Jessica Julich

Ivy League. Two simple words. Apart, they’re relatively harmless. Ivy— as in the plants you imagine covering the British mansion where you and your future husband Rob Pattinson will someday live.

League—as in the basketball league you played in in middle school or the movie “A League of Their Own”, one of my personal favorites. But put those two tiny words together, and you create a deadly combination. This small phrase, used to describe the top universities in the country, now takes on a whole new meaning. It seems to infer “almost unachievable” or “wishful thinking”.

It can be pretty intimidating to even visit an Ivy League school, let alone consider applying. But despite the way it may seem, it is not impossible to be accepted into one of these top-tier universities, including Harvard, Yale, University of Pennsylvania, Cornell, Princeton, Columbia, Brown, and Dartmouth. I should know; I somehow managed to wiggle myself into Cornell University. So, in the hopes of soothing the nerves of all those over-achievers out there hoping to snag a spot in one of these ivory towers, I’ve compiled a list of tips and tricks that helped me get accepted into the school of my dreams.

1. Start Early—No, I don’t mean you should be writing Harvard to request a spot in the class of 2030, when you’re three years old, because you can already read chapter books. I just mean that by the time Junior year rolls around, you should at least begin considering where you may want to be in two years. It might seem far away, but high school flashes by, and you don’t want to wait until it’s too late. Start asking your parents to take you on college trips as early as possible. Make it fun! Invite friends for a road trip! It’s important to visit a variety of different schools so that you get a feel for what you’re looking for. When looking at the Ivy Leagues, DON’T GET INTIMIDATED. They’re all regular people, just like you are, and because they love their school they’ll be excited to share any information with you that you need. I visited Cornell twice before I even found out I was accepted. Admissions workers take notice of students that seem dedicated to the college they work at.

2. Work on Your GPA— Sure, high school is a lot of fun, but you have to find a balance between your social life and your studies. Every year, my dad would say “Work hard, Jess. This is the most important year for college applications”. It was scary that he thought that every single year could be the most crucial one; what was scarier was that I believed him. I focused on my work, got my assignments done early despite my tendency to procrastinate, and made sure I took on any extra-credit projects I could. I’m not saying to overload yourself, but know that colleges, especially the Ivy Leagues, do look at your past marks.

3. Participate in Extra-Curriculars and Community Service—No one, and I mean no one, has the desire to be in school any longer than the hours required by law. I am no exception. But extra-curriculars are what set you apart. In a group of the best and brightest all vying for the same spot, being in a variety of service projects and activities helps you stand out. My senior year, I was editor of the newspaper, in my school’s dance competition, a member of SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions), and a representative in Student Council. I also did community service in my town. It may seem like a lot to have going on, but I spaced all of my activities out and did my best to honor all of my commitments. Nobody’s perfect, but anyone can be well-rounded, and this is what colleges look for.

4. The Dreaded SATs and ACTs—You have never hated three little letters so much. Just know, you will get through them. Kids take them every year and come back alive, if not a little wiped out.

My advice? Definitely prepare for both of the tests. Whether you take a class at your school or a local test center, get a private tutor, or just study by yourself, it’s vital that you at least get a feel for the exam before you arrive. It’s not a particularly horrible test as far as the questions go, being that it’s pretty much basic math and English, but it is very trying as far as endurance goes. Sitting for that many hours for any reason can be rough, even with breaks, so you may want to take a couple of practice tests beforehand and learn to pace yourself so that you don’t burn out. Also, don’t forget that you can take the test as many times as you need! I took the SATs twice, once in March and once in May of my junior year, and it was wonderful to get them over with early and know that I was well on my way to applying to college. Ivy’s look for average SAT scores of about 1400 (and over) out of1600, and ACT scores of about 33 (or over) out of 36. But don’t worry if your scores aren’t exactly that high; this is not the only thing colleges look at! (P.S. Remember to take at least three SAT II Subject tests and any A.P. exams you are eligible for).

5. The College Essay—No matter how much you love to write, the college essay will still seem daunting. I had no idea how I was going to be able to describe who I am and what I have to offer in one short paper. Then I began asking around for inspiration. This one boy who had been accepted the year before into an Ivy League told me about his essay and gave me some pointers, and it was the best advice I’d ever gotten. He said he’d never been a creative writer, but that he knew he didn’t want to write a standard, boringpaper about some topic that didn’t even interest him. Thus, he decided to describe something he was passionate about; singing onstage. In his essay, he described the couple of minutes leading up to his first ever performance. He wrote about his emotions, his fears, his hopes, everything. He bared his soul to the admissions officials. And it worked. So I decided to take the creative route as well, and keeping my friend in mind wrote a creative essay using a house as a symbol for my life and my talents. To this day, it is the best thing I have ever written. And it wasn’t even difficult once I got started. So take a breath, listen to a couple of your favorite songs, and just start writing about what you’re passionate about, or an experience that changed your outlook, even it seemed insignificant at the time. WARNING: Don’t write about your “totally fabulous” trip to Bermuda or anywhere else where you just sunbathed and “contemplated life”. Admissions workers sitting in stuffy offices don’t want to be reminded of where they could be instead of work.

Once you get through these tasks, you should begin getting recommendation letters from your teachers, start filling out your applications, and start scheduling interviews (it’s the easiest way to make a lasting impression… especially if you bring cookies!). Isn’t it fun being a teenager?