The "applying sideways" mentality was coined in a 2010 MIT Admissions blog post (Here), and after 10 years of helping high schoolers through the college application process, I believe it is the way to go.
Why?
Because by applying sideways, students learn more about themselves, their interests, and what their future might look like, all while building an application that stands out. In fact, I believe the application process should be one of:
Phil has been advising high schoolers through the college application process for a decade. His students have been accepted to all top 20 schools in the US News Best National Universities list, among many others, but more importantly, they have grown personally, intellectually, and professionally along the way. He places an emphasis on students developing reading, writing, research, critical thinking, and organizational skills while they apply to college.
Phil attended Stuyvesant High School and has a B.A. in Mathematics with a Minor in Music from Washington University in St. Louis (GPA 3.96; Phi Beta Kappa) and a Master's of Music in Music Technology from NYU (GPA 4.0). (Sorry, I know that stuff is obnoxious, but I have to put it.)
