Ivy Admissions
Finding Your Niche
This week we want to focus on finding your niche. This is one of
the best pieces of advice we give students who ask us how they
can set themselves apart in the college admissions process. Do
you have an interest that is on the unusual side? Pursue it! We
help our students develop their interests and find their academic
niche for their own growth, but also because colleges are seeking
a diverse, well-rounded class. One of the ways to demonstrate a
passion for something is to dedicate your summer to delving
further into it. Use our summer guide to lead you in the right
direction!
FIND YOUR NICHE
You may have heard that colleges don’t look for “well-rounded”
students, but rather a well-rounded class. That is true at all
competitive colleges. When top colleges look at similar
applicants, they often ask themselves, “What is the student’s
prospective major?” Obviously if they admitted all government
majors or English majors, the campus would be pretty dull. So
they are always on the lookout for mathematicians, classicists,
chemists, linguists, etc…, rather than the same group of
“pre-med” or biology majors. So if you have more than one
interest, lead with the one that will give you an edge in the
process. If you’re a girl and you’ve always liked math, full
steam ahead! That is a more appealing applicant than yet another
political science major as far as colleges are concerned. Do your
homework and compare departments in all the schools to which
you’re applying. Take the time to visit particular departments,
talk to professors, speak with research librarians about their
collections, etc…. The more focused, and serious you are, the
better. You’ll find this makes a big difference, especially for
applicants who might otherwise be “on the fence.” But, follow
your OWN deepest interests, rather than change yourself just to
appear unusual. We always work with our students, beginning their
freshman year, to help them identify what it is that makes their
hearts sing. Then, we support them as they take that interest to
a higher level.
CONTESTS AND AWARDS
Another way to hone your niche is to participate in contests in
that area. We have compiled a guide with the best and most
prestigious contests and awards available to high school
students. Click here to get yours today!
Likely Letters
February is the month for likely letters. Likely letters may come
from top colleges under a set of special circumstances, as we
discuss below. Since we know many of our students receive these
letters, we wanted to shed some light on what they mean and how
to handle them – or handle NOT getting one! One thing is for
sure: even if you receive a likely letter, it is extremely
important to keep your grades up for the remainder of the year!
While it is mostly true that a likely letter is the same thing as
an acceptance letter, this will not be the case if you let your
grades slip! Getting behind in a class? Check out our ABC
Academic Tutoring package to get your grades back on track!
LIKELY LETTERS
As you know by now from reading these newsletters, college
admissions is not transparent. Likely letters, for instance, are
a bit on the gray side. Many top colleges will send out a “likely”
letter in February—often to recruited athletes, minority applicants,
superacademic stars and other special cases—saying that although
they can’t tell you officially, it is “likely” that you will be accepted in
April. YES, that IS the same as an acceptance letter as long as your
grades don’t drop or anything. Some things to keep in mind though
about likely letters:
1. Not all schools send them, so if you don’t get one, it may not
mean anything
2. There is a timing issue — colleges are not allowed to send
likely letters after a specific date (usually late February) so
if they haven’t had a chance to read your application two or
three times, you won’t get one EVEN IF YOU QUALIFY.
3. Colleges use some kind of ranking scale for likely letters.
For instance, Dartmouth uses a 1-9 scale, and usually only 8’s
and 9’s (or the equivalent) get likely letters.
4. Keep in mind that certain targeted groups like African
Americans and Hispanics can get a likely even if they are slightly lower on the scale, say 6-7. Every school is a bit different.
In short, you should not panic if you do NOT receive a likely
letter. In actual fact, only a small percentage of apps ever get
one (usually 10% or less). But if you do get one, relax and be
happy! Some of the pressure from regular decision should be
melting away….
Do read this article in the Harvard Crimson about 2008 Likely Letters.
SAMPLE LIKELY LETTER
Here is a copy of a REAL likely letter:
Dear X:
Your application to Cornell University has been reviewed by the
admissions selection committee, and I am writing to let you know
that you are very likely to be admitted to Cornell. Although the
Ivy League schools won’t officially notify students of their
admission decisions until later this month, we wanted to share
this good news with you now.
I hope this advance notice will encourage you to learn more about
Cornell. I invite you to visit the campus in the near future if
you have not already done so. In addition, we will be inviting
accepted international students to a Web chat in early April.
Current international students and members of the admissions
staff will be on hand for several hours to answer questions
online. An e-mail invitation with the time and date of the chat
will be sent later. Another great way to explore Cornell is
through our Web site: http://www.cornell.edu/.
