Por Perri Ormont Blumberg| March 29, 2023 11:59 AM m.
If you're eager to become a Columbia Lion or Yale Bulldog (or to your child), you may have heard murmurs of "Ivy Day" around here lately.
You might remember anxiously checking your mailbox during your senior year of high school to see if you got accepted to one or more of your top colleges. For the elite waiting for an answer from the prestigious Ivy League schools, the preparation began long before many of us even thought about school.
These days, nail-biting is still the same, though the big reveal now takes place in cyberspace, and all on March 30, aka "Ivy Day."
Not surprisingly, given the fierce competition,families start preparing earlyin the tri-state region.
“While starting the college admissions process more than a decade early may seem excessive, parents are right to worry about the risks of admission to Ivy League schools. Over the past decade, these elite universities have become more competitive than ever," said Christopher Rim, founder and CEO ofEducation Command, based in the West Village, in New York City, pointing to the fact that, by the class of 2026,Harvard received61,221 applicants, of which 3.2% were accepted andcolombia received60,377 applied, of which 3.73% were accepted.
“There will be a lot of stressed-out teens and families as Ivy League prospects frantically refresh their portals to see their results,” said Laurie Kopp Weingarten, Ivy League president and co-founder.Comprehensive college counseling, headquartered in Marlboro, New Jersey, and offering college consulting services nationwide, specializing in students applying to the nation's most select universities.
(Worth noting: Ivy Day only happens in the spring with the release of Regular Decision; In autumn, each of theThe Ivies publish their first resultson a day of their choosing, without coordination among the group, Kopp Weingarten said.)
“There will be a lot of tears and screams of happiness, but a lot more expressions of dismay and sometimes even anger,” he said, admitting that the odds are not in the student's favor. “The competition is tough; there are not enough beds in the Ivy League to accept all these high-achieving students,” Kopp Weingarten continued. “What happens if a student is not admitted to an Ivy under the Early Decision (Cornell,Pennsylvania,Brown,Dartmouth, miColombia) or the restricted/single choice initial action plan (harvard,Princeton, miYale), the chances are low, in the single digits.”
In fact, as Kopp Weingarten shared in an example below, for the classes of 2025 and 2026, the chances of being accepted into the estimated Ivies are about as likely as walking into Levain Bakery without waiting in line:
- Brown (class of 2026): 15% Early Decision; 4% Regular Decision
- Colombia (class of 2025): 12% Early Decision; 3% regular decision
- Cornell (class of 2026): 19% Early Decision; 5% Regular Decision
- Dartmouth (class of 2026): 20% accepted Early Decision; 5% Regular Decision
- Harvard (class of 2026): 8% Restricted Early Action; 2% Regular Decision
- Penn (class of 2025): 15% Early Decision, 4% Regular Decision
- Princeton (2025 tour): 4% total
- Yale (turn of 2026): 11% initial share of single election; 3% regular decision
(Note: In the media, universities report total admission rates, not regular decision admission rates, which are even lower.)
But wait, there is more.
“When you talk to admissions officers, they will tell you that as many as 80% of applicants to these universities are highly qualified, which means the competition is incredibly fierce.”Dr. Robert Kohen, PhD, an independent educational consultant on the Upper West Side of Manhattan who has a Certificate in College Admissions and Career Planning from UC Berkeley, a Ph.D. from Harvard and a B.A. from Colombia.
This means that even if you, your child, or your loved one have the talent to be accepted on all eight tests, the admissions team can still reject you in favor of someone else. “Truly exceptional students who do everything right in the admissions process are still not guaranteed acceptance, given these numbers and each institution's focus on its own set of priorities for any given year,” Kohen said.
“With such fierce competition, Ivy League admissions is no longer about whether a student is valedictorian or received a perfect SAT score – elite schools seek students with singular focus and demonstrable passions.” Kidney added.
and going toTrinidadochapínit's not your sure-fire ticket to the Ivies, either. “While some families assume that the rigor and prestige of a private school will guarantee admission to a top-tier college or university, this is not the case: even prestigious private schools lack the resources to help students develop your professional profile. focused way that attracts the Ivy League and other major universities,” Rim said. “Many parents find that despite paying a high price for a private school, they need the help of private college admissions counselors who can provide individualized attention to their student's needs and goals.”
(By the way, 100% of students working with Rim's company who applied Early Action to Harvard during the last admissions cycle were admitted,as reported in The Post.)
Whether you win, lose, or get waitlisted, here's how you can play on March 30.
What to do if you are accepted
congratulations boy Let your parents make that celebratory dinner reservation at Mory's or head to Morningside Heights for a drink at 1020.
