The 2019 Best College List is oouuuuuuuttttt [US News]

Out-of-state students may have an advantage when applying to UCs. [Forbes]

Get ready for some spilled tea: Inside the affirmative action lawsuit against Harvard [NYTimes] & 4 factors that give you an advantage for getting in. [NYTimes] [WashPo]

Grades are still the top-rated factor in admissions. Notably, the importance of standardized test scores is decreasing. [Inside Higher Ed]

On that note, 1,022 four-year colleges are now test optional. Among liberal arts colleges ranked in the top 100 by U.S. News, more than half are test optional. More than half of four-year colleges in the Northeast (defined as New England, New York and New Jersey) are now test optional. [Inside Higher Ed]

Bay Area rapper Saweetie shares what she wrote about for her USC essay [Billboard]

And in more helpful news, how to discover your voice by one of my favorite new literary blogs! Hint: she recommends common writer’s block tools like blogging or journaling. [Signature Reads]

For inspiration, here are the 10 best memoirs read by their authors! [Signature Reads]