And speaking of visiting, please mark your calendar with the
dates of our annual Cornell Days program, which begins on
Thursday, April 5, and runs on selected dates through Monday,
April 16. The Cornell Days program is an opportunity for you to
meet faculty and students, have lunch in one of our outstanding
dining facilities, tour the campus, and ask all the questions you
may have about Cornell. Details can be found at
http://www.xxx.com. In addition, Ithaca itself is a charming
college town offering much to do and see. If you are unavailable
during the dates listed, you can arrange to visit at a time that
is convenient for you and your family.
Detailed information on housing and dining options will be sent
with admission letters. In the meantime, you can begin to
explore residential living and dining options via the Web at
http://www.xxx.com.
For international students, The International Students and
Scholars Office (ISSO) provides programming and advice on a
variety of topics. Detailed information concerning visas,
financial matters, and orientation for international students
will also be sent with admission letters, but an introduction to
the ISSO staff and services can be found at their Web site:
http://www.xxx.com.
If you have any questions about Cornell, we would love to hear
from you. Call 607-xxx-xxxx or e-mail us at X if we can be of
assistance.
Please accept my congratulations on your many achievements! I
wish you the very best as you complete your final school year,
and I look forward to the possibility of welcoming you to the
campus as a future Cornellian.
Sincerely,
Associate Provost
Admissions and Enrollment
What makes our GRE tutoring different?
Question: What makes your GRE tutoring different than others out there?
-Tomo T
To answer your questions, the primary difference between our GRE program and the programs
of companies like Kaplan and Princeton Review is that our approach focuses on the design of the
test rather than on the supposed subject matter of the test. For example, rather than ask you to
memorize thousands of words for the analogies, we show you how to use the words you already
know and the rules of the test to figure out which answer choices are correct without
necessarily knowing the meanings of all the words in the question; we take similar approaches
to all the other question types.
We also address the idiosyncrasies of the CAT format, of course. Unfortunately, the CAT format
is such that a person can easily end up with a much lower score than he deserves if he doesn’t
know to exploit the weaknesses in the format. The situation is further complicated by the fact
that the ETS only provides us with two sample tests to practice on, so we have to make sure we
use them wisely.
Please let me know if you have any other questions or anything, and I wish you the best of luck
with your GRE preparation!
Best,
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Learn More about our GRE Tutoring Program.
Princeton Surge Beats Harvard as Applications Soar
Read this Business Week article on the surge in applications this
year. Princeton Surge Beats Harvard as Applications Soar
Private vs. Public High School
Many parents ask us if, for college admissions purposes, it’s
better to attend a well known private school versus a public
school. The key to this question is, “for college admissions
purposes.” The truth is, parents should not make any decisions
based purely on college admissions odds – that’s the wrong
way to address a crucial choice that involves far more variables
than simply college admissions. One valid reason to send your son
or daughter to private school is if you want him or her to have
smaller classes, specific classes not offered at your particular
public school, a different social environment, athletic
opportunities not found at your local school, etc. The worst
reason to send a student is in the vain hope of bettering college
admissions odds. Most of the Ivies admit roughly 25% of their
populations from private schools and roughly 65-70% from public
(the rest from parochial or home-schooled), but that merely
reflects the fact that more kids from public school apply —
again, the acceptance rates are usually about equal.
Even a student who is No. 1 in a top public school will not be
accepted to top colleges if he or she has low scores on the SAT
and SAT Subject Tests. Another thing to consider is the
competition: at top private schools like Andover and Exeter, only
the top students get into the very top colleges. It’s actually
harder to be in the top 5-10% of the class at a place where
almost everyone is qualified versus a big public school with some
“dead weight.” In short, you should make this decision based on
the options, comfort level, course offerings, sports and
specialty offerings for your child rather than trying to outwit
college admissions officers who will not be impressed just by a
big name private school.
Most importantly, students will perform better — and be
happier — at a school where they feel most comfortable. If a
student truly loves Andover, and the family believes that the
expense is warranted, then Andover is the right choice. If the
local public school has great teachers, neighborhood friends, a
full line up of AP courses, and a safe environment, then it may
be worth more to a student than any of the famous prep schools.
Happy New Year — Now Think About Summer!
It’s hard to think about summer as you celebrate a bright new
year! But, we want you to shift your focus as the best summers
take planning.
As you probably know by now, the Common Application has added a
new category called WORK EXPERIENCE with five or so lines of
description. Getting a job is as important today to admissions
officers as community service was ten years ago.
