Extracurriculars to Increase your Chances of Getting into an Ivy League
Securing admission into an Ivy League is a challenging feat to achieve. Here are some extracurriculars to increase your chances of getting into an Ivy League.
The Ivy League is a group of 8 private American research universities. Ivy refers to the eight schools at an elite level comprising academic excellence, picky admissions, and social prestige. They all come under the top 18 universities worldwide every year. They look for students with a competitive educational background, unique skills, and ambition.
They are the most difficult to get in, with the lowest acceptance rate being 3% at Harvard university this year. And hence, for you to get admission from one, you will have to distinguish yourself from the crowd!
But how do you do that? What are the extracurriculars that can help you improve your profile? Well, stay with us to know the answer to all these questions.
Table of Contents
What is the Acceptance Rate of Ivy League Universities?
There are eight schools under the ivy group, with different acceptance rates. Based on this, you can know the difficulty level of getting into one.
|
University |
Acceptance Rate |
|
3.2% |
|
|
4.0% |
|
|
Columbia University |
3.7% |
|
4.6% |
|
|
5.0% |
|
|
4.4% |
|
|
6.2% |
|
|
8.0% |
It can be said that Cornell university is likely the easiest to get in, with the highest acceptance rate of 8%.
How Can You Make Your Profile Stronger?
GPA alone won't determine a student's chances of getting into a university, although it does have a significant impact. It is also essential for the student who wants to get into an Ivy to participate in extracurricular activities that develop leadership, teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills.
Start a High School Club
Starting a club rather than joining one demonstrates many qualities ivies look for; leadership and initiative. These top-notch universities look for leaders of the future. However, that does not mean they don't welcome followers. But make sure to highlight that leader in you!
But these universities hold pride in shaping the minds of people who have made remarkable developments or changes in the world. And hence, it's right for them to be looking for the capacity of being one such individual!
Make sure the club you start highlights your passion and ability, and don't start any like a club that will dissolve in the future.
Non-profit Organizations
Being a part of a non-profit organization or starting one gives you the advantage of looking fulfilled and accomplished. And if you already have a knack for a social cause, you don't have anything to wait for.
It's not easy, but if you have a goal in mind, all you have to do is put a plan in action, decide your niche and get people to volunteer.
Political Involvement
Ivy Leagues find it extremely hard to ignore such a quality. This shows how a student genuinely cares about the deeds around him. You can be a part of Model United Nations (MUN) and highlight your political activism. It's one of the best ways because it is a platform where you put your views into action.
Admissions officers also appreciate model UN participants because they are most likely to be good, confident leaders who want to improve the world through cooperation and diplomacy.
Sports
These Ivy schools are some of the leading schools when it comes to athletic performance, especially in basketball. Princeton in New Jersey has won 506 championships to date. Although they don't have sports scholarships, recruited athletes are always on the higher side of getting approved.
Athletes with equally higher grades than other applicants have an 83% chance of getting selected. Being a sportsperson highlights qualities like teamwork, commitment, and Pressure handling.
Add a Creative Side
Einstein once said, "creativity is seeking what others see and thinking what no one else thought" this purely means innovation like never before. Since Ivy Leagues yearn for innovators, they don't just compare you based on your academics but also your skills, interests, and abilities. And that is why it's always good to add any creative talent to enhance your chances.
Painting, photography, designing, writing, sketching, animation, dance, music, theatre, etc., are some skills you can include in your application to make it look extraordinary.
Community Service
Ivy Leagues look for people who are actively involved in their communities or volunteer with organizations. And candidates who are connected to the outside world and understand something greater than themselves are magnificent candidates for Ivy League colleges. It shows that you are ready to volunteer in and off campus, which might benefit their country.
Make sure that when you mention your volunteer work, it should sound meaningful and convey qualities like leadership and drive. For example, if you've volunteered to pick up trash on a beach, you could mention it under the environment conservation initiative.
Work Experience
Working in organizations or having an idea of the industry makes you look like you know where you are. These experiences can include internships as well as full-time job experiences. But these experiences need to be in appropriate fields rather than just part-time work to earn. Roles that will help you get into your selected course.
Academic Competitions
Just like how your academic score plays a major role, exhibiting your academic knowledge and excellence can also help. Participating and winning an award from a national or global competition can make you look like a winner in the eyes of the Ivy League.
Academic competitions can happen on campus as well as at a national level, and a trophy or a medal always shines in your profile.
Whenever you start working towards your study abroad, make sure you don't rush into it. Make your profile strong and let it look confident by itself. Your scores, certificates, or any activity that you're pursuing does not have a clock ticking, and you'll always have them. And in the meanwhile, a little work experience always comes handy. Because sometimes, there is also a constraint to the number of times you can send an application to a university, and you don't want to overdo it.
All the best for your applications! A quick tip, if you do get into an Ivy, make sure to look for amber student housing nearby as they sell out very fast, and you don't want to compromise! These universities lie in the heart of the United States, in cities like New York, so you can also check out student accommodation in New York, so you don't have to worry about transportation or food. The diverse crowd benefits every person from any background to fit in quite easily.
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