Getting into Harvard is twice as hard as it used to be

Key points

• Elite admissions are more competitive than ever
• Grades, test scores, and well-rounded applications aren’t enough
• Top colleges are looking for a powerful narrative
• Your strategy needs to center around a compelling Signature Strength

Part 1: College Admissions Are Tougher Than Ever

Test optional doesn't mean easier

The elite college admissions landscape has changed dramatically in just the last five years. The single biggest shift? Test-optional policies at almost every top school.

Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, Penn, and more no longer require SAT or ACT scores. Without test scores, applications have skyrocketed — and acceptance rates have plummeted. In 2024, Harvard received over 56,000 applications and accepted fewer than 2,000 students.

What Top Schools Look For Now

Elite schools aren’t just looking for grades and awards. They’re asking deeper questions:

• What drives you?
• What kind of impact will you have?
• What will you go on to do?

In short: they want to know your story.

Part 2. Your story is the new strategy

Why Story Matters More Than Ever

With everyone applying and fewer ways to compare students, top colleges have turned to focus on your narrative.

That means your essays, activities, and recommendations must build a cohesive, authentic picture of who you are. Your story should show trajectory: not that you’ve cured cancer — but that you’re going somewhere, and that Harvard or Stanford or any university you're applying to is just one part of that journey.

What makes a strong admissions story

You’re not just a resume. You’re a story that schools want to invest in. But it takes serious craft and strategy to get it right. 

Part 3. Why Top Form Prep is built for this moment

Old-School Counselors Are Falling Behind

Most traditional college counselors are:

• Decades removed from the process
• Focused on checklists and templates
• Not attuned to the real admissions dynamics at top-tier U.S. schools

That’s where Top Form Prep is different.

We're recent Ivy League grads, we've been through it

At Top Form Prep, our team is made up entirely of young, top-tier university graduates who’ve navigated the modern admissions system — and won.

We help students:

• Craft standout narratives that resonate with admissions officers
• Position their interests into a compelling, strategic story
• Support students in developing their essays with their authentic, clean, and impactful voice

Why Top Form Prep?

Apply to our cohort

We work with a small number of high-performing students each year.

If you’re aiming for the Ivy League, Stanford, UChicago, and other top-tier schools — and you’re ready to put in the work to craft your story — we want to hear from you.