How to Get Into an Ivy League School

Summary

In this video, the speaker reflects on their journey to top college admissions, emphasizing the importance of crafting a unique narrative. They highlight that college applications, especially to Ivy League schools, are holistic and consider the whole person—your background, passions, and contributions. The speaker stresses the need for students to identify and develop their interests early in high school, focusing on depth rather than a wide range of activities. By honing a clear identity and showing impactful involvement, students can present a compelling story through their essays, teacher recommendations, and interviews.

Takeaways

• 😀 Focus on developing your personal narrative early in the high school journey to make a compelling college application.
• 😀 Your narrative should be a clear reflection of who you are, why you are that way, and how you became who you are.
• 😀 College admissions officers are looking for holistic candidates, considering both your academic performance and personal background.
• 😀 Don't stress about college applications too early—use freshman year as a time to explore your interests and figure out your identity.
• 😀 Once you identify your interests, create a one-sentence summary of your narrative to guide your high school activities.
• 😀 Depth of involvement in a few select activities is more impactful than a superficial list of many activities.
• 😀 Show your commitment and growth within your narrative by going beyond basic participation in extracurriculars.
• 😀 Make sure your activities align with your narrative, focusing on how you can make a real impact rather than just joining clubs.
• 😀 Your personal narrative should come together across multiple aspects of the application: essays, teacher recommendations, and interviews.
• 😀 Admissions officers want to understand not just your academic passion but also your background, challenges, and how you'll contribute to the campus community.
• 😀 Focus on impact, not just participation—what sets you apart is the actual difference you make in your field of interest.

Q & A

What is the importance of having a strong narrative in a college application?

A strong narrative is crucial because it helps admissions officers understand who you are beyond your grades. It highlights your unique experiences, interests, and background, giving context to your academic achievements and showing how you can contribute to the campus community.

Why does the speaker suggest that stressing too much about college applications in freshman year is unnecessary?

The speaker believes that while it's good to think about college early, over-stressing about applications in freshman year is too much. High school is a time for exploration, and it's more important to discover your interests rather than focusing too heavily on the end goal.

How did the speaker approach the process of figuring out their narrative?

The speaker focused on their passions—particularly computer science and entrepreneurship—from the start of high school. This helped shape their narrative and guided their extracurricular activities, ensuring they aligned with their long-term goals.

What is meant by a 'holistic' admissions process at top colleges?

A holistic admissions process means that colleges look at applicants as a whole person. They consider not just grades and test scores, but also the applicant’s background, interests, extracurricular activities, and personal story, to get a complete picture of the individual.

What is the first step in honing your narrative according to the speaker?

The first step is to identify your interests early on. This can be done by exploring different activities and clubs in your freshman year and narrowing down what excites you the most by the end of ninth grade.

Why does the speaker emphasize the importance of going 'deeper' in your extracurricular activities?

Going deeper in your activities is important because it shows a genuine commitment and allows you to make a greater impact. Instead of joining many clubs, focusing on a few and pushing them to a higher level will make your application stand out more.

What is the value of summarizing your narrative in one sentence?

Summarizing your narrative in one sentence helps clarify your identity and goals. It gives you a sharp focus on how you want to be seen, and helps you make decisions about which activities and projects will support that identity.

What role do essays, teacher recommendations, and interviews play in shaping your college application narrative?

Essays, teacher recommendations, and interviews provide a deeper insight into who you are as a person. They give you a chance to express your passions, discuss your background, and reveal aspects of your character that numbers alone can’t show.

What does the speaker mean by the idea that activities don't have to be 'formalized professional pursuits'?

The speaker suggests that your extracurricular activities don’t need to be highly formal or professional to be valuable. Even activities like managing a social media account or a simple blog can demonstrate passion and dedication if done meaningfully.

How does the speaker advise students to approach their college application once they have developed a few key activities?

Once students have a few key activities, the speaker advises focusing on them and deepening their involvement rather than constantly searching for more activities to add to their application. It’s more important to show depth and impact in a few areas than to spread yourself too thin.