Inside the Admissions Office: Advice from Former Admissions Officers

📌 Schedule a FREE 30-minute 1:1 call with one of our Former Admissions Officers here and we'll help you improve your chances of acceptance with personalized support: https://hubs.la/Q02WyJTt0 Investment banking prep no longer starts in college. I sit down with Max Adams, Head Coach at Wall Street Mastermind, to map the full path from high school to a summer analyst offer: what the job actually is, when recruiting really begins, whether you need a target school, and what a 15 or 16 year old should be doing right now. Max also breaks down why one top bank received roughly 630,000 applications with an acceptance rate under 1%, and the 4 things every candidate has to get right. 🌐 CONNECT WITH WALL STREET MASTERMIND Website: https://wallstmastermind.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wallstreetmastermind Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wallstreetmastermind/ Max Adams on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxbradleyadams/

COLLEGE APPLICATION TRAINING CAMP — JULY 2026 👉 Register here: https://hubs.la/Q04jNZ_n0 We're back for our third year, and this one is the biggest yet. Join experts from Harvard, Yale, and MIT as they walk your student through the entire application process LIVE — Common App, essays, application persona, and more. Spots are limited! --- 📩 Want to find out what candidacy building looks like for your child specifically? Reach out to our team: https://hubs.la/Q02WyJTt0 Matt Rosenbaum, Former Admissions Counselor at the University of Chicago and one of InGenius Prep's most sought-after advisors, is breaking down the concept that separates students who get into their dream schools from the ones who don't: candidacy building. It's not about the essays. It's not about the SAT. It's about what happens in the first 90 days. The families who get this right are starting way earlier than you think. In this episode, Matt covers: → The two questions every admissions officer asks about every applicant → Why starting one year earlier increases your child's chances by 10% → The 4-step process that builds an irresistible application persona → Exactly what happens inside InGenius Prep's first 90 days → The 5 types of evidence that make an application impossible to ignore

Want personalized guidance? Book a free consultation with our team here: https://hubs.la/Q02WyJTt0 Former Harvard interviewer and InGenius Prep VP of Undergraduate Services Kathryn reveals why hobbies are often neglected in middle and high school, and why that’s a huge missed opportunity. She explains how hobbies can evolve into powerful passion projects or capstone experiences that make students stand out in the college admissions process. --- Register for our upcoming webinars. We also offer tons of free resources on our website/blog . Questions, comments, or topic requests? Email jilian.yong@ingeniusprep.com . To learn more about InGenius Prep, visit us at ingeniusprep.com .

Want personalized help with your application strategy? Book a free 1:1 call with one of our Former Admissions Officers here: CLICK HERE . Whether you’re a student interested in sports careers, a parent seeking meaningful enrichment, or curious about sports management, this episode offers practical advice and insider perspective on the competitive sports industry. I sit down with Stephen Master, founder of Sports Biz Bootcamp and adjunct professor at NYU, an accomplished executive with 25+ years in sports media, analytics, entrepreneurship, and corporate leadership, to discuss how high school students can gain early exposure to sports business, management, and professional development. 💻 Learn more about Sports Biz Bootcamp here: https://sportsbizbootcamp.com/ 📅 Upcoming cohort: April 2026 📧 Get in touch with Stephen: stephen@sportsbizbootcamp.com // NYU email: sm128@stern.nyu.edu --- Register for our upcoming webinars. We also offer tons of free resources on our website/blog . Questions, comments, or topic requests? Email jilian.yong@ingeniusprep.com . To learn more about InGenius Prep, visit us at ingeniusprep.com .

JOIN THE EXCLUSIVE WEBINAR (FEB. 24th): https://hubs.la/Q042YjBT0 Megan Bailey (Duke Graduate & Associate Director of College Counseling) reveals the exact roadmap she uses to guide students to top schools like Princeton, Yale, and Stanford, before junior year even begins. Schedule a FREE 30-minute 1:1 call with one of our Former Admissions Officers here and we'll help you improve your chances of acceptance with personalized support: https://hubs.la/Q02WyJTt0 Admissions officers see thousands of "perfect" applicants. Don’t just be smart, be interesting. In this video, we break down how to move beyond being just smart and become memorable, compelling, and interesting in the eyes of admissions officers. Learn how Ivy League and top colleges evaluate applicants, what actually differentiates accepted students, and how to craft an application narrative that makes admissions officers stop and take notice. --- Register for our upcoming webinars. We also offer tons of free resources on our website/blog . Questions, comments, or topic requests? Email jilian.yong@ingeniusprep.com . To learn more about InGenius Prep, visit us at ingeniusprep.com .

