TikTok, Reddit, Instagram, and other social media platforms are filled with college admissions advice—and some of it is genuinely helpful. But some of it is misleading, outdated, or missing a whole lot of context.

In this episode, we’re tackling some of the biggest college admissions myths we hear from students and parents online and separating what’s actually true from what just sounds convincing on the internet.

We’ll explore:

• “This is the essay that got me into [insert college]!” Why one essay rarely tells the whole admissions story. We’ll talk about holistic admissions, how essays fit into the larger application, and why an essay that worked for one student may not work for another. We’ll also discuss whether students should read sample essays—and how to use them for inspiration without turning them into a roadmap.
• “I saw on Reddit that…” Are interview invitations already gone out? Is a program already full? Does a particular college hate when students talk about a certain topic? We’ll discuss what Reddit and other online communities can be useful for—and why students should always check the date and year when reading admissions information online.
• “My college only lets four students from my high school get in.” Is there really a secret limit on how many students a college will admit from one high school? We’ll explain how colleges evaluate applicants from the same school, the reality behind geographic considerations and quotas, and why having strong students from your high school admitted in previous years may actually be a positive.
• “Colleges want well-rounded students with tons of extracurriculars.” We’ll talk about how the definition of a strong extracurricular profile has evolved, why depth and passion can be more meaningful than collecting activities, and why you don't need to be president of seven clubs to stand out. We’ll also talk about passion projects and how students can demonstrate genuine interests in ways that go beyond a traditional activity list.
• “I earned $1 million in college scholarships!” We’ll break down what those impressive scholarship numbers you see online actually mean—and why students need to look beyond the headline number when evaluating scholarship offers.

Throughout the episode, we’ll come back to one important question:

Do you know that this advice is actually true—or did you just see it on social media?

Because when it comes to college admissions, context matters. What worked for one student, at one school, in one admissions cycle may have nothing to do with what will work for you.

Our biggest advice? Use social media to gather ideas and perspectives—but don't let TikTok or Reddit become your college admissions counselor. Always look for current, reliable information from the college itself, especially when deadlines, policies, and application requirements can change from year to year.