IvyWise KnowledgeBase
College Application Tips

Peruse the academic offerings on any university’s website, and you’ll encounter everything from the more “traditional” psychology, math, business, and English majors to several intriguing potential majors like neuroscience, Slavic, and Eurasian Studies, public policy, astrobiology, and data science. Suffice to say that one of the most exciting aspects of pursuing a college degree is that you finally get to focus on an academic area that genuinely intrigues you and ignites your curiosity.

The process of preparing for, taking, and responding to standardized test scores is a stressful and overwhelming one for students and families, and with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, this process has only become more stressful in recent years. One of the ways that colleges have responded to the pandemic’s obstacles is to implement test-optional admissions policies to avoid disadvantaging students who have been unable to sit for an ACT or SAT.

The Common Application for the 2024-25 college application season opens on August 1, 2024! The Common App essay prompts will remain the same for the upcoming admissions cycle.

Superman pajamas, summer road trips in an RV, driving a carriage, a Cuban grandfather. All seemingly disparate topics, yet these subjects happen to be from some of the most memorable college essays I read as an admissions counselor. Selecting a topic for your college application essay can be one of the most daunting tasks, and finding the right topic takes creativity and soul-searching.

The holistic admissions process can be confusing to both college-bound students and their parents, but identifying what college admissions officers are looking for in students’ applications can actually be pretty simple.

IvyWise counselors Victoria and Christine break down the college admissions rubric and discuss examples of different hard and soft factors that admissions officers evaluate on the Just Admit It! college admissions podcast, giving listeners expert insight from former admissions officers.

There are some advantages to applying Early Decision or Early Action to your top-choice college. However, when developing an application strategy it’s important to know when it’s appropriate to apply in the early round — and when you should hold off.

Have you wondered about what happens to your applications after the submit button is pressed? All that hard work you have put in to making your application the best it could be is seemingly transmitted into an electronic abyss. It may be tempting to think that all that remains for your application’s future is a roll of the dice — hopefully in your favor — but while you are waiting for your results, your application is taking a long journey and undergoing various processes. We’re here to provide some insight into what happens to your application after it leaves your hopeful hands.

Students will spend a lot of time stressing over their college applications, but small mistakes like a typo in an essay won’t send you to the “no” pile — it’s common college application red flags that students need to address in order to improve their admission chances.

IvyWise counselors Rachel and Zach share their top tips on how to brainstorm and write college application essays, and what admissions officers are looking for when they read them on the Just Admit It! college admissions podcast, giving listeners expert insight from former admissions officers.