What Variables Affect a Student’s Chances for Ivy League Acceptance?

Star students have every right to have big dreams for their future — and that often starts with securing admission to an Ivy League school.

Unfortunately, there are hundreds of thousands of students out there with near-perfect grades, amazing SAT or ACT scores. The competition for a slot in an Ivy League class is increasingly fierce, with admission rates falling to record lows in just the past year.

At Harvard, for example, only 3.4% of applicants were admitted to the most recent class, which is significantly lower than the 4.9% rate of admission the previous year. However, Harvard’s drop-in admission rates doesn’t compare to that of Columbia, which fell from 6.1% to just 3.7% in the space of a year.

What Gives One Student an Edge in the Admissions Process Over Another?

Ivy League schools will always be selective about the students they admit, so the sooner you understand what it takes to grab the attention of the admissions board and stand out from the pack, the better you’ll be able to strategically approach your academic career.

Here are the six most important factors that a student can cultivate if they have their sight on an Ivy League school:

1. A Strong Curriculum: Not all high school classes are alike. Top-tier schools take into account both the quantity and the quality of classes high school students took. They look for students who have gone well above the requirements for their school and taken advantage of as many challenging courses as possible.
2. Great Grades: Grades do matter, quite a bit. Most admissions boards will look at the kinds of classes a student takes and the marks they received — as well as how they fared in Advanced Placement courses as a sign that they’re able to apply what they learn in their classes.
3. Solid SAT and ACT Test Scores: These are considered a broad measure of a student’s academic aptitude and an early predictor of how well a student is likely to manage the challenges of higher learning.
4. Impressive Extracurriculars: A student’s extracurricular activities can strengthen their admissions profile. The character of their activities can indicate how much a student is likely to contribute to the school’s atmosphere and campus community, and Ivy League schools often embrace students who have done meaningful work or demonstrated leadership ability.
5. Excellent Recommendations: Well-written letters of recommendation from instructors and guidance counselors can highlight a student’s unique talents and positive character in ways that a mere academic transcript cannot. In essence, they help “bring a student to life” in the eyes of the admissions board.
6. Well-Written Essays: The personal essay portion of an application is more essential to the admissions process than you might think. Strong, insightful writing can give the admissions board a glimpse of the student’s values and personality, not just their writing skills.

In short: The admissions process is designed to find the best match between a student and a college. The more powerfully a student’s application presents their capacity to be a good fit for their school of choice, the higher their chances of admission.