IvyWise Blog

The hidden Ivies schools are becoming an attractive opportunity for college-bound students, due to their academic rigor, collaborative environment, and holistic approach to education.

On this episode of Just Admit It!, IvyWise counselors Tasha and Victoria explain why choosing a dramatic college essay topic is not necessary and how being authentic and engaging in your essays is more important.

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.

With colleges receiving record-breaking numbers of applications and acceptance rates hitting historic lows, many students feel pressured to “shotgun” their applications — applying to dozens of schools to hedge their bets.

With senior trips, prom, and other year-end festivities on the horizon, a general lackadaisical attitude can spread, lengthening social time and shortening study time. Many know this phenomenon as “senioritis.” Students work less, play more, and — if they’re not careful — can risk their academic futures.

Founded in 1883, UT Austin is the flagship university of Texas and consistently ranks as a top public research university in the U.S. — in fact, it’s often referred to as the “Harvard of the South.”

As part of our IvyWise Gives Back initiative, we offer the IvyWise Scholars pro bono counseling program. Each year, we accept a select number of eligible students into the program. Through a combination of college counseling and tutoring, IvyWise Scholars are empowered to achieve their personal and academic goals. 

Many students think that if their standardized test scores are “below average,” there’s no way they can submit a competitive application for college. However, test scores are only one part of a bigger picture.

Founded as the nation’s first public university in 1793, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill — also known simply as “Carolina” — offers a combination of historic prestige, top-tier research, and a lively college town atmosphere.

Too often, students list highly selective, “name-brand” schools as their dream colleges without determining if these schools are a good fit.