For many high school students balancing standardized tests, school projects, assignments and extracurriculars, it may seem like there are not enough hours in the day to get everything done. As a result, many students are staying up late to study. According to a 2015 study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about seven out of 10 high school students aren’t getting enough sleep. In fact, Stanford Medicine refers to teen sleep deprivation as an epidemic. 

Energy and sanity can run low when a pile of work is never ending. Managing good grades, performing well at a big game or academic competition, spending quality time with family, and maintaining a social life can be exhausting. That’s why every student should invest in a time management game plan.  

If Vanderbilt University, also known as Vandy, is one of your top-choice schools, you may be wondering how to craft your admissions essay to help you stand out. Vanderbilt is incredibly selective, so they look for students who demonstrate what they can contribute to the diverse campus community academically and otherwise. Your response to these essays contributes to the holistic review of your application, so it’s important to put a lot of thought into them.

The Common Application opened August 1, and millions of students across the globe will apply to college via the Common App this year. With so many students applying to college every year, most applicants have the same question on their minds: what can I do to increase my chances of standing out?

For current high school seniors, the college application season is in full swing. We caught up with our Class of 2023 IvyWise Scholars to learn more about their college admissions journeys, what it’s like to work with IvyWise during this process, and get some of their college prep tips for other college-bound students.

Finalizing your list of best-fit schools is one of the most important steps of the college application process. Between writing supplemental essays, finalizing personal statements, and requesting letters of recommendation, there’s a lot that students need to prioritize – and often, they put off the difficult task of narrowing down their long list of best-fit schools. Keep reading to learn more about what you should keep top of mind so that you can narrow down your college list and stay ahead of the game on all of your applications.

Note: Starting with the 2023-24 application season, Columbia University is no longer offering alumni admissions interviews. 

For students who dream of attending an Ivy League university in a big city, Columbia University is often their top choice school. The college is renowned for its academic rigor and its core curriculum, which is the cornerstone of a Columbia education. Given these factors, it’s no surprise that gaining admission is exceptionally competitive.

Although not technically part of the Ivy League, Stanford is virtually as selective as any of the institutions within this esteemed group of colleges. While they did not release admission data for the class of 2026, Stanford’s acceptance rate was 3.95% for the class of 2025, and we expect the school to continue at this level of selectivity moving forward.

Most rising seniors have a lot on their to-do lists in order to prepare for the college application process this fall. Students who get a jumpstart on the process before school is back in session and are often at a major advantage because they’re able to make the most of senior year and keep stress at bay.

Students interested in becoming engineers have traditionally enrolled in four-year degree programs at large universities with comprehensive engineering programs. These programs allow students to specialize in a particular type of engineering, such as mechanical, chemical, or civil. However, different paths for studying engineering have begun to diverge from the more traditional trajectory.