How to Get Into The Ivy League

Many kids have a dream of going to an Ivy League school, but although some kids seem to sail right in, other amazing students seem to fall through the cracks. And it’s hard not to feel stressed when hearing this year’s college admissions stats – the process is more competitive than ever. And, like every year, there seem to be some really surprising stories like:

• The outstanding candidate who didn’t get in anywhere, let alone an Ivy League school;
• The “under-the-radar” kid who got into Harvard; and
• The kid who is planning to attend a program or school that you’ve never heard of (but that actually sounds very cool and timely).

So, how can we interpret this year’s college admissions results?

First, the essential truth: college admissions is an incredibly stressful process for teens and their parents. In so many ways it is random, and feels very unfair to the tens of thousands of incredibly hardworking and accomplished students who face disappointment along the way. Perhaps the best thing you can do if you are in this position is to remind your teen that it’s a numbers game, and sometimes the numbers don’t work out. It really isn’t about them. 

FWIW, and recognizing that there is only so much you can do, here are 3 ways to make sense of a system that feels like it’s getting crazier and less predictable (but where certain basic principles still apply, and there are a few things you can do to improve your own chances):

1. So many people are applying to Ivy League and other top schools these days that the system has become a lottery EVEN for many “perfect” candidates

This year, over 40,000 kids applied to Harvard. Over 100,000 applied to UCLA. And over 40,000 to Northwestern. These schools are not outliers: the application numbers have exploded because kids are applying to more and more schools each year.

These days, most candidates to ultra competitive colleges have perfect (or near-perfect) grades and board scores. They also tend to have a lot of the same extracurriculars (think: school-based sports, student government and clubs). 

Sad reality: probably 98% of these kids meet the criteria for admission. And the vast majority of them are rejected.

For good reason, this fact creates major anxiety in teens and parents. But in our experience there’s something simple that anyone can do to marginally improve the odds: 

Choose UNIQUE AND DIFFERENT extracurricular activities that complement academic interests and strengths. Make sure you can point to a thematic narrative arc that really SHOWS why you are different from the other 149,999 applicants in the pile. Remember: even the “PERFECT” candidate needs a hook. It’s not a guarantee, but it does make it somewhat more likely that you’ll stand out.

2. Every applicant is telling a “STORY” in their application (that may not be consistent with what you see on the outside)

We’ve all heard the comments (“can you believe (SHE) got into Yale?! She got a 3 on the AP Chem exam!!”). But it’s hard to know exactly what “story” a candidate is telling in her applications. Often, kids are totally unaware when their peers are supplementing school-based extracurriculars with interesting and different activities outside of school.

Here’s what we know with total certainty: if your “story” is that you were captain of the soccer and lacrosse teams, had a 4.0 unweighted GPA and were class president, you are awesome. But you are awesome in the exact same way as a lot of other kids, so it’s going to be very hard for you to stand out. 

Kids who punch above their weight in college admissions often have a more interesting story to tell than the stories being told by their peers. Usually, they’ve done something TOTALLY DIFFERENT outside of school that links in well with their academic interests. You may just not know about it. These are the kids who get into top colleges even if their grades are a little softer.

3. There are some really interesting interdisciplinary college programs out there for kids whose search is led by well-defined academic interests and passions rather than pure school rankings 

Colleges and universities have gotten more sophisticated and niche in their offerings. The world is changing fast, and savvy schools have pivoted to offer courses and degrees that are arguably a better fit for the modern workplace. More and more, ambitious students are abandoning the traditional “top schools” for courses that align better with their passions and long-term career ambitions. Getting into these programs can be as or even more challenging than admission to highly selective traditional colleges because candidates need to show evidence of deep and sustained interest and experience in the specialized area. 

Often, these interesting programs lie at the intersection of two or three disciplines, e.g. “media, information and technology”, or “art, design and engineering.” These are not the types of programs offered at a lot of the top liberal arts colleges. But, these interdisciplinary degrees often translate directly into 21st century jobs. And teens are noticing.

How does a teen at a traditional American high school develop the kinds of interests and strengths that would lead to this highly focused college search? Don’t hesitate to pursue extracurriculars in seemingly disparate areas if there is an eventual thematic link (e.g. biology and public policy, culminating with a research project in bioethics). Happily, this strategy can pay dividends whether or not you plan to apply to a traditional college or a more specialized program. 

Conclusion?

It’s hard not to be spooked by the news from the college admissions world. But there are a few things that any teen can do that may improve their chances. Top grades and board scores are table stakes. Beyond that, teens should pursue activities that help them develop more unique and original extracurricular profiles. In this environment, it’s the ONLY thing you can do to STAND OUT. The outcome will hopefully be a more interesting and engaged person, and a more attractive candidate for college admissions. And, it might even lead to some surprising, and eye-opening, college choices.