you how to make your application stand tall above thousands in one quick read.

Create a compelling application theme that sets you apart
Write standout essays that showcase personal growth
Learn the 24 character traits colleges look for
Take an admissions committee evaluation deep dive
Learn the new "can't ask, do tell" racial diversity rules
Make the most of each application section
Inspire admissions officers to fight for you
Use recommendations strategically
No money, no problem financial aid
Crush ACT, SAT, test optional, and test flexible
Beat demonstrated interest, interviews, deferral, waitlist, and more.

Create a compelling application theme that sets you apart
Write standout essays that showcase personal growth
Learn the 24 character traits colleges look for
Take an admissions committee evaluation deep dive
Learn the new "can't ask, do tell" racial diversity rules
Make the most of each application section
Inspire admissions officers to fight for you
Use recommendations strategically
No money, no problem financial aid
Crush ACT, SAT, test optional, and test flexible
Beat demonstrated interest, interviews, deferral, waitlist, and more.

Standing Out By Stepping Back The Zen of Getting Into Selective Colleges