What are top universities looking for? These two things.

Top-tier universities are looking for two things in freshman applicants: 1) academic scholarship, and 2) uncommon extracurricular achievement. In this video, we'll explore these two concepts in more detail, plus explore a third thing you can do to put your application over the top.
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 What are top universities looking for?
00:28 Academic Scholarship
07:02 Uncommon Extracurricular Achievement
11:12 Strategic Inroads at Your Top Universities
Questions or inquires? Email me at [e-mail]

[@Darkjnr5]

Awesome video, I suggest your thumbnails contain your face. They come off as ads sometimes.

[@IvyAdmissionHelp]

I appreciate the input. I was thinking my face would make them look tacky and that they would get repetitive. But you might be right. I'll have to give this some thought.

[@hummingbirdcoins6392]

@@IvyAdmissionHelpthey need to see your face BECAUSE people will KNOW it comes from YOU. Your info stands out, so this will help you.

[@IvyAdmissionHelp]

That's a very good point.

[@genanonaccount]

with respect to course rigor, what if I started with geometry but my peers started with say pre-calculus? does that mean I am already behind? I will end up taking calculus my senior year, but my peers will take even more advanced math. How do colleges evaluate me (vs others in my school)?

[@IvyAdmissionHelp]

If you really wanted to demonstrate "intellectual vitality," you could take a summer course or an online course to catch up.

[@TheTandy]

Hey, I applied to some ivies even though I’m not sure of my chances of getting in. Now I just have to wait for late march for my decisions, but so far I did get into UT Austin out of state. Is me getting into UT Austin out of state a good indicator of my ability to get into an ivy or is it all that? Thank you

[@IvyAdmissionHelp]

Congrats on UT Austin. Only about 10% of UT Austin students come from out of state, so that's certainly a promising sign. However, it's impossible to gauge what that means for your other applications. Every school is looking for something different, and generally speaking, the Ivies are far more competitive.

[@michaelv1624]

Hi! My focus is on math. Like I truly love math and it really is my passion. I’ve tried to start a math club but no one wanted to join. So, what should I do? I’m currently in the process of creating a math tutoring program at my local elementary school (because I have other extracurricular that connect with eduction for kids) and I really want to publish a math research paper. Are these too basic/not unique enough? Is there anything else you would recommend to me?

[@IvyAdmissionHelp]

Ideally you want to pursue math in a way that helps you stand out. Are there math competitions you can enter? Many top universities like Stanford and MIT offer free online math courses that you can take. Additionally there are numerous math summer programs you can apply to. And of course you want to do really well on the Math section of the SAT or ACT. There's nothing wrong with tutoring young kids, but it's not particularly going to help you stand out.

[@michaelv1624]

@@IvyAdmissionHelp Great! I’ll look into some math courses and competitions. Thank you so much!!!

[@Kouklaki1972]

Does the same apply to international students?

[@IvyAdmissionHelp]

Yes. And if the college is not familiar with your high school, it can be extremely helpful to submit standardized test scores.

[@Goonfn99]

Bro no one knows what they want to major in in 9th grade 😂😂😂😂 ur weird if u do

[@IvyAdmissionHelp]

You'd be surprised. Many students know what they want to do even long before that. But even if you decide to change your major once you get to college, it's incredibly helpful to have a focused resume to get into a top college in the first place. Just something to consider. Top colleges are looking for uncommon depth, not breadth.