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Aristo Scholars

Tactics

Writing

How to write clear, readable UC personal insight answers

What UCLA's seasonal reader job posting reveals about how personal insight answers are read, and why plain language and concrete actions work best.

Open to read · 3 min

Recommenders

What to give teachers writing your recommendation letter

What to put in a short brag sheet for a teacher writing your college recommendation, so they recall specific classroom moments without you writing the letter.

Open to read · 3 min

Nicomachean Ethics, Book VI, in an illuminated Greek manuscript. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Essays

What should you write your college essay about?

Why a Stanford reader recalled a valedictorian denied over his personal essay, and how to choose a topic that shows professors how you think and learn.

Open to read · 3 min

Start here

Overheard in committee

Competitive, but not compelling.

What a reader writes on a strong file that will still be denied. Most of this library is about the difference.

The Committee

33 pieces

Committee

How a Stanford reader presents your application in committee

A Stanford reader's account of summarizing an application for committee, and how clear activity descriptions give a reader lines to repeat about you.

Open to read · 3 min

How does UC Berkeley evaluate your GPA in context?

How UC Berkeley's reader research compared grades within an applicant's own high school, and what that context means for choosing courses.

Open to read · 3 min

Breather breather. CC0. Cropped. Licence

How UCLA scores applications: what a state audit found

Open to read · 3 min

How does Harvard rate academics? The 1 to 6 scale explained

Open to read · 3 min

What happens in a Stanford admissions committee?

Open to read · 3 min

Committee
What does a Stanford admissions committee ask about you?
Committee
Is a 4.0 enough for UCLA? Two 4.04 applicants compared
Committee
What is the Harvard personal rating?
Committee
What does Yale look for in applicants beyond grades?
Committee
How to make your college application memorable
Committee
How does a Stanford admissions committee vote?
Committee
Do UC Berkeley readers score applications differently?
Committee
How to show a clear academic direction on your application
Committee
Why perfect-grade students get rejected from Stanford
Committee
How do admissions officers rate applications?
Committee
How to stand out in a Harvard application
Committee
How Yale reads applications: the regional officer's role
Committee
What Yale's second reader sees in your application
Committee
How Yale's committee chooses between strong applicants
Committee
How Princeton's first readers rate applications
Committee
What GPA do you need for MIT? What admissions says
Committee
How Penn reads applications: committee-based evaluation
Committee
What is intellectual vitality? Stanford's meaning explained
Context
Does senior year matter for UC Berkeley?
Committee
What makes a UCLA application stand out?
Waitlist
How does the Princeton waitlist work?
Committee
How to make your Stanford application tell one story
Committee
How long do admissions officers spend on an application?
Committee
How admissions officers read an application, step by step
Context
Should you answer the UC application income questions?
Committee
Who reads your college application first?
Committee
Will a summer program at one college hurt you at another?
Committee
Deferred or waitlisted: what to do next

Essays

53 pieces

Essays

What should you write your college essay about?

Why a Stanford reader recalled a valedictorian denied over his personal essay, and how to choose a topic that shows professors how you think and learn.

Open to read · 3 min

How to prove an impressive achievement on an application

How to describe the work behind a substantial achievement and, where it helps, add a supervisor's view so admissions readers can trust what you contributed.

The opening is free · the rest is private

Nicomachean Ethics, Book VI, in an illuminated Greek manuscript. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

What do UC readers look for in personal insight questions?

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How to write the UC challenge personal insight question

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How to write about community service in UC essays

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Essays
Should you mention UCLA in your personal insight questions?
Context
How Harvard reads applications by region (dockets)
Essays
What does Harvard look for in a personal essay?
Why Us
How to write the Harvard supplemental essays
Essays
How to write the Yale community essay
Essays
How to write the Princeton essays in senior fall
Essays
How to write the MIT short essays in your own voice
Essays
What to put in the Common App additional information section
Why Us
How to write the Why Penn essay
Supplements
How to answer Columbia's reading list question
Supplements
How to write the Cornell college-specific essay
Essays
How to use college essay examples without copying them
Writing
How reading magazines can improve your college essays
Writing
Using podcasts to find college essay ideas
Essays
How to find the main point of your college essay
Essays
How to write a college essay about your family's language
Essays
How to write a college essay about a work of art
Essays
How STEM and business students write an intellectual essay
Essays
How to narrow a broad interest into a college essay topic
Essays
Should you research before writing a college essay?
Research
How to find college essay topics in academic research
Research
How to use magazine archives for college essay research
Research
How to write a college essay about your family
Essay structure
How to structure a college essay about a personal story
Essay structure
How to write a college essay about two academic interests
Essay structure
How to write a college essay about a summer job
Why Us
How to write a Why Us essay about your major
Why Us
Should you email a professor before writing a Why Us essay?
Why Us
How to start a Why Us essay with a college's history
Diversity essay
How to write a diversity essay for college
Supplements
How to write college supplements without repeating yourself
Supplements
What are college supplemental essay prompts really asking?
PIQs
Which UC personal insight questions should you answer?
Essays
How to write the Yale short takes
Essays
Can you write your college essay about a book?
Supplements
How to answer a college reading list supplement
Supplements
Do colleges read short answer questions carefully?
Why Us
What not to write in a Why Us essay
Why Us
Why Us essay test: could it be about any college?
Why Us
What specific programs to mention in a Why Us essay
Why Us
An unconventional way to answer the Why Us essay
The Major
How to write the Why Major essay without repeating yourself
Essays
How to explain changing schools on the Common App
Essays
How to explain unusual details on your Common App
Integrity
How much help with college essays is allowed?
Research
How to research a college essay with a librarian or parent
Essays
How long should a college essay be?
Diversity essay
What to write for a diversity essay if you are not diverse

