Finish the core of your college applications — with guidance and direction from a former Director of Admissions.
An expert-recorded Bootcamp combining:
8 previously-live strategy sessions
Step-by-step Common App guidance
Essay brainstorming workshops, prompts, and guide
Insider admissions advice
Asynchronous lessons and exercises
Weekly Q&A with a former highly selective admissions officer
So students get through fall senior year ahead — not overwhelmed.
Every fall, students tell themselves they’ll “work on applications once school starts.”
Then senior year happens.
Classes. Activities. Sports. Leadership. Burnout. Supplemental essays. Deadlines.
The students who feel the most confident in the fall are usually the ones who started as early as possible.
Who is this Bootcamp designed for?
Students Who:
Want to complete most of the Common Application with the help of a former Admissions Director
Feel overwhelmed by where to start
Need structured - yet self-paced - format
Want expert guidance without committing to full private consulting
Are applying to selective colleges and want to present themselves strategically
Keep procrastinating on all-things-app-related
And for parents who want fewer application-related worries (and maybe a few battles) during senior year.
The Reality of Modern College Admissions
When admissions offices review tens of thousands of applications in just a few months (and just a few minutes per application), rushed applications blend together. Students who take the time to prepare intentionally give themselves a meaningful advantage in a highly selective admissions process.
2025 Applications to Top Colleges
Learn from Someone Who Has Actually Reviewed Applications
This bootcamp is led by me - Dr. Andrew Hoffman, former Director of Admissions at Swarthmore College and former Admissions Officer at Vanderbilt University.
After nearly two decades in selective college admissions, I’ve reviewed tens of thousands of applications and understand:
what admissions officers notice
where students undersell themselves
how activities and essays create narrative
common mistakes students make
how applications are actually evaluated behind closed doors
This is insider guidance from someone who has sat in the admissions committee room and made decisions.
What Students Will Complete
By the end of the Bootcamp course, students will have:
Completed their Common App profile
Developed and refined their Activities section
Strategically presented honors and awards
Understood how to use the Additional Information sections effectively
Brainstormed meaningful essay topics
Developed at least a first draft of the Common App essay
Learned how admissions officers evaluate applications
Built a roadmap for approaching supplemental essays after the course ends
How the Bootcamp Works
By signing up, your student will have access to a course module including previously-recorded live sessions, recorded videos in between main sessions, worksheets, and other resources.
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8 sessions covering all of the main Common App Profile sections
Instructional walkthroughs of application sections
Strategic guidance from an experienced former admissions officer - specifically, why does each field matter and how AOs are interpreting your answers
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Students will receive:
guided exercises
brainstorming worksheets
asynchronous lessons
examples and templates
deep dives on particular topics, such as the Courses & Grades module in the Common App
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Instead of attending a live Bootcamp (registration now closed for 2026), participants will access the Weekly Q&A Series for one month, included in the recorded course price.
Ask your questions in written form, and each week, Dr. Hoffman will answer those questions in recorded video format.
Live + Asynchronous Format
What Parents Say
Frequently Asked Questions
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No. Students can still benefit from completing the core application components and learning application strategy before finalizing a college list. If your student wants comprehensive feedback on their college list, contact me.
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We’ll discuss supplemental essay strategy and how colleges use supplements, but the course will focus primarily on completing the Common Application itself. If your student would like assistance with the editing process, I offer additional services (including hourly consultation).
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The previously-recorded live sessions and additional resources/videos are all located in the course module. Once you create your account and purchase the course, your student will have access to all materials - all self-paced and on their own.
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No. The course is designed for any student using the Common Application who wants structure, strategy, and accountability.
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Students will receive brainstorming guidance and instruction designed to help them develop a strong first draft. For further assistance with and editing of personal statements, supplemental essays, scholarship essays, and others, please see my additional services.
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I think the single most important aspect that makes it different is that it’s uniquely led by me, a former director of admissions at Swarthmore and former AO at Vanderbilt. Most other “bootcamp” style classes are led by professionals without formal college app reading experience. Others cove merely the mechanics of the Common App; I cover the strategy and “why” behind it all.
The Investment.
The Common App Bootcamp - Recorded
Starting at
$350
Includes 10+ hours of recorded content + Q&A sessions. All to get your Common App completed.
The Bootcamp
Are you ready to get started? Complete the form below for next steps and additional information related to The AO-Approved Common App Bootcamp.
*The AO-Approved Common App Bootcamp-Recorded is a paid service (starting at $350 USD). AskDrHoffman.com LLC cannot guarantee admission or financial aid/scholarships at any college or university.