What are the 5 P's of College Admissions?

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While both the BluePrint Plan (also known as the Morganelli Method) and the "5 P's of College Admissions" aim to guide students through the college application process, they differ significantly in their approach and focus. The "5 P's" framework provides a broad, holistic strategy that encourages students to showcase their passion, purpose, and achievements across various aspects of their application. In contrast, BluePrint places a premium on how a student engages in their activities, particularly in leadership and academic pursuits. This method is not just about what students do, but how they do it—focusing on the style, strategy, and intentionality behind their actions. By developing a cohesive academic narrative and strategically aligning with specific departments or majors, BluePrint prioritizes depth of engagement and the crafting of a compelling ethos that resonates with the competitive landscape of the target institution.

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1. Framework and Focus

5 P's of College Admissions: The 5 P's—Passion, Purpose, Preparation, Presentation, and Personalization—offer a broad, holistic view of the application process. They encourage students to express their passion, demonstrate purpose in their academic and extracurricular choices, prepare through strong academics, present themselves effectively, and personalize their applications to each college. This approach focuses on creating a well-rounded application that appeals to college admissions officers on multiple fronts.

BluePrint, on the other hand, is highly specialized, and focused on creating a cohesive application narrative centered around a student's academic interests and intellectual pursuits. It emphasizes the importance of ethos—the character or message of an essay—and the application narrative, which is a strategic communication of the applicant's academic and professional character through the entire application. The method prioritizes depth over breadth, aiming to position the student as a specialist rather than a generalist. The creator of BluePrint, former Director of Admissions at Cornell, John Morganelli, believes this positioning is key to gaining admission to highly selective schools.

2. Application Narrative vs. Personalization

5 P's: Personalization in the 5 P's involves tailoring the application to the specific college, showing why the applicant is a good fit for that institution. This might include writing essays that connect personal experiences or goals to the college's unique offerings.

BluePrint: The Morganelli Method takes personalization further by emphasizing the creation of an academic narrative that aligns with the specific department or major within the college the student is applying to. This involves not just tailoring the application to the college but deeply integrating the student's past experiences, research, and future intellectual goals with the specific academic environment of the prospective major.

3. Depth of Engagement and Deliverables

5 P's: The preparation component of the 5 P's includes academic achievements and relevant experiences, but it doesn't necessarily delve into the specific deliverables or tangible outcomes of these experiences.

BluePrint: Deliverables are crucial in the Morganelli Method. Students are encouraged to produce tangible evidence of their academic interests, such as research projects, publications, or leadership in related activities. These deliverables are then strategically integrated into the application to support the overall narrative and ethos, demonstrating a high level of engagement and intellectual maturity.

4. Ethos and Strategic Communication

5 P's: Presentation in the 5 P's is about effectively telling your story through essays, recommendations, and other materials. It's about coherence and making sure the different parts of the application work together to present a compelling picture of the applicant.

BluePrint: The Morganelli Method's concept of ethos goes deeper than mere presentation. It involves carefully crafting each essay and component of the application to communicate a specific aspect of the student's character and academic interests. The ethos must align with the overall application narrative and the strategic goals of the application, ensuring that the message is clear, compelling, and tailored to the specific requirements of the target institution.

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5. Strategic Major Selection

5 P's: The 5 P's might encourage students to choose a major that aligns with their passion and purpose, but it does not necessarily involve a strategic analysis of major competitiveness.

BluePrint: Major selection is a strategic decision in the Morganelli Method. The method advises students to consider the competitiveness of the major, how well it aligns with their past experiences, and whether it supports the overall narrative they are trying to build. This approach is data-driven and tailored to the structure of the university and its departments.

While both frameworks aim to enhance a student's college application, BluePrint is far more specialized and focused on creating a deep, cohesive narrative centered on the student's academic interests, whereas the 5 P's offer a broader, more general approach to building a well-rounded application. Students looking for help perfecting their college application can sign up for Ivy Tutors Network BluePrint here, or work with a college admissions tutor on a specific area of their application.