Amy, just looking at the thumbnail alone of this vlog, I was in awe and in a total state of elation! Here's why: So as you can see in the left hand side of the vlog thumbnail, you've mentioned "Do you need a SPIKE?". Now if you remember, that is exactly what I wrote in the detailed comment I left for you recently in 'How to Become the Top 1% of People: My Secret' vlog (and you mentioned that same vlog too at 7:50 which is in the chapter titled "Standing out (spike)" itself!!!). I wanted to use the exact word of "Spike" in that detailed comment too to highlight the concept of portraying yourself as master of one rather than master of none on your college application and how this advice is helpful in other other areas of life too. But then I chose the word "Peak" because I thought you wouldn't get the word "Spike", but now I know that you know the same concept in the exact word you used: "Spike". Also, I am not on Discord for now and I didn't ask you a question there, but for a moment I felt like you had included "Do you need a SPIKE?" part in your thumbnail (and vlog) as an answer/elaboration to my detailed comment I left which discussed the same concept. You have no idea how thankful I am that now I know someone out there in the world who understands this concept completely on a thorough level with the exact terminology I've been using for years now to explain this concept to people! It's like I've finally found a friend who knows exactly what I'm talking about. I mean, I used to tell this to even my high school's admissions counsellors and even they didn't know it. And wow, did you explain it in such a comprehensive way?! Absolutely yes!! If anyone else is reading this comment apart from Amy, I want you to know that Amy's the person you can absolutely trust on top US colleges admissions advice! Trust me, I've met many counsellors and even they don't know this "Spike" concept/advice in such detail which is like the huge huge tip/advice to get into a top US college. Honestly, if I were to summarize what this vlog is about: it's basically about how to 'portray' your "Spike" (which is basically a single passion you've mastered - as far as a high school student can,including up to research work related to your passion - throughout your high school years in the form of grades you took in courses you chose, extracurricular activities, awards) on the college application: essay, extracurricular activities list, awards list, and of course grades & SAT/ACT scores. All these portions of the college application should serve to highlight that singular passion you have and the "SPIKE"/Peak you've reached in it through awards, extracurricular activities, grades. Amy's sentence "To be cohesive & spike your application, your top activities, your top awards and your essay should all come together to reflect that spike" portrays an excellent summary of the whole vlog and really a model comprehensive college application advice. And I totally agree to your advice regarding if you have 2 spikes: trying to mingle them in a memorable way in the essay. I have thought the same advice now for some years. And really productive advice about jotting down the ideas you have consciously & subconsciously for the essay. I think one of the best essay ideas you'll ever have are the ones that pop in your mind doing everyday chores or everyday high school work especially extracurricular activities rather than doing a one time sitting at a desk and deliberately trying hard to think about ideas to put in your essay. Like you mentioned Amy, once you've jotted down enough ideas, you can take the direction of the essay from there to eventually write a memorable essay. Also, I'd recommend trying to spend some time in solitude to cogitate on your essay. And guess what?! Goosebumps again! I just wrote the "everyday chores" sentence you just read above and right after writing it I heard at 6:50 moment of the vlog where you mentioned "normal everyday activities". (I usually write the comment shifting between watching the vlog and pausing it to continue to write the comment.) P.S. Once again I ended up writing this comment for you during around 1 am to 5 am my local time in Pakistan 🇵🇰. I watch your vlogs very carefully while crafting a comment at the same time with pausing the vlog at intervals and thus I end up spending more than 3 hours on your vlog even if it's a 10 minute vlog. My intention when I tell you this is not to show off, but to emphasize the fact that always remember that there are those who care about your contributions deeply. Continue your valuable work for getting an A in life and most importantly continue to be the humble & benevolent human that you are at an innate level! Also, I kept thinking about the time zones when writing this comment. New York 🇺🇲 time is 9 hours behind Pakistan 🇵🇰 time, and I just keep pondering on how time zones connect us human beings. You are reading this comment right now in a different time zone, and I wrote it in a different time zone but I kept thinking about your time zone & America (I love America 🇺🇲 from the bottom of my heart. Words can't describe the love I have for the USA 🇺🇲.) all the time while I was watching the vlog and writing this comment. So really, all this 'time' is just one?! I don't have words to put this feeling into words. Perhaps you get it. I know I am being deep here, but I just thought that I should share this feeling with you because this feeling was with me throughout the duration of writing this comment & watching the vlog and even whenever I read your replies! And I wanted to write a short comment because I know you're a busy person and writing a long comment always will only cost you time to read perhaps, but I just couldn't help it because of that "Spike" concept and you know by now why. This vlog is definitely your number one vlog for me for now atleast! Stay blessed dear friend! I mean the word friend when I say it. You have really helped me on many levels. You are always in my prayers!

I am an international student, Asian, tbh. I feel great pressure though I have a 1580 sat, a 118 toefl, 10 APs (including a 5 in lit) and almost perfect GPA. I feel that anything I do will not matter if anything else is spotted to be not that excellent. And even though with this stats I will not even think about applying for Harvard or big ivies, because it seems just impossible. I do felt compelled to write my essay. I have already like 20 drafts. I really have some new ideas after watching the third part. Thank you.

Starting my apps as a transfer student soon so I’ll definitely be taking notes from this!

Hiii Amyy i love your videos so much and your voice is so calming, your becoming and inspiration for me day by day! I love how you explain everything in the most easiest way and your video on how to become 'this girl' rather than 'that girl' is soooO helpful. I hope you have an amazing day:) Request: Can you make a video on how to Ace 8th grade and tips for all the subjectsss. From a person in your neighboring country, Pakistan ✨

MAKEUP b really enjoyed this insightful video as I’m currently working on college apps too 😂 always good to stop by and watch an amy video

Thumbnail and background look insane btw! Love the kitchen theme.

You know what I loved your makeup 😊❤

Hi Amy! I love your videos and they are so calming to watch. 😊 I have a question about awards, so I also participated in the amcs like you did, but for amc 10 my middle school score was higher than my high school scores, which one should I put on my application? I heard it’s bad to put middle school scores as it might be a showing that you peaked in middle. Thanks. 😀

This is super helpful, but what if you have say 3 research activities at 3 different labs, two are more impressive than the other one, then you have things like volunteer then dancing for 10 years, would you list volunteer then dance and go back to the less impressive research?

Hello! Thank you for the video. Can you also make a video on how to get apply to grad school programs? I am currently a Junior at Cal studying Data Science and would like to go into law!

Hi Amy i have a question. If I am an eagle scout in boy scouts, will they consider it as a stand out factor?

Hey, Amy, do you think that a BS from Caltech is much better than a BA from Berkeley or UCLA or Cal State Northridge or any lesser school or it doesn't matter at all? Why?

Hi Amy, Caltech & MIT would like to know if you can solve this problem as part of the application process for admission their class of 2027 LOL: A coffee shop has 4 different types of coffee. You can order your coffee in a small, medium, or large cup. You can also choose whether you want to add cream, sugar, or milk (any combination is possible, for example, you can choose to add all three). In how many ways can you order your coffee? This is to test your mathematical ability to see if you can handle their tough STEM programs! And I expect that you're smart enough to handle this problem easily.

just joined your discord

Ur so cool

second

You are lucky because you have a family history of post secondary education. You said your Dad came to America to study for his "post-doc". So he had a PhD then, right? And your mother too? You and your family would know "college culture". People without a multi generational family of educated members have a real struggle to get into university. If they ever do at all. Quite aside from paying for it. Like everything else in America, so many are being left behind.

HalaMadrid sister❤🎉😂