No! That was certainly not my intention in creating the thread and honestly I’m disappointed in the fact that it seems to have devolved into yet another debate about what route will get your kid into Harvard or MIT.
What I was hoping to create is a databank of advice pages or blogs coming from the admissions offices at colleges themselves. While people are free to debate their accuracy or authenticity it seems to me it’s more productive to read what an actual admissions professional has said about a process they’ve experienced as an insider than speculate about what got our one particular kid into one particular college.
In that spirit I offer this partial list. Who wants to add to it? Each site has much more advice than what I’m noting here, but here are a few random tips from college sites as well as links to the pages in which they’re contained.
College of Charleston http://cofc.edu/advice/admissions/index.php
“Do not use an email address that is in poor taste. Be professional!”
University of Georgia. https://www.admissions.uga.edu/prospective-students/first-year/admission-tips
“Be honest. What we mean is if you had a low grade in your sophomore year Biology class or had in-school suspension for excessive tardiness, don’t avoid the issue and hope we overlook it. If we have to guess what happened, we will probably think the worst. The best course is to explain what happened without excuses, and the steps you are taking to overcome the issue.”
Yale (for all those who do want this to be about Ivies 
). https://admissions.yale.edu/advice-putting-together-your-application
“Proofread, proofread, proofread! Share your essays with at least one or two people who know you well – such as a parent, teacher, counselor, or friend – and ask for feedback.”
Tufts. https://admissions.tufts.edu/apply/advice/
“When I read a book, I’m interested in the story. Not just what happens, and to whom, but why—and what’s the greater meaning? The same is true when I open up a student’s application: I’m looking for the story of who you are. Parts of that will have to do with what has happened to you, but the most compelling pieces of your story will always be what you create for yourself: your unique ideas, your wild curiosities, your steadfast commitments.”
The above comes from a more extensive section titled “Adventures of a First-Time Admissions Officer: Reading Season” which I thought shed light on the personal side of essay reading so here’s that specific link. https://admissions.tufts.edu/blogs/inside-admissions/post/adventures-of-a-first-time-admissions-officer-reading-season/
Tulane. http://tuadmissionjeff.blogspot.com/2012/07/10-application-tips-from-experts.html
"Avoid application redundancy. Take a 30,000 foot view of your application. If your activities section is all about tennis and your counselor letter of recommendation talks about tennis and your short answer is about tennis, what do you think your essay should be about? Anything but tennis! Decide where each “piece” of your application should fall and where your stories, passions and strengths will be shared. This might mean connecting with your school counselor (and it’s a good time to get to know them better!) We read 38,000 applications a year, and as soon as we see something in your file that is repeated throughout, there’s a chance we’ll skip over the repeated parts.
We like jobs. So if you have one, tell us about it. Working 15 hours a week at your local Subway as a Sandwich Artist carries just a much weight as playing a varsity sport. Whatever takes up your time, we want to know about it. "
Wheaton College (IL). https://www.wheaton.edu/admissions-and-aid/undergraduate-admissions/apply-to-wheaton/application-tips/
"Choose recommendation writers who know you, not of you. For example, a pastoral recommendation letter from a close Christian mentor might be more personal and more powerful than one from the senior pastor who doesn’t know you as well. An academic recommendation letter from a teacher who knows and loves you from sophomore year, is every bit as valuable as one from junior or senior year. (Note: recommenders cannot be family members.) Follow up with a handwritten note expressing your appreciation.
Work offline when writing essays and recalling extra-curriculars. Crafting an authentic admissions essay takes a lot of work, so it’s best to write your essays and list out all activities (and dates/number of hours spent doing them) offline in another document. That way you can get down all your thoughts, passions, and experiences in one place and “copy and paste” into each section (or into extra-curricular lines) of your online application before submitting."
University of California. http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/how-to-apply/personal-questions/writing-tips/index.html
“Write persuasively. Making a list of accomplishments, activities, awards or work will lessen the impact of your words. Expand on a topic by using specific, concrete examples to support the points you want to make.”
Wellesley College. https://www.wellesley.edu/admission/apply/applicationtips
"Make a list of essentials. For example: Do you want to be close to a city? Close to home? Do you want a huge university, a small college, or something in between? Are you looking for special programs or majors? (See below for a little counterintuitive advice.) Try to generate a list of 10 to 20 schools that meet your essential qualifications. Then be ready to revise it.
Question what’s essential. For example (this is the advice we mentioned above): Your major is not your life. Most students change majors at some point in their college career. And a major isn’t an ironclad, lifetime commitment. On a related note, ponder the value of a liberal arts education—an opportunity to explore a range of fields, make connections across disciplines, and practice the skills that any income-earning, change-making person needs."