College Prep

Events How To Build a Competitive College Admissions Profile DATE AND TIME Thursday, August 15 3pm ET Free Register ABOUT THIS EVENT Building an authentic and compelling profile throughout high school is key to college admissions success. Activities, interests, and academic pursuits all come together to tell the story of who a student is in their college application, bringing them to life to the admissions committee. But each student's interests and goals are as unique as they are, so how can they build a strong profile if they're unsure about where to start?

Events Don’t Call It a Comeback: The Return of Standardized Testing DATE AND TIME Monday, August 26 12pm ET Free Register ABOUT THIS EVENT Join IvyWise college admissions and test prep experts to learn about important changes in standardized testing and how to succeed in the hyper-competitive process. Many selective universities, including Brown, Caltech, Dartmouth, and Harvard, will be returning to requiring test scores from the 2024-2025 admissions cycle Many others, including Cornell, Stanford, and Yale, will reinstate the requirement from the 2025-2026 cycle The Digital SAT is now being offered both in the U.S.

Events Red, White, and Royal Blue: U.S. vs.

Events Class of 2025 College Application Primer With Former Admissions Directors DATE AND TIME On Demand Free Watch Now ABOUT THIS EVENT After three years of hard work, it is almost time for the Class of 2025 to apply to college!  But what comes next? Join IvyWise college admissions counselors for a deep dive into the college application process and how you can set yourself up for success as you look ahead to the 2024-2025 college admissions cycle.

Events It's Not Too Late to Make the Most of Summer 2024 DATE AND TIME On Demand Free Watch Now ABOUT THIS EVENT Summer is just around the corner, but it’s not too late to plan for a productive break! From conducting an independent project to attending a summer program at a university campus, there are several ways for students to fight summer brain drain and stay on track with their college admissions goals! Join IvyWise college admissions counselors and a member of the Summer Discovery team as they explain the importance of having a productive summer and share suggestions to identify the best activities, courses, and programs for your interests and goals.

Events Building Your Profile with a College Admissions Counselor DATE AND TIME On Demand Free Watch Now ABOUT THIS EVENT Building an authentic and compelling profile throughout high school is key to college admissions success. Activities, interests, and academic pursuits all come together to tell the story of who a student is in their college application, bringing them to life to the admissions committee. But each student's interests and goals are as unique as they are, so how can they build a strong profile if they're unsure about where to start?

Events A Look Inside Liberal Arts Colleges with a Former Admissions Director DATE AND TIME On Demand Free Watch Now ABOUT THIS EVENT Join IvyWise college admissions counselor Eric for a deep dive into liberal arts colleges. With over 3,000 four-year institutions in the U.S.

Events Class of 2028 College Application Primer With Former Admissions Directors DATE AND TIME On Demand Free Watch Now ABOUT THIS EVENT As the Class of 2028 finishes up eighth grade and looks ahead to beginning high school, now is the perfect time to start thinking about how to make the most of their next few years. Join IvyWise college admissions counselors for a deep dive into the college application process and how you can set yourself up for success in high school. Attendees learn about selecting the right courses, developing their personal profile, and identifying the best-fit extracurricular activities and summer plans.

Events Class of 2027 College Application Primer With Former Admissions Directors DATE AND TIME On Demand Free Watch Now ABOUT THIS EVENT As the Class of 2027 finishes up their first year of high school, now is a great time to regroup on the past few months and plan ahead for the rest of high school. Join IvyWise college admissions counselors for a deep dive into the college application process and how you can set yourself up for success over the next few years of high school. Attendees learn about selecting the right courses, developing their personal profile, and identifying the best-fit extracurricular activities and summer plans.

Events Class of 2026 College Application Primer With Former Admissions Directors DATE AND TIME On Demand Free Watch Now ABOUT THIS EVENT The Class of 2026 is almost halfway done with high school, but there is still plenty of time to take advantage of the flexibility and opportunity that next few years can offer. Join IvyWise college admissions counselors for a deep dive into the college application process and how you can set yourself up for success over the next few years of high school. Attendees learn about selecting the right courses, developing their personal profile, identifying the best-fit extracurricular activities and summer plans, and beginning the college search process.

Events A Look Inside Political Science and Pre-Law Colleges with Former Admissions Directors DATE AND TIME On Demand Free Watch Now ABOUT THIS EVENT Join IvyWise college admissions counselors Christine and Robin for a deep dive into colleges where you can study political science and pre-law. With over 3,000 four-year institutions in the U.S.

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. There are thousands of wonderful colleges and universities for students to consider, but many applicants are drawn toward a smaller number of schools considered “top schools” based on various rankings, adding to the already competitive nature of college admissions.

As the college admissions landscape has evolved, these are the more common questions I am getting from students and their families. Yes, grades and test scores remain pivotal, but that’s just the first hurdle. What makes the difference between being admitted, deferred, or denied is a student distinguishing themselves uniquely — what we call being "pointy.

Join this webinar to learn how IvyWise’s college admissions counselors can help you build a strong profile by identifying and pursuing the things that will help you stand out when applying to college. Register The college application process is stacked with buzzwords, including the often-used “holistic review” and “hook.” Right now, more and more families are trying to decipher terms like “profile building,” “applicant profile,” and “telling your story.

Spring heralds the arrival of the campus visit season when colleges welcome students to take a tour and attend an information session. After limiting in-person visits due to the pandemic, many colleges are once again offering tours regularly. At IvyWise, we encourage students to attend virtual and on-campus tours when possible because the benefits of college tours — whether in-person or via a computer — are plentiful!

By Robin, IvyWise College Admissions Counselor Enter any conversation about college admissions, and you will inevitably hear the word “transcript.” This all-important document presents an academic narrative of the applicant, showcasing the grades and courses the student has taken throughout their high school career. When college admissions officers read a student’s application, they not only review what grades the student has earned but also the rigor of the student’s course selection.

“Today was a good day at school. Ingrid and I played at recess.” And so began my very first journal entry.

We say this all the time: the earlier you start on college prep the better. But how early is early? The reality is that colleges look at everything from 9th grade on – meaning students need to show up to day one of high school ready to go.

The process of preparing for, taking, and responding to standardized test scores is a stressful and overwhelming one for students and families, and with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, this process has only become more stressful in recent years. One of the ways that colleges have responded to the pandemic's obstacles is to implement test-optional admissions policies to avoid disadvantaging students who have been unable to sit for an ACT or SAT. This was a sudden and drastic shift that left many students and families with questions about how it will impact their own applications.

“To get into a good college, do I need to play an instrument, join a team sport, participate in community service, run for student government, win robotics and writing competitions, sing in the school musical, write for the newspaper, and design the yearbook cover?” One of the most common questions I receive as a college counselor is some version of the above. As the college admissions process becomes increasingly competitive and opaque, students feel pressured to do it all.

The Common Application for the 2024-25 college application season opens on August 1, 2024! The Common App essay prompts will remain the same for the upcoming admissions cycle. The Common Application is the most widely used application for college admissions in the U.