Tips on Getting Accepted by an Ivy League College
For many students and families aspiring to a higher education experience in the United States of America, the Ivy League remains the pinnacle of educational achievement. Irrespective of whether they are right in that belief, the reality is that if pushed to name a US college, many families of international students would name an Ivy League institution. Every year, more and more students apply to one of the eight colleges that make up the Ivy League, drawn by their mix of high academic achievement, social prestige, wonderful facilities,s and extensive networking opportunities. If you are one of those who dream of walking the campuses of these colleges, here is what you need to know and eight tips on what it takes to win a coveted acceptance letter.
What is an Ivy League college?
Many people get confused about just what makes an Ivy League college and which colleges make up the eight.
Strictly speaking, the term ‘Ivy League’ as Ivy Central knows it today, refers to an athletics conference that was formed in 1954; the original members of the conference were a small group of elite colleges all located in the north-eastern United States. The ‘Ivy’ in the title is supposedly down to the ivy that grew on the outside walls. Many people think that these eight colleges represent the ‘top’ colleges in the United States, but that is not the case. The eight colleges that make up the Ivy League are all highly ranked and will be found in the top 20 of any ranking listing, but many other highly selective and elite colleges are not included in the list of Ivy League institutions.
The Ivy League colleges are (in order of age)
- Harvard University was founded in 1636
- Yale University was founded in 1702
- The University of Pennsylvania was founded in 1740
- Princeton University was founded in 1746
- Brown University was founded in 1746
- Dartmouth College was founded in 1769
- Columbia University was founded in 1754
- Cornell University was founded in 1865
How to get accepted?
If you aspire to attend one of these colleges, you will need to consider each of the eight tips below.
1. Challenge yourself
If you spend time exploring the websites of Ivy League colleges, you will frequently come across words like ‘growth’ and ‘potential’ when describing the type of student they look for. What they mean by this is they want people who are willing to push themselves. Attending any of these institutions is going to involve hard work, they expect a great deal from those who study there, so they want to ensure that those they accept will respond positively to that pressure.
To be competitive, your application will need to show that you have taken every opportunity to challenge yourself. This means that you will have taken the most rigorous subjects, in the most rigorous curriculum available to you. If the curriculum is not considered to be as rigorous on an international scale, then you should have done additional courses, such as APs or A Levels in subjects that you are most passionate about. Beyond academics, you will also have challenged yourself through your extra-curricular activities and by attending the most competitive summer programmes.
2. Grades
Having great grades in school is one of the top ways you can help yourself get accepted. Colleges will look at your overall Grade Point Average or GPA across the last four years of high school, an average GPA across the Ivy League is a weighted 4.0.
Below is the average GPA for the class of 2024, in each of the Ivy League colleges.
However, based on available data and estimates for the Class of 2028, the average unweighted GPAs for each Ivy League school are approximately:
| University | Average Unweighted GPA |
|---|---|
| Princeton University | 3.94 |
| Harvard University | 4.20 |
| Yale University | 4.10 |
| University of Pennsylvania | 3.90 |
| Cornell University | 4.10 |
| Brown University | 3.90 |
| Columbia University | 3.90 |
| Dartmouth College | 3.90 |
Note: These figures are approximate and based on available data; actual values may vary.
There is no doubt about it, these are tough grades to achieve, but don’t despair if perhaps you don’t have top marks across all subjects in each year since Grade 9. Firstly, remember that these are average GPAs, which means that some students will not have quite such a high GPA. The other thing is that you can overcome a poor score in Grade 9 or 10 by showing improvement; incremental increases in your grades year on year demonstrate your commitment and show you are on the right track.
3. Standardised test scores
Traditionally, after GPA, the next most important element of an applicants profile has been their performance in standardised tests such as SAT or ACT. Across the eight colleges only Cornell, at 1480, has had an average SAT score of below 1500, while average ACT scores range from 32 to 34.
Ivy League Standardized Testing Policies (as of March 2025):
-
Brown University: Reinstated the requirement for SAT or ACT scores for applicants starting with the Class of 2029 (entering Fall 2025).
-
Columbia University: Maintains a test-optional policy, allowing applicants to choose whether to submit standardized test scores.
-
Cornell University: Will require standardized test scores again beginning with the 2025-2026 application cycle.
-
Dartmouth College: Reinstated the requirement for standardized test scores for applicants starting with the Class of 2029 (entering Fall 2025).
-
Harvard University: Returned to requiring standardized test scores for all future application cycles.
-
Princeton University: Remains test-optional for the 2025 admissions cycle, encouraging applicants to showcase their strengths through various components of the application.
-
University of Pennsylvania: Extended its test-optional policy for the Class of 2029 applicants (entering Fall 2025).
-
Yale University: Announced it will reinstate standardized testing requirements for the Class of 2029 (entering Fall 2025).
4. Apply early
Part of the reason why Ivy League colleges are considered to be elite is their low acceptance rate, of the percentage of applicants that are actually offered a place at the university.
