Who Gets Admitted to an Ivy League College, and How
by Daniel Z. Kane
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.
Ninety-five percent of the incoming freshmen at Harvard last fall finished in the top ten percent of their high school classes. And, a fairly high percentage came from highly competitive high schools in which graduating at the top of the class is a noteworthy accomplishment.
As you might guess, their test scores were also pretty impressive, with the middle fifty percent of the class (25-75%) scoring in the top 1% of all students tested. To put that in perspective, the middle half of the class (excluding the top and bottom 25%) correctly answered about ninety percent (90%) of the ACT or SAT questions.
But, not only must a student hoping to be admitted to an Ivy compete against incredibly capable students, he/she must compete against lots of them. There were 22,754 applicants to Harvard's most recent incoming class. Just 2,124 were admitted. You do the math.
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.
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.
Fact number two is that if you have any business considering an Ivy, you will be able to get into some great colleges. So, don't worry about what will happen if you don't get a "yes" from an Ivy...you'll be fine.
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 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.
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.
As difficult and stressful as essays may be, they give you a chance to be viewed as a whole person, not just another faceless high-achiever. You need to do your best thinking and best writing. And, ask at least two adults in whom you have great trust (perhaps a teacher or counselor among them) to review your final draft.
If an early decision option is available, consider it seriously. It can improve your odds.
You will be asked for two or three references. Choose them carefully...very carefully. A single luke warm or negative comment on a recommendation may be damaging.
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' goal is to bring in a class of bright, academically accomplished, highly motivated students; students with the potential for academic and professional success. They also seek diversity, leadership, and students whose demonstrated special talents and abilities make them likely to be valuable members of the community.
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 , and adult education online. You are welcome to reprint this article - but get your own unique content version here.
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