Category: College Application Tips
Class of 2028 Early Application Deadlines
The first college application deadlines for the Class of 2028 will be here before you know it. Here are some of the early application deadlines students need to be aware of.
What Vanderbilt Admissions Officers Look for in Essays
If Vanderbilt University, also known as Vandy, is one of your top-choice schools, you may be wondering how to craft your admissions essay to help you stand out. Vanderbilt is incredibly selective, so they look for students who demonstrate what they can contribute to the diverse campus community academically and otherwise. Your response to these essays contributes to the holistic review of your application, so it’s important to put a lot of thought into them.
Keep reading for more information about the Vanderbilt essays and some strategies for writing them, including tips from one of our IvyWise counselors.
UCLA Acceptance Rate and Stats: What it Takes to Get In
With a sprawling California campus, top tier academic offerings and Division 1 sports teams, it’s no wonder that the UCLA acceptance rate is so low. The Los Angeles-based university emerges as a top-choice institution for many high school students, so students need to prepare thoroughly in order to emerge as competitive applicants.
3 Tips for Standing Out During the College Application Process
The Common Application opened August 1, and millions of students across the globe will apply to college via the Common App this year. With so many students applying to college every year, most applicants have the same question on their minds: what can I do to increase my chances of standing out?
How to Write the Brown Supplemental Essays
Brown is at the top of plenty of students’ best-fit lists, so it’s no surprise that most prospective applicants want to do everything they can to stand out in their applications. While grades and course rigor carry the most weight in admissions decisions, students also need to write compelling essays that demonstrate their interest in attending the college.
In addition to the personal statement, students must prioritize the Brown University supplemental essays when compiling their application. Keep reading to learn more about the supplemental essays that Brown requires, as well as what it takes to write a top-tier personal statement.
What Essays Does Brown Require?Like most colleges, Brown University requires applicants to submit a personal statement as part of the Common Application. Students can choose from the Common Apps’ list of prompts and compose a response of approximately 650 words.
Brown University has a series of supplemental essays that students must answer in addition to the required Common App essay. For first-year applicants, there are three questions, and each response should be approximately 200-250 words. For students applying to Brown’s Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME), there
2023-24 Coalition Application Guide
While the Common Application is the most widely used college application, it’s not the only option for students who are getting ready to apply to their best-fit colleges. The Coalition Application is an alternative that now counts more than 150 institutions as member colleges.
2023-24 Common App Supplements
Many schools utilize the Common App as their primary application form, and school-specific supplements allow every institution to customize this universal application in order to build a well-rounded first-year class. From asking about a student’s favorite snack to designing their dream seminars, many colleges are getting creative with their supplement questions so that admissions officers can learn as much about applicants as possible.
How to Write a College Application Essay That Makes an Impression
If you’re under the impression that grades and standardized test scores are the only admissions criteria that really matter, think again. While it is true that these types of hard factors carry significant weight throughout the admissions process, well-written essays that reveal your true personality are also extremely important.
When it comes time to start writing your personal statement and supplements, you need to work diligently and develop several drafts so you can create content you are genuinely proud of.
Keep reading to learn more about the importance of application essays and what you can do to stand out!
The Essential Guide to Acing the College Application Process
While the application process may seem intimidating at first, every student’s college admissions journey is an opportunity to discover more about themselves and their academic goals. With the right strategy, all students will be able to identify their own best-fit schools and showcase why they deserve a spot on campus.
Harvard Waitlist: How Hard Is It to Get Off of It?
Harvard is one of the most popular first-choice colleges for students, and it’s also one of the most competitive. In fact, in the latest admissions cycle, just 3.41% of applicants were offered a seat in the first-year Class of 2027.
Given this competitive admissions rate, some very talented students are going to find themselves on Harvard’s waitlist. While most applicants have a general idea of what a waitlisted outcome means, few understand how waitlists really work and what they can do to boost their odds of admission, which is what we’re going to explore here:
The Importance of Early College Preparation
The college process can feel overwhelming, especially when students get a late start. From compiling a best-fit list to writing essays, there are many steps in the college application process. Consequently, we always encourage students to start early and build executive functioning skills that will serve them throughout college and beyond. While high school is undoubtedly a crucial time, there are several steps students and families can take to start preparing long before ninth grade.
How to Get Into USC: All You Need to Know
The University of Southern California, or USC, as its best known, is a top research university and one of the most selective schools in the country. Located in sunny Los Angeles, California, it’s been a pioneer in academic and research initiatives since its beginnings in the late 19th century. Today, it’s one of the most prestigious and desirable academic experiences in the country and the world.
