The Uniqueness of Ivy League Colleges and what do they look for?
The Uniqueness of Ivy League Colleges and what do they look for?
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Since Ivy League admissions are getting increasingly competitive and difficult year by year, students and parents are curious to know what traits those Admissions Officers are looking for in a student. In fact, the admissions officers also face the same problem:how to select the most suitable students among so many excellent to almost perfect applicants,
Student and school application is actually a two-way relationship. To optimize your application results, you need to position yourself correctly (do not overestimate your competitiveness) and understand the uniqueness of each Ivy League University. Blindly apply to all Ivies or only aiming for Harvard will only lead to disappointment. This article hopefully will explain the common traits that most Ivy League University and top ranked schools are looking for as well as the unique trait that is valued by each Ivy League College.
I.different temperament and admission preferences of Ivy League universities
Princeton University
Dartmouth College -- with a particular focus on service these day, Dartmouth has a unique extracurricular program and enrolls students who take advantage of these opportunities.
Cornell University -- Cornell University does not have a clear identity because there are many colleges, but in general the school likes very hard-working students.
Brown University -- open curriculum, looking for highly motivated learners, interdisciplinary thinkers, and scholars who connect things in unusual ways, who are socially progressive. “The spirit of the undergraduate Open Curriculum infuses every aspect of the University. Brown is a place where rigorous scholarship, complex problem-solving and service to the public good are defined by intense collaboration, intellectual discovery and working in ways that transcend traditional boundaries.”
Harvard University -- this highly anticipated University seeks to recruit a group of unique students, because apart from this, there is no other common ground between students. Their school honor code states:
University of Pennsylvania -- looking for a service-oriented, pragmatic student who combines business principles with everything else. Intelligence is not the most important, but ability to do is.“Penn has a proud tradition of translating knowledge into social-minded action that dates back to our founder, Benjamin Franklin.This tradition of active pragmatism, articulated in Franklin’s maxim “well-done is better than well-said,” lives today through the inclusive policies, innovative work, and impactful engagement of our faculty, students, and staff.”
Yale University -- like Princeton University, but less pretentious and more focused on imparting practical knowledge that can be used by the world. It focuses on students using what they have learned to serve and give back to the society.
Columbia University -- difficult course with a required core, as opposed to brown University;The University recognizes the importance of its location in New York City and seeks to link its research and teaching to the vast resources of a great metropolis. It seeks to attract adiverse and international faculty and student body, to support research and teaching on global issues, and to create academic relationships with many countries and regions. It expects all areas of the University to advance knowledge and learning at the highest level and to convey the products of its efforts to the world.
II. Commonalities in the Ivy League admissions process
First, the hard and narrow criteria for admission to an Ivy League school – outstanding academic background.
The admissions officer will look at students’GPA/ grade, awards, course selection, standardized test scores, and, if anything, grade rankings.
Admissions officers will also take a look at students’ transcripts and want to see that students have been taking challenging courses continuously for four years.
It is important for students to have a unique side that makes them stand out and convince the school that they are the right person.
All the above application materials serveas different but efficient ways for admissions officers to determine students’s uitability and for students to showcase their abilities and strengths.However,since all material are presented in text form, sometimes the applicant's personal image can still be one dimensional.
That is all for today,