This Thursday I’ll be publishing one last blog post of the year, but for now let’s look back at the five best posts of 2019.

If you’ve been an Apply with Sanity reader for the past year: thanks! I really appreciate it and hope you’re getting something good from it! Come back Thursday for the last post of 2019!

If you haven’t been following all along year: thanks for reading, whenever you started! Keep coming back! And here’s a rundown of what you may have missed earlier.

1. What do colleges want?

So what do they want? They want you to be you, the best you, and to let them know who that is. You can’t do that if you’re too busy trying to be what you think they want you to be. There are schools out there looking for you, so you have to tell them who you are, not what you think they want to hear. Just like in a good relationship.

2. How do wealthy kids get into elite colleges?

There are a few dozen schools that are both need blind and meet full demonstrated need. They don’t take your ability to pay into account when deciding to accept you, and they will make sure that you get all the financial aid that you need based on FAFSA. There’s a reasonable expectation that many of their graduates will have high earnings after graduating, so there’s no need to prefer one person over another based on the assumption that they might be donors. These schools ought to be the very definition of meritocracy, since almost nobody needs to worry about the cost when they apply, and the schools only look at your academic records, not your financial records, to make their decisions. And yet, those schools are all elite colleges dominated by wealthier students. Is this the proof that wealthy families game the system? Sort of.

3. The two things you need for success in college and beyond.

Today’s post is about two things you need for success in high school, college, and beyond: a meditation routine and a time management system. Maybe need is a strong word. You can get by without either of these things—many people do. But I promise that a meditation routine and time management system will never be a waste of your time or effort.

4. You’re not trying to impress anyone.

If you’re hoping to get into college by impressing the admissions office, I want you to let go of that idea right now. You’re not going to impress them. Your SAT or ACT scores—even if perfect—are not going to impress them. Your GPA is not going to impress them. Your list of activities and awards is not going to impress them. Your letters of recommendation are not going to impress them. If your college admissions strategy is to impress, rethink your strategy.

5. Three things parents should stop saying to their children.

“Don’t worry about it. We’ve got it covered.”

“We can’t afford anything, so you’ve got to get a full scholarship.”

“We fall into that window where we make too much money to qualify for financial aid, but not enough money to pay for college.”

Also this year I began the Three Quick Questions section, where I ask admissions officers from all over the same three questions.

What would you like to see in 2020? Have you got any questions, any suggestions, any requests? Put them in the comments box below, or hit the Contact button to send a message.

Thanks for reading!

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Photo by Zoe Herring.

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