lacy crawford, the author of "early decision", it's a novel to protect the identities of the innocentents. lacy, welcome. you're the application whisperer, what are the things kids should do to their application to help them get into the dream school? >> tell the truth, talk about the things they are passionate about. it's not magic. it really isn't. i found working with students and these are the stories i tell, when i can get a student out of that kind of panic and paranoia thinking the rest of the world hung on the balance of a yes or no and get them to think about what they love to do and might want to study and write about them in their own voice and spend time on drafts and polish them up. colleges would sit up and listen. >> competitive college admissions are supposed to determine a sort of subjective and objective talent about their students. do you think that when you're helping them you're sort of in a bit of a game of cat and mouse with the admissions process? can they tell you're helping certain students? >> that's such a great question. there are so many people who packag