27 07, 2023

Campus Visits for Ivy League Schools: A Vital Step in Your College Journey

By |2023-08-03T10:59:49-04:00July 27th, 2023|Ivy League Advice, Ivy League College|0 Comments

How important are campus visits for Ivy League colleges? As the time approaches to start working on your college applications, the task of narrowing down your list of potential schools may seem daunting. With so many options and unique characteristics to consider, how do you identify the best fit for you? While virtual tours and online resources are helpful, there’s no substitute for the invaluable experience of a campus visit, especially when it comes to Ivy League schools. In this article, we’ll explore the importance of planning college visits and how to make the most of your time on campus.

Planning Your Ivy League College Visits

Timing is crucial for college visits, and the ideal time is during the summer after your junior year. This allows you to explore campuses and gain insights before starting the application process. Consider factors such as available time, travel distance, and budget while planning your visits. Prioritize visiting your top target schools to help refine your preliminary college list to a manageable 10–12 schools.

Get to Know the School

While campus visits can be exciting, remember that the primary goal is to get to know the college thoroughly. Stay engaged during the visit, observe campus life, and soak in the college’s culture and atmosphere. Attend information sessions and tours to gather valuable insights. Don’t hesitate to ask questions, whether it’s about the application process, financial aid, or the kind of students who thrive at the school.

Explore Campus Beyond the Tour

Apart from organized tours, take the time to explore the campus on your own. Observe bulletin boards to get a sense of upcoming activities, observe student interactions, and seize the opportunity to ask questions whenever you have them.

Document Your Visit

With each campus visit, you’ll be taking in a wealth of information in a relatively short time. To avoid forgetting important details, document your visit experiences. Right after your tour, jot down what you liked and disliked about the school, what stood out, and any other thoughts. Being specific in your notes will prove invaluable when refining your list of potential colleges as well as writing your admissions essays.

Remember, Ivy League colleges are renowned for their academic excellence, research, well-known professors, interesting student body and unique campus environments. A campus visit is an opportunity to envision yourself as part of that community, to feel the atmosphere, and to determine if it aligns with your aspirations and values. So, make the most of your college visits as you embark on this exciting and pivotal journey toward your future. Happy exploring!

Need expert help on your college admissions essays and applications? I’m a former Harvard interviewer and Harvard grad. I have the insights you need to stand out this year and get into the school of your dreams. 

Contact me today for a free consultation at www.IvyCollegeEssay.com and make your Ivy League college dreams come true!

Like this article? Take a look at some other relevant ones here:

How to Get Into Brown University

The Best Extracurriculars for Your College Application

How to Transfer to An Ivy League College

 



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30 06, 2023

The Best Extracurriculars for Your College Application

By |2023-06-30T16:55:58-04:00June 30th, 2023|College Admissions, Extracurriculars|2 Comments

The Best Extracurriculars for Your Ivy League College Application

As the competitive landscape of Ivy League college admissions continues to intensify, students find themselves grappling with the question of how to stand out among a sea of high achievers.

The answer lies in your extracurriculars, so choose wisely!

While academic performance remains a crucial factor, today’s admissions committees seek well-rounded, TALENTED individuals who demonstrate a multifaceted approach to their education.

In this context, the significance of extracurricular activities in bolstering college applications cannot be overstated. These activities not only provide a platform for personal growth and skill development but also offer a unique opportunity for applicants to showcase their passions, leadership potential, and commitment to the community.

In other words, it lets admissions committees paint a picture in their mind of who you really are as an applicant.

The BEST extracurriculars should do the following, so get your check-list going!

  1. Demonstrating Passion and Interest:

Extracurricular activities serve as a powerful medium for students to pursue their passions beyond the confines of the classroom. Whether it’s participating on a varsity sports team, engaging in artistic or literary endeavors, inventing a new product or even composing an opera, these activities reveal a student’s genuine interests and dedication.

By showcasing involvement in activities aligned with their passions, applicants demonstrate their ability to pursue long-term goals INDEPENDENTLY, as in, on their own and self-motivated, which can make a significant impact on college admissions officers.