Want personalized help with your application strategy? Book a free 1:1 call with one of our Former Admissions Officers here: CLICK HERE . CURRENT INGENIUS PREP 2025-2026 EARLY ADMISSIONS RESULTS: 17 offers from Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford & MIT. 33 Ivy League offers. 50 offers from top 10 schools. 96 offers from top 20 schools, and also 135 offers from top 30 schools. In this episode, we break down 2025-2026 early admissions results, 2026 college admissions trends, deferrals, testing policies, and what colleges are prioritizing this year. --- Register for our upcoming webinars. We also offer tons of free resources on our website/blog . Questions, comments, or topic requests? Email jilian.yong@ingeniusprep.com . To learn more about InGenius Prep, visit us at ingeniusprep.com .

Want personalized help with your application strategy? Book a free 1:1 call with one of our Former Admissions Officers here: CLICK HERE . " Eventually AI will be good enough that it should be able to mimic that voice. I expect essays will become meaningless and either abolished completely or they just won't have a significant impact on the admissions process." Joel Butterly, CEO of InGenius Prep, discusses the current landscape of college application essay writing. The conversation explores how artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the writing process, how colleges are adapting their evaluation methods, and what students need to understand to stand out in an increasingly AI-influenced admissions landscape. --- Register for our upcoming webinars. We also offer tons of free resources on our website/blog . Questions, comments, or topic requests? Email jilian.yong@ingeniusprep.com . To learn more about InGenius Prep, visit us at ingeniusprep.com .

Want personalized help with your application strategy? Book a free 1:1 call with one of our Former Admissions Officers here: CLICK HERE . Shannon and Titania are back—this time tackling the Johns Hopkins supplemental essay. With Hopkins celebrating its 150th anniversary, this year’s prompt sounds poetic, reflective, and… a little overwhelming. But what are admissions officers actually asking for? PART 1: How to answer Every Harvard Supplemental Essay Prompts! [ WATCH IT HERE ] PART 2: How to answer Yale Supplemental Essay + Short Answer Prompts! [ WATCH IT HERE ] --- Register for our upcoming webinars. We also offer tons of free resources on our website/blog . Questions, comments, or topic requests? Email jilian.yong@ingeniusprep.com . To learn more about InGenius Prep, visit us at ingeniusprep.com .

Want personalized help with your application strategy? Book a free 1:1 call with one of our Former Admissions Officers here: CLICK HERE . Shannon and Titania return to break down every Harvard supplemental essay prompt, sharing how successful applicants actually approach each question, what admissions officers are really listening for, and the common mistakes that quietly hurt otherwise strong candidates. PART 1: How to answer Every Harvard Supplemental Essay Prompts! [ WATCH IT HERE ] PART 3 COMING UP NEXT: How to answer Johns Hopkins Supplemental Essay Prompt! --- Register for our upcoming webinars. We also offer tons of free resources on our website/blog . Questions, comments, or topic requests? Email jilian.yong@ingeniusprep.com . To learn more about InGenius Prep, visit us at ingeniusprep.com .

Want personalized help with your application strategy? Book a free 1:1 call with one of our Former Admissions Officers here: CLICK HERE . Shannon and Titania return to break down every Harvard supplemental essay prompt, sharing how successful applicants actually approach each question, what admissions officers are really listening for, and the common mistakes that quietly hurt otherwise strong candidates. PART 2 COMING UP NEXT: How to answer Every Yale Supplemental Essay Prompts! --- Register for our upcoming webinars. We also offer tons of free resources on our website/blog . Questions, comments, or topic requests? Email jilian.yong@ingeniusprep.com . To learn more about InGenius Prep, visit us at ingeniusprep.com .

Want personalized help with your application strategy? Book a free 1:1 call with one of our Former Admissions Officers here: CLICK HERE . Explore real admissions insights on the InGenius Journal: https://hubs.ly/Q03XXVX80 We use real data and trends to help students make clear, confident decisions about navigating college admissions. In this episode, Lindsey Kundel, Editor-in-Chief of the InGenius Journal, shows how we turn years of international and domestic admissions insights into strategies that actually work. Whether your student is aiming for a top 10, 20, or 30 school, the right approach and real data can make all the difference. Any feedback is welcome! If you have suggestions for topics you’d like Lindsey to cover in future InGenius Journal entries, send us an email at jilian.yong@ingeniusprep.com --- Register for our upcoming webinars. We also offer tons of free resources on our website/blog . Questions, comments, or topic requests? Email jilian.yong@ingeniusprep.com . To learn more about InGenius Prep, visit us at ingeniusprep.com .

