I'm a high school senior applying to over 20 colleges. I'm ignoring classic advice and don't care about appearing well-rounded.

Tech Insider : Business
headshot of Ava DiNapoli
The author is a high schooler applying to colleges.

Courtesy of Ava DiNapoli

My daughter was too overwhelmed to focus on her college applications. I became the nagging parent.

Tech Insider
a selfie of Alana Sheeren and her daughter
The author, left, is frustrated because her daughter, right, doesn't want to do her college applications.

Courtesy of Alana Sheeren

A college essay about McDonald's got this applicant into Harvard, Princeton, and Yale. Here's what he wrote.

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A man sitting on a white chair wearing a black t=shirt and black jeans.
Jeffrey Wang used the same essay to get into Harvard, Yale and Princeton.

Courtesy of Jeffrey Wang

I reviewed my Yale admissions file to see what the Ivy League school really thought about my application. What I learned surprised me.

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a person riding a bike in front of a yale shuttle
The author, not pictured, got into Yale.

Yana Paskova/Getty Images

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