(Note: This post was based on Ben's viral Reddit post, which gives more details about how an admissions office goes through "file flow")

Creating a narrative that connects every part of your application is essential when officers have minutes, not hours, to evaluate your file.

Every year, selective colleges face a massive challenge: reviewing 20, 30, or even 50 thousand applications. With so many applicants boasting strong academics and impressive extracurriculars, admissions officers use specific strategies to triage who moves forward—and who doesn't.

Here's the crucial reality: Your application doesn’t get hours of careful study. Typically, an admissions officer spends about 7-15 minutes reading your entire file. In those brief moments, your goal is clear: help the reader understand who you are and why they should advocate for you.

Why Cohesion is Everything

Admissions officers are trained from day one to see applications as interconnected narratives, not isolated documents. Your essays, extracurriculars, recommendations, and transcripts don’t exist separately. Instead, they must form a cohesive picture.

If your application feels scattered, disjointed, or random, it makes a quick impression—and not a good one. Cohesive applications—those consistently highlighting a clear persona or central thesis—stand out and advance.

How Admissions Actually Work: The Reality of Reading 50k Applications

Highly selective admissions offices handle application volume by breaking their process into detailed phases:

1. Academic Review: Admissions offices first assign an "academic achievement score" based on a combination of GPA, standardized test scores, rigor of coursework, and class rank. This initial review often involves an automated or semi-automated process to quickly categorize applicants. About half of applicants typically make it through this first cut.
   
   
2. Holistic Review: Surviving files then undergo detailed holistic evaluation by admissions officers, who spend approximately 15-20 minutes per file examining extracurricular activities, essays, letters of recommendation, and personal statements. Admissions officers specifically look for depth of involvement, unique contributions, demonstrated leadership, and alignment between activities and interests. This stage heavily emphasizes your coherent narrative.
   
   
3. Committee & Final Decisions: Files that pass holistic review move to committee review, where a group of admissions officers collectively discuss and debate each applicant's merits. Officers must advocate persuasively for their preferred candidates, emphasizing standout narratives and cohesive application components. The clarity and strength of your cohesive narrative become crucial, as they help your advocate effectively argue your case.

How to Create a Cohesive Narrative

Your goal: Determine your central story—your "thing"—and consistently express it across your application. Begin by reflecting deeply:

• Who am I?

• What's my core story?

• What do admissions officers need to know about me?

• Why should they admit me?

Your answers should form a concise personal thesis:

• “I use technology to make healthcare more accessible, especially in underserved communities.”

• “I help students become financially literate through my nonprofit, podcast, and school club.”

Once your narrative is clear, each part of your application should intentionally reinforce it.

For example, your personal statement might highlight a significant personal experience or an insight that's clearly tied to your core story.

Your extracurricular essays fill in details about your projects or activities—demonstrating commitment and values that complement those raised in the personal statement. "Why us" essays double down here, making the case for school fit and your connection to a particular school or program.

Finally, strategically-selected recommendation letters corroborate what you're saying from a reliable third party.

When your application consistently points toward your persona, two critical things happen:

1. Admissions officers quickly understand your identity and potential, even under tight time constraints.

2. Your advocate can easily (and persuasively) present your story in the committee, strengthening your chances for admission.

Your admissions officer’s job is to advocate for you. By providing a clear, cohesive, and easily communicated narrative, you make their job significantly easier.

In an admissions cycle flooded with qualified candidates, coherence becomes a critical difference-maker. Take the time to reflect, carefully craft your narrative, and unify your application materials. Your future admissions officer will thank you.

All that? That's what we help you do.