Many well-heeled and well-intentioned parents are convinced that
it would benefit their children to talk to someone who could
arrange an unusual or prestigious internship for summer. Their
goal is to pull in a favor or two to acquire fancy internships
for their kids. Colleges are not stupid and can usually figure
out that someone pulled a string — otherwise, how could a normal
16-year-old with virtually no qualifications end up working in a
high-profile law firm or an investment bank? In fact, having this
kind of internship often backfires because colleges then hold it
against the student because he/she obviously couldn’t find
his/her own job or meaningful experience without adult help.
Colleges look for students who create opportunities for
themselves, not simply those who have things handed to them on a
silver platter. With that in mind, here are some ideas for
summer:
- Take classes at a local community college or school to deepen
your interest in a particular scholarly area.
- Pursue an activity or hobby on your own to take it to a
higher level.
- Get a real job — try bussing tables, pouring coffee, bagging
groceries — show that you can handle responsibility.
- Do some serious reading and keep track of what you read –
some colleges ASK what you’ve read lately.
- Investigate in detail specific departments and programs in
colleges you are interested in so you can provide real evidence
as to why you are interested in X school.
- Do not sign up for a high priced program that sends you
complimentary mailings about how you’ve been “selected.” - If you are a top level athlete, sign up for elite sports
camps where college coaches will be recruiting attendees.
Legacy Status
We are often asked about the power of legacy status for an applicant. “If my mom went to College X does it increase my odds of being admitted to College X?” The answer may surprise you – not necessarily. Yes, your parent having gone to the college to which you are applying might carry weight, but check with each school. Some colleges only count legacy for their early decision applicants. Some schools such as California Institute of Technology, Texas A&M, and Cooper Union never give legacies an advantage. Pick up the phone and call the admissions office at College X and ask the question if you can’t find details in their materials. [Read more]
Top College Interview Policies
- Yale is the only Ivy that offers on-campus EVALUATIVE interviews.
- Harvard offers on-campus interviews, but they are not added to a student’s file.
- Neither Stanford nor MIT offers on-campus interviews.
- Columbia and Penn allow legacies (and they count parents OR grandparents as legacies in this sense) to interview on campus.
We always recommend taking advantage of an on-campus or alumni interview when possible.
[Read more]
Dartmouth International Admissions
Dartmouth College just announced today that on the one hand, they are creating new programs to “expand their outreach efforts to target international students,” but at the same time are cutting back on international travel due to budget cutbacks.
Maria Laskaris, the director of admissions states, “I think it’s important that we build a community here that includes a strong cross-section of international students to bring the world to Dartmouth. The perspective international students have in the classroom and in the dorms and the extracurricular activities, I think, enriches the experience for everybody.”
Given Dartmouth’s numerous off campus study programs and international outlook, increasing the number of international students makes sense, but where do you draw the line? Sure, many would argue that international students give a lot of bang for the buck on real diversity and I would agree. But for every international student who comes to Dartmouth, the admissions odds go down for American students and with the current admissions scene, that can be discouraging to aspiring Dartmouth applicants.
For the class of 2011, international students comprise a record 9 percent of the class. Most Ivies cap the number of international students at 7-15%, no more and the odds for international applicants are generally lower than the odds for American students given how many students apply from so many different foreign countries. What percentage of international students is ideal? Hard to say given so many other priorities. Is it fair that international students compose only a tenth of the class while recruited athletes compose nearly 20% of the entering class? How much diversity do recruited athletes bring to campus versus a brilliant student from Norway? Or a minority student from Harlem? None of these are easy questions – what do you think?
Do Your Research
We can’t tell you how many times kids report to us that they want to go to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth, etc… but when we ask them why, they have no good reason. Colleges want to know WHY you are applying — are you impressed by their world-famous chemistry program? The well-known English department? The art history department with a specialty in Renaissance art? Often times students with particular interests do themselves a great disservice by not bothering to check if the schools on their list match their own academic interest. For example, if you like ancient languages you’d want to apply to a school that at least offered classes in Latin, Greek, Aramaic, Sanskrit and the like. [Read more]
Congratulations Everyone!
Michele’s students had record breaking acceptances in the early round of college admissions results for the Class of 2014.
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Ivy League Admissions Statistics
Our exclusive data on the Class of 2014 Ivy League Admissions statistics, now updated for Early Action and Early Admissions for the class entering 2010. See exactly how many students applied and how many were accepted to different schools.
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