Writing

30 pieces

Writing

How to write clear, readable UC personal insight answers

What UCLA's seasonal reader job posting reveals about how personal insight answers are read, and why plain language and concrete actions work best.

Open to read · 3 min

How to explain awards and acronyms on the UC application

Why UC readers cannot look anything up, and how to explain local awards, unfamiliar acronyms and activity roles within the application itself.

The opening is free · the rest is private

Beyond My Ken. CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped. Licence

How to write a Yale science essay for non-scientists

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Should you call yourself shy in a college essay?

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When should you start writing college essays?

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Activities

43 pieces

Activities

What extracurriculars does Harvard look for?

How Harvard's extracurricular rating separated school-level leadership from wider impact, and how to show the depth and reach of your activities with evidence.

Open to read · 3 min

Do personal projects help your MIT application?

How MIT readers view a project you built at home, and how to describe it through the problem, design, revisions and your own role, with specific evidence.

Open to read · 3 min

Daderot. CC0. Cropped. Licence

How to do an independent study in high school

Open to read · 3 min

What extracurriculars does UC Berkeley look for?

Open to read · 3 min

Does having a job help your UC Berkeley application?

Open to read · 3 min

Activities
Can you put reading as an activity on the Common App?
Activities
What extracurriculars does UCLA look for?
Activities
Do you need research to get into Princeton?
Activities
Do colleges prefer activities you started yourself?
Activities
How to show interest in a college before you apply
Activities
How to email a professor for research in high school
Activities
How to find research opportunities in high school
Activities
How humanities students can show research for college
Activities
How much does Regeneron STS help college admissions?
Activities
Does a part-time job help your college application?
Activities
Is it bad to have only one passion on a college application?
Activities
How to develop an academic interest in senior year
Activities
Do you need 10 activities on the Common App?
Activities
What order should Common App activities be in?
Activities
What position title to use on the Common App activities list
Activities
How to write Common App activities in 150 characters
Activities
How to write UC activities descriptions UCLA readers notice
Activities
Can family responsibilities go on the UC activities list?
Activities
How to choose activities for the MIT application
Activities
How to write activities Penn admissions will trust
Context
Does taking classes outside school help for UC Berkeley?
Activities
Why MIT asks what you do for fun
Activities
Do outside classes help your college application?
Activities
Do academic talks and conferences count as extracurriculars?
Activities
Do academic competitions help college admissions?
Activities
What volunteer work looks good for college?
Activities
How to show leadership and impact on your activities list
Activities
How to fill out the UC activities list
Activities
Can you combine activities on the Common App?
Activities
How to write Common App activities that lead with results
Activities
How to write Common App activity titles
Activities
How much detail to write for each Common App activity
Activities
Can you use humor in Common App activity descriptions?
Activities
What awards to list on the UC application for UCLA
Activities
Can you list a future activity on your college application?
Activities
How to list dual enrollment classes on the Common App
Activities
What counts as an extracurricular on the Common App?
Activities
How many hours to put for Common App activities

Recommenders

16 pieces

Recommenders

What to give teachers writing your recommendation letter

What to put in a short brag sheet for a teacher writing your college recommendation, so they recall specific classroom moments without you writing the letter.

Open to read · 3 min

Why your school counselor recommendation matters

What the school counselor's report and letter tell colleges about course rigor, rank and school context, and what information your counselor may need from you.

The opening is free · the rest is private

Albert Edelfelt, Lady Writing a Letter, 1887. Nationalmuseum, Stockholm. Public domain.

How Harvard uses recommendation letters

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Berkeley augmented review: what to do if asked for letters

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Should you send a research recommendation letter to MIT?

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Recommenders
Who should write your Dartmouth peer recommendation?
Recommenders
Why do teacher recommendation letters sound the same?
Recommenders
What should a teacher recommendation letter say?
Recommenders
What makes a strong college recommendation letter?
Recommenders
Who should you ask for an extra recommendation letter?
Recommenders
How to ask a teacher for a recommendation letter
Recommenders
Where to write about hardship in a college application
Recommenders
Should you send an extra recommendation letter?
Recommenders
Which teachers should write your recommendation letters?
Recommenders
Should a coach write your college recommendation?
Recommenders
Can a mentor write you a college recommendation letter?

