IvyWise Blog

If you’re planning to go to college, it’s essential to make all four years of high school count. Colleges look at your entire high school record — courses, grades, activities, and more — when evaluating college applications. They want to see how you have progressed over your time in high school and if you’re truly ready for the rigors of a college education. So, whether it’s your first year in high school, your senior year, or somewhere in between, these resources can help you on your path to higher education. 

The college admissions landscape is often shrouded in mystery, and admissions trends seem to change every year. But one aspect of the process that seems here to stay is holistic admissions. What does this mean for applicants beyond the surface-level explanation that it looks at more than just grades and test scores? Keep reading to learn what colleges genuinely assess when they commit to a holistic review of student profiles.

The COVID-19 pandemic shifted the way higher education institutions review applications, with many colleges choosing to adopt a test-optional application review process. While this was the trend for several admissions cycles, many colleges and universities have since reinstated testing requirements.

Applying to an Ivy League institution like Cornell University is a highly competitive undertaking, and the acceptance rate for each incoming class reflects the intensity of the admissions process.

For many high school students, the transition to college feels like a massive leap into the unknown. The high school experience is structured, and you have parents and teachers guiding you. Navigating college life requires an entirely different approach to learning, time management, and personal responsibility.

From religion and folklore to film and even medicine, college departments love to celebrate the supernatural and postulate on the paranormal. Whether you’re an occult-loving student building your college list, or you just want to get an idea of some creepy courses to add to your schedule, check out our list of otherworldly offerings below.

Students navigating the college admissions process continue to experience unique challenges and changes, including the announcement of an entirely digital SAT, continued test-optional policies, increasing application numbers, and each student applying to more colleges on average. All of this has led to an even more competitive year at the most selective colleges in the U.S., while other schools plan to admit more students than ever before in order to manage enrollment numbers.

Nearly 2,100 colleges and universities in the U.S. currently have test-optional or test-free policies for first-year applicants. Other schools have since reinstated their standardized testing requirements.

Curious about the testing policies of the schools on your best-fit list? Check out our recently updated list.

Most students applying to college understand the importance of high school grades. After all, your grades are the most critical part of your college application — and the first factor admissions officers review.

As Stanford is one of the most competitive schools in the country, being admitted into this school is an incredible accomplishment. To gain a seat in the class, applicants need to excel in every component of the admissions process, including the optional interviews.