  1. Showcasing Leadership and Initiative:

Participation in extracurricular activities also provides ample opportunities for students to take on leadership roles and showcase their ability to lead and inspire others. Serving as a club president, team captain, founder, or event organizer highlights qualities such as responsibility, organizational skills, and the ability to work collaboratively.

Such experiences demonstrate an applicant’s potential to contribute to the campus community and become an influential figure both within and beyond the academic realm.

  1. Building a Well-Rounded Profile:

College admissions officers value diversity and seek students with a broad range of interests and talents. Engaging in a variety of extracurricular activities allows applicants to craft a well-rounded profile that goes beyond academic achievements. By diversifying their experiences, students can highlight their ability to manage time effectively, adapt to different environments, and demonstrate a genuine commitment to personal growth.

  1. Enhancing Personal and Interpersonal Skills:

Extracurricular activities also offer an ideal platform for students to develop a range of invaluable skills. For instance, participating in a debate club cultivates critical thinking, public speaking, and analytical skills. Joining a sports team fosters teamwork, discipline, and resilience. Engaging in community service instills empathy, compassion, and a sense of social responsibility. These skills not only contribute to personal growth but also equip students with the tools necessary for success in college and beyond.

  1. Contributing to the Community:

Overall, colleges and universities seek students who can make a positive impact on their campuses and the broader community. Extracurricular activities provide an avenue for students to engage in volunteer work, community service, and civic initiatives. Demonstrating a commitment to serving others not only reflects an applicant’s character but also showcases their potential to contribute meaningfully to the college environment.

Conclusion:

While academic achievements undoubtedly play a significant role in the college admissions process, extracurricular activities offer a unique opportunity for applicants to stand out and showcase their holistic development.

By pursuing their passions, taking on leadership roles, and engaging in diverse activities, students demonstrate qualities that go beyond test scores and GPA.

The importance of extracurricular activities lies not only in the skills and experiences gained but also in the ability to present a well-rounded profile that captures the attention of college admissions officers and makes you INTERESTING and UNIQUE. That, in the end, is what admissions, and especially Ivy League admission officers are looking for.

By investing time and effort in extracurricular pursuits, you can greatly enhance your chances of gaining admission to your dream colleges and set yourself up for success in your future endeavors.

What are your best extracurriculars?  Comment below!

Want more help with your own college admissions essays? I’m a former Harvard interviewer and Harvard grad. Contact me today for a free consultation at:
IvyCollegeEssay.com and get into the school of your dreams!

Check out these other articles too on my award-winning Ivy League College Admissions Blog!

  1. The Top 5 College Admissions Essay Books To Buy
  2. How to Get Into MIT

 

 

 

 

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12 05, 2023

How to Get Into MIT

By |2023-05-12T15:30:45-04:00May 12th, 2023|College Admissions, MIT|3 Comments

How to Get Into MIT

How to Get into MIT.  Getting into MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) is a dream of many students around the world. With its reputation as one of the world’s top universities for science, engineering, and technology, MIT is known for its rigorous academics, cutting-edge research, and entrepreneurial spirit.

However, with an acceptance rate of only 4.0%, getting admitted to MIT is extremely competitive and challenging. So, how can you increase your chances of getting into MIT? Here are some tips and strategies to help you navigate the admissions process.

