Podcast
The Game: A Guide to Elite College Admissions
In this podcast series, we break down the complex game that is elite college admissions and the strategies and pitfalls students need to adopt or beware of if they hope to win admission to one of America’s top colleges.
“The Game” is hosted by Sam Hassell and brought to you by Great Minds Advising.
Sam is a published scientist, having spent four years as a neuroscience researcher at Columbia University. Building upon his work in research and academia—as well as over a decade in educational services—Sam spearheaded the Great Minds Advising program, a premium college consulting service based in the New York Metropolitan Area and helping top students across the U.S. and other countries abroad.
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).
For the first time, in this podcast, Sam and his team reveal the secrets and strategies they have used to help their students consistently beat the game of elite college admissions.
Web: greatmindsadvising.com
Contact: greatmindsadvising.com/#contact
Newsletter: greatmindsadvising.com/#newsletter
Email: info@greatmindsadvising.com
FB: facebook.com/GreatMindsAdvising
IG: instagram.com/greatmindsadvising
- Education for Kids chart
- #90
- Episodes
- 70
- Releases
- Weekly
- Typical length
- 48 min
- On air since
- 2024
- Latest episode
- 2 weeks ago
Episodes
70 episodes, newest first
-
42 min
Evaluating A Senior’s Application To Top Colleges [Case Study, Part III]
Season 3, Episode 24
Show notes
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: https://greatmindsadvising.com
Contact: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#contact
Newsletter: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#newsletter
Email: info@greatmindsadvising.com
FB: https://facebook.com/GreatMindsAdvising/
IG: https://instagram.com/greatmindsadvising -
1 hr 7 min
Evaluating A Senior’s Application To Top Colleges [Case Study, Part II]
Season 3, Episode 23
Show notes
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: https://greatmindsadvising.com
Contact: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#contact
Newsletter: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#newsletter
Email: info@greatmindsadvising.com
FB: https://facebook.com/GreatMindsAdvising/
IG: https://instagram.com/greatmindsadvising -
53 min
Evaluating A Senior’s Application To Top Colleges [Case Study, Part I]
Season 3, Episode 22
Show notes
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: https://greatmindsadvising.com
Contact: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#contact
Newsletter: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#newsletter
Email: info@greatmindsadvising.com
FB: https://facebook.com/GreatMindsAdvising/
IG: https://instagram.com/greatmindsadvising -
1 hr 32 min
Should You “Start An Organization” For Elite College Admissions?
Season 3, Episode 21
Show notes
Starting a business or organization may sound like an obvious way to stand out at top colleges, but merely founding something is very different from building something successful enough to matter.
In this episode, we examine nine often-overlooked downsides of student-run ventures, from low risk-adjusted returns and predictable applicant positioning to parental involvement, weak execution, and the “chronicle of incompetence” an unfinished online presence can create.
We explore stronger alternatives to starting from scratch and the traits that make entrepreneurship a better bet—including intrinsic motivation, action bias, executive functioning, existing momentum, and the ability to build a real team.
——
“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: https://greatmindsadvising.com
Contact: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#contact
Newsletter: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#newsletter
Email: info@greatmindsadvising.com
FB: https://facebook.com/GreatMindsAdvising/
IG: https://instagram.com/greatmindsadvising -
51 min
6 Admissions Truths That Sound Completely Wrong
Season 3, Episode 20
Show notes
In elite college admissions, intuition can work against you—because the most logical moves are often the ones everyone else is making.
In this episode, we unpack six counterintuitive admissions truths, from why colleges that are better “fits” are harder to get into to why elite admissions can punish the very pre-professional ambition that attracts students to top colleges in the first place.
We explore how unconventional thinking can outperform the intuitive playbook most applicants use and create major strategic advantages in a process where differentiation is key.
——
“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: https://greatmindsadvising.com
Contact: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#contact
Newsletter: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#newsletter
Email: info@greatmindsadvising.com
FB: https://facebook.com/GreatMindsAdvising/
IG: https://instagram.com/greatmindsadvising -
1 hr 19 min
The Truth About Sports & Elite College Admissions
Season 3, Episode 19
Show notes
While high school sports may provide many non-admissions benefits, for the vast majority of students, they do very little to improve the odds of admission to top colleges.
