10 09, 2022

What Does It Mean If You Get Waitlisted?

By |2022-10-01T14:40:52-04:00September 10th, 2022|college, College Admissions, Ivy League, Ivy League Advice, Ivy League College, Waitlisted|3 Comments

 What Does it Mean If You Get Waitlisted?

More importantly, is there anything that you can do?

Decision day comes and when you see that email from your dream school, you discover that you have been waitlisted. Ugh. Horrible. Blech. Depressing. Just not what you were hoping for at all.  But, while this may leave you with a sinking feeling in your stomach, don’t despair.  Really.

Keep in mind that the Ivy League and  “Top 20” universities in general are all EXTREMELY  competitive. Getting on the waitlist is an accomplishment in itself.

That doesn’t make you feel better does it?  It should, because it means that there is still hope.

I’ve seen many students who’ve been put on the waitlist for the upper-level Ivy League and Ivy League competitive schools. In other words, I’ve had students get OFF the waitlist, get OUT of limbo, and actually gain acceptance sometimes at the very last minute and to the elite of the Ivy League schools.  In other words, Princeton, Harvard, and Yale.  So, as they say, it really “ain’t over ’til it’s over” and you always need to keep the faith.

Here are some interesting facts to keep in mind:  around 10% of students are waitlisted each year and end up getting in and last year that percentage was high. Students are applying to more and more of the Ivy League colleges, so every year predicting the percentage of admitted students that actually matriculate is a moving target, especially when students gain admission to multiple universities.

IMPORTANT POINT:  You can be notified of admittance as early as April or as late as August depending on the school.

That said, you need to move forward though as if it’s not an option, but always keep that small light of hope in the back of your mind burning. Because really — you just don’t know how it will all turn out.  Some students even turn down Harvard for Princeton, Princeton for MIT, or Brown for Dartmouth, so you really just don’t know how many spaces might suddenly become open and when your name can suddenly come up.

In other words, don’t assume things are out of your hands. Transferring to an Ivy League college can also be an option, as colleges accept transfers after only one semester. So go ahead and enroll in your next best choice as the better the school, the stronger your chances of successfully transferring to the Ivy League (or Ivy League competitive school) the following year.

Write a Statement of Continuing Interest

Meanwhile, take the time to write the waitlisted school an email, adding on any new awards or honors you’ve won since your application, and state your interest that, if allowed off the waitlist, the school is your very first choice.

Waitlisted and want help developing a strategic plan of action now, moving forward?  See what my clients have to say about how I helped them not only get into a top Ivy League college like Harvard, Princeton, or Yale, but how I’ve helped them transfer into these schools as well   https://ivycollegeessay.com/testimonials/.

Also, read my post on “How to Transfer to the Ivy League” here: https://ivycollegeessay.com/2020/01/21/transferring-ivy-league-college-harvard/

Want more help?  Reach out now for a free consultation at: www.IvyCollegeEssay.com and let me help you achieve your dream of getting into the Ivy League!

24 08, 2021

SAT vs ACT: What’s the difference? Which should I take?

By |2022-10-02T13:34:15-04:00August 24th, 2021|College Admissions, Common App, Harvard, Ivy League, Yale|0 Comments

Previously, there was never a question as to which one to take, most high school students took both. But now things are a little different with some colleges adopting test-optional or test-blind policies. Test-optional means the college doesn’t require testing but will take your scores into account if you submit them. Test-blind means that standardized tests such as the ACT and/or SAT will not even be considered during the admissions process.

It’s important to know what the policies are for the Ivy Leagues or elite Top 20 universities that are on your list. It’s good to check periodically because right now policies are changing daily! Many of the Ivy League schools currently have test-optional policies for now. But don’t overlook that it can only help your application if you study hard and get great scores on the SAT/ACT to submit!

The SAT and the ACT share quite a bit similarities – both tests have optional essays, math sections, reading comprehension sections, grammar sections. The essays for both are different, not harder or easier but just different. The ACT also does focus on slightly more complex math problems. It has a science section which is related to graphs and charts. The ACT is much more fast-paced. It can add to the stress if you can’t remained on task and focused during the test.

In order to gauge which one you think you would do best on. Buy or check out the latest official testing booklets for each. That alone may convince you which one makes the most sense. You can also take free practice exams online to see if that changes your mind.

Testing can be very stressful but remember that your application is made up of much more than standardized test scores. Make sure you continue to challenge yourself in your High School classes and maintain a stellar GPA. I can help you with showcasing yourself in the best light at the colleges. These are mostly in line with you as a whole person.

Reach out now for a free consultation at: www.IvyCollegeEssay.com and let me help you achieve your dream of getting into a great top college or the Ivy League! Also check out my Blog that is full of helpful information, including Things You Can Do to Boost Your Ivy League Application!.

17 08, 2021

Want to Transfer to an Ivy League? There’s still hope!

By |2022-10-03T13:52:07-04:00August 17th, 2021|College Admissions, Ivy League, Ivy League Advice, Ivy League College, Transfer|2 Comments

Sometimes you don’t get into your first or even second choice college when you apply to the Ivy Leagues or any elite Top 20 university. The top Ivies and colleges flooded with thousands of applications every year. And the most elite schools have very limited spots. It doesn’t mean you need to completely give up on your Ivy League dream. Though: you can always apply as a transfer student and give yourself a second chance to get in! Transferring to an Ivy League college would be great for you.