  1. Start Early and Plan Ahead: The first step to getting into MIT is to start early and plan ahead. Begin by researching the admissions requirements, deadlines, and application process. MIT has a highly selective admissions process that considers academic performance, extracurricular activities, essays, recommendations, and standardized test scores. The admissions process is also holistic, which means that they take into account a range of factors, not just your grades or test scores. Therefore, you need to plan ahead to ensure that you have enough time to prepare and submit a competitive application.
  2. Build a Strong Academic Profile: MIT is known for its rigorous academics, so it’s essential to have a strong academic profile. You should take challenging courses in high school, especially in math, science, and technology. You should also maintain a high GPA and strive to achieve excellent grades. Additionally, consider taking advanced courses, such as AP or IB courses, to demonstrate your academic ability and readiness for college-level coursework.
  3. Demonstrate Your Passion and Achievements: MIT looks for students who are passionate and accomplished in their chosen fields. Therefore, it’s important to demonstrate your interests and achievements through your extracurricular activities, internships, research projects, and community service. You should also highlight any awards, honors, or recognition you have received for your achievements.
  4. Write a Compelling Personal Essay: The personal essay is an opportunity for you to showcase your personality, values, and experiences. Therefore, it’s important to write a compelling and authentic essay that reflects who you are and why you want to attend MIT. The essay should also demonstrate your writing skills and ability to communicate effectively.
  5. Get Strong Recommendations: MIT requires two letters of recommendation from teachers or counselors who can speak to your academic abilities, personal qualities, and achievements. Therefore, it’s important to choose recommenders who know you well and can provide specific examples of your strengths and accomplishments. You should also provide your recommenders with ample time to write the letters and give them any relevant information that will help them write a strong recommendation.
  6. Ace the Standardized Tests: MIT requires applicants to submit standardized test scores, such as the SAT or ACT, as well as SAT Subject Tests in math and a science. Therefore, it’s important to prepare well for these exams and aim for high scores. You can take advantage of resources such as prep courses, practice tests, and study materials to help you prepare.
  7. Apply Early Action: MIT offers Early Action, which is a non-binding application deadline that allows you to apply early and receive an admissions decision in December. Applying Early Action can increase your chances of getting admitted, as the acceptance rate for Early Action applicants is typically higher than the regular admission rate.

In conclusion, getting into MIT is a challenging and competitive process, but it’s not impossible…

By following these tips and strategies, you can increase your chances of getting admitted to MIT. Remember to start early, build a strong academic profile, demonstrate your passion and achievements, write a compelling personal essay, get strong recommendations, ace the standardized tests, and apply Early Action if possible. Good luck!

[Want more assistance with your college application?  I’m a former Harvard admissions interviewer and a Harvard grad and run the Ivy League college admissions firm www.IvyCollegeEssay.com.  Contact me today for a free consultation today, and get into the school of your dreams! ]

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14 08, 2022

What Each Ivy League College is Known For

By |2024-01-20T11:38:54-05:00August 14th, 2022|Brown, college, College Admissions, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Ivy League, Ivy League Advice, Ivy League College, Princeton, UPenn, Yale|1 Comment

WHAT EACH IVY LEAGUE COLLEGE IS KNOWN FOR

Each Ivy League college has its own niche. It’s own “brand”

In other words, what each Ivy League college is known for in terms of reputation.  In terms of college admissions, and Ivy League college admissions in particular, understanding which school is the best fit for you, as well as which school will think you’re the best fit for THEM, is only going to increase your chances.

The following is a very brief list detailing each Ivy League school and what specific programs or majors it is best known for around the world.

Allow me to add, that all 8 of the Ivy League colleges mentioned here, as well as the ones I deem “Ivy League competitive”  are excellent universities, and truly do offer an extensive, wide-reaching, liberal arts education that will leave you extremely well-educated and intellectually valued around the globe.

And yet, knowing what each Ivy is known for, will give you an advantage when applying to universities.  It is 100% correct to say that some of the schools are known for certain specialties more so than the others, and if you pay attention to that fact, you will have a better chance of getting that acceptance letter, as well as finding a better intellectual  and cultural fit.

And so, without further adieu…

WHAT EACH IVY LEAGUE COLLEGE IS KNOWN FOR:


1. Yale: known for turning out dramatists, poets, and CIA officers (government and international relations).


2. Harvard  is Harvard (also strong in government, engineering, philosophy, languages)

3. Princeton: known for mathematics and physics (Einstein used to teach there).

4. Brown: known for creativity and artist types (including poets, writers and playwrights)

5. UPenn: known for the Wharton school and hence, business and finance.

6. Cornell: known as one of the easier Ivy League colleges to get into and has a strong business and hospitality school link via its grad program.

7. Columbia: known for literature, religion, psychology, languages, politics, NY intellectuals and its proximity to Wall Street.

