Course Planning

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.

So, you've begun developing your college list. Hopefully, you've established your priorities and started your research. Looking over your preliminary list, you can't pinpoint why several of those schools are even on your list in the first place.

The MBA admissions process is highly competitive, and for many applicants, especially those who are applying after years in the workforce, navigating the MBA admissions landscape can be difficult. There are a number of questions that come up time and time again when applicants are weighing their MBA options and our expert MBA admissions counselor is here to answer them. How can MBA applicants identify their best-fit MBA programs?

Despite the recession, a business education is still a hot commodity—and if you’ve found yourself glued to MarketWatch.com, thinking about how to launch your great business idea, or wowed by the impact of Twitter and Facebook on customer service, you might want to consider a school with an undergraduate business program. There are many undergraduate business programs in the country, offering a wide range of opportunities for students interested in fields such as finance, accounting, international business, real estate, marketing, information technology and entrepreneurship.

For most 9th and 10th graders, the thought of college is so far off they don’t want to engage with the process until it becomes more time-sensitive in 11th grade. Many think “well I have a lot of time to think about this,” and while this is true they also need to be actively engaging in simple college prep tasks to get and stay on track with their college admissions goals. This might sound overwhelming to some underclassmen – thinking about college prep while also juggling current schoolwork and activities – but when approached in the right manner it can be really fun and exciting for everyone!

Winter College Prep Goals For High School Students The earlier that you start the college admissions process, the better, and there’s a lot that high school students can do now to stay on track for the college admissions process and tackle their winter college prep goals. All four years of high school count in the college admissions process, not just the last two. Things like grades, courses, activities, summer experiences, and more can be planned and executed starting freshman and sophomore year in order to better prepare students for the actual application process come senior year.

By IvyWise Graduate Admissions Counselors You made it to college! You’re attending the school of your dreams and enjoying all that college life has to offer. For most undergraduate students, graduate school is a possibility, but many aren’t sure until closer to application time.

As seniors receive their admissions decisions, high school juniors should use the first few weeks in April to set up one-to-one meetings with their guidance counselors to make the most of their high school college counseling meetings. Regardless of whether or not you attend a large public high school or a small private school, your guidance counselor is bound to be very busy. In an effort to make the most of the little time you’ll have together, heed our advice and begin forging your relationship early.

Is the study of history – history? In recent years, only about 1% of college students graduate with a degree in history. In fact, between 2008 and 2017, the latest year with available data, the number of history majors has plummeted by nearly 30%.

A portion of this resource addresses SAT Subject Tests. In January 2021, the College Board announced that both SAT Subject Tests and the optional essay portion of the current SAT exam would be discontinued. For more information on how this impacts college admissions, click here.

A portion of this resource addresses SAT Subject Tests. In January 2021, the College Board announced that both SAT Subject Tests and the optional essay portion of the current SAT exam would be discontinued. For more information on how this impacts college admissions, click here.

With an increasing number of new technologies and an expanding global population, self-studying is on the rise. Education is no longer confined to just the classroom, and some would argue that the classroom model is outdated and does not meet the intellectual needs of individuals in such an interconnected society. Being an autodidact, or self-teacher, has become increasingly feasible due to MOOCs (massive open online courses), Internet encyclopedias, and more colleges and universities offering courses online.

Setting academic and college prep goals now is a great way to get students excited about their college prep and alleviate some of the stress commonly associated with planning for college. While it may not be time to apply to college yet, starting to think about academic and college prep goals now will make it easier for students to identify solid goals by the time application season rolls around. It will also allow them to relax over any upcoming breaks, rather than stressing about what they need to accomplish before school is back in session.

Whether you’re a freshman still adjusting to your first year of high school, or a college-bound junior ready to hit the ground running, it’s important to set academic and college prep goals for the fall as soon as school starts back up. Goals not only help keep students on track with their college prep, they also help students learn more about who they are, what they’re interested in, and how they can better pursue those interests. Goals can also help students stay motivated during a particularly busy or stressful time.

Do you play the violin or clarinet? Sing? Are you a freestyle rapper?

Latin American studies is an exciting and unique concentration that gives students a specialized global perspective. In these programs, students study the politics, history, culture, and language of Latin American countries and become experts on the many intricate and fascinating aspects of these nations. Students have the opportunity to graduate with an interdisciplinary major, and colleges across the country have developed programs and institutes that provide student bodies with highly specialized educations in the field.

For students who are in eighth or ninth grade, college seems so far away, but this spring is actually a great time to set the foundation for your future college admissions journey as you make the most of your present college prep. The choices you make now will have the immediate benefit of making your high school years enjoyable and challenging, but they will also help you to build a strong profile that will make you a competitive college applicant. The most important thing to know is that colleges do not have one type of student that they are looking for, instead, they want to see applicants who have different passions and interests.

After navigating the undergraduate admissions process, many students might mistakenly assume that applying to medical school is more or less the same. While there are some familiar components, such as essays and standardized testing scores, the medical school admissions process is unique and requires considerable planning in order to gain admission to your top-choice medical schools. There are many steps on the road to becoming a doctor and gaining admission to a medical school that aligns with your goals is a major piece of the puzzle.

The most important document in a college application, as I tell all my students, is the transcript. Admissions committees are keen on applicants who have challenged themselves and excelled academically high school, not just in junior or senior year when they think it “counts.” Given the transcript’s importance, students should thoughtfully consider what courses they should take each year and plan ahead for subsequent years.

If you’re not already preparing for the SAT or ACT, now’s the time to get started! The spring semester is a popular testing time, and high school sophomores and juniors need to have a plan in order to prepare for these important college admission exams. An excellent SAT or ACT score is not a guarantee of admission, but it can be the difference between the “maybe” and the “no” pile when admissions officers are reviewing applications.

MBA applications are on the rise, and while most business school applicants are well aware of how much time they will need to spend preparing their applications or studying for the GMAT/GRE, many don’t necessarily consider the amount of time they should be spending on program research. Pursuing an MBA is a huge investment of your time and money, so it’s really important to do your due diligence in choosing a program that will best fit your goals. There is more to consider than just the prestige, rankings or “name brand” of an institution.

IvyWise counselors Victoria and Christine breakdown the college admissions rubric and discuss examples of different hard and soft factors that admissions officers evaluate on the college admissions podcast, giving listeners expert insight from former admissions officers. Listen Now! When making admissions decisions, colleges and universities in the US don’t just look at grades and test scores.

It is fairly common knowledge that most high schools offer honors and advanced placement courses for students looking to be challenged in their coursework. But did you know that colleges and universities also offer similar programs for undergraduate students through honors colleges? In some cases, high-achieving students are invited to enroll in a university's honors college upon acceptance, while other students seek out the honors track and apply to the honors college as part of their undergraduate admission.

Middle school was the time to perfect your study habits and learn to organize and multi-task. Middle school was also a time for trial and error. You grew into your own skin, experimented with hobbies, and readied yourself for a more focused academic career.

By IvyWise College Admissions Counselor The growing cost of college combined with the increasing demand for students in career-ready fields such as engineering, finance, computer science, and medicine has left many people challenging the liberal arts. Much of the conversation surrounding higher education is focused on value and ROI. What majors earn the most right out of college?

Making the decision to transfer colleges is not easy. For undergraduates considering a transfer to another university, the thought of going through the admissions process again is daunting, especially with an entirely different procedure to navigate. The transfer admissions process is highly competitive, especially if a student is looking to transfer to a college that is already extremely selective, and how applications are evaluated is very different.