The Ivy League is competitive, and tons of students from across the world will be submitting their applications in only a few months. So how do you set yourself apart from the crowd? Specificity. When you tell a school what you want to study, you need to be more specific than just “biology, because it’s cool.” Thankfully, schools like Cornell have detailed, niche programs that can help you articulate what you want to study and why. Let’s dive into some of their unique programs.
Princeton University Interview Tips
Almost all the Ivy Leagues have alumni interviews. If you have read any of our blogs on Ivy League interviews, Princeton isn't much different from the rest of the Ivies. Princeton doesn’t provide much in the way of tips for hopeful students, so we thought we would share our top tips and tricks to help ace your Princeton interview.
Most Popular Majors in the Ivy League
What is the most popular major in the Ivy League? It’s hard to say exactly. Since there are 8 schools, not every school will have the same breakdown when it comes to popular majors. However, two majors have made the list of Most Popular Majors at almost every Ivy League School: Computer Science and Econ.
Top 5 Harvard Interview Tips
Some of the Ivy Leagues are very upfront about their interview process. They post statistics on how many interviews they offer. They post sample questions and make how-to videos. Harvard doesn’t. Their admissions interview can thus feel like it is shrouded in secrecy. But it doesn’t have to be. While Harvard doesn’t offer up students as many tips for its interview as other schools do, we got you covered. Here are our top tips for nailing your Harvard interview.
UPenn Interview Strategy
So you applied to UPenn, what’s next? Well for most students, you will be offered an alumni interview. Don’t freak out, unfortunately, it doesn’t mean you are on the shortlist to get in. Penn offers interviews to about 90% of candidates. They actually try for 100% if possible. Penn’s admissions office has a of tips and tricks for interviews and also a These can be super helpful resources for preparing for the UPenn Interview, but we thought we would share our own top tips for a great Penn interview.
Greek Life in the Ivy League
Greek life. Phew. It’s a hot topic on every college campus, and everyone has questions about it. How many people are in it? What’s the ~vibe~? Am I paying for friends? Do I have to be in it to have a college experience? Is it worth it? Also why is it called Greek Life when “fraternity” and “sorority” are Latin derived? Do they serve Mediterranean cuisine?
Top Tips for Yale Interview
Most colleges have an interview step and Yale is no different. Interviews happen after you apply but before you are accepted. For many students, college interviews will be their first real interview. It can be a scary process for some students, especially for a highly selective school like Yale. Yale helps students prepare for this interview with a and even a that breaks down some tips for interviewees. They are great resources, but we thought we should also share our top tips to nail the Yale interview.
What is the Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business?
If you are interested in undergrad business programs, you may have already stumbled upon the at the University of Pennsylvania. But what is it? Is it different from the Wharton School of Business? Don’t worry, we are here to break down everything you need to know about this competitive undergrad program.
What is the Columbia Core Curriculum?
The is one of the most important things to Columbia. To quote them directly, “the Core Curriculum is the cornerstone of the Columbia College education.” So yeah, we’d say it’s a big part of their mission and something to learn about before applying. The goes all the way back to 1880, and recounts over a century of tweaks and changes they’ve made to this program. At a basic level, it’s a robust liberal arts foundation to your education, but it’s really a lot more wide-reaching than that. With classes like Contemporary Civilization and Frontiers of Science and requirements in Physical Education and Foreign Language, you can be certain you’ll leave Columbia with a wide breadth of knowledge and as they say, “rigorous preparation for life as an engaged citizen in today’s complex and changing world.”
10 Best Undergraduate Schools for Statistics
A lot of the top schools offer majors in statistics. When you start looking into lists of “best universities for statistics” they start to read like laundry lists of the top 25 schools in the country. This article is titled “best” but maybe it would be more aptly titled “the 10 most unique top-tier undergrad programs for statistics.” Many top programs in statistics aren’t the best just because they are at top universities or part of prestigious math programs, they also are unique, interdisciplinary, and committed fully to the field of statistics. So let’s break them down.
