How to Get Into an Ivy League School

Last Updated: December 4, 2022 References

Thousands of students all over the world dream to be admitted to an Ivy League or similarly elite institution, which many consider to be the pinnacle of collegiate education. Accomplishing this has become more and more difficult due to a rapidly growing applicant pool, but you can certainly increase your odds of getting into one. Here's a route that will improve your chances with the Ivy Leagues and, if nothing else, help make the most of your high-school years and prepare you for an excellent college education somewhere else.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Succeed in High School

1
Challenge yourself. Seek out the most demanding and rigorous opportunities at your school, especially in the academic arena. It's often preferable to do well in a challenging program than to be exceptional in an average one. If your school offers advanced courses, especially those for which college credit is offered, an Ivy League school will expect you to have taken them. An example would be that working for an A in AP Physics is preferable to a straight 100 average in regular Physics.
- Schools can't factor difficult teachers into their decision. They can only go off your transcript. Look for classes that will be recognized as difficult, but preferably without overly difficult grading.
- It's most helpful to take difficult classes and work hard in subjects you expect to continue with in college, because they'll also make good grades there easier.
2
Start early. Aim to be a well-rounded achiever. A slacker who decides to start making good grades late in high school probably won't be admitted. You should have a consistent history of high scholastic achievement.^{[1]
X
Research source}
- Focus on your grades in school.
- There are sometimes exceptions as colleges also love to see improvement. If your problems were due to circumstances beyond your control, you could attach a supplement to your application about what they were and how you succeeded in spite of them.
Advertisement
3
Have an excellent GPA. Having a GPA in the top 5-10% of your class is essential, and being ranked among the top few students dramatically betters your chances. Keep in mind you're applying to institutions where many of the other applicants are valedictorians at their school.^{[2]
X
Research source}
4
Have excellent standardized test scores. This is a critical part of your overall application because it's the one area where you're on equal footing with everyone else. Aim for attaining at least a 700 (out of a possible 800) points on each section of the SAT (and on individual SAT II tests), or a composite of 30 on the ACT for a reasonable chance of being admitted. Bringing these scores up to 750+ on each SAT section (meaning at least 2250 out of 2400 points in total), or a 33+ composite ACT, will give you solid scores that need not be improved.^{[3]
X
Research source}
- Do not repeat the test more than three times. According to Chuck Hughes, a former senior admissions officer at Harvard, the admission panel will notice this and your repeated attempts to get a high score may come off as too focused on scores.^{[4]
  X
  Research source} Get good before you take it.
- Take a test-preparation class or get a few books and practice. Speed and accuracy on these tests is a unique skill which needs to be learned. Start preparing early and keep at it diligently until you can solve the problems without much thinking.
5
Get involved in extracurricular activities. Ivy Leagues want to see a well-rounded applicant who didn't lock themselves away for four years to get good grades. Join a sports team (even if it's just an intramural team), join a club or two and get involved with the theater department.^{[5]
X
Research source}
- Focus on extracurricular activities.
- Rather than joining every extracurricular that you can, try to excel in 2–3 of them that really interest you.
6
Volunteer. Think on a national or international scale; don't just limit yourself to the opportunities in your hometown. Spending a summer helping raise funds to build a school in Peru will mean more to them than raising funds for your local church.^{[6]
X
Research source}
7
Lead in the areas where you excel. Look for opportunities to take on additional recognition and responsibility as a leader.^{[7]
X
Research source} This can range from becoming class president to cheerleading captain, or even an officer for a club you participate in. Take your job as a leader seriously because the lessons you learn in this role can be the experiences that set you apart from the crowd when you write your essay or get interviewed.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Master the Application Process

1
Research schools. Not all Ivy League schools offer the same experience. Find out whether the research opportunities, location, social life, students, professors, climate, dormitories and food services are things you would enjoy for four years.
2
Visit the campus. Talk with professors and current students. Get a sense of what your life there would be like. Also, try to see if you can spend a weekend there. Several colleges offer that option.
3
Research financial aid opportunities.^{[8]
X
Research source} Ivy League schools are notoriously expensive and they do not offer any athletic, merit or regional scholarships. You must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to receive aid.^{[9]
X
Research source}
4
Get teacher recommendations. Seek out teachers who know you well, have a favorable opinion of you and seem willing to write a great recommendation on your behalf. Some will appreciate if you can make their job easier with a discussion or a few notes for starting points on what to say about you.^{[10]
X
Research source}
5
Polish your application. What many applicants do not realize is that high grades and test scores will not guarantee admission. They merely "get you through" the first round of rejections. After that, the college will examine what kind of person you are. This is done through one or more essays, teacher and counselor recommendations, an interview and sometimes a peer recommendation.
- Take the time to personalize your application essay.
- Begin the application process early so that you will have sufficient time to revise anything if needed. Ask adults familiar with prestigious universities' culture (your school counselor, for example) for advice on what kinds of things from your experience to write about and how to best present them to the school. This can help with interviews too.
- Be sure to mention reasons why you want to attend the specific school to boost your chances of attending.
6
Prepare for your interview. Interviews can be with someone from the admissions office of the university or an alumni, and range from relatively nonchalant to interrogative ordeals. Dress respectfully, be expectant of questions your interviewer may ask, but above all just be yourself - or a subtly more mature version!^{[11]
X
Research source}
- Find someone to give you practice interviews. Even if they aren't familiar with the process, they will help you stay relaxed and articulate. If your interview does not go well, do not worry. Interviews are rarely indicative of whether you will be accepted or not.
7
Sit back, and wait for the results. Most Ivy League decisions arrive in early April, or can be checked online the first of the month. A few schools will send out "likely letters" to their more desirable prospects 1-2 months earlier to informally notify them of their acceptance.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

