The College Corner Blog

Your complete guide to admissions, essays, and everything in between.

How to Get Into Dartmouth: Strategies that matter

Learn what it actually takes to stand out at Dartmouth College. This guide reflects 2025–2026 admissions realities, Dartmouth's distinctive D-Plan academic system, and the strategies that consistently move the needle at one of the Ivy League's most unique undergraduate institutions.

Aiden Kjeldsen • January 19, 2026 • 6 min read

Includes real essay strategy, academic benchmarks, and insider-level insight into how Dartmouth evaluates applicants by fit, contribution, and trajectory — not just raw stats.

How to Get Into Penn: A Guide to Standing Out in a School-Specific Admission Process

Learn what it actually takes to stand out at the University of Pennsylvania. This guide reflects 2025-2026 admissions realities, Penn's school-based review process, and the strategies that consistently move the needle.

Aiden Kjeldsen • January 12, 2026 • 5 min read

Includes real essay strategy, academic benchmarks, and insider-level insight into how Penn evaluates applicants by school, purpose, and trajectory and not just raw stats.

How to Get Into Cornell: A Guide to Standing Out in a School-Specific Admission Process

Learn what it actually takes to stand out at Cornell University. An Ivy League institution where fit matters more than polish and where your outcome depends heavily on which college you apply to.

Aiden Kjeldsen • January 12, 2026 • 5 min read

This updated guide reflects post-2024 admissions realities, Cornell's faculty-driven review process, and the strategies that consistently move the needle across its seven undergraduate colleges.

How to Get Into Columbia: A Guide to Standing Out Among Your Peers

Learn what it actually takes to stand out in a 4.3% admissions landscape, including new supplemental essays, academic benchmarks, and building a 'spike' in the Core Curriculum era.

Aiden Kjeldsen • December 14, 2025 • 5 min read

An update for the post-2024 rules, new Columbia supplemental essays, and the realities of building a spike in the Core Curriculum era. Includes real essay strategies, academic benchmarks, and insider-level advice.

How to Get Into Harvard: A Guide to Standing Out Among the 3.5%

Learn what it actually takes to stand out in a 3.5% admissions landscape, including new supplemental essays, academic benchmarks, and building a 'spike.'

Aiden Kjeldsen • December 4, 2025 • 5 min read

An update for the post-2024 rules, new Harvard supplemental essays, and the realities of building a spike. Includes real essay examples, academic benchmarks, and insider-level strategy.

UC Admissions 2025: Everything You Need to Know to Build a Winning Application

Master the non-test-blind policies, GPA calculations, course rigor, and Personal Insight Questions (PIQs) for a compelling application to the University of California system.

Aiden Kjeldsen • December 4, 2025 • 5 min read

This guide covers test-blind policies, GPA calculations, course rigor, Personal Insight Questions (PIQs), and a step-by-step action plan to craft a compelling application for UC Berkeley, UCLA, or any of the nine campuses.