For the Class of 2028, Ivy League universities experienced highly competitive admissions. Below are the reported acceptance rates:
| University | Acceptance Rate | Total Applicants | Total Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvard University | 3.59% | 54,008 | 1,937 |
| Columbia University | 3.85% | 60,248 | 2,319 |
| Princeton University | 4.62% | 40,468 | 1,868 |
| Yale University | 3.73% | 57,465 | 2,146 |
| Brown University | 5.16% | 48,881 | 2,521 |
| University of Pennsylvania | 5.38% | 65,235 | 3,508 |
| Dartmouth College | 5.32% | 31,657 | 1,685 |
| Cornell University | 8.41% | 65,612 | 5,516 |
Source: From the web
Early application rounds, such as Early Decision (ED) and Early Action (EA), often yield higher acceptance rates compared to Regular Decision cycles. For the Ivy League Class of 2028, the available early acceptance rates are as follows:
| University | Early Applications | Early Acceptances | Early Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown University | 6,244 | 898 | 14.38% |
| Columbia University | 6,009 | Not Reported | Not Reported |
| Cornell University | Not Reported | Not Reported | Not Reported |
| Dartmouth College | 3,550 | 606 | 17.07% |
| Harvard University | 7,921 | 692 | 8.74% |
| Princeton University | Not Reported | Not Reported | Not Reported |
| University of Pennsylvania | Over 8,500 | Not Reported | Not Reported |
| Yale University | 7,856 | 709 | 9.02% |
Note: Some universities have not publicly disclosed their early application acceptance figures for the Class of 2028.
The acceptance rates for early round applications are still tough, but applying early offers a significant advantage over applying in the regular round.
5. Strong extra-curriculars
Strong extra-curricular activities represent the third pillar of what makes a strong application profile. While it’s true that there is no such thing as a bad extracurricular activity, some extracurricular activities are more impressive to colleges than others.
To build a strong portfolio of extra-curricular activities to submit to the Ivies, you should consider how well the various activities fit into the story you will be presenting. Look at how the activities you are spending time on fit with what you intend to study and houses at college. While exploring a wide range of activities in Grade 9 is often not a problem, if you continue in the same vein for the rest of your high school years, you will come across as unfocused and lacking direction. Instead of doing lots of activities, work to do a few, but to a great depth. Doing an activity regularly, over a few years, shows qualities that Ivy League colleges look for: perseverance, consistency, and commitment. A prolonged engagement with an activity also suggests a greater understanding of what you are involved in.
The final element you want to display is that your extra-curricular activities are significant. Remember ,you are applying to some of the most selective colleges in the world, so your activities need to make you stand out. For the Ivy’s, an activity will have significance if it results in some form of recognition or validated outcome. This could include having an academic paper published in a reputable journal, a gallery exhibition of your artwork, writing a book, and having it published by a recognised publisher.
6. Connections
One thing that can give you a considerable advantage in the application consideration process is something that you will have no control over, legacy. Ivy League colleges, together with most others, will actively favour students whose parents or siblings attending that college for their undergraduate studies. It is estimated that 10 – 15% of students admitted to the Ivy League colleges have some form of legacy. The principal reason why they favour these students is that it encourages their alumni to continue their support of the college even after they have left.
If you are not fortunate enough to have a family that has attended an Ivy League college, there are still things that you can do. Find professors whose work you are interested in and work to develop a contact with them, perhaps through social media or email. This needs to be done with great care, you don’t want them to feel that you are only contacting them so that you will help them get into college, or worse, that you are stalking them!
7. Share your story through your essay
Your essay is the point in your application where you can really let the readers at the colleges see who you are. Some of the best essays we see are where students have spent time reflecting on the values, beliefs, and circumstances that make them who they are. There are lots of exercises that students can do to help them explore who they are, but try to write with passion, creativity, and a degree of openness, as this is what will help draw the reader to you.
One thing that will rule you out of the running, no matter how engaging your writing, is poor grammar and spelling, so spell check your essay and get other people to read it to help identify any problems before you submit it.
8. Excel in the interview
With the exception of Cornell, all of the Ivy League colleges recommend that applicants accept an interview by a member of their alumni community. While a great interview won’t get you into a college if the rest of your application is weak, a bad interview can result in you being placed in the ‘No’ pile.
Preparing for your interview should start when you are building your college list. For each college, go over their website in detail, reflecting on what it is about the course and the college that makes you want to go there and how you expect to benefit from the experience. Be ready to talk about what you have done at school and in your extra-curricular activities, and through your answers demonstrate your ability to think critically. The person interviewing you will want to see that you know about the college in detail and be able to gauge how seriously you want to attend.
Final Word
If you follow through with each of the eight tips in this article you will have improved your chances of being accepted by the Ivy of your dreams, but it is still a chance and there is no guarantee that you will be one of the few that are accepted.
Every student needs to realistically assess their fit for each of the Ivy League colleges but also apply to some of the other wonderful colleges that the United States has to offer. Remember, if you are competitive for the colleges that make up the Ivy League, then you will also be competitive for many other great schools.
