College Admissions Deconstructed
College applications don't have to feel like a mystery — they just need the right guide.
Starts Tue, Jun 16
9:00 PM UTC · 1h
8 sessions
Devery
Outcomes, not lecture notes.
Build a balanced, well-researched college list tailored to your academic profile, interests, and goals
Identify the criteria admissions officers actually use to evaluate applications — straight from someone who made those decisions at Harvard
Develop a strategy for strengthening your academic record and extracurricular profile before you apply
Craft a personal statement essay concept that authentically represents who you are and holds an admissions reader's attention
Understand how to approach supplemental essays and why schools ask what they ask
Read your own application the way an admissions officer would — and close the gaps before they cost you
Create a step-by-step admissions roadmap with timelines, priorities, and clear next actions
Meet Devery.
Devery
Devery Doran worked as a Senior Admissions Officer at Harvard University for four years and has read application essays at UC-Berkeley in addition to her current role as a college admissions consultant. A graduate of Harvard with a master's degree from the University of Texas, Devery has spent her career helping diverse groups of young people unlock their potential through educational and career opportunities.
College applications don't have to feel like a mystery — they just need the right guide. In College Admissions Deconstructed, former Harvard Senior Admissions Officer Devery Doran pulls back the curtain on exactly how admissions decisions get made, and helps you build a real strategy to compete. Over 8 weeks, you'll tackle every stage of the process: researching and building your school list, shaping your academic and extracurricular profile, and crafting personal statement essays that actually stand out. Each session combines Devery's insider perspective from years of reading and evaluating applications at Harvard and UC-Berkeley with hands-on activities that move you forward — not just inform you. By the end, you'll have a concrete admissions roadmap, a stronger sense of how to present yourself on paper, and the confidence to approach every part of your application with clarity and purpose. This course is built for high schoolers at any stage who want to stop guessing and start executing.
Live Q&A
Cameras / mics optional
Recordings
Available within 1 hour, kept 90 days
Materials
No special materials required
Similar classes
free with a Varsity Tutors membership
02
DAYS21
HRS36
MINTue, Jun 16 • 9:00pm UTC
Starts in 3 days
College Admissions Deconstructed