High School GPA: Can I Get Into Top Schools with B’s?
Quick answer: Yes, you can get into top schools with B’s, especially a few B’s in challenging courses, if your overall record shows rigor, an upward trend, and skill in your intended field. Top colleges read grades in context, so a B in an AP or honors class matters less than a pattern of low […]
Common App Activities: How to Fit More Than 10 on Your List
Quick answer: If you have more than 10 activities on the Common App, you still get only 10 slots in the renamed “Activities and Experiences” section. Rank every activity by depth and impact, merge related entries under one theme, and move the rest to the Honors section, Additional Information, or a resume upload where a […]
7 Editing Techniques to Help Improve the Personal Statement
Quick answer: Effective personal statement editing starts after several full drafts. Read your essay aloud, step away before revising, trust your instincts about weak lines, fix grammar and spelling, limit feedback to a few trusted readers, and stop before overthinking erases your voice. Finish with a checklist that confirms word count, focus, and formatting. Why […]
College Application Mistakes: Why Students Get Lost in the Pile
Quick answer: The most common college application mistakes are thin activity descriptions, cliché or generic essays, repeating the same content across sections, choosing recommenders who barely know you, spreading yourself across too many activities, and submitting with typos. Every section of your application should add something new, specific, and true about you. College Application Mistakes: […]
InGenius Prep Makes the Inc. 5000 List of Fastest Growing Companies!
Quick answer: In August 2018, InGenius Prep was named the fastest-growing admissions counseling company in America on the Inc. 5000 list, ranking #657 among US private companies and the second-fastest-growing company in Connecticut. Inc. ranks companies by revenue growth over the previous three years. InGenius Prep Makes the Inc. 5000 List of Fastest Growing Companies! […]
How College Admissions Officers Read Your Application
Quick answer: College admissions officers typically read an application in stages. A regional first reader reviews your academics, activities, essays, and recommendations in the context of your high school, writes notes and a recommendation, and may pass the file to a second reader or committee. Clear, consistent applications are the easiest for readers to advocate […]
CNBC Interview! InGenius Prep on the Harvard Lawsuit
Quick answer: In 2018, Susan Shifflett, a Former Admissions Officer from Yale at InGenius Prep, discussed the Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard lawsuit on CNBC’s Power Lunch. The case challenged race-conscious admissions, and in June 2023 the Supreme Court ruled that colleges can no longer consider race as a factor in admissions. CNBC Interview: […]
How to Find Your Passion: 5 Questions to Ask Yourself
Quick answer: If you are wondering how to find your passion, ask yourself five questions: how you spend your free time, which topics excite you, what you would wake up early for, where you want to go deeper, and what goals you have. Your answers point to interests you can develop through sustained activities. Why […]
9th Grade Tips: Advice for the First Year of High School
Quick answer: The most useful 9th grade tips are to explore new interests, join a few activities you care about, build a reading habit, set up study and time-management routines, and get to know your teachers and counselor. Freshman grades appear on your transcript, so start with steady habits rather than waiting until junior year. […]
What I Loved Most About Being a Georgetown Student
Quick answer: Georgetown student life centers on a global outlook: Jesuit values of service, internships and research across Washington, D.C., and study abroad in more than 45 countries. A Georgetown graduate shares what made it special, from the Hoya Saxa cheer to living a few blocks from Embassy Row, plus how to apply. Georgetown Student […]