Setting goals is a great way to motivate yourself to achieve something that’s meaningful to you. And if getting into college is a major goal, then you can break it down into smaller, more manageable steps related to academic performance and expanding your knowledge in areas of interest. These two go together, and both are important for college admissions.
Most people understand what teachers, guidance counselors, and professors do. Yet, there is a lot of uncertainty about an adjacent educational career that is just as important: academic advisor. You can find academic advisors at colleges and universities or work with one outside of campus.
Fall is college fair season, and high school juniors across the country will have the opportunity to explore different colleges and learn more about schools they’re interested in applying to next year. If you’re starting to think about what you want out of your college experience, college fairs are a great opportunity to get valuable information and speak directly to college representatives.
College application essays are a critical aspect of the admissions process, offering an opportunity to showcase your individuality beyond the standard application forms and test scores. A well-crafted essay can highlight your unique personality, experiences, and aspirations, providing college admissions officers with a more holistic view of who you are.
The Coalition Application and the Common Application are two platforms that streamline the college application process. While both serve the common goal of simplifying the application experience, they differ in several ways. Understanding the distinctions between the Coalition and Common App can help you make informed decisions about which platform aligns better with your preferences and the requirements of the colleges on your balanced list.
When preparing students for the college admissions process, we place a lot of emphasis on identifying and developing students’ interests in addition to good grades and test scores. As we’ve said before, students’ interests are important because it helps colleges make admissions decisions and build well-rounded classes.
For waitlisted students, it can be hard to judge just how much of a chance they have of getting accepted off the waitlist. Data around waitlist acceptances can be scarce, especially as waitlists at top colleges grow and more and more schools become less transparent about their admissions statistics. The college counselors at IvyWise, however, have dug into the data and have some insight into waitlist admission rates.
For high school students looking to make the most of their courses, choosing between an International Baccalaureate (IB) and Advanced Placement (AP) curriculum is often a top priority. While both choices are academically rigorous and can lead to college credit, there are also profound differences between the two programs.
The transfer admissions process can often be even more selective than regular undergraduate admissions, and with 35% of college students transferring at least once, it’s important to understand exactly how difficult (or not!) it is to transfer to your dream school.
While college may feel like a distant challenge on the horizon, it’s important for high school students to choose their classes carefully to begin preparing for their next academic milestone. Admissions officers will review the courses students take from their first year of high school onwards, which is why it’s crucial to be selective about the classes you’re taking to ensure they align with your long-term goals.