In this episode, we explain why sports are often highly common, non-differentiating, and irrelevant to most students’ case for admission—while also being extremely costly in terms of time.
We cover some notable exceptions (e.g. niche sports, sports-related academic hooks) and offer best practices for students trying to balance athletics with building a competitive elite college candidacy.
——
“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: https://greatmindsadvising.com
Contact: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#contact
Newsletter: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#newsletter
Email: info@greatmindsadvising.com
FB: https://facebook.com/GreatMindsAdvising/
IG: https://instagram.com/greatmindsadvising -
42 min
5 Principles That Build Elite Applicants
Season 3, Episode 18
Show notes
In this episode, we distill five recurring principles that separate elite applicants from the many high-achieving students who blend into the applicant pools at top colleges.
——
“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: https://greatmindsadvising.com
Contact: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#contact
Newsletter: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#newsletter
Email: info@greatmindsadvising.com
FB: https://facebook.com/GreatMindsAdvising/
IG: https://instagram.com/greatmindsadvising -
46 min
3 Teacher Rec Traps Top Applicants Miss
Season 3, Episode 17
Show notes
Teacher recommendation letters are among the most important—yet also most overlooked—components of applications to highly selective colleges, with very few students thinking strategically about the type of information they provide their teachers.
In this episode, we examine three common questions found on teacher recommendation questionnaires that can unintentionally weaken an otherwise strong application. We explain why seemingly harmless prompts about academic struggles, intended college majors, and passions outside the classroom often create strategic problems and how students can instead provide information that better reinforces the overall themes of their applications.
More broadly, we discuss why students must adopt a proactive, rather than reactive, approach across recommendation letters, essays, and other application materials, pivoting away from irrelevant and poor questions, while also ensuring no potentially advantageous details are spared even if they are not directly prompted.
——
“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: https://greatmindsadvising.com
Contact: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#contact
Newsletter: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#newsletter
Email: info@greatmindsadvising.com
FB: https://facebook.com/GreatMindsAdvising/
IG: https://instagram.com/greatmindsadvising -
56 min
How Elite Colleges Actually Track Students
Season 3, Episode 16
Show notes
In this episode, we answer an audience member question related to AI in admissions, specifically its use to pull student and parent data in order to forecast an applicant’s likelihood to “yield,” or enroll at a given college.
While AI has given more firepower to the process of tracking demonstrated interest and predicting enrollment, we reveal how colleges have long since been building “yield” models for years—despite many colleges and admissions officers making claims to the contrary.
Ultimately, we delineate between factors that can and cannot be controlled in the admissions data arms race—and highlight the actions students and families can actually take to increase the probability of admissions success.
——
“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: https://greatmindsadvising.com
Contact: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#contact
Newsletter: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#newsletter
Email: info@greatmindsadvising.com
FB: https://facebook.com/GreatMindsAdvising/
IG: https://instagram.com/greatmindsadvising -
27 min
Why Elite Admissions Rewards Focus
Season 3, Episode 15
Show notes
Top colleges do not reward smart and talented students; they reward students who have harnessed their abilities toward impact in a specific area.
In this episode, using two student examples, we reveal the costs of operating without a plan—from constant jumping between interests and activities to allowing outside influences to dictate actions that are misaligned with a student’s admissions goals.
Ultimately, we argue that focus is about more than building an admissions “hook.” It provides students with a decision-making filter that reduces uncertainty, protects them from distractions, and helps ensure that years of hard work are spent moving in the right direction.
——
“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: https://greatmindsadvising.com
Contact: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#contact
Newsletter: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#newsletter
Email: info@greatmindsadvising.com
FB: https://facebook.com/GreatMindsAdvising/
IG: https://instagram.com/greatmindsadvising -
36 min
The Summer Mindset Hurting Your Candidacy
Season 3, Episode 14
Show notes
For many students targeting top colleges, summer has become synonymous with college admissions. Summer programs, summer internships, and summer research are treated as though they are the key to building a competitive candidacy.
