College Admissions Guide

When people discover our profession, they either love us or hate us. As part of our academic careers, we serve as admissions officers at Ivy League schools. Everyone has strong thoughts on the subject and specific questions for us. How do we choose candidates? Do we give an edge to minority students? Is the deck stacked against a low-income white applicant?

We're amazed at the many myths and misconceptions that surround the Ivy League admission mystique. Despite a strong public relations campaign to encourage applications, we repeatedly see qualified students hold back, while other less talented candidates feel entitled to admission for irrelevant reasons. We have the challenging job of assembling a talented, diverse class from an overwhelming number of candidates. Due to space limitations, we must reject 80-95% of all applicants, including many with perfect test scores and grade point averages. How do we do it? What gives an applicant an edge?

We have published comprehensive guides to enable potential students (undergraduate, medical school, business school and law school) to better approach the Ivy League admissions process. Our mission:

1. To encourage applicants who meet the stringent admissions criteria

2. To discourage non-competitive applicants whose needs are better served by less selective schools

3. To dispel common myths about the relevance of minority status, socioeconomic background, and athletic recruiting

4. To describe the relevance of SAT scores, including the mathematical formula used to determine admission "cutoffs"

5. To enable applicants to choose the courses and outside activities that will maximize their chances for Ivy League admission

6. To prepare candidates for their admissions interview

7. To help applicants solicit recommendation letters that support their application

8. To ultimately improve the quality and diversity of the applicant pool by disseminating useful, relevant inside information about the admissions process

For over 20 years, we have served on selection committees for Ivy League schools. We know the intricacies of the process and the fatal mistakes many applicants make. We've watched otherwise viable candidates lose their chances for admission because they didn't know how to present themselves to the committee. By sharing our perspective, we can help prospective candidates understand and optimize their admission chances.

Our publication, Ivy League Admission Guide: Undergraduate School (ISBN: 978-1-933819-69-3) discusses the following topics:

Chapter 1. The College Admissions Process

The Ivy League
Your College Choices
Requirements for Admission
How Each Admissions Criterion is Evaluated
Admissions Officers
The Application Review Process
Crunching the Numbers: Grades & SAT Scores
The Academic Index (AI)
Mitigating Factors in Admissions Decisions
The Admissions Committee (A Look Behind the Scenes)
Special Cases (where the "normal" rules don't apply)

Chapter 2. College Essays

The Importance of Your Essay in the Admissions Decision
Writing Tips
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Strengths to Highlight

Chapter 3. Recommendation Letters for College Admission

What Makes a Great Letter?
How Reference Letters are Used
Letters from Guidance Counselors
Academic References
Additional Reference Letters
Red Flags Regarding Your Choice of Reference Letter Writers
Challenges to Getting a Great Reference
Using the Rating Scale as a Guide
Universal Traits that Colleges Seek
How to Ask for a College Reference Letter

Chapter 4. The Interview: Questions & Strategies to Gain Admission

A Profile of Successful Applicants
Tips to Asking & Answering Questions Effectively
Interview Preparation
A "Typical" Interviewer
Interview Styles
Interview Mistakes and Disasters
Interview Questions Arranged by Category
Questions to Ask the Interviewer
Conclusions

Chapter 5. Conclusion: Our Best Tips to Gain Admission

The Truth About Waitlisting
If You are Rejected
Common Questions & Answers

Appendices

Appendix 2: Sample Rating Sheet
Appendix 3: Request for Recommendation Letters
Appendix 4: Sample List of Match Points
Appendix 5: Sample Thank You Note for a Reference Letter
Appendix 6: A Persuasive College Recommendation Letter
Appendix 7: Sample Interview Rating Form
Appendix 8: An Effective Response to Being Waitlisted

Few applicants realize the power (and responsibility) they have to project a polished, professional image. From our experience, few candidates are accepted by accident: their success is a culmination of hard work, initiative and strategic planning.

Optimize your chances of Ivy League admission with advice from actual committee members. Learn how you will be evaluated. Know your chances. At each step in the admissions process, convey exactly the attributes you want the committee to see. Our selection criteria and inside advice will probably surprise you!

To order the electronic (pdf) version of the guide for $20, please click the link below.

Ivy League Admission Guide: Undergraduate School

(Revised and Updated in September 2012)

Note: For security reasons, the electronic version of this product is no longer available for immediate download from our server. Instead, we will send it to you via email when we receive your order. Our delivery hours are 8 am - 8 pm (Eastern time), 7 days per week.

Our Best Tips for Gaining Admission:

Even if you don't order our guide, we would like to leave you with a quick summary of our best tips for gaining admission:

Take every honors and AP class available and obtain top grades in them
Take the AP tests immediately after you complete the coursework and ace them, too
Do whatever is necessary to get top scores on the SAT I & SAT II tests
Maintain a love of reading throughout your life, which will allow you to expand your vocabulary and improve your reading comprehension skills
Do independent research outside the classroom in your favorite subjects
Compete for national and local academic awards and titles
Choose one or two favorite outside interests and ascend to a leadership position in them
Demonstrate your commitment to an area outside academia, such as a hobby, entrepreneurial venture, tutoring or volunteer work.
ultivate a strong positive relationship with your teachers and guidance counselors
Devote at least 3 hours a week to a favorite cause or charity
Devote at least a day or two a week to a part-time job
aster a foreign language and travel for enrichment whenever possible
Keep abreast of current events on the national and international level
Develop your written and oral communication skills through writing and debate
Write compelling essays that show your unique personality
Use a proactive approach to obtain the best references possible
Learn how your school reports your rank/class standing to colleges
Determine if you qualify as a "special case," which will improve your chance for admission
Try to interview with your top school to show your enthusiasm
Apply to a number of schools that differ in selectivity to ensure multiple acceptances