8. Dartmouth: known for liberal arts majors, as well as those wanting to get into the Tuck school of business post-graduation.

The “Ivy Equivalents”

Furthermore, as mentioned above, there are also “Ivy-like” schools, or “The Ivy Equivalents” in terms of a schools’ level of difficulty, reputation and competitiveness. Here I include schools like:
  1. MIT (obviously known for science, math, STEM, computer science  and engineering),
  2. Stanford (look up it’s proximity to Silicon Valley and it’s niche for business),
  3. Duke (famous for its medical school, so therefore pre-med)
  4. Johns Hopkins (again, famous for their medical school and thereby pre-med programs).

And, there you have it!  Just a sample list of the 8 Ivy League colleges and 4 “Ivy Equivalents” that tell you which university you might want to target if you’re looking at the Ivy League for this coming admissions cycle.

Understanding what I’ve mentioned here, and tailoring your applications appropriately when making you school selection list, and especially when choosing which school to apply for Early Decision, can truly make a difference.

Need more admissions tips and advice?  Check out my award-winning Ivy League college admissions blog for more on how to get in to the Ivy League.

If you’re thinking about Early Decision (you should be!)  then you may also like my articles:

You can also join my Ivy League college discussion group on Reddit at: https://www.reddit.com/r/ivyleaguecollege/

Or, check out colleges organized by state, like this article here:

New York City Colleges

I’m a former Harvard admissions interviewer and a Harvard graduate and currently run the Ivy League college admissions firm: www.IvyCollegeEssay.com.  Contact me today for a free phone consultation, and get into the school of your dreams!

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9 06, 2016

How to Improve Your Ivy League College Application

By |2022-10-04T06:36:49-04:00June 9th, 2016|Berkeley, Brown, College Admissions, Common App, Cornell, Dartmouth, Duke, Emory, Harvard, Ivy League, Ivy League Advice, Ivy League College, Michigan, MIT, NYU, Princeton, UCLA, UPenn, Yale|0 Comments

If you’re applying to an Ivy League college you already know that high grades, tons of AP classes, stellar SAT scores, unique extracurriculars, and fantastic teacher recs can all play a role in your application and acceptance to some of the most prestigious colleges in America. Following are the top ten tips on How to Improve Your Ivy League College Application!

The following are top ten tips though that you may not have thought of that when, combined with the standard qualifications above (i.e. stellar GPA, etc), can actually serve to help you get in!

  1. Social Media:  Schools check.  So, that said, you want to make sure that there is nothing crude or lewd on your facebook page and you’re not making extreme non-pc comments all over twitter.  It’s okay to show yourself having fun with your friends. And you certainly don’t have to show yourself as 100% scholarly and serious (it is a social outlet, after all). And you’re even allowed to have an opinion that maybe other people don’t necessarily agree with! But just keep in mind that the college admission officers are trying to get a sneak peak and quick overview of who you might be online. If you think your fb page shows you as an all around great person with dedicated intellectual and creative interests and great humanitarian projects under your belt (and on your page) then let them look.  It could help you.  More often than not though, it won’t.  Personally, I’d set my fb page to private right now to block anyone who isn’t a known friend. After all, why take the risk?
  2. Send your interviewer a thank you email: This is another tip that some might think of, and some won’t.  Sending a very BRIEF thank you, if you do in fact have your interviewer’s email address (some schools do not make this available) this is a sign of having good manners. It translates into a sign of strong upbringing and class.  The Ivy League especially is deciding whether you fit into their school culture. Not only if you have the grades to succeed.  Sending a thank you (just 2-3 sentences at most- don’t go longer) can leave a positive impression in your interviewer’s eyes. And that translates to a positive feeling when they sit down to report on their interview with you. It can help to get you in!
  3. Mention legacy:  Do you have a family member who went to the school?  If not that particular college, did they go to another college within the Ivy League.  If so, mention it.  Don’t feel like you’re bragging.  The Ivy League universities value “legacies” highly. So even though it’s usually a question on the application, mention it during your college interview, as well. The Ivy League in particular loves tradition and preserving and honoring family lines.  If your mom went to Columbia and your dad is a Harvard grad = mention it.  Believe me, it will help.
  4. Mention 1st Generation: As an alternative to the above, perhaps you’re the first one in your family to ever even go to college!  If this is you, don’t worry, MENTION IT – somewhere in your essays.  Again, this will only help you.
  5. Are you a twin? Yes, I know this one isn’t going to apply to most people, but it’s worth mentioning. The Ivy League in particular loves admitting twins who are equally ambitious and have the required credentials.  So, if you’re a twin – identically or fraternal – this should be everywhere in your college essays, and specifically at least mentioned in you Common App. The colleges like anything and everything that makes you unique. Having a twin or sibling that is going to be in the same incoming calls puts you in that “special and unique” category. Especially if you’re special and unique and can stand out in others areas, as well!