How to Get Into Vanderbilt: All You Need to Know
As a highly selective institution that’s known for its engineering, education, music, and humanities programs, it’s easy to understand why many rank Vanderbilt at the top of their college lists. This university offers many strong areas of study and is located in the heart of Nashville, one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the country.
With a stellar reputation and thousands of applicants each year, students must go the extra mile to earn a spot at Vanderbilt. Read on to learn more about what sets Vanderbilt University apart and learn best practices to increase your chances of admission.
Study Tips for High School Students
The key to good grades is studying the material so that students understand the concepts and can apply them in the classroom. However, many students don’t practice effective study methods in high school, causing them to either memorize and forget information, or not fully grasp the concepts. These bad study habits can roll over into college – making the transition into a college course load even more difficult. You can avoid this by following some simple but effective study tips.
IvyWise Students Share Their Top College Prep Tips
For current high school seniors, the college application season is in full swing. We caught up with our Class of 2023 IvyWise Scholars to learn more about their college admissions journeys, what it’s like to work with IvyWise during this process, and get some of their college prep tips for other college-bound students.
5 Ways to Narrow Down Your College List
Finalizing your list of best-fit schools is one of the most important steps of the college application process. Between writing supplemental essays, finalizing personal statements, and requesting letters of recommendation, there’s a lot that students need to prioritize – and often, they put off the difficult task of narrowing down their long list of best-fit schools. Keep reading to learn more about what you should keep top of mind so that you can narrow down your college list and stay ahead of the game on all of your applications.
Which High School Classes Will Set You Up for Success in College?
If you already know what field you want to study in college, or even have a general idea of your preferred discipline, taking some high school classes that align with your future college curriculum can save a lot of time and energy. But how do you know which high school classes will set you up for success in college?
Brown Admissions Interview: 14 Brown Interview Questions
Getting a spot at Brown University, one of seven universities that make up the Ivy League, is exceptionally competitive. To earn a seat in the incoming class, students need to do more than get good grades; they also need to stand out in each component of the application process. In the past, this would have been through the interview; now, however, the best way to stand out is through the video introduction.
This short video intro gives applicants an opportunity to express their interest in attending the institution, as well as showcase their personalities. This is a great opportunity to to set yourself apart for all the right reasons during the process, so take advantage of it!
How to Answer the “Why This College?” Essay Prompt
The questions typically address certain aspects about the school or the applicant’s intended major, and while they’ve tended to grow a little quirky over the years, one question that typically pops up is some form of the “why [this college]?” prompt.
This essay, while seemingly simple, can help take an application from the “maybe” pile to the “accepted” stack. It is also a great opportunity for students to demonstrate their interest, knowledge of the school, and make a lasting impression on the admissions office. So, how do you write a killer “why this college” essay?
Research, Research, ResearchThis is a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate your interest in a college and highlight that you’ve done your research in the schools to which you apply. If tens of thousands of other applicants all chose to apply to Brown University, for example, what makes you so special? This is where admissions officers will turn to the supplement prompts. After all, if you were in their shoes, would you be more likely to admit the student that answers the “Why Brown?” question with deep consideration about their academic future,
How to Get Into Harvard: All You Need to Know
When it comes to college acceptances, many applicants view Harvard as the gold standard for admissions success. While the Ivy League college may not be a best-fit option for every student, there’s no doubt that plenty of future applicants are eager to gain a seat in Harvard’s next class of admitted students. So what does it really take to get in?
How to Get Into Harvard University: Table of Contents
When to Apply to Harvard University How Hard Is It to Get Into Harvard: Early Prep How Do You Actually Get Into Harvard: The Application Class Profile What Makes Harvard University Unique? When to Apply to Harvard UniversityGetting into Harvard is a major accomplishment and it doesn’t happen overnight. Gaining a seat at the top-tier institution takes time, hard work, dedication, and some careful planning. If you’re a student asking yourself “How do I get into Harvard?” or a parent wondering how to prepare your child for college, the first step is to develop an in-depth understanding of what goes into the application process and when you need to get started. Generally, students submit their undergraduate applications to Harvard
How to Get into Princeton: All You Need to Know
Princeton tops many students’ lists for dream schools to attend. Like most other Ivy League colleges, the university is known for its rigor and increasingly competitive applicant pool. As competition for a seat at the top-rated college intensifies, most future applicants are asking themselves the same question: what does it really take to earn admission to Princeton University?
