IvyWise Blog

With a sprawling campus, top-tier academic offerings, and Division I sports teams, the University of California, Los Angeles is a top choice for many high school students.

With a location in the heart of New York City and a plethora of renowned programs and internship opportunities, it’s easy to understand why New York University is a top choice on many students’ best-fit lists. As a result, New York University is also a highly competitive college, with acceptance rates falling to approximately 12% in recent years.

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 the essay prompt contributes to the holistic review of your application, so it’s important to give it a lot of thought.

NYU has long been a top-choice school for many students. More than 120,000 students submitted applications for fall 2025 admission, but only 7.70% of those applicants were admitted, making NYU exceptionally competitive.

With its lengthy history and unparalleled academic rigor, it’s no surprise that Yale tops many students’ best-fit lists, with an acceptance rate that has dipped below 5% in recent years. Given the competitive nature of Yale’s admissions process, every component of your college application is going to be crucial, including supplemental essays.

If Stanford is one of your top-choice schools, you may be wondering how you can make your application stand out. Your responses to Stanford’s supplemental essay questions are a significant way to set yourself apart from other applicants. However, these essay prompts require you to be both concise and creative, which is not an easy task. Keep reading to learn more about Stanford’s supplemental essays for the 2025-26 admissions cycle and how to craft them.  

If Harvard is one of your top-choice schools, you may be wondering how you can make your application stand out to the admissions committee. This is where your college essays come in. If done well, they can set you above other applicants. However, these essay prompts require short, creative answers, which is not an easy task. Keep reading to learn more about Harvard’s supplemental essays for the 2025-26 admissions cycle and how to craft them.    

If Princeton is at the top of your list for best-fit colleges, you know that every component of your application counts. With an acceptance rate of 4.62% for the class of 2028, it’s clear that applicants are going to have to submit their best work to be competitive, and that includes writing compelling supplemental essays.

Dartmouth, like many colleges and universities, invites applicants to interview. However, these interviews are not conducted by the admissions committee but alumni volunteers. The college does not offer campus interviews. 

If you’re invited to an interview, it’s perfectly normal to be nervous. Being prepared can help boost your confidence, so keep reading to learn what to expect and for tips on acing the interview. 

Is the University of Southern California on your college list? Part of USC’s application process includes submitting a letter of recommendation. While your academic performance in high school carries the most weight in the admissions process, a strong letter of recommendation from a teacher or school counselor will tell another piece of your story — who you are, how you conducted yourself at school, and how you might contribute to the campus community.