The Major

11 pieces

The major

How to build an academic spike for college applications

How to turn one academic interest into a sustained strength by linking coursework, related activities and clear writing across your college application.

Open to read · 3 min

How to stand out as a pre-med applicant to Harvard

A Harvard file discussed at trial shows the limits of a generic pre-med description. How to give specific reasons and work behind a goal of studying medicine.

The opening is free · the rest is private

City of Minneapolis Archives. CC BY 2.0. Cropped. Licence

Which Penn undergraduate school should you apply to?

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Can your intended major hurt your chances?

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How to choose a college major when you have no idea

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The Major
How to choose the academic interests you list for Yale
The major
Does applying to a less popular major improve your chances?
The major
How to choose an intended major for college applications
The major
Can you have two academic interests on your application?
The major
Should you put undecided on your college application?

Grades and Testing

13 pieces

Grades

Do colleges look at weighted or unweighted GPA?

How admissions readers look past a single GPA number to course grades and rigor, how weighted and unweighted GPAs differ and what to enter on your application.

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How many AP classes should you take for top colleges?

How selective colleges judge AP course load against what your high school offers, and what to do when your school runs out of advanced classes in your subject.

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CEphoto, Uwe Aranas. CC BY-SA 3.0. Cropped. Licence

What does 'most demanding' course rigor mean?

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Can you get into a top college with Bs?

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Can a good AP score make up for a bad grade?

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Committee
Why students with perfect grades get rejected
Testing
SAT or ACT: which test should you take?
Rigor
How do colleges view the IB diploma and predicted grades?
Rigor
Do colleges look at senior year classes?
Grades
Does UC verify self-reported grades?
Testing

School List

11 pieces

Deferral

Deferred from Yale early action: what to send

What to include in a Yale update letter after an early action deferral, if updates are allowed: real news and grades, kept concise, while you apply elsewhere.

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How many colleges should you apply to?

How to build a balanced college list of about ten schools from the bottom up, starting with accessible colleges you would be glad to attend, then reaches.

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Famartin. CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped. Licence

Unweighted GPA for your college list: how to compare

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Is your state flagship university a safety school?

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Does early decision help? Early action vs early decision

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School list
Can a top college be a safety school?
School list
Does class rank matter for college admissions?
School list
Do colleges track demonstrated interest?
Early plans
Does submitting your college application early help?
School list
How US colleges read A-level, IB and foreign transcripts

Interviews

11 pieces

Interviews

Is the Harvard interview optional? How to prepare

What a Harvard alumni interviewer knows about you beforehand, how to prepare themes and examples if you are offered an interview and how to follow up afterward.

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Should you bring a resume to a college interview?

Whether to bring a resume to a college alumni interview, how to keep it to one page and how to choose experiences you can discuss.

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Andy Li. CC0. Cropped. Licence

How to answer 'tell me about yourself' in an interview

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What questions to ask at the end of a college interview

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Does the Princeton interview matter?

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Interviews
How does the MIT interview work? What if you do not get one?
Interviews
Brown video introduction: what to say in 90 seconds
Interviews
How much do college alumni interviews matter?
Interviews
How to prepare for a college interview with your resume
Interviews
How to act in a college interview: tone and enthusiasm

Hooks and Aid

13 pieces

Hooks

Does where you live affect Princeton admissions?

A Princeton file account on regional context, and how to explain your community's opportunities and limits without assuming geography decides an admission.

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How does Princeton build its incoming class?

How former Princeton officers described balancing different institutional needs when building a class and how to stand out within your part of the pool.

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Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota. CC BY-SA 2.0. Cropped. Licence

Does MIT consider legacy, sports or summer programs?

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Does Stanford consider legacy or donations in 2026?

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How does athletic recruiting work for college admissions?

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The other 210 are private

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Questions parents ask

What is Aristo Scholars Tactics?

A library of short pieces on how admissions readers at selective US colleges actually decide, written by Leo Cao, CEO of Aristo Scholars. Each piece takes one tactic, names the admissions office it is about, and explains the reasoning a reader applies to a real file.

Where do the tactics come from?

Each piece is based on what we at Aristo learned from an admissions office: most often Stanford, then UCLA, Berkeley, Harvard, Yale, Princeton and MIT. Every piece names the office it draws on. None of these universities is affiliated with Aristo Scholars or endorses it.

Why is most of the library private?

Our families asked us to keep the tactics themselves off the internet, because a move every applicant knows stops being an edge. So anyone can read the opening of every piece, and 24 of the 234 in full. The rest open for families who work with us.

How does a family read the rest?

Book a free call with a counselor. A family who works with us reads the library by the length of its plan: month to month opens about 30 percent of it, four months about 60 percent, and a full year, or a senior paid in full, opens everything.

Can a tactic promise admission?

No. These pieces explain how admissions readers assess applications. Applying a tactic does not guarantee an offer.

Writing