The Game: A Guide to Elite College Admissions

In this Admissions Masterclass, we cover how top U.S. colleges review applicants and the strategies and tactics we’ve used to 14x our students’ admit rate to the Ivies and other top colleges.
This Masterclass was originally recorded on 10/15/2025.
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“The Game” is hosted by Sam Hassell and brought to you by Great Minds Advising.
Great Minds Advising’s unique, hands-on mentorship program and its deep strategic insight into the application review process have earned the company a nation-leading track record of excellence, with 100% of its students gaining admission to a top-choice school in the 2025–26 application cycle.
Its students have recently gained admission to Stanford, Princeton, Yale, Columbia, Penn, Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell, Duke, Georgetown, Vanderbilt, Johns Hopkins, Rice, Northwestern, UC-Berkeley, and WashU (among many others) and are admitted to the Ivy League at a rate 14x the national average (90% when applying early).
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Contact: greatmindsadvising.com/#contact
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In this sequel episode, we unpack six more counterintuitive truths about the elite college admissions process, from why weaker applicants can get better results to why following instructions can hurt your application.
Pulling together many different aspects of the process that might seem paradoxical, we demonstrate why elite admissions––unlike high school––isn’t a checklist and more achievement or following the standard rules will often not produce better outcomes.
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“The Game” is hosted by Sam Hassell and brought to you by Great Minds Advising.
Great Minds Advising’s unique, hands-on mentorship program and its deep strategic insight into the application review process have earned the company a nation-leading track record of excellence, with 100% of its students gaining admission to a top-choice school in the 2025–26 application cycle.
Its students have recently gained admission to Stanford, Princeton, Yale, Columbia, Penn, Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell, Duke, Georgetown, Vanderbilt, Johns Hopkins, Rice, Northwestern, UC-Berkeley, and WashU (among many others) and are admitted to the Ivy League at a rate 14x the national average (90% when applying early).
Web: greatmindsadvising.com
Contact: greatmindsadvising.com/#contact
Newsletter: greatmindsadvising.com/#newsletter
Email: info@greatmindsadvising.com
FB: facebook.com/GreatMindsAdvising/
IG: instagram.com/greatmindsadvising

In Part III of this case study, we assess the student’s college list and early application options, weighing the risks of Princeton’s single-choice early action plan against the odds of applying ED1 to Vanderbilt.
We then compare the student’s chances across other schools on his list and explain how early decision can affect both admission odds and the options that remain later in the process.
Finally, we calibrate the application to the recommended top early choice, locating a major that best fits the student’s profile and outlining an approach to the school’s identity/community-focused supplementary essay.
——
“The Game” is hosted by Sam Hassell and brought to you by Great Minds Advising.
Great Minds Advising’s unique, hands-on mentorship program and its deep strategic insight into the application review process have earned the company a nation-leading track record of excellence, with 100% of its students gaining admission to a top-choice school in the 2025–26 application cycle.
Its students have recently gained admission to Stanford, Princeton, Yale, Columbia, Penn, Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell, Duke, Georgetown, Vanderbilt, Johns Hopkins, Rice, Northwestern, UC-Berkeley, and WashU (among many others) and are admitted to the Ivy League at a rate 14x the national average (90% when applying early).
Web: greatmindsadvising.com
Contact: greatmindsadvising.com/#contact
Newsletter: greatmindsadvising.com/#newsletter
Email: info@greatmindsadvising.com
FB: facebook.com/GreatMindsAdvising/
IG: instagram.com/greatmindsadvising

In Part II of this case study, we refine the student’s Honors section, prioritizing recognitions that reinforce his environmental policy positioning and moving more generic awards to the overflow section.
Next, we reorganize the Activities List, discussing ordering, labels, and descriptions to bring forward the strongest evidence of his interests, leadership, and impact while preserving variety and texture.
Finally, we review the Additional Information section, including overflow activities and honors––explaining what to include, what to leave out, and why.
——
“The Game” is hosted by Sam Hassell and brought to you by Great Minds Advising.
Great Minds Advising’s unique, hands-on mentorship program and its deep strategic insight into the application review process have earned the company a nation-leading track record of excellence, with 100% of its students gaining admission to a top-choice school in the 2025–26 application cycle.
Its students have recently gained admission to Stanford, Princeton, Yale, Columbia, Penn, Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell, Duke, Georgetown, Vanderbilt, Johns Hopkins, Rice, Northwestern, UC-Berkeley, and WashU (among many others) and are admitted to the Ivy League at a rate 14x the national average (90% when applying early).
Web: greatmindsadvising.com
Contact: greatmindsadvising.com/#contact
Newsletter: greatmindsadvising.com/#newsletter
Email: info@greatmindsadvising.com
FB: facebook.com/GreatMindsAdvising/
IG: instagram.com/greatmindsadvising

In Part I of this case study, we assess a current senior’s candidacy for highly selective colleges, from a 1540 SAT and strong AP record to the transcript nuances and course selection choices that shape their academic profile.
We then examine the student’s climate, energy, and environmental-policy positioning: a clear through-line with relevant leadership, but limited niche differentiation, scale, and major external recognition. 
We close by identifying the profile’s main strengths, weaknesses, and remaining opportunities before turning to the Common Application sections in Part II.
——
“The Game” is hosted by Sam Hassell and brought to you by Great Minds Advising.
Great Minds Advising’s unique, hands-on mentorship program and its deep strategic insight into the application review process have earned the company a nation-leading track record of excellence, with 100% of its students gaining admission to a top-choice school in the 2025–26 application cycle.
Its students have recently gained admission to Stanford, Princeton, Yale, Columbia, Penn, Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell, Duke, Georgetown, Vanderbilt, Johns Hopkins, Rice, Northwestern, UC-Berkeley, and WashU (among many others) and are admitted to the Ivy League at a rate 14x the national average (90% when applying early).
Web: greatmindsadvising.com
Contact: greatmindsadvising.com/#contact
Newsletter: greatmindsadvising.com/#newsletter
Email: info@greatmindsadvising.com
FB: facebook.com/GreatMindsAdvising/
IG: instagram.com/greatmindsadvising