Being Realistic in Ivy League Admissions

Being Realistic in Ivy League Admissions October 22, 2012 Being realistic in Ivy League admissions is important for parents as well as students. So often, we hear from parents in particular that they would be surprised if their son or daughter didnt get admitted to an Ivy League school. And whys that? Because they have great grades and great SATs. We often then ask about their grades and scores. They are rarely as great as the parents make them out to be. But even if they are great, that doesnt mean their son or daughter will be admitted to a highly selective Ivy League college. Students (and especially parents) need to realize that perfect grades and scores do not equate with Ivy League admission. Just look at our Ivy League Admissions Statistics. Notice how most students are denied admission? These students who are denied are other peoples sons and daughters, too! Its important for parents and students to be realistic in Ivy League admissions. Just because your son does 20 hours of community service a week with 4 organizations doesnt mean he has a great shot of getting into Princeton. In fact, if thats what youre leading with when describing his odds of admission, then hes got an uphill battle ahead of him because highly selective colleges dont jump up and down when a student is involved in a few volunteer activities as much as you think they may. Its just not how it is. Its a misconception. As a parent, to better understand your childs odds of admission, its sometimes beneficial to pretend the child is not your child. It helps to sometimes think more objectively. And it helps to peruse our website to have a better sense of what it takes to get admitted to an Ivy League schoolbecause we write a whole lot about it. Theres an old saying nobodys quite sure which dean of admissions said it that if you take a group of students who just didnt make the cut and compare them to students who are admitted, you cant really tell the difference. Thats how close it can come in Ivy League admissions. Its not random. Its a science. And it pays to be realistic as over-inflating your chances will by no means help you (or your child). Itll come across in your application. Itll come across in your decision-making throughout the college admissions process. We encourage our students (and their parents) to set realistic goals. And, then, we help them achieve these goals.