Antonio Buehler was the first person in his family to finish high school or attend college. After completing an MBA at Stanford he went into investment banking and private equity before becoming deeply impressed by homeschooling and creating his own self-directed learning center in Austin, Texas, called Abrome (abrome.com). In this episode Antonio talks with Blake about what colleges—especially highly selective colleges—are looking for in their applicants, whether traditionally or non-traditionally educated. He explains how admissions “hooks” (such as legacy, athlete, and faculty-child status) influence admissions at elite colleges and how “intellectual vitality” can separate self-directed learners from the rest of the pack. We close by discussing the 2019 college bribery scandal and how families can document their work far ahead of admissions crunch-time.