“You are now a member of a select group of students from around the world. Please take a minute, or a day, to digest this victory,” said LeeAnne Jackson Rogers, owner and college admissions coach atLife project with LeeAnnein Dallas, Texas. “But then it's time to get down to business! If you were in that group, you've probably been accepted to a number of top universities," he said, noting that you have until May 1 to commit, so you should prioritize visiting campus in person or speaking with an alumnus who can inform you. .say about his experience. “And don't forget to consider the scholarships he has received from other schools. The ivies are elite and are priced to reflect their status,” added Jackson Rogers.
Kohen echoed that sentiment, adding that "students must attend an admitted student day, trying to stay overnight and attend a class of interest," he said. "They should talk to existing students, especially those in the intended course."
Kopp Weingarten has one more hard-earned wisdom for students accepted into Ivy Day: He reminds students that there are far more disappointed teens than happy teens who walk away from the occasion. "It's good not to brag or overcelebrate students who are dealing with rejection." she said.
What to do if you are on the waiting list
Enter this camp? You are a rare breed. “Waiting list admission rates tend to be low and can fluctuate from year to year,” Kohen said.
“One of the best things a waitlist applicant can do is write and submit a letter of continuing interest, which is a short note addressed to the college's admissions committee, updating the school on the student's progress since that your application was sent. Rim explains.
“Students should include important academic updates, such as positive changes to their GPA, academic awards and honors, or independent academic projects, whether it be research, online courses, or academic internships.” But, as Rim said, these letters shouldn't be generic: "Continuing interest letters should be memorable, unique, and quirky so that the student stands out from the hundreds of other applicants who were on the waiting list."
"You may even consider revisiting the school to express your interest in enrolling in person if that's your first choice," Kohen adds. On the emotional front, Kohen urges students to accept the fact that an acceptance is highly unlikely and to focus on the colleges that accepted them.
In that regard, Jackson Rogers said that with the number of students applying to more high schools due to the continuation oftest optional policies, there will be students who leave the waiting list, although not many.
"First, prioritize your list of where you've been accepted and narrow down your best waitlisted school," he said, explaining that you'll need to send a deposit to your second choice, which is likely non-refundable, however, you get to keep it. the waiting list for the ivy of your dreams. Like Kohen, Jackson Rogers advocates submitting a letter of continuing interest.
In addition, she commented that she should update the school with details of what she has accomplished since submitting her application. “An updated transcript with higher ratings won't hurt either. It's also why college counselors say senior grades are important,” she said. “You'll need to move forward with plans for your admitted school, but keep in mind that you may need to change if you're offered a spot off the waitlist after each Ivy has received your applications and can determine if they have spots. open”.
In short: "It's not healthy to sit around waiting for them to come off a waiting list!" Kopp Weingarten said. That's why he says get excited about the college you got admitted to and treat yourself to a t-shirt or sweatshirt from that school.
What to do if you get rejected
Perhaps we should have started here first, since the reality is that the vast majority of Lions, Tigers and Bears hopefuls don't get into an Ivy League school.
Because Kopp Weingarten and his team focus on the Ivy League and other highly selective admissions, they try to inform students early on if they don't have the opportunity to be admitted to colleges at that level. “For example, a B student should not apply to Dartmouth, even if she has taken all of her Honors/AP classes and has a perfect score on the SAT or ACT,” she said of setting expectations early in the process. (Always helpful, in all aspects of life, folks.)
“But if they reject a student who seemed really qualified, part of growing up is learning to deal with disappointments and setbacks,” Kopp Weingarten said, emphasizing that a college decision doesn't and shouldn't define you. “So if a student gets rejected, they might gloat for a day or two and then take the attitude of 'It's a loss for the school; I will love the universities that also loved me. They must like to choose from the options they have and fully immerse themselves in the university of their choice,” he continued. “Most of the students we work with love their colleges, but if it doesn't work out, they can always try to transfer.”
Students should also focus on recovering in this scenario for the sake of their friends and siblings. Viewing their rejection letters can help them pave the way for their own college applications. “For younger students who may witness rejection by older siblings or friends, the experience should instill the value of a balanced college roster. While rejections are always disappointing, a balanced college list ensures that the candidate has a host of other strong options that align with her skills and interests,” Rim said. "Having desirable high school options can take some of the stress out of receiving a rejection from a student's best school."
You, too, can take solace in adopting the Jackson Rogers attitude: "Remember, there's always grad school, and you can apply to seek redemption in three more years."
Jokes aside, although Ivy Day seems to be the most important day of your life, know "there are many more accomplishments in your future and you should take some time to be proud of all the hard work you have put in in twelve years of education." "graduate and go to college," he said.
Or, as Kopp Weingarten has framed it, the bumper sticker is fine, but the point is to be happy where you end up and enjoy all that's on offer. "It's really important to find the 'right' college," Kopp Weingarten said, before casually commenting that his daughter graduated in 2018 with a degree from Princeton.
Originally posted on TheNew York Poston March 29, 2023 11:59 am