Those are just a few helpful tips that you might not find elsewhere regarding how to make your college applications. And especially your Ivy League college applications stand out even more.

Stay tuned in the coming days for even more, and check out my other Ivy League Essay articles here! https://ivycollegeessay.com/2015/05/31/how-to-prepare-your-kids-for-an-ivy-league-college-education/

[I’m a former Harvard admissions interviewer and a Harvard graduate, and currently run the Ivy League Essay college admissions firm: www.IVY COLLEGE ESSAY.com  Check out my website or send me an email: IvyLeagueEssayInfo@gmail.com, and request a free consultation today!]

 

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2 10, 2014

Common App College Essay Prompts and How to Master Them for Your Ivy League Application!

By |2022-10-04T09:29:09-04:00October 2nd, 2014|Brown, College Admissions, Columbia, Common App, Dartmouth, Duke, Harvard, Ivy League|1 Comment

So, it’s official.  You’ve decided it’s time to start working on your Common App. Good for you!  Great even.  You’re not procrastinating!  That is, until you looked at the prompts and thought, “I have absolutely NO IDEA what to say, let alone guess what the colleges are even looking for.”  This thought perhaps made you panicked, sick, ill, malaised (i.e. good SAT word, write it down), and forced you to have visions of working at a donut shop for the rest of your life, (not that there’s anything wrong with that). Get more information on How to Master the Common App Essay!

Perhaps you had plans though of potentially setting off for Harvard, Princeton, Yale, or some other picturesque U.S. school to watch football games, meet great life-long friends, STUDY and get an excellent education, and just do something incredibly solid and interesting with your life…but then messed it all up with the Common App and destroyed the dream.  Done.  OVER.  Donut?

Well, stop worrying.  We’re going to go through the prompts one by one, and if you take away my key points from each of the questions, you’re going to do more than fine.

Prompt #1: Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

This essay is a great chance to show your uniqueness, your individuality, what makes you different, and college admissions officers LOVE different.  Did you hear that? They read so many applications, that they truly gravitate towards those students who are unique and stand out.  So, do you have something unique in your background?  Have you done something unusual?  Is there something different about your family that makes you interesting?  Here is where you write about what makes you different from others in your school. What does make you different from your friends.   Remember, different = interesting.

PROMPT #2: Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?

Make sure you answer each of the questions stated in this prompt and you’ll do fine.  Mostly though, you want to pick a negative experience (a “failure”) that then has a positive spin — that shows your self-reflection and ability to pick yourself up and move forward stronger than before!  This essay is a good choice if STRENGTH and FORTITUDE are two of your major traits.

PROMPT #3: Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?

This essay is here to show your character.  What are you passionate about?  What are you willing to stand up for, even in the face of adversity? As with prompt #2, make sure you address all of the questions within the question – that is part of what you are being tested on.  This essay is a good choice if you have very strong morals and values and are willing to make a public stand.  Always be aware of your audience though, and take into consideration how things will be perceived by the admissions committee.  In other words, choose your battles wisely.

PROMPT #4: Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?

I like this essay, as it is the most creative.  Again, make sure you address all three points, and focus equally on description as well as self-reflection: why this is meaningful to YOU.  I’ve read very lyrical essays that describe a place, only to not understand its significance for the student.  Similarly, I’ve read very factual essays for this prompt that have no description or emotional feeling or language. Balance both, and do it in a creative way, and you’ll win by giving your reader insight into your world.