Ivy League Test-Optional Policy
The Ivy League has gone test-optional for 2022-2023. UPenn, , , and have extended all extended their policies for 2023. and have extended their policies through 2024. has extended even further to 2026. Since extending test-optional policies is the hot trend for top colleges, let’s talk about it.
PLME at Brown
Some students dream of going to the Ivy League pre-med and then becoming a doctor since they were kids. If this sounds like you, you might have already heard about Brown’s PLME program. It’s a very popular program for students who just can’t wait to become doctors. It’s highly competitive and can be a little tricky to figure out, so we thought we would break it down for any of our readers who are dreaming of being MDs.
UPenn Test-Optional Policy
Test-optional has been a word that every college counselor has heard over and over for the last two years. The pandemic has led many colleges to adopt a test-optional policy as it has been hard for some communities to access testing. While going to the test-optional model has been a huge trend, some schools have been test-optional outside of the pandemic. Being test-optional/no-testing has worked outside of the pandemic for schools like Bennington College, Wesleyan, Wake Forest, etc. and as colleges keep extending their test-optional policies, we may see more schools adopt the policy even as the pandemic hopefully fades away.
Top 10 Least Popular Majors at Cornell
Getting into college can be tough. Getting into one of the nation’s top colleges, like Cornell or the other Ivies, can be near impossible. Students often ask us what they can do to get ahead. After all, they’re vying for a spot against countless other candidates with perfect grades, flawless essays, and extracurriculars that impress. Every little bit helps and we think landing on the right major is a solid strategy for getting ahead if the rest of your application is already perfect.
Top 10 Least Popular Majors at Stanford
Clients are always asking us how they can get ahead in the college admissions process. College is hyper-competitive these days and with many schools going test-optional since the pandemic began, some students feel as though they have fewer opportunities to showcase their talents above neck-and-neck competition.
Top 10 Least Popular Majors at Brown University
We are often advising clients on how to get ahead in a world in which prestigious universities have single-digit acceptance rates. First and foremost, you need to have the basics down if you really want to get into an Ivy League school like Brown. You must have a stellar GPA in the most advanced classes offered at your school. You have to have exceptional extracurriculars. You also need to have really excellent essays. But each year, tons of hyper-qualified students apply to the Ivies. So how is anyone supposed to get ahead? One strategy we suggest is picking the right major.
Top 10 Least Popular Majors at Columbia University
When it comes to college admissions, everyone wants a new angle. But we’ve found one truth in the admissions process: there’s no substitute for good grades. We work with our students to stand out from the stacks of applications through unique and thoughtful essays and resumes that impress, but ultimately, if you’re trying to get into an Ivy League school like Columbia, you must have the GPA to cut it. That said, if you’re a top-caliber high schooler itching to get ahead of the competition, there are a few other tricks you can keep in mind. Honing in on the right college major is one of them.
Top 10 Least Popular Majors at Princeton
College admissions are like an extreme Olympic sport these days. That is to say, they’re hyper-competitive. It would seem no matter what you do, you’re going to be duking out with an equally-qualified candidate, if not several. While we want to prepare kids for the fact that college admissions can be a daunting process, we also believe there are ways to get ahead. Focusing on the right major might be a good investment of your time.
Top 10 Least Popular Majors at Yale
We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again: colleges are very, very hard to get into these days. Kids try all kinds of tricks to get into great schools, going so far as to move into lower-performing school districts in their final years of high school to get ahead in the rankings. (By the way, we do not recommend this. Doing so takes away spots from potentially less-privileged kids who’ve earned the opportunity). Instead, we usually prescribe good-ole-fashioned hard work and planning. There is no substitute for excellent grades, a solid resume, and stunning essays. But there are a few strategies you might want to consider. Choosing the right major is one of them.
Deferred from Dartmouth Early Decision
We’re guessing you’re here because you got deferred from Dartmouth. We’re sorry that happened, and we encourage you to take some time to yourself to feel your feelings about it. But, if you’re reading this, you probably want to do something about it. Our guide will help you make a strategy for the rest of regular decision, while also sending your last pitch to Dartmouth.