The Biggest Loser

how to win the college admissions game

The first best way to win the college admissions game is not to play the college admissions game. The second best way is to take a page from the Biggest Loser.

In the college admissions game, the house always wins.

The Biggest Loser (not to be confused with the TV show) was a signature award of the Eichler Gators, my kids’ summer swim team. At the end of the season, a swimmer in each age group was recognized for dropping the most time from their initial swim at the first meet of the season to the last—meaning that they were celebrated not for setting records or winning points but for their progress relative only to themselves.

When it comes to applying to college, the Biggest Loser mindset is your friend. It turns flailing comparison-induced panic into a steady inward focus. Who cares if that one guy took Multivariable Calculus and you didn’t? So what if the person in the lane next to yours is half a lap ahead? Are you going as fast as you can go? Then yay, you!

Speaking of the lane nex…