I want to get into a IV League College! but how?

Question

okay so i want to get into a IV league or like Berkely or Stanford or soemthing like yale or brown. but i dont know how. im in 9th grade. 4.5 gpa. in studnet council and this other club. but what else do i need to do?? becuase i know good grades arent going to cut it! please help!

Answer 1

The Ivy league is comprised of 8 schools: Yale, Harvard, Brown, Columbia, Penn, Dartmouth, Cornell and Princeton. Berkeley and Stanford are NOT in the Ivy league. I personally do not recommend choosing a college just because it happens to be in a football league (that is how the "Ivy league" got its name by the way.) There are over 2,600+ four year schools in the U.S., and you can get a top notch education at many places, not just the "Ivy league."

So, here's my advice. Continue to work hard over the next three years. Take the most challenging courses you can manage, and plan on four years of English, math, science, foreign language, and history/social studies. Try to take AP and honors level courses if they are available at your school, but don't stress if you can't take every single one offered. Don't do any of this just for college -- do it because you want to become the best educated person possible, and because you love learning for learning's sake.

In addition, use your high school years to really get to know yourself and your interests. Explore and try different things -- join clubs that sound interesting, try out for theater or a sports team if that's your interest, get involved in your community, try out your talents for art or music, look for opportunities to explore and build your interests over the summer and outside of school. Read about subjects that interest you. Talk to people who have interesting jobs. And -- don't forget to have some fun! Life is too short to spend it all on worrying about college.

When you hit junior year, start reading up on the many wonderful colleges across the country, not just the "Ivy league." Get a hold of a book called the Fiske Guide to Colleges and also a book called Colleges that Change Lives (by Loren Pope). Visit a variety of schools of different sizes and types. Think about what you want your college experience to be like, who you want teaching you, who you want as friends and classmates, and where you want to live. Keep an open mind and explore a variety of options.

Then, develop a realistic college list. Building a college list is a lot like building a house. First, you have to build the foundation -- those are the colleges you would be happy to attend and who would be thrilled to accept you. Next, you build the structure -- those colleges you'd be happy to attend but who might get applications from many other students just like you. Finally, you put on the ceiling or roof -- those colleges that you'd like to attend but which are highly selective so you may not be admitted even if you have perfect grades and test scores. If you don't have the foundation and structure in place, your college list won't stand firm, any more than a house without a foundation and structure will.

So, work hard and earn good grades. But do your research about all of the excellent colleges out there, don't just jump on a label like "Ivy league" and stop there. You'll miss out on some wonderful schools that way (nothing wrong with the Ivy league schools, of course -- just keep in mind that they are not the only schools worth attending!). And, most important of all, don't stress too much. Find time to enjoy life and to get to know yourself. In truth, all colleges want students who know who they are, who have discovered their true passions, not just done things to add to a college application. Most of all, colleges want people who are not afraid of looking beyond the obvious or following their own paths -- so give yourself plenty of room to grow into just that kind of person. I guarantee that will help you find the best college for you much more than just worrying about getting into the Ivy league.
Carolyn Lawrence, www.AdmissionsAdvice.com

Answer 2

First of all, I would recommend that you talk with your advisor/counselor. They can help you A LOT! ...although they would give you some negative statements every now and then but they CAN help you out a LOT!

Then you need high GPAs, ACTs, SATs, and great extracurriculars! What you've been doing is great! You're only in 9th grade with a 4.5 GPA first semester. Keep it up because they don't look at 9th grade as much as 10th, 11th, and 12th! And of course, stay in the extras and you'll be fine. =)

Good Luck!

Answer 3

IVY League. As in they are East Coast Schools that have IVY growing nearby. Although, I go to Columbia and don't see much of it.

Anyhow, just keep doing what you're doing. Try to get involved with a sport and community service. Work hard on getting as high SAT and AP scores as possible.

Believe it or not, but the most important thing will be your admissions essays. A weak essay will be your downfall. I'd suggest taking a lot of writing classes- journalism or creative writing at a local community college during the summer. It will help a lot.

Answer 4

You are of course aware that you need a sterling GPA and an SAT score of 2200+ (or equivalent ACT). What sets you apart from the rest is your involvement in the community. Schools want students who will take an active role in their education. It is not enough to simply be in the student council. You have to hold some sort of a leadership position. Join a few other student organizations and try to attain some sort of distinction in each. Top schools are looking for students who are passionate about what they do and about where they are going. You will score major points if you research the schools and personalize your essays to make it look like each school is your absolute first choice.

Answer 5

The old fashioned way of course is to have a parent who graduate from Ivy. If that's not your case, you need to perform a lot of community services and volunteer for any well known community based organization. Yes, grades and recommendations are important, yet the admissions department wants an applicate that outshines the rest. If you have artistic talent, you could have a showing or a play produced. Creative talent is a big hit with the admissions board.

Answer 6

you also need a VERY high ACT score. I would say anywhere from 32 and up out of 36 can guarantee you a spot. But your GPA also needs to be high throughout high school. You need to be in the top 1-5% of your high school class. Also, joining social clubs and academic clubs is also a good idea. Community service and being involved in school is good too. You'll also need KILLER essays. I would say get them proof read by your english teachers and your school's english department to make sure they have absolutely no mistakes.
Good luck

Answer 7

Continue to get good grades. Increase your involvement in student life. Consider a service activity ourtside of school. Read widely. But do yourself a favor, have a life. What happens if you don't get accepted to one of the elite schools? Will your life be over? No, it won't. You will go to another school. If you continue to work hard you can be a success without going to an Ivy League school. As Doris Day used to say, "Que sera sera."

Answer 8

Extracurriculars. If you already know what you want to major in, join clubs related to your interests, and it'll give you an edge for when you start applying.

Answer 9

how can you have 4.5 gpa if you're still a freshman?