Here are some positives that you can take away from a perhaps delayed entrance into your dream school Ivy. Ivy League school tuition is typically more expensive. So one or two semesters at another college could help you save money in the long term. During your time at another college, you could also work to improve your grades. In case your GPA was a determining factor as to why you didn’t get in the first time around. Also, you could take the time your freshman year elsewhere to get a better understanding of what you want to study and why. All of these things could help create an even stronger application as a transfer applicant. They lead to acceptance into one of your top college choices!

Whereas, the number of transfers is actually easier to get in as a transfer student than as an incoming freshman if everything else lines up. Try to transfer to an Ivy League college which will help you in your career!

The first step: figure out why you were rejected so you can focus on steps that might improve your chances this year. If you decide to reapply – whether that’s improving your SAT or ACT scores, your GPA, or fine-tuning your extracurricular activities and interests. To make your transfer application stand out show you are working hard to constantly improve yourself and grow your horizons. Admission officers don’t want to see the same application that you originally submitted, and yes, most schools do keep files.

While half of the students I work with get into the Ivies right out of high school. About 50% of my students are transfer applicants. I can give you guidance and insights about all the things. I will help you with your school selection and work with you on the content of your transfer application. Plus, I will provide any additional information about the process that you as a transfer applicant might need.

Reach out today for a free consultation at: www.IvyCollegeEssay.com. Let me help you get into a great top college. If you were previously waitlisted or rejected try to achieve your Ivy League dreams!

Check out my other Ivy League college admission blog articles here, including: The Ivy League Essay That Will Get You Into Harvard.

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!]

 

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 #1Some 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 ]

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 ]

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 ]
10 06, 2013

3 Expert Tips to Get Into an Ivy League College!

By |2023-06-11T07:50:10-04:00June 10th, 2013|College Admissions|1 Comment

It’s that time of year again, when high school seniors hoping to get into an Ivy League college stare desperately at the Common App and supplemental college admission essay questions and ask themselves:

1. What are the Ivy League colleges really looking for?

2. How can I make my Ivy League application stand out?

3. Do I even have a chance of getting in to the Ivy League?

Let’s address these questions one-by-one, but first of all, for those of you who don’t know (or maybe aren’t sure) the Ivy League is made up of 8 colleges and universities including Harvard, Yale and Princeton (which are considered the “Top 3”) and then Columbia, Dartmouth, Cornell, Brown, and the University of Pennsylvania.

One shouldn’t forget though, that there are also a handful of other extremely competitive schools that are considered to be on par with the Ivy League, such as Stanford, MIT and Duke University, just to name a few.  So…

  1. What is it that the schools are really looking for (especially when talking about Ivy League colleges)?

I believe that the answer can be found in two words: confidence and individuality.

In other words, yes, your grades are important, yes, your test scores need to be as high as possible, yes, you need to have a strong assortment of as many AP courses as you can fit in your arsenal,  but once you have all of that (because why would you be applying to an Ivy League college if you didn’t think you could compete at that academic level with your peers) the next important thing is: YOUR UNIQUE EXPERIENCE.

By this I mean things in your background that make you different, that are going to make you stand out to an Ivy League college admissions committee. Things that are going to make you different than simply being “another suburban high school student from New Jersey,” or “just” another kid from a private school in Massachusetts or New York.

Not to say that the top schools don’t accept A LOT of students who fall into these two categories (believe me, they do)… but your competition if you’re coming from these categories is going to be stronger because of that highly competitive applicant pool and because college admissions officers like to diversify.

  • The answer to question #2 then is that, no matter what your background, you should always, always, always ask yourself, HOW ARE YOU DIFFERENT and then try to highlight that

In other words, what is it in your background that makes you unique? That’s what Ivy League college admissions officers want to see as they paint a picture of you in their mind. You will increase your chances astronomically, if you give them something to paint with.

So, were you raised in a poor village in India before immigrating to the U.S.? Did your family move here from Russia? Is your family in politics?  Are you training for the Olympics in ice skating, or skiing? Or do you compete at a very high level in equestrian sports? Have you built your own guitar?  Have you studied ballet in NYC since the age of 8? Did you grow up in a fishing community in Alaska? Or was yours the only Jewish family in a Southern Baptist community in the deep South? Have you served in the U.S. Army?

Is anyone in your family famous, or extremely well-known in their field?  Is anyone a legacy at the Ivy League college you’re applying to? Do you own any patents? Or, are you a budding biotech or real estate entrepreneur even though you’re still in high school who started their own company from the ground up (regardless if it failed).

All the above are true stories from admission essays in the past. All are very interesting and obviously make the student STAND OUT.

And, that is what an Ivy League college admissions committee is looking for. And this is the big secret that will give you an edge:  tell them something interesting. Everyone in my opinion, has done something of interest in their life, even if they are too close to it perhaps to really see it for themselves.  Think about what makes you different from your peers.

So, should you even apply to an Ivy League college if you don’t have these things, or is it just a waste of time? Will you even have a chance? Yes, you have a chance, a good chance — if you have the grades, and the test scores. And the academic background and some interesting academic or life experience. You are then, as they put it, a “contender.”

  • So now question #3, –  will you get in? That’s the wrong question. Change the question instead to, “can I paint an interesting picture of who I am and where I want to go in life?”

Then craft that into a properly formed college admissions essay. And make sure you speak with clarity, insight into your own experience, truth, emotion, and confidence.

All these together become the first step to getting you into the Ivy League college of your dreams!

[Need help on your own college applications or Ivy League admission essays? I’m a former Harvard admissions interviewer and Harvard graduate, and currently run the firm: www.IvyCollegeEssay.com Request more information or schedule a free consultation today!]

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