IvyWise Blog

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. 

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.

Cornell University is an Ivy League institution nestled in the natural beauty of upstate New York. Its world-renowned programs in engineering, architecture, and hospitality, among others, are just a few reasons that many prospective students dream of attending Cornell. 

College admissions is a highly nuanced process, and data from each application cycle gives us crucial insights into the macro-level shifts that shape how colleges select students, such as applicant behaviors, institutional policies, demographics, and college application volume.

Bowdoin College is a small liberal arts college in Brunswick, Maine, just northeast of Portland. It does not offer professional track majors but has robust liberal arts offerings including a renowned environmental studies program. It is consistently ranked as one of the top 10 liberal arts colleges in the country by U.S. News and World Report.

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.

Columbia University is a popular choice for many students. Its prime location in the heart of New York City and its renowned Core Curriculum are just two of the many reasons this Ivy League institution receives tens of thousands of applications each year.

Boston University, or BU as it’s known, is a top private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. The university has 10 undergraduate schools and colleges to choose from, as well as dual degree and double major options.

Boston University has become increasingly competitive throughout the last few years, receiving record-breaking numbers of applications from across the country and around the world. Read on to learn the best practices applicants should use to increase their chances of admission to Boston University.

As a member of the Ivy League that’s known for its top-notch music and arts programs, it’s easy to understand why many rank Yale at the top of their college list. The university, one of the oldest in the country, offers many strong areas of study and is within traveling distance of New York City.

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.