Who Gets Admitted to an Ivy League College, and How
If your goal is admission to an Ivy League College, you've set the academic bar as high as possible. It's tougher now to get into Harvard, Yale, etc. now than ever in their histories.
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.
As you can see, to win a seat at an Ivy, you must successfully compete with some top students. And, you must compete with lots of them...nearly 23,000 at Harvard this year. Of that number, not even ten percent were admitted.
Are the other Ivies easier to get into than Harvard? Maybe, but not much. Is it impossible to be admitted to an Ivy? Not impossible. But, awfully difficult.
There are two things students applying to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, etc. need to know. First, some Ivies, in some years, will admit fewer than 10% of their applicants. Nobody, however bright or accomplished, should count on being admitted to an Ivy. Nobody.
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.
So, how do you maximize your chances for admission to an Ivy or other highly competitive college? First, take the most challenging high school courses available to you. And, if you can take a few college courses while concurrently enrolled in high school, you might want to do so, especially if you run out of genuinely difficult high school courses.
Take the ACT and SAT early and often. Prepare rigorously, on your own, with a test prep program, and/or with a tutor.
Get involved in clubs, activities, and community service. Such involvement will help you grow, and make you a more interesting person. Don't just do it to strengthen your college application...pick a few things that matter and stay with them throughout high school. And, if you have it in you, aim for leadership roles.
Spend a lot of time on your essays...they are your "voice". Ask several trusted adults to review them and make suggestions.
Consider early decision or a similar program if it is available to you. Such options can improve your chances, but they may not make sense for everyone.
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.
The Ivies, and other highly selective colleges, are after bright, motivated, high-achievers. In addition, they seek diversity and students whose backround, accomplishment, and talents indicate their potential to be significant contributors to the campus community.
Daniel Z. Kane has had a long career in education. His many educational websites deal with subjects such as degrees online , online universities , and adult education online.
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