Who Gets Admitted to an Ivy League College, and How

If you aspire to an Ivy League College, you have your work cut out for you. To say it's not an easy task would be a big understatement.

Only five percent of the students admitted to Harvard this year were not in the top 10% of their high school graduating classes. And, many came from very rigorous independent and public high schools...schools with standards well above average.

These students also scored highly on standardized tests, with the middle 50% earning SAT scores of 2080-2370 and/or ACT scores of 31-34. To earn a composite score of 31 on the ACT, by the way, you must answer about 90% of the questions correctly.

Clearly, students who want to wind up at an Ivy must beat out some very talented competitors. But...here's some worse news for applicants...they have to beat out lots of them. Harvard received 22,754 applications this year. Only 2,124 received the letter they wanted from the Office of Admissions.

Is Harvard tougher to get a "yes" from than the other Ivy League schools? Perhaps, but not much. So, does anybody really have a decent chance to find himself or herself on an Ivy League campus? Sure, but their numbers are limited.

If you hope to attend an Ivy, know two things. First, no matter how big a star you are in high school, there are no guarantees. Even valedictorians and students with perfect ACT or SAT scores are sometimes denied admission.

You also need to know that anyone who has the credentials to be a legitimate applicant to an Ivy will almost certainly get into a great school and will be fine even if they don't go into the world with an Ivy League degree.

OK, so how do you position yourself for admission to an Ivy? Start by taking the most challenging courses your high school offers. If there aren't enough of them, think about enrolling in some courses at a college in your area.

Take the ACT and SAT as early as possible; perhaps even as a high school freshman, to get the experience and receive a profile which lets you know how your scores stack up comparatively. Begin doing some test prep work (on your own or with a tutor or test prep organization) early in your junior year of high school.

Become engaged in clubs, activities, and at least one important public or community service organization or project. Lots of great, worthy organizations will welcome your participation. Three or four co-curricular areas in which you are a difference maker or leader are better than a dozen in which you are passively involved.

A good or bad essay can be an important "tip" factor for you. And, it's your best opportunity to tell the admissions committee who you are. Don't waste it.

Early decision may improve your chances. Consider it carefully.

Most of the Ivies now ask for recommendations from teachers. Although it is obvious, it is important enough for me to state...choose those teachers carefully. And, it is not just a question of who thinks highly of you and your ability. A teacher who writes well may have more credibility when talking about your academic skills.

Anything in which you are involved that contributes to your personal growth and/or is charitable will make you a better person, and may help separate you from other applicants.

Remember that the Ivies want academically motivated, capable, high potential students; students who will do well in college and beyond. They also seek diversity, and students who can and will contribute to the college community because of their leadership skills, special interests, and/or talents.

Article Source: http://www.lifestyle-information-services.com

Daniel Z. Kane has had a long career in education. His many educational websites deal with subjects such as online college degrees , online and distance education , financial aid, and scholarships.

Please Rate this Article

5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 

Not yet Rated