School-Specific College Admissions Guides

Deep admissions guides for specific colleges — acceptance rates, admitted-student profiles, supplemental essays, and what each school actually values. Written by the Counsely Editorial Team.

These guides go beyond generic admissions advice. Each one breaks down what a specific school actually looks for — the real middle-50% academic profile of admitted students, the supplemental essay prompts and what they test, the campus culture and institutional priorities, and the common mistakes that sink otherwise strong applications. If you're building a college list or writing a supplemental essay, start with the school's guide first.

All 22 guides in School-Specific College Admissions

• Vanderbilt vs Emory: Which Is Better in 2026?

  Vanderbilt vs Emory — comparing academics, campus life, financial aid, pre-med, business, and career outcomes. An honest guide for choosing between two top Southern schools.

• Vanderbilt Supplemental Essays 2026: Guide

  How to write Vanderbilt's supplemental essays for 2026-27. All Vanderbilt prompts analyzed with specific tips, word limits, and what Vanderbilt admissions is really looking for.

• USC vs UCLA: Which Is Better for You? 2026

  USC vs UCLA compared across acceptance rates, programs, campus culture, financial aid, cost, and career outcomes. An honest breakdown to help you decide which is the better fit.

• USC Supplemental Essays 2026: Tips & Guide

  Complete guide to the USC supplemental essays for 2026-27. Every prompt explained, word limits, what USC is really looking for, and how to make your essays stand out.

• UMich Supplemental Essays 2026: Counselor-Written Guide

  How to write the University of Michigan supplemental essays for 2026-27 — every UMich prompt analyzed with counselor-informed strategy. Why Michigan, community essay, and school-specific questions. Free guide from Counsely.

• Tulane vs Emory: Which Is Better for You? 2026

  Tulane vs Emory compared: acceptance rates, academics, campus life, merit aid, cost, and career outcomes. Which school is the better fit? An honest breakdown for 2026 applicants.

• NYU vs BU: An Honest 2026 Comparison

  NYU vs Boston University — comparing academics, campus life, cost, financial aid, and career outcomes. An honest guide for students choosing between these two schools.

• NYU Supplemental Essays 2026: Complete Guide

  How to write the NYU supplemental essays for 2026-27. Every prompt analyzed, what makes great NYU essays, and how to write a specific, compelling Why NYU essay.

• Northeastern vs BU 2026: Honest Comparison by a Counselor

  Counselor-written breakdown of Northeastern vs Boston University — acceptance rate, co-op program, cost, campus, and career outcomes. Built on Counsely's real counselor methodology. Updated 2026.

• Northeastern Supplemental Essays 2026: Full Guide

  How to write Northeastern's supplemental essays for 2026-27. Covers all prompts, what co-op means for your essay, and how to show you're the right fit for Northeastern.

• How to Get Into Vanderbilt: 2026 Admissions Guide

  Vanderbilt's 2026 acceptance rate, GPA and test score ranges, essay strategy, and what makes applicants stand out. A complete guide to getting into Vanderbilt University.

• How to Get Into USC: 2026 Admissions Guide

  USC's 2026 acceptance rate, GPA requirements, supplemental essay strategy, and what makes USC applicants stand out. Everything for a competitive University of Southern California application.

• How to Get Into University of Michigan: 2026

  University of Michigan's 2026 acceptance rate, GPA, essays, and out-of-state vs in-state differences. A complete guide for Ross, Engineering, LSA, and general UMich applicants.

• How to Get Into UCLA: 2026 Admissions Guide

  UCLA's 2026 acceptance rate, GPA requirements, personal insight questions, and what makes applicants stand out. A complete guide for both in-state and out-of-state UCLA applicants.

• How to Get Into UC San Diego: 2026 Guide

  UC San Diego's 2026 acceptance rate, GPA, personal insight questions, and what helps UCSD applicants succeed. A complete guide including UCSD's unique college system.

• How to Get Into Tulane: 2026 Admissions Guide

  Tulane's 2026 acceptance rate, GPA, merit scholarships, and what makes the Tulane application unique. A complete guide including Tulane's generous automatic merit aid.

• How to Get Into Notre Dame: 2026 Guide

  Notre Dame's 2026 acceptance rate, GPA, essays, and what the admissions office looks for. A complete guide to getting into the University of Notre Dame in 2026.

• How to Get Into Georgetown: 2026 Admissions Guide

  Georgetown's 2026 acceptance rate, application requirements, essay strategy, and what Georgetown values in applicants. A complete guide including the unique Georgetown application process.

• How to Get Into Emory: 2026 Admissions Guide

  Emory's 2026 acceptance rate, GPA and test scores, essay strategy, and what Emory looks for in applicants. A complete guide including Emory vs Oxford College comparison.

• How to Get Into Carnegie Mellon: 2026 Guide

  Carnegie Mellon's 2026 acceptance rate, GPA, college-specific admissions strategy, and what CMU looks for. A complete guide including SCS, Tepper, CFA, and other CMU programs.

• Georgetown Supplemental Essays 2026: Full Guide

  Georgetown's application is unlike any other. This guide covers all Georgetown supplemental essay prompts, the unique Georgetown essay format, and what Georgetown truly values in applicants.

• BU Supplemental Essays 2026: Tips & Guide

  Everything you need to write Boston University's supplemental essays for 2026-27. Every BU prompt analyzed with tips, mistakes to avoid, and how to make your answer specific.