College Admissions Trends 2025: What’s Changing and Why It Matters
Each fall, the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) Conference brings together admissions leaders, counselors, and educators from around the world to share insights about where college admissions is heading. This year, one topic dominated the conversation. Almost every session incorporated a focus on artificial intelligence—how it’s being used by students, counselors, and admissions […]
Does Demonstrated Interest Really Matter to Colleges in 2025?
By Lindsey Kundel, Editor in Chief, InGenius Prep Ava pauses at her laptop, unsure if signing up for a college info session will actually help her chances. She wonders if attending events and visiting campuses is worth the effort—or just a waste of time and money. This article will explain when demonstrated interest (DI) matters […]
Optimizing Your School Activities List for Ivy League and Top 30 Universities
By Lindsey Kundel, Editor in Chief, InGenius Prep The Most Overlooked Two Minutes in Admissions Ten lines. 150 characters each. That’s all the Common App gives you to capture four years of your life outside the classroom. Most students treat the college application activities list like an afterthought — something to fill in quickly after […]
Best Books to Read When Choosing a College
If June is for writing, then July is for researching—and rethinking. Whether your student has already drafted a dream list or has no clue where to start, this month’s picks are designed to broaden perspectives and challenge assumptions. Because a strong college list isn’t just about prestige—it’s about purpose, fit, and future possibilities. These three […]
H-1B, Trump’s $100,000 Fee, and What International Students Should Do Next
Written by: Joel Butterly, Cofounder & CEO, InGenius Prep H-1B, Trump’s $100,000 Fee, and What International Students Should Do Next If you’ve glanced at the headlines lately, you’ve probably seen the latest bit of political theater: the Trump administration wants to slap a $100,000 fee on companies sponsoring H-1B visas. It sounds catastrophic, and if […]
A Guide to the UChicago Supplemental Essays
Supplemental essays are an essential part of any college application, but UChicago stands out among the top schools for its unique and sometimes mind-bending essay prompts. [1] These prompts change each year and ask students to think in ways they likely haven’t for their college applications. Each is designed to give Admissions Officers insight into […]
What Living Abroad Really Teaches Students
By Lindsey Kundel, Editor in Chief, InGenius Prep Every morning, I watch my son test out new sounds as he begins to speak. For most toddlers, first words are exciting enough, but for him, it’s an extraordinary challenge. At home, he’s surrounded by English, Portuguese, and Italian. Outside our door, he encounters Mandarin Chinese. Learning […]
Best Books for Fall: Remarkable Reads For September’s Busy Admissions Season
By Lindsey Kundel, Editor in Chief, InGenius Prep September is here, and with it comes the real start of admissions season. Seniors are back in classrooms, deadlines loom, and application talk fills family dinner conversations. In this moment of both excitement and stress, it helps to step back and gain perspective from voices who have […]
What Do Colleges Look For?: How to Align Your Application With Institutional Priorities
By Lindsey Kundel, Editor-in-Chief, InGenius Prep When I first started helping students apply to college, I spent hours reading through course catalogs, admissions blogs, and strategic plans—not just to find the “best fit” schools, but to decode what those schools really wanted. It quickly became clear that a college’s values and goals often had little […]
Elite College Admissions Results Without the Elite Price Tag: The Value of Having a College Counselor
How One College Admissions Company is Consistently Besting the Most Elite High Schools in the World By Lindsey Kundel, Editor in Chief, InGenius Prep What If the Best College Counseling Isn’t Where You Think It Is? When I was a senior at a small Catholic high school in Iowa, we had two college counselors for […]