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College Prep

IvyWise The Value of Research Mentorship

The Value of Research Mentorship

In the highly competitive world of college admissions, high school students seek every possible advantage to distinguish themselves from their peers. One significant, yet often overlooked, strategy is engaging in research mentorship — a unique opportunity to deeply explore an academic area of interest, develop critical skills, and demonstrate intellectual curiosity and a commitment to academic excellence. These attributes can substantially enhance your appeal to college admissions committees.

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IvyWise How Parents Can Be Supportive During College Apps

How Parents Can Be Supportive During College Apps

Early decision and early action deadlines are quickly approaching, and as we enter the homestretch of the college application process, anxiety will continue to build. Stressed out students can lead to stressed out parents — and that can make for a tense household.

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IvyWise What Colleges Look for in a Student’s Activities List

What Makes Extracurriculars Stand Out to College Admissions

“But what about the kids who start charities and do cancer research?” a mother asked me recently. She, like many others, was concerned about how her daughter’s list of extracurricular activities would stack up next to a group of lauded, accomplished high school seniors on her college applications.

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IvyWise 4 Things Students Shouldn't Stress About When Applying to College

4 Things Students Shouldn’t Stress About When Applying to College

The college application process is potentially the most stressful time of a student’s high school career. However, chances are they’re stressing about things either out of their control, or fixating on one of the many myths surrounding the college admissions process.

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Importance of Course Rigor When Applying to College

As students begin a new school semester, they will soon be meeting with their college counselors to begin planning for the summer and the next school year. One important part of the counseling process is ensuring that students are taking the proper courses that match their academic ability, interests, and ultimately their college admissions goals.

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Starting Second Semester off Right: Tips for a Successful Spring Term

While it can be tempting to simply count down the days until summer break, spring semester is a prime time for high school underclassmen to prepare for the college admissions process, and for college-bound seniors to close out the year on a high note. Believe it or not, seniors, you are not off the hook just yet!

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IvyWise How College Applications are Evaluated

How College Applications Are Evaluated

In the U.S. admissions process, colleges and universities take many factors into consideration. Admissions officers look at “hard factors — GPA, grades, and test scores — and soft factors — essays, extracurricular activities, recommendations, and demonstrated interest — to gain a full picture of applicants.

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IvyWise What to Expect of Your Freshman Year of High School

What to Expect of Your Freshman Year of High School

Making the transition from middle to high school can be an exciting, albeit intimidating process. Often times the student body is larger, and you’re a new fish in a much larger pond. For others the surroundings might be the same, but the academics are challenging and the expectations are much higher.

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IvyWise What Families Need to Know About Test-Optional Colleges and Admissions

What Families Need to Know About Test-Optional Colleges and Admissions

Many schools shifted to test-optional admissions during the pandemic, and some of these colleges extended their policies for several years or went permanently test-optional.

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IvyWise’s College Admissions Tips for High School Juniors

You made it through the first half of junior year, which means you’re on your way to being a senior and ruling the school! Although college may seem far away, it’s much closer than you think. Now’s the time to develop concrete ideas about where you want to go to college, and make sure that your course load, test scores, and extracurricular activities will help your application stand out. Follow these tips from the IvyWise team of counselors to get the most out of the next six months and have a less stressful and more enjoyable senior year.

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