PROMPT #5: Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

What the admissions committee is looking for here, is growth. Your growth.  That moment when your world changed.  Pick an event that clearly shows how you were before, and then how you were different after.  Again, as with the other essays, they are looking for self-reflection.  This essay also allows for a lot of creativity and I have found sometimes the smaller, less formal and more personal events or moments in life make for the best, most moving essays – and that advice goes for all of the prompts, above. I hope, these amazing tips on How to Master the Common App Essay will help you the most.

[I’m a former Harvard interviewer and a Harvard graduate, and currently run the college admissions firm IVY COLLEGE ESSAY.com.  Like more help on your Common App or college applications? Contact me for a free consultation today!  www.IvyCollegeEssay.com ]

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21 09, 2014

The Common App: How to Write a Great College Application

By |2022-10-04T09:35:21-04:00September 21st, 2014|Berekeley, Brown, college, College Admissions, Columbia, Common App, Cornell, Dartmouth, Duke, Harvard, Ivy League, Ivy League Advice, Ivy League College, MIT, NYU, Princeton, Standford, Stanford, UCLA, UPenn, Yale|3 Comments

The Common App Essay

How to Write a Great College Application!

The season is upon us: college applications, and right now is a good time to start working on your Common App.  You’re a month into the new school year, you’ve settled in, and now the Common App essay is staring you in the face. Here is what should you know about How to Write an Ivy League College Application Essays:

Where do you begin?  You know you have to start writing it…but HOW?

You try to forget about it, but you can’t.  How can you write the absolutely best college admission essays possible when you have no idea what to write about or where to begin??

Similarly, neither do you know what the college admission committee is even looking for, nor what will make a really strong college essay and application.  This holds true for all colleges and universities, but ESPECIALLY if you’re applying to the Ivy League.

Oh yeah, and did I mention your entire future appears to depend on this?

Don’t worry though, because I am going to walk you through the process.

I’m a former Harvard admissions interviewer + Harvard grad, and I know how to do this well.  I’m going to tell you how you can master the Common App essay and application and make the most of your college applications.

To be more to the point, I’m going to help you get into the best schools possible.

This includes the Ivy League: Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Columbia, Dartmouth, Brown, UPenn, and Cornell. The top. I mean, what if you want to go there?  How can you tackle the Common App and catapult your way to the apex of education?

Let’s start with the questions.  These are the choices for your Common App Essay:

  • Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
  • Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?
  • Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?
  • Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?
  • Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

Which one to choose, you say? Which one will be the best one to write about?  Here’s what I say:  go with the one that is going to contain the most EMOTION.  Emotion is powerful, good or bad, and the examples you choose, if they have a certain emotional weight to them when you think about it, that will add weight (and admissions committee engagement) to your essay.  In other words, emotion or powerful experiences (which is really what I mean) serves to ENGAGE your reader, and an engaged reader is going to not only remember your essay, but feel that you truly conveyed a mood, and environment, and an experience.

In other words, they will feel they got to know YOU just a little bit more than if you had written about something “less powerful” that didn’t engage. This is all you should know about How to Write an Ivy League College Application Essays.

Go with the powerful emotions.  The experiences and examples for any of the above, that convey some kind of emotion, and make you feel. Because that is going to translate to your essay.

More tips and advice to come…

[I’m a former Harvard University admissions interviewer and a Harvard graduate.  I currently run the College Admission Essay firm: IVY LEAGUE ESSAY, out of New York, and specialize in helping students get in to the top schools and the Ivy League.  Please contact me for a free phone consultation today: www.IvyCollegeEssay.com ]

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19 06, 2013

How Important Are Extracurriculars for Your College Application?