Want personalized help with your application strategy? Book a free 1:1 call with one of our Former Admissions Officers here: CLICK HERE . Applying to U.S. universities as an international student? This episode breaks down exactly what you need to know. Former Admissions Officer Kevin (MIT, Brown, UChicago, Cornell) explains: ✅ How international students can highlight their cultural identity authentically ✅ What U.S. admissions officers really look for across different regions ✅ How to present local achievements in a way that resonates with American colleges ✅ Why personal essay storytelling matters more than “trauma dumping” ✅ What international student-athletes must know about recruitment ✅ The biggest global admissions trends affecting applicants right now Whether you’re applying from Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Africa, or anywhere else, this episode gives you insider clarity you won’t find on Google—and helps parents understand exactly how to guide their student through the U.S. admissions process. --- Register for our upcoming webinars. We also offer tons of free resources on our website/blog . Questions, comments, or topic requests? Email jilian.yong@ingeniusprep.com . To learn more about InGenius Prep, visit us at ingeniusprep.com .

Want personalized help with your application strategy? Book a free 1:1 call with one of our Former Admissions Officers here: CLICK HERE . In today’s shorter episode, Zak, a former Senior Assistant Director and Multicultural Recruiting Coordinator at Johns Hopkins University, responds to an email from a parent who’s considering homeschooling and trying to find the best path for a student-athlete with big basketball goals. Zak talks about common challenges homeschoolers face, like proving academic readiness, finding social opportunities, and building strong recommendations and activities outside the home. He also explains why getting an honest evaluation from a private coach matters when it comes to understanding athletic potential. --- Register for our upcoming webinars. We also offer tons of free resources on our website/blog . Questions, comments, or topic requests? Email jilian.yong@ingeniusprep.com . To learn more about InGenius Prep, visit us at ingeniusprep.com .

Want personalized help with your application strategy? Book a free 1:1 call with one of our Former Admissions Officers here: CLICK HERE . Yale graduate and InGenius Prep counselor Titania shares how she got into Yale and the exact strategies that helped her stand out in the admissions process. She talks about what made Yale the right fit, how she approached Yale essays and interviews, and the parts of the experience that students rarely hear about. --- Register for our upcoming webinars. We also offer tons of free resources on our website/blog . Questions, comments, or topic requests? Email jilian.yong@ingeniusprep.com . To learn more about InGenius Prep, visit us at ingeniusprep.com .

Want personalized help with your application strategy? Book a free 1:1 call with one of our Former Admissions Officers here: CLICK HERE . In today’s episode, we’re diving deep into Washington University in St. Louis (WashU)—often called a “hidden Ivy” for its exceptional academics, selective admissions, and unique student experience. 🎯 Pro Tip: Don’t get caught up in rankings—academic stats matter, but your personality, story, and fit can make all the difference. In this episode, Ariel shares: ➜ What makes WashU’s campus and community feel like a true “fit” ➜ The most memorable applications and essays she’s ever seen ➜ Insider tips on interviews, letters of recommendation, and application strategy ➜ How to find your perfect college fit beyond rankings ➜ Fun WashU traditions like Moonlight Breakfast (yes, pancakes at midnight!) ➜ Her top 3 actionable tips for students prepping EA/ED applications. --- Register for our upcoming webinars. We also offer tons of free resources on our website/blog . Questions, comments, or topic requests? Email jilian.yong@ingeniusprep.com . To learn more about InGenius Prep, visit us at ingeniusprep.com .

Want personalized help with your application strategy? Book a free 1:1 call with one of our Former Admissions Officers here: CLICK HERE . In this episode, we delve into key takeaways from the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) Conference. Our experts, Katherine—Director of Undergraduate Services, and Pia—Director of Counselor Management at InGenius Prep, share their firsthand experiences and valuable insights from attending the event. Tune in to get up-to-date on the latest trends and developments in college admissions. --- Register for our upcoming webinars. We also offer tons of free resources on our website/blog . Questions, comments, or topic requests? Email jilian.yong@ingeniusprep.com . To learn more about InGenius Prep, visit us at ingeniusprep.com .

