10 Qualities Top Colleges Are Looking For in 2026
March 25th - 7 pm ET
Whether you’re a student striving for your dream school or a parent guiding the process, this session will provide expert insights and actionable strategies to make your application shine.
What to Expect
Join our webinar to uncover the 10 key qualities top colleges are looking for in 2026. We’ll dive into how to demonstrate leadership, resilience, creativity, and other standout traits in your application. Learn how to craft compelling essays, showcase your extracurriculars effectively, and make a lasting impression in interviews. Plus, get insider insights and participate in a live Q&A session!
Stand Out in 2026: What Top Colleges Want
Register for our FREE webinar today!
about our speaker
Meet Ben
Ben Gutierrez has over ten years of experience guiding students through college admissions, with expertise in selective universities. He has served on admissions and scholarship committees at Vanderbilt and Johns Hopkins, where he gained insight into what top schools value.
Ben helps students—especially those interested in STEM, pre-health, and research—develop standout academic and extracurricular profiles. He holds a B.A. in Psychology from Vanderbilt and an M.L.A. from Johns Hopkins.
What You Will Learn
The 10 Essential Qualities for 2026 Admissions
Discover the key traits that top colleges prioritize and how to highlight them in your application.
Learn how to demonstrate impact through your extracurriculars, projects, and community involvement.
Get expert tips on weaving resilience, creativity, and intellectual curiosity into your personal statement and supplements.
Understand how to align your activities with your passions and make them stand out to admissions officers.
Learn how to authentically communicate your strengths and values in interviews.
Get insider insights into how colleges evaluate applicants and what makes a candidate truly stand out.
Where you can ask Eli all your questions!
What Does Empowerly Offer?
OUR FEATURES
Empowerly Score®
Our proprietary calculator is backed by data from thousands of Empowerly student experiences to construct a highly accurate applicant profile for you, giving you a competitive advantage. Identify areas of improvement and strengths to highlight for an in-depth look at your current college application readiness.
1:1 college counseling
Based on your goals and preferences, you’ll be matched with one of our top-rated counselors who is dedicated to ensuring your academic standing and extracurriculars align with your long-term passions and goals. And when it’s time to officially start applying, your counselor will be there for comprehensive 1:1 support through every essay, application review, interview, and more to ensure you’re on track to reach your goals.
Advice & planning
Whether your college prep journey begins in middle school or senior year of high school, Empowerly’s holistic approach ensures you’re right where you need to be. From interest discovery to summer programming, to AP course selection, our research team and robust community of resources and expert advice are ready when you need them.
Essay editing
On average, students write at least 20 essays when applying to colleges, including common app essays, supplemental essays, and those for scholarships or special programs. Our experienced essay editors can review your essays within 24 hours, ensuring each one highlights your strengths and unique story.
Admissions Committee Review (AdCom)
With Empowerly, you can submit your completed application to our review committee before actually applying. Our committee members consist of former admissions officers with direct experience at top schools who know the dos and don’ts for the schools you want to get into. You’ll receive detailed, constructive feedback that gives you enough time to perfect your application before you hit submit.
SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS
In addition to our standard features, we offer specialized programs unique to your interests and specific needs:
GOALS academic support
Our GOALS program empowers neurodivergent students with skills for success at top schools and beyond.
Our test prep program helps students achieve top results, with expert tutors guiding them to success.
Test prep
Our passion project program helps students turn ideas into impactful projects for their college applications.
Passion projects
AI Scholar Program
Our AI Scholar program helps students create impactful projects using AI and machine learning.
Our Research Scholar Program pairs students with PhD mentors on impactful independent research projects.
Research Scholar Program
Startup internships offer real-world experience, helping students explore careers and boost college applications.
Startup internships
Want to learn more about Empowerly? Check out what parents and students are saying about us!
2025 Top Schools Data
Admission rates at top U.S. universities are fiercely competitive. For example, Stanford University and MIT have acceptance rates of approximately 4%, and Caltech is even more selective with an admit rate around 3.9%.
Highly Competitive
Top Non-Ivy Colleges
Popular and highly competitive non-Ivy institutions include Stanford University, MIT, Duke University, University of Chicago, Vanderbilt University,
and Rice University.
Top U.S. Colleges:
Applicants and Admit Rates
Navigating admissions at U.S. universities like Stanford, MIT, and Johns Hopkins is incredibly challenging, with acceptance rates as low as 3%. You don’t have to do it alone—our expert team is here to guide you through every step of the process.
Seeking Personalized Guidance?
Skip the Webinar
Want to skip the webinar and get your child’s readiness for elite university applications reviewed by an expert? Book a consultation today!
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Location & Hours
MON-FRI/ 7AM - 8PM
2261 Market St #4555
San Francisco, CA 94114
