With a competitive admissions process, getting into an Ivy League college can seem daunting. They only take the best of the best. This is one of the reasons they are so prestigious. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try to get into one. By understanding the admissions process and showcasing your unique qualities, you can increase your chances of being accepted.
If you get accepted, then you will have some incredible opportunities when you are ready to start a career. If you don’t know how to get into Harvard or some other elite school, you just need to follow a few steps to position yourself. In this article, we will review what you can do to increase your chances.
1 – Take the Right Classes
While you are in high school, you need to be laying the foundation to get accepted to an Ivy League school. This means taking classes that will look great on the application. Although high grades do matter, the right classes will make an even better impression.
The types of courses will depend on what you are going to study, but the formula essentially is to take rigorous courses. Look to get into AP classes that will show that you are ready for challenging material. Dual enrollment classes will also help to have some experience with taking on a full workload and still thrive.
Be strategic about it and pick classes that you can excel in but without neglecting your other studies, extracurricular activities, and family and friend time.
2 – Do Extracurricular Activities
To stand out in the eyes of an admissions board, you need to be a well-rounded person in high school. Not only that, but you have to set yourself apart from your peers in a unique way.
The way to achieve this is through careful selection of extracurricular activities to focus on while you are in high school. The best way to achieve this is to be a sort of specialist. Rather than doing a wide range of activities, focus on one or two that you can master and create a name for yourself.
You will be able to excel at your chosen interest and collect some achievements that will help you stand out. By doing too many activities, you will usually fail to achieve anything meaningful to put on your application.
3 – Get Letters of Recommendation
Having somebody vouch for your character, ethics, and ability will help you in the application process. There are two key people that you should reach out to for a letter of recommendation.
The first is your guidance counselor who has been following your career during your studies and understanding who you are and what you can achieve. You should also try to get two letters from your teachers who have also been with you every step of your high school career.
Ask the admissions office if you should have more than that since some will require letters from other officials, such as the directors of the various activities you participated in.