EXCLUSIVE VIRTUAL EVENT: Two Students. One Spot. Who Gets In? Watch Former Admissions Officers battle it out live in the first-ever Admissions Showdown—where you’ll witness the debates, the behind-the-scenes decision-making, and the exact factors that determine who gets in. Curious what actually happens after you hit submit on your college application? Join us on September 23rd and experience it firsthand. Reserve yours now and see what makes them say YES. Here's the link to register . Want personalized help with your application strategy? Book a free 1:1 call with one of our Former Admissions Officers here: CLICK HERE . MIT admits less than 5% of applicants each year. If you or your teen has MIT at the top of the college list, you need more than perfect grades and test scores to stand out. In this episode, former MIT and Ivy League admissions officers share the hidden details behind successful MIT applications: 🔹 What a strong STEAM profile actually looks like 🔹 The types of projects and research experiences that grab MIT’s attention 🔹 Why creativity, curiosity, and initiative matter as much as raw talent 🔹 How to frame supplements so they connect with MIT’s hands-on, problem-solving culture Whether you’re preparing for engineering, computer science, or math competitions, this episode gives you the insider perspective on what MIT admissions is really looking for. 👉 Follow us for more straight-from-the-admissions-office advice. --- Register for our upcoming webinars. We also offer tons of free resources on our website/blog . Questions, comments, or topic requests? Email jilian.yong@ingeniusprep.com . To learn more about InGenius Prep, visit us at ingeniusprep.com .

EXCLUSIVE VIRTUAL EVENT: Two Students. One Spot. Who Gets In? Watch Former Admissions Officers battle it out live in the first-ever Admissions Showdown—where you’ll witness the debates, the behind-the-scenes decision-making, and the exact factors that determine who gets in. Curious what actually happens after you hit submit on your college application? Join us on September 23rd and experience it firsthand. Reserve yours now and see what makes them say YES. Here's the link to register . Want personalized help with your application strategy? Book a free 1:1 call with one of our Former Admissions Officers here: CLICK HERE . RISING SENIORS: This is your last shot to get everything in place for college apps. Our Application Counseling Program helps you stay on track, craft a standout application, and improve your chances of getting into a Top 10 school, by up to 7x: https://hubs.la/Q02WyJTt0 In this episode, a Former UChicago Admissions Officer answers YOUR most-asked questions about college essays, GPAs, extracurriculars, and the holistic admissions process. 👉 Get expert advice on writing personal statements, tackling challenging topics, and how admissions officers evaluate your application. Perfect for high school students preparing to apply to top universities. --- Register for our upcoming webinars. We also offer tons of free resources on our website/blog . Questions, comments, or topic requests? Email jilian.yong@ingeniusprep.com . To learn more about InGenius Prep, visit us at ingeniusprep.com .

EXCLUSIVE VIRTUAL EVENT — COLLEGE APPLICATION TRAINING CAMP: Join our exclusive session with Shannon, Yale PhD Candidate and essay expert, as she walks you through how to write a supplemental essay that stands out. She'll cover researching the "why," structuring your response, and conveying personality inside a tight word count. Spots are limited. Here's the link to register . 📅 July 30 | 8PM ET Want personalized help with your application strategy? Book a free 1:1 call with one of our Former Admissions Officers here: CLICK HERE . RISING SENIORS: This is your last shot to get everything in place for college apps. Our Application Counseling Program helps you stay on track, craft a standout application, and improve your chances of getting into a Top 10 school, by up to 7x: https://hubs.la/Q03BtBZ50 Join us as Shannon, who’s taught literature and writing at Yale and Ohio State, breaks down two standout personal statements from students accepted into top colleges and Ivy programs. We dive deep into each essay—one takes a traditional topic and makes it deeply personal, while the other uses a creative structure and bold voice. Shannon analyzes what makes them successful, how they reflect each student’s identity, and the key lessons you can apply to strengthen your own writing. This is a very detailed analysis—perfect for students, parents, or anyone looking to master the art of the personal statement. --- Register for our upcoming webinars. We also offer tons of free resources on our website/blog . Questions, comments, or topic requests? Email jilian.yong@ingeniusprep.com . To learn more about InGenius Prep, visit us at ingeniusprep.com .

FREE RESOURCE: Want personalized help with your application strategy? Book a free 1:1 call with one of our Former Admissions Officers here: CLICK HERE . RISING SENIORS: This is your last shot to get everything in place for college apps. Our Application Counseling Program helps you stay on track, craft a standout application, and improve your chances of getting into a Top 10 school, by up to 7x: https://hubs.la/Q03BtBZ50 From ultra-competitive majors like Computer Science to the explosion of AI-generated essays, the game is changing fast, and top colleges are responding. Should you rethink your major? How are elite schools adapting to the rise of AI? And most importantly: how can you stand out in the most competitive applicant pool yet? We’re breaking it all down with real data, insider insights, and a proven strategy that has helped thousands of students get into top schools. Watch until the end. This could change the way you approach your college apps. --- Register for our upcoming webinars. We also offer tons of free resources on our website/blog . Questions, comments, or topic requests? Email jilian.yong@ingeniusprep.com . To learn more about InGenius Prep, visit us at ingeniusprep.com .