What to Do After Being Accepted Or Rejected

1
Do not allow your grades to significantly slip. Students can be dropped by schools for drastically declining grades. Any sort of arrest during this period will often result in an acceptance being taken away as well.
2
Consider other options for a wait-list decision. If you have been wait-listed, your chances of being accepted off the wait list are quite slim. Move on to your next choice.^{[12]
X
Research source}
3
Try transferring into an Ivy. If you do outstanding work at a second tier school, you can try transferring to an Ivy after a year or two. You might not receive credit toward graduation for the work done at the other school. You will probably be able to skip repeating introductory courses, but you might still have to take four years of courses, which means padding things out with more advanced courses or with courses you're interested in outside your major. Your degree is from the school where you finish, not where you begin.^{[13]
X
Research source}
- Some state colleges guarantee transfer admission to community-college students meeting grade requirements there. This can save you a bundle and even let you get in to a prestigious state college - not quite the Ivies, but close - which might refuse to admit you directly.
4
Look at graduate school programs for Ivy league schools. By doing outstanding work at an undergraduate program and performing very well on the appropriate admissions exam (e.g., GRE, LSAT) you may be able to be admitted to an Ivy League graduate program. In addition to providing excellent opportunities for scholarship, many of these programs offer opportunities for offsetting tuition and other expenses via teaching or research assistant positions.^{[14]
X
Research source}
- A prestigious graduate school can do much more to increase income in a highly-paid profession than a prestigious undergraduate program. For grad schools that focus heavily on grades, a slightly less-prestigious undergraduate program with generous grading might actually improve your chances of admission over more amorphous prestige and the good grades you'll have to claw for with tougher competition.

Expert Q&A

Question

How can you prepare to see if you're a good fit for a school?

Felipe Corredor
College Admissions Consultant
Felipe is a Senior College Admissions Consultant at American College Counselors with over seven years of experience. He specializes in helping clients from all around the world gain admission into America's top universities through private, one-on-one consulting. He helps guide clients through the entire college admissions process and perfect every aspect of their college applications. Felipe earned a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Chicago and recently received his MBA.

Felipe Corredor

College Admissions Consultant

Expert Answer

Reach out to past alumni and talk to them about their experiences so you can see what the school is like.
Question

Do I have to attend an excellent or private high school?

Community Answer

No. Ivy League schools look at many factors when they assess applicants. While attending a private or top high school could be an advantage in the competitive process, students make it into Ivy League schools without attending a really good high school because high school is just one area they consider. If your high school is not top-notch, use it as an opportunity to demonstrate your dedication by seeking out other ways to learn: take online classes, find a part-time job in an area of interest, join or start a math or debate team... Be creative and you will stand out to Ivy League Schools more than someone who simply attended a private school.
Question

Are there scholarships for graduate programs in an Ivy League school?

Community Answer

Yes, they all have various forms of financial aid available - especially since Ivy League schools usually come with a hefty price. Whichever school you're interested in should have a website that contains information on financial aid.

Warnings

Do not lie or misrepresent yourself in your application. It may come back to haunt you.

⧼thumbs_response⧽
Helpful 145 Not Helpful 11
Having teachers or family members edit or critique your essay is OK; having them write it for you--or buying a pre-written essay online--is not. Colleges have means of searching for pre-written essays and admissions personnel can distinguish between essays written by teenagers--albeit very gifted ones--and adults.

⧼thumbs_response⧽
Helpful 112 Not Helpful 11
Read all you can about the Ivy League schools from less biased sources so that you have a clear picture of whether or not an Ivy League school will fit your needs.

⧼thumbs_response⧽
Helpful 79 Not Helpful 12
Switching schools and taking breaks can be costly and waste time, so make sure you want to go before you go. If you're unhappy, try to endure it until your semester is complete, perhaps with fewer or easier classes

⧼thumbs_response⧽
Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
Some Ivy League schools have been known to cause unhealthy levels of pressure on students. Some are even known for frequent suicides.

⧼thumbs_response⧽
Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
If you will likely be dependent on financial aid, it is unwise to apply Early Decision. This is typically a binding agreement that requires the applicant to attend if accepted, and if your aid package is insufficient, you may be left in a very tight spot. Although you will be allowed to back out of your decision if you do not have enough money, only apply ED if you are confident you have both the credentials and the financial assets to attend your prospective school. (Note: In recent years, the Ivy League has started to move away from binding early decisions, but be sure to check with the admissions department at your particular school of interest before applying if finances are a concern).

⧼thumbs_response⧽
Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
Make sure going to an Ivy League school is what you really want. Far too many go simply because they, or their overzealous parents are simply hungry for prestige. This attitude is bound to lead to unhappiness.

⧼thumbs_response⧽
Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
Consider the costs of attending an Ivy League school, which can be more than $50,000 per year and rising. Don't let them discourage you from applying even if your family doesn't have that kind of money to spare. You might get generous financial aid. But if you won't be getting much, or it would largely be loans, you'll have to decide whether or not having a degree from that institution will really help advance your career a lot more than attending another school that may not be as expensive. A full scholarship or modest tuition rate and living expenses at a "good" school might make more sense than $100,000 or $200,000 of debt from a "great" school. Calculate the payments, and consider whether you'd be able to comfortably make them with an average or slightly above-average entry-level salary in the career you've prepared for.
- Keep in mind you might need a graduate degree for another $100,000 or $200,000, while interest accrues on the initial loan amount for your undergraduate amount, and a low but still costly standard of living in a big city.
⧼thumbs_response⧽
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0