How to get into an ivy league school

The first step in applying to colleges when studying abroad is to decide which ones to apply to. Ivy League schools are likely on your list of possibilities if you are a high-achieving student. In this Guide, we will discuss How to get into an ivy league school.

“Ivy League” refers to a group of eight private universities that compete in the same collegiate athletic conference. Among the Ivy League members are Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Brown, Dartmouth, Columbia, Cornell, and the University of Pennsylvania. It’s their world-renowned academics, prestige, and perhaps most anxiety-inducing-exclusiveness that bind these eight schools together, not just their athletics.

Below, we’ll go into greater depth about each individual Ivy League school and the admissions process.

BROWN UNIVERSITY ACCEPTANCE RATE:

The percentage of 2025 applicants accepted by Brown was 5.4%. Admissions to Brown University have become more competitive since last year when 6.9% of applicants were accepted. A record 46,568 applications were received for Brown’s class of 2025. Over the previous year, this number increased by 27%.

Scores accepted by Brown:

With SAT scores between 1480 and 1560, the middle 50% of Class of 2025 applicants scored in the middle.

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY ACCEPTANCE RATE:

Columbia University has a 6.1% acceptance rate, with a 5.1% acceptance rate for regular decision applicants and a 15.1% acceptance rate for early decision applicants.

Columbia University Application Process

Coalition, Common, and QuestBridge applications are accepted by Columbia.

The application requires the following:

  1. An official transcript of high school grades is included in the school report
  2. A recommendation from a counselor
  3. Report on midyear performance and profile

SAT SCORE:

In terms of SAT and ACT scores, the middle 50% of Columbia 2024 admits scored between 1500 and 1560.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY ACCEPTANCE RATE:

Only 10.6% of Cornell University’s 50,000 applicants were accepted for the class of 2024.

SAT SCORE:

Cornell freshmen typically score between 1410 and 1530 on the SAT. The SAT results were reported by 72.6% of enrolled students in the class of 2024.

DARTMOUTH UNIVERSITY ACCEPTANCE RATE:

Despite Dartmouth’s prestigious status, its acceptance rate is only 6.2%. Students should not be discouraged from applying.

SAT SCORE:

Most admitted students scored near or above 1500 on the SAT. For most students, math is easier than reading (the average math score was 750 and the average reading score was 730).

HARDWARE UNIVERSITY ACCEPTANCE RATE:

This year, Harvard reported 40,248 applicants. Harvard only admitted 2,015 of 4,000 applicants. The wait list was shortened by 34 students.

Harvard’s Early Decision acceptance rate is 7.9%, according to the Wall Street Journal

SAT SCORE:

In terms of SAT and ACT scores, admitted students averaged 1460 to 1580 points and 33 to 35, respectively.

THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, ACCEPTANCE RATE:

7% of students are accepted into Penn’s 2020 class. The figure includes applicants who applied on a regular basis and those who applied early. If a senior needs the fall semester to improve test scores, GPA, or activities, early decision may not be the best choice.

Class of 2023:

The total number of applicants was 44961, and 3446 admitted 7109 applicants through the early decision process, 1280 admitted 37,852 applicants through the regular decision process, and 2166 applicants through the early decision process and deferred early decision process.

SAT SCORE:

A near-perfect GPA is required for most Ivy League applicants.

Schools compare students’ academic abilities based on SAT and ACT scores.

Also, SAT and ACT scores still matter in the era of COVID-19, when almost all universities are testing-optional.

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY ACCEPTANCE RATE:

As ranked by U.S. News, Princeton University is the top national university. With over 270 years of high-quality instruction, Princeton University is the fourth-oldest college in the United States. 

There is a 13.93% acceptance rate for Princeton Early Action. Princeton students who make an early decision may be able to benefit from it. 

TEST SCORES:

In order to see how you rank against admitted students’ GPAs and test scores, you should look at data reflecting students’ GPAs and test scores:

  • GPA: 3.9 on average in high school
  • Score on the SAT Verbal: 740 on average
  • The median SAT Math score is 755
  • SAT Verbal score range: 690 to 790 in the middle 50%
  • SAT Math score range for middle 50%: 710-800 
  • ACT composite median: 33.5
  • ACT composite score range for middle 50%: 32-35

The middle 50% of students scored between 1400 and 1500, and the top 10% scored close to or above 1600.

YALE UNIVERSITY ACCEPTANCE RATE:

The Yale University admissions rate is 6.5%. Regular-decision applicants at Yale are admitted at a rate of 5.1%. In contrast, the percentage of Yale applicants who are admitted early is 13.8%. 796 out of 5,777 applicants are admitted early. It is beneficial for students to make early decisions.

SAT SCORE:

Yale accepts an average ACT score of 34 and an average SAT score of 1500. ACT scores ranged from 32 to 36 for 88 percent of this year’s freshmen. On the Reading and Writing and Math sections of the SAT, students who were accepted to the university had average scores above 700.

FINAL THOUGHTS: How to get into an ivy league school

There is probably a story in the news every year about a student getting into multiple Ivies. Their achievements are impressive, and the media loves to highlight them.

Despite this, Ivy League colleges aren’t for everyone. Each of the eight is unique, so not all of them will work for every applicant. Cornell’s rural setting will not appeal to students who love the city.

Dreaming big is just as important as setting realistic goals. There are hundreds of colleges that can educate students better than the Ivies. Additionally, many of these schools offer lower tuition rates (only need-based aid) than the Ivies, including “Public Ivy” universities.

The key to finding the right school is to do your research. Your chances of getting into an Ivy will increase if you follow the above tips. We at Global Consultancy for USA studies offer a complete roadmap to your dream Ivy league and are here to help you turn it into a reality.

Nudrat Rahman Sheikh
nudrat@globalcollegeconsultancy.com