Category: College Admission Advice
Valuable College Prep Resources for Every High School Student
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.
What to Look for In a College Admissions Counselor
The college application process is an opportunity for self-discovery and personal growth, but it can also be stressful and filled with uncertainty. For many students, working with a college admissions counselor can be a meaningful way to expand their horizons and receive nuanced guidance throughout the process.
How to Prepare for Your Rice University Interview
If you’re planning to apply to Rice University, you can request to be interviewed as part of the admissions process. While Rice University interviews are optional and not guaranteed, they provide a unique opportunity for you to learn more about the campus experience, showcase your knowledge of Rice, and highlight your life experiences and accomplishments. If you don’t have an interview, it won’t hurt your chances of gaining admission. However, participating in an interview can give you a competitive edge, since your interviewer submits a report to the admissions committee.
Currently, Rice does not offer campus interviews — all interviews are conducted virtually, but this may be subject to change in future admissions cycles. Keep reading to learn more about what to expect during college admissions interviews at Rice University so you can feel prepared and confident.
Seven Quirky College Clubs and Extracurriculars
Now that you’ve had a chance to settle into campus and your first semester at college is well underway, it may be time to start thinking about some fun ways to branch out. Many college freshmen like to explore clubs and extracurriculars as a way to broaden their campus social life.
Most universities offer hundreds of options for students looking to beef up their schedules; from student organizations to quirky clubs, there is usually something for everyone. If you have no idea where to start, ask yourself what your friends are doing, how you would like to spend your free time on (or off) campus, or, if you don’t see anything you like, maybe think about starting your own club or extracurricular activity!
What Is a Good SAT Score?
The SAT may have changed a lot in recent years, including going digital-only for international students in 2023 and for the U.S. in 2024. But one thing hasn’t changed — a good SAT score will help you gain acceptance into the schools on your college list, even if they’re test-optional. Of course, standardized test scores are just one component of a strong college application, but they help provide a more comprehensive picture of your college readiness. If you’re preparing to take the SAT, keep reading to learn more about how the score is broken down, what’s considered a good score, and what the score range is for the middle 50% of enrolled students at some of the top universities in the U.S.
Guide to the Common Application: What Is the Common App and How to Use It
The Common Application officially opened for the 2023-24 college application season on August 1, allowing students across the globe to begin their college admissions journey. But what is the Common Application, exactly? Who can use it and when? You can build your college prep strategy more easily by understanding the Common App. Here’s what you need to know.
5 Tips for Choosing High School Classes
As students prepare to head back to school, many are examining their class schedule, gauging how difficult the next academic year will be and how they will achieve their grade goals. But it’s not just grades that colleges consider when evaluating applicants for admission. Colleges are also looking at the classes applicants are taking, how challenging they are, and how those courses align with students’ interests and academic goals.
SAT to ACT Score Conversion Chart
Want to see how your scores on the SAT compare to ACT? The College Board provides concordance tables so students and educators can see how SAT total scores compare to composite ACT scores. You can also use the SAT score conversion chart below if you’ve completed both tests and want to determine which score is better to submit to colleges. These tables
Northwestern University Majors: A Comprehensive Guide to Choosing Your Path
Do you have diverse areas of interest when it comes to academics? If so, Northwestern University may be a good fit for you due to its interdisciplinary curriculum and research opportunities. In fact, 73% of undergraduates combine at least two areas of study, making this a great school for students with varied interests. Keep reading to learn more about the majors you can pursue at Northwestern.
12 College Essay Prompts and Topics 2023
The Common Application is officially open, and many college-bound high school students are hard at work on their college applications. In addition to the main Common App essay, many schools might also require supplements that include some thoughtful — and downright quirky — essay prompts and short answer questions.
USC Letter of Recommendation: What You Need to Know
Is the University of Southern California on your college list? Part of USC’s application process includes submitting a letter of recommendation. While your academic performance in high school carries the most weight in the admissions process, a strong letter of recommendation from a teacher or school counselor will tell another piece of your story — who you are, how you conducted yourself at school, and how you might contribute to the campus community.
The letter of recommendation is an important part of your USC application, so it’s important to choose a recommender who can present you in the best possible light. Keep reading to learn more about what should go into the USC letter of recommendation.
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.
Your Step-by-Step Athletic Recruitment Plan
Many high school athletes dream of continuing to play their sport at the collegiate level, but it’s important for students to understand the basics of the athletic recruiting process before deciding if it’s an avenue they want to pursue.
At IvyWise, our admissions counselors are experts at every component of the college admissions process, including athletic recruitment. Experts who have led students through their athletic recruitment process — both from the admissions office and the counseling office — have created this step-by-step plan for student athletes interested in pursuing the athletic recruitment process.
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.
Insightful Tips for Adjusting to Life as a Transfer Student
It can be difficult to choose where to go to college, and it sometimes happens that a student realizes their current school isn’t working for them. Or perhaps a student starts out at a community college before continuing on to a four-year school to finish their degree. Whatever the reason, transferring to another school is always an option. If you’re considering a transfer to another school, you are not alone.
The Challenges and Advantages of Being an Older College Student
When most people think of college students, the image of young adults — recent high school grads — engaging in all aspects of campus life may come to mind. However, a growing number of college students are older. Known as adult learners or nontraditional students, they don’t fit the mold of the conventional college student. In fact, 37% of college students are 25 and older, according to recent data from the Lumina Foundation. Adult students face many challenges when they go back to school, but they also have many advantages.
Vanderbilt University: A Legacy of Academic Excellence and Innovation
Founded in 1873, Vanderbilt University is a private research institution known globally for its strong academic programs and research opportunities. This close-knit campus community is located in the heart of Nashville, Tennessee, and offers a college experience unlike anything else. While not an Ivy League school, Vanderbilt is known as a “Southern Ivy” because of its highly selective admissions process and stellar academic reputation.
