Nowadays, the college your child attends can exercise significant influence on their careers. Some universities boast top-tier programs, luxurious amenities or celebrity alumni. But no collection of universities in the United States has amassed quite the level of prestige that the Ivy League commands today.
Consisting of eight universities, the Ivy League is synonymous with elite education and professional success. The coalition of Harvard, Brown, Dartmouth, Princeton, Yale, Columbia, UPenn and Cornell uses a highly selective application and admission process in order to procure the top talent from each year’s crop of prospective freshman. A common sentiment regarding an Ivy League education suggests that the “hardest part is getting in.” While there’s no measure of how accurate this statement may be, it is clear that presenting the strongest possible application is essential for admission. Here are a fews tips for how to make your student’s Ivy League application unforgettable.
Specialize or Diversify
When it comes to Ivy Leaguers, there is no shortage of excellence. A strategic approach may be to have your child specialize in a particular area of academics, extracurriculars, athletics or volunteering and seek to become the best. National awards, global social change headlines and state championships are just a few measures of success in a given specialty, all of which look marvelous on an application.
Conversely, if your student tends to be more of a jack-of-all-trades, encourage them to diversify their interests. Instead of striving to be the world-reigning spelling bee champion and nothing else, urge your young one to excel in many areas. Take care not to press them for national mastery across the board, or you can cause undue stress. Remember that an applicant who operates a weekly volunteer group, earns top scores in class and enjoys playing a rare varsity sport, for example, is just as interesting as a savant in one distinct area.
Consistency
Once you decide whether to specialize or diversify your child’s time and skill set, stay consistent. Ivy League universities prize regular, long-term effort in order to achieve a goal. Why, do you ask? Because college requires regular, long-term effort in order to achieve a degree. Ivy League universities prize themselves on sky-high retention rates, and they want students who intend to complete the program. By demonstrating that your child can commit to playing lacrosse all four years while maintaining a strong GPA, for example, application readers appreciate the ability to manage time effectively.
Originality
The college application gamble is exactly that, a gamble. There is no tried-and-true method for acceptance, and no lather-rinse-repeat process to gain entry. But in an increasingly competitive application pool full of more aspiring Ivy Leaguers than ever before, the name of the game is not only excellence, but originality. Think critically about how your child can contribute a unique perspective, energy or presence to a college campus. Are they well-versed in a niche area of literature? Or perhaps they take initiative by establishing innovative organizations or clubs? Maybe they’ve experienced living in a wide variety of cultural contexts and can speak multiple languages? Regardless of what sets your student apart, definitely underscore that throughout the application. After all, the world is globalizing, and in order for the Ivy League to continue to remain top-tier, they must find young people who can bolster their global prestige and influence.
All in all, the key to a strong Ivy League application is leveraging specialized or diversified skill sets with a display of consistency and originality. Wishing each and every one of your students good luck!