In this episode, we challenge this common view and explain why students, parents, and the college admissions industry at large dramatically overestimate the importance of summer activities.
We argue that exceptional candidates at top colleges build their resumes year-round rather than in short seasonal bursts––and don’t wait on deadlines, programs, permission, or ideal circumstances to make progress.
——
“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: https://greatmindsadvising.com
Contact: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#contact
Newsletter: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#newsletter
Email: info@greatmindsadvising.com
FB: https://facebook.com/GreatMindsAdvising/
IG: https://instagram.com/greatmindsadvising -
1 hr 35 min
Refining A Junior’s Profile For Top Colleges
Season 3, Episode 13
Show notes
In this case study episode, we analyze the profile of a high-achieving junior interested in political science, public policy, and pre-law. Despite a 4.0 GPA, top 1% class rank, strong course rigor, and a 34 ACT, the student’s extracurricular profile currently lacks the type of focused depth and differentiation required to stand out among applicants targeting highly selective colleges.
We break down the strengths and weaknesses of the student’s academics, testing, activities, and awards, identify strategic challenges associated with positioning for political science and pre-law, and discuss how the student can build a more compelling admissions hook. Finally, we outline several opportunities to strengthen the student’s candidacy through more focused extracurricular development, higher-impact initiatives, and stronger overall application strategy.
——
“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: https://greatmindsadvising.com
Contact: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#contact
Newsletter: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#newsletter
Email: info@greatmindsadvising.com
FB: https://facebook.com/GreatMindsAdvising/
IG: https://instagram.com/greatmindsadvising -
1 hr 4 min
The Niche Strategy Behind A Harvard & Stanford Admit
Season 3, Episode 12
Show notes
In this episode, we break down a viral parent forum post from the family of a student allegedly admitted to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, and MIT. The post argues that in today’s admissions landscape, even a traditional “spike” or hook––such as a student specialized in computer science, politics, or healthcare––is no longer specific or compelling enough for the most selective colleges.
Using the post as a starting point, we reinforce the growing importance of scarcity, hyper-specific positioning, and niche academic narratives in elite college admissions. At the same time, we also comment on the critical gap between theoretically optimal admissions strategy and what students can realistically sustain and execute over multiple years, as well as why strategy is only one variable within a much broader admissions game.
——
“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: https://greatmindsadvising.com
Contact: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#contact
Newsletter: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#newsletter
Email: info@greatmindsadvising.com
FB: https://facebook.com/GreatMindsAdvising/
IG: https://instagram.com/greatmindsadvising -
1 hr 13 min
Taking A Top Student’s Profile To The Next Level [Case Study]
Season 3, Episode 11
Show notes
In this case study, we walk through how to take a high-performing STEM student and strategically refine her profile to stand out at top colleges. We analyze academics, testing, awards, and extracurriculars—highlighting not just strengths but also subtle inefficiencies like gaps in core coursework, suboptimal testing strategy, and time spent on lower-ROI activities.
We next move on to identify and build a compelling theme that intersects multiple interests/activities the student has, spanning tech and music, as a way of differentiating her application from countless others similarly positioning for STEM areas––all while continuing to uplevel her skill in technical areas/competitions in a time-efficient manner.
Finally, we suggest some high-value extracurriculars that would support the student’s interests at the music technology intersection and discuss how the student can best leverage certain strategic advantages in her applications, from her unique music background to her underrepresentation as a female in technical fields.
——
“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: https://greatmindsadvising.com
Contact: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#contact
Newsletter: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#newsletter
Email: info@greatmindsadvising.com
FB: https://facebook.com/GreatMindsAdvising/
IG: https://instagram.com/greatmindsadvising -
26 min
Avoiding Course Selection Red Flags At Top Colleges
Season 3, Episode 10
Show notes
In this episode, we break down how to think about high school course selection when different admissions “rules” seem to conflict. Using the case of an actual student, we explain why many students who are particularly strong in one area (e.g. STEM vs. humanities/social sciences) often create subtle red flags to admissions officers. Finally, we discuss the problems with the typical framing of “X vs Y” course selection decisions when deciding between classes and demonstrate how students can think more outside-the-box when solving admissions dilemmas so that they don’t make unnecessary trade-offs.
