IvyWise KnowledgeBase
College Prep

The college admission process is not one-size-fits-all. As a former admissions officer who reviewed thousands of applications at a selective liberal arts college, I found that some of the most memorable files belonged to non-traditional applicants.

It’s important to be aware of how AI can benefit you, as well as its limitations and how it should not be used. For example, ChatGPT can be a great help if you’re starting research for your college list by suggesting schools based on the criteria you provide, but that’s really where its usefulness ends. It can’t provide nuance when it comes to things like campus culture, environment, and other considerations that help you narrow your list.

It can take some students time to mature and realize their college ambitions — even a year or two after starting high school. As a result, they get a late start building a strong student profile for college admissions.

You made it through the first half of junior year, which means you’re on your way to being a senior and ruling the school! Although college may seem far away, it’s much closer than you think. Now’s the time to develop concrete ideas about where you want to go to college, and make sure that your course load, test scores, and extracurricular activities will help your application stand out. Follow these tips from the IvyWise team of counselors to get the most out of the next six months and have a less stressful and more enjoyable senior year.

Do you have many different interests but struggle to see how they overlap? Is it hard to see the path forward? You’re not alone! Narrowing down your interests involves self-reflection. Taking the time to understand what truly excites and motivates you will help you make informed decisions that set the foundation for a fulfilling academic and career journey.

For young scholars who love a trip down the rabbit hole — who see or want to develop connections between various ideas, theories, or movements — the IB can be an affirming educational path. Students earning it can take real pride in their work. 

You have it down to a science — you know the best way to get up to speed on class schedules and which clubs to join. Or perhaps this is your first time moving and you’re a little nervous about attending a new school. From a personal perspective, you have so much to consider.

Embarking on the U.S. college application journey as an expat can feel as puzzling as your first day at your new international school — despite your well-developed cultural adaptability, cross-cultural communication skills, and unique global perspective. Having spent my formative years attending an American school in the Netherlands, I felt equally perplexed by the U.S. college admissions process. I was excited at the prospect of living in the U.S. for the first time since I was four years old; however, I was scared to be an ocean away from my family and nervous about how to navigate the process.

Do you enjoy learning about the brain and how it works, why we make the decisions we make, and how the brain influences our behaviors? Are you interested in mental health? If you answered yes to either (or both!) of these questions, psychology might be the path for you.

The college admissions process has long been a rite of passage but has arguably become more stressful in recent years as admission rates at selective institutions continue to drop. Plus, more students are continuing on to college, and each student, on average, is applying to more colleges than ever before.