Posts tagged as:

college admissions help

Taking a year off after high school - will it help you get into Ivy League schools?

Thumbnail image for Taking a year off after high school - will it help you get into Ivy League schools?

I was asked this question recently by a reader - he specifically wanted to know if it was a good idea to spend a year on a volunteer program in Africa before reapplying for top schools like Stanford and UPenn.
My answer: a qualified yes.
Why a “qualified” yes and not outright yes, yes, yes?
Because there are [...]

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How Ivy League schools look at your high school extracurriculars

A typical Ivy League school like Yale will look at the following things:
1) Leadership
Was the student an officer of the club? Did he/she manage people, lead and organize events? Was he/she elected to increasingly more prominent positions, like president?
Leadership is an important characteristic of the strongest applicants to the best universities.
What should you take away?
-Run [...]

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Why high school summers are crucial to winning college admissions

Don’t overlook how important each summer can be to your chances of going to a dream college.
Most students flip burgers and work at Gap, but the best students - the ones who get into Harvard and Stanford - fill their summers with extracurricular activities, impressive jobs, and international travel.
Here’s what you need to know about [...]

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The biggest secret you will ever learn about Ivy League admissions

It’s the stories, not the scores.
It’s the stories, stupid.
This is one of the biggest secrets that I share in my guide to elite college admissions.
Students are doing it ALL WRONG. They focus on the WRONG THINGS - things like an extra 50 points on the Math section of the SAT; 2 more AP tests; [...]

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Five last minute tricks to get into Harvard and Princeton

Many of you are lazy and will wait until junior or senior year before starting college applications. It’s a horrible idea.
I’m guilty of it as well - that’s what my last minute guide to Harvard and Stanford admissions is all about - how to make yourself sound like a top candidate in the weeks and [...]

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Why a good midyear report can help you get into Harvard

So you’ve submitted your applications to Harvard, Stanford, or any of the Ivy Leagues. Now you’re waiting to hear back and anxious about the result. Some of you have been waitlisted after Early Action.
I went through this process awhile back - and was accepted at Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, and other Ivy League schools. I also [...]

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