Stand Out, Get In: The Value-First Approach to Admissions
The Two Rules to Transform Your Application into a Must-Read
⚡In this Spark, You Get…
The #1 Mindset Shift you NEED to have when applying to college
The Two Rules of the Game
A Powerful Thought Experiment
The First Step for Your Application
Let’s be real: the college application process is a total circus for high school juniors and seniors. With colleges to research, essays to write, and dollars to spend, it’s no wonder that some students will have a “go-with-the-flow” attitude towards the entire process.
I know, because I was that student.
Yep, like all my other high school assignments — I turned in my college applications at the last second. I wasn’t happy about it either. I felt like I was begging from one college to the next to just accept me.
Luckily, by reading this, you don’t have to go through that mess. You’ll get a chance to learn from my mistakes — learning exactly what to do better.
Play the System
Here’s the first thing you need to understand: college applications are a game. Like all games, there are rules — you gotta know this to win.
Rule #1: Business runs on one thing: value exchange.
Rule #2: Colleges/Universities are a business.
Read that again.
You aren’t just applying to a college! You are entering a value exchange.
You, my dear student, are trying to size-up that college and figuring out how valuable they will be to your future. When you apply, colleges will invest in students that give them something valuable in return — and it’s not just money.
Here’s the secret: don’t wait for them to figure out why you’re valuable. Show them up front. Make your application scream value.
Don’t Wait for Colleges to Find Value —Show It
Let’s do a quick thought experiment.
Imagine you have jumped 40 years into the future, and you’ve won the Nobel Prize in your field. Amazing, right? Now, guess what schools like Harvard want.
All they care about is saying, “[Your name] is from Harvard University.”
Why? Because your success makes their brand more prestigious. The better contributions you make to the world, the better they look for having “bet” on you.
Now, come back to the present and flip the question onto yourself: Why should a top-tier college bet on you?
The answer is simple: because you have the track record to prove your value.
It’s a Marketing Test, so Market Yourself.
College applications aren’t just forms to fill out — they’re your first shot at marketing yourself. Show colleges why betting on you is their smartest decision yet.
ACTION:
Make a list of the 5 top achievements in your life so far. Write them down.
What did you go through to achieve those moments? Write them down.
This will serve as a starting point to building and showcasing the value you provide to yourself and your community.