If you’ve got a teen, you’re probably aware of the hectic process of college application, and you’re probably more than a little mystified about what sets an application apart from the rest. We got together with The Red Pen, a higher education consultancy that helps Indian students study in the USA and UK, and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, the US’s top undergraduate engineering college, to bring you the inside scoop on USA college admission.

Watch Namita Mehta, Undergraduate Services Manager at The Red Pen, and James Goecker, Vice-President of Enrollment Management and Strategic Communication at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, talk engineering education, college life, and what they’re really looking for on that college application.

Quick takes on USA college admission

• Watch @ 00.34 to learn what ‘the right fit’ means
• Watch @ 01:12 to learn what college admission officers really look for
• Watch @ 03.12 for a peak inside the application review process
• Watch @ 4:20 on why the ‘perfect package’ isn’t good enough
• Watch @ 5.20 to learn if you can afford it
• Watch @ 5.57 for why college brand matters less than you think