——
“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: https://greatmindsadvising.com
Contact: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#contact
Newsletter: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#newsletter
Email: info@greatmindsadvising.com
FB: https://facebook.com/GreatMindsAdvising/
IG: https://instagram.com/greatmindsadvising -
55 min
Admissions Q&A: Hard Truths the Internet Won’t Tell You (Part 2)
Season 3, Episode 9
Show notes
In this episode, we answer five different college admissions questions from students and families, including how class rank affects students’ candidacies at top colleges and whether to drop a junior year AP class in which a student has a B average.
——
“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: https://greatmindsadvising.com
Contact: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#contact
Newsletter: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#newsletter
Email: info@greatmindsadvising.com
FB: https://facebook.com/GreatMindsAdvising/
IG: https://instagram.com/greatmindsadvising -
28 min
Admissions Q&A: Hard Truths the Internet Won’t Tell You
Season 3, Episode 8
Show notes
In this episode, we answer four different college admissions questions from students and families, ranging from self-studying for AP exams to why so many college counselors continue to recommend summer programs that fail to impress top colleges.
——
“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: https://greatmindsadvising.com
Contact: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#contact
Newsletter: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#newsletter
Email: info@greatmindsadvising.com
FB: https://facebook.com/GreatMindsAdvising/
IG: https://instagram.com/greatmindsadvising -
56 min
2026 Acceptances at America’s Top High School
Season 3, Episode 7
Show notes
In this episode, we analyze 2025–26 early admissions data at arguably America’s most famous high school, Phillips Exeter Academy. Drawing upon the Exeter data, we reveal the hidden advantages that actually drive top college acceptances, from demographic scarcity to unique academic positioning and narratives.
While many families targeting top colleges often attribute acceptances to students’ core profiles and elite high school pedigrees, we use the data to show how the vast majority of students earning admission to top colleges actually stack other strategic factors to their advantage to create scarcity in the applicant pool and beat out fellow applicants.
——
“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: https://greatmindsadvising.com
Contact: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#contact
Newsletter: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#newsletter
Email: info@greatmindsadvising.com
FB: https://facebook.com/GreatMindsAdvising/
IG: https://instagram.com/greatmindsadvising -
32 min
5 Rules Of The Elite Admissions Game
Season 3, Episode 6
Show notes
In this episode, we reveal five “rules of the game” of elite college admissions and why the process is fundamentally different from almost every other performance domain students—and their parents—are used to.
The core idea is simple: admissions outcomes can be modeled like a points-based competition, where the students with the highest “candidacy point totals” earn admission. Points come from obvious sources like grades, course rigor, and test scores, but also from factors such as a student’s hook, resume strength, institutional value (diverse, legacy, etc), decision plan advantages (like Early Decision), and other forms of differentiation that colleges reward.
The winning “point cutoff” is always relative to supply and demand—top schools effectively accept the highest-point applicants needed to fill a class.
Finally, we discuss the game’s most dangerous feature: there is no scoreboard. Students don’t know how many points they have, how many points other applicants have, and the points are only tallied once—at the end—when it’s too late to adjust.
——
“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: https://greatmindsadvising.com
Contact: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#contact
Newsletter: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#newsletter
Email: info@greatmindsadvising.com
FB: https://facebook.com/GreatMindsAdvising/
IG: https://instagram.com/greatmindsadvising -
44 min
Avoid This Hidden Course Selection Trap
Season 3, Episode 5
Show notes
Course selection has arrived for many students and is just around the corner for many others.
In this episode, we shed light on a particular “hidden trap” that many students fall into when beginning their selected courses, causing them to remain in classes that jeopardize their transcript, and ultimately, their candidacy at top colleges.
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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: https://greatmindsadvising.com
Contact: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#contact
Newsletter: https://greatmindsadvising.com/#newsletter
Email: info@greatmindsadvising.com
FB: https://facebook.com/GreatMindsAdvising/
IG: https://instagram.com/greatmindsadvising
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