Unlock Your Potential as a High School Student

According to the latest Open Doors Report (ODR) the number of international students from India to the United States increased is an all-time high of 3.3 lakh for the academic year 2022-23, a rise of 23 per cent from 2022-23 when the number was at 2,68,923. As per the data, besides India, the other four countries that send students to study in the U.S are China (2,77,398), South Korea (43,149), Canada (28,998) and Taiwan (23,157). The report also says that there has been a spike in the number of undergraduate students from India by nearly 13% taking the figure to 36,053 students.

This highlights the increased competition when applying to prestigious colleges. With Ivy leagues becoming synonymous with high-academic excellence, students and parents vying for these colleges are fully aware of the academic standards that these institutions have set. “Nearly 74.02% of students admitted to Harvard in the 2022-23 admissions cycle had a 4.0 GPA, and 93.69% had a GPA of 3.75 or higher.” But does this mean that only students with stellar grades can aspire to be admitted to these colleges? The answer is No. Colleges are not evaluating students only based on their academic qualification but rather reviewing them holistically alongside course rigor, AP scores, standardized test scores, any extracurricular or academic enrichment opportunities they have pursued. M.I.T.’s Dean of Admission Stuart Schmill states: “Just getting straight A’s is not enough information for us to know whether the students are going to succeed or not.”

Hence students need to prepare in advance to prove to the colleges that they have what it takes to be a successful candidate. These can be demonstrated in various way.

Academic rigor

Admissions officers unanimously echo the same sentiment that they would like to see students who have challenged themselves by taking the most rigorous courses that are available to them in their school, whether honors, AP, or IB, particularly in subjects that align with your interests and potential major. It becomes evident to Admissions officers who are assessing thousands of applications, if you consistently choose to enroll in easier classes just to boost your GPA. This will surely hurt your admission chances. Showing rigor demonstrates not only willingness to push boundaries and grow intellectually but also advance their skills classes. For some reason if a student is struggling academically in the early part of their high school, must take steps improve their scores and overall performance. Colleges see this as a sign of resilience and dedication.

Meaningful extracurricular activities

Colleges care about your commitment toward nonacademic activities impacting the community. Combining a passion project, volunteering, participation in a competitive academic summer program, and leadership in club(s) related to core passions, are great ways to showcase the strength of your candidature. But whatever you choose to do, you should get hands-on experience in your field of interest and reputable ways available to you. A common mistake students make is to participate in random, unrelated extracurriculars that makes it impossible for them to showcase their true passion and interest. Joining bunch of clubs will not showcase your interest, growth and skills. Instead, it will hurt your application. Activities done over considerable amount of time showing tangible impact can wow the admissions team. Hence taking on leadership roles, mentoring younger students, or starting your own club or initiative are great ways to stand out in the crowd.

Stellar Essays

Essays are critical components of your applications. The content and the way they are written can tell a lot about the applicant. Often students feel that writing about subjects that are perceived as edgy, will help them shine or that over sharing their personal experiences or sob stories will make them stand out. If you want to talk about a personal experience, remember to link it to the growth you have experienced as a result of it. Usage of words and correct grammar are very important for colleges to know that you are putting the effort and thought behind writing the essay. The admissions officers will be spending valuable time reading your essays, do not serve halfhearted and half-baked essays to them. Do not use ChatGPT to write your essays. That is a sure shot way of rejection.

In conclusion, while applying to Ivy League schools and other reputed institutions, can be a highly competitive. Committing your high school years to create a great profile will help you navigate through this maze. At Ivy Central, we work with students and guide them in a way that sets them apart from the thousands who are applying to college.