By |2023-05-10T12:03:59-04:00June 19th, 2013|College Admissions, Common App|0 Comments

 
How Important Are Extracurriculars for College Application?
Do schools really care what clubs you joined, what sports you played, what charity you may have volunteered for, or what musical instrument you possibly tried to master? How Important Are Extracurriculars For College Application? What exactly are colleges looking for when they ask you about your participation during your high school?
I would like to answer this question today, based on my own experience as a former Harvard University interviewer (and as a Harvard graduate, myself).
In terms of extracurricular activities, admissions officers are looking for a point-of-entry into your personality. They want to find something they can focus on, that will differentiate them from the many other applicants.
Admissions committees use your extracurricular activities to paint a picture of who you are. As a student and as a person — to develop a fuller understanding of how you spend your time when you are not studying or at school, and to access your level of intellectual and cultural interest, background, and depth.
In other words, your extracurricular activities are like the paint a painter paints with while creating a portrait of YOU. Your goal is to make those colors, that paint – your portrait – as original and interesting as possible. Especially if you are applying to the Ivy League.
The following is probably the most important thing I can say, and something you may not ever read elsewhere, as it is certainly an insider tip: Ivy League schools are looking for ORIGINAL THINKERS.Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, Princeton, and University of Pennsylvania.
These are the 8 schools that make up the Ivy League, and to get into any of them, not only do you have to have the grades, the test scores, and the proper level of classes, but you need to demonstrate ORIGINAL THOUGHT. All information is useful about How Important Are Extracurriculars For College applications.
These schools pride themselves on developing the next leaders of the world — economically, politically, and in the arts and sciences. Going back to the question – you will be ahead of the game if your extracurricular activities are unique. They will demonstrate your individuality. Your ability to stand out from the pack. It is this, your own personal voice and interests that make you a unique and powerful future leader.
So, strive to list those experiences and activities that are perhaps unusual, perhaps a little different from your friends. Demonstrate, if there is skill involved, that you do it and excel at a very high level. Let your uniqueness shine through, and that will shine through to the admissions committee, as well.
[Need help on your college applications or Common App essays? Thinking of the Ivy League? Contact me for a free consultation today! www.IvyCollegeEssay.com ]
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Navigate the highly competitive landscape of Ivy League admissions with my expert one-on-one guidance. As a Harvard grad and former Harvard admissions interviewer, I specialize in helping you to craft excellent Ivy League college essays that reflect your unique strengths and ambitions. With my experience in college essay consulting, including extensive work with transfer students, and Harvard transfer essays, in particular, alongside a full library of Ivy League acceptance essays and Ivy League essay examples that get results, you’ll be on the road to Ivy League success. I offer insights into Ivy League essay prompts, essay writing strategies, how to choose your Common App topic, and more. With Ivy College Essay, your journey to Ivy League college essays that truly work starts here.

In the highly competitive landscape of Ivy League admissions, the importance of your Ivy college essays cannot be emphasized enough. Your college application serves as the key to the most competitive universities in the U.S. Ivy College Essay can help you get there and get into the school of your dreams!

Expert Ivy College Essay Guidance

Craft Ivy League college essays that reflect your own uniqueness and strengths, leveraging Ivy League essay strategies and advice that will impress the admissions committees. My experience and techniques as a Harvard grad and college essay writing consultant will help you navigate your Ivy League application essays. Together, we can transform your essays into strong Ivy League admission success.

College Essay Consulting

I specialize in college essay consulting, working with high school and transfer students to Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, Brown, Yale, UPenn, MIT, UCLA and more. Working on your Princeton transfer essays or striving to get that Cornell Ivy League admission? Discover the advantage of working with someone with the highest level of Ivy League essay experience, so your Ivy League essays standout and showcase the best of who you really are. My college admissions essay consulting firm gives you the right insights and strategies to refine your college application essays, get accepted, and get in.

Ivy League Essay

Whether you’re looking for college essay examples for Harvard or trying to pick the best topic for your Common App essay for Ivy League schools, my experience ensures you’re on the right track. Via expert essay consulting from a former Harvard admissions interviewer and Harvard grad, my college essay advice and strategies will equip you with the tools you need to navigate this year’s Ivy League admissions cycle with the confidence that you can succeed.

DISCLAIMER: Ivy College Essay is not affiliated with The Ivy League or any of its member universities.

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