Getting into Ivy League colleges and so-called Top-25 schools in the US is tough and it

takes long-range planning.

There is an incredible rush of applicants for the top schools as every year a
disproportionate number of high school students from across the world try to get into a
very small group of schools.
To get through, students need several essential tools for success at the top: a strong
strategic admissions plan, an outstanding student profile, and good advice along the
way.
A good, general and long-range college admission plan, which both students and
parents should consider, might look something like this:
Elementary years
Encourage reading and broad-range interests. Look for signs of special talents. Get
involved with your schools guidance program. Start developing computer skills.
Middle-school years
Continue reading at all levels. Begin to emphasise writing and general communication
skills. Watch for emerging leadership traits. Increase involvement with teachers and
administrators.
Class nine
GPA and class rank begin to accumulate. Schedule only the most challenging courses
and excel in academics and extracurricular pursuits. So, dont waste your summer
vacations.
Career mapping
You need to identify career interests, explore subject options, discuss career prospects
and identify country interests. Knowledge building regarding college applications and
discussion on profile as well filling the gaps need to be considered as well.
Tests
Students need to take mandatory exams like the SAT 1 and Test of English as a Foreign
Language (Toefl) for students applying to colleges in the US.

The SAT 1 is an assessment of a students mathematical and verbal proficiency and

primarily in the multiple choice format. It is 2,400 mark paper. An Ivy League college will
definitely require a SAT score of 2,200 and above.
Toefl is the most widely accepted English language exam to check an examinees
proficiency and comfort in understanding, listening, speaking, and writing English.
SAT 2 are one-hour tests on specific subjects and have 22 separate tests covering five
subject areas like math, history, literature, science and languages scored on a scale of
200-800. Not all schools require subject tests, but its mandatory for most top schools
and they specify the number of subject tests ie two or three.
The subject tests opted for should be in tandem with the basic study program you would
like to opt for ie science or humanities.
If you have not scored a perfect 800, as many students tend to do, dont give up. There
are a number of things you can do to improve. The SATs, especially the SAT I, can be
coached. If you are unsatisfied with your score, you can improve it through some
structured study.
You can also take other comprehensive preparation for exams like SAT II, PSAT and AP
and add these to your regular SAT preparation to have that extra edge during your
college applications.
Advanced Placement exams (AP)
The AP exam tests cover more than 30 university-level courses that are taken by high
school students to improve their chances at getting admission into an Ivy League
college. Taking AP exams and scoring in them is a sure shot way of impressing college
admission counsellors as it indicates a students preparedness to take on challenges as
well his ability to handle college-level course work.
AP exams in India are offered in 24 subjects like world history, human geography,
English language and composition, United States history, computer science, calculus,
statistics, environmental science, chemistry, biology, physics, psychology,
macroeconomics, microeconomics, etc.
American College Testing (ACT)
ACT is an alternative to SAT 1 and like the SAT, it is a paper and pen test, for college
admissions in the USA. It is scored out of 36 points and there are four sections - English,
Math, Reading and Science.

Essays
It is the weak link in many college applications. It is unfortunate because the essay can
tip the scales when a college is trying to decide between two otherwise equally qualified
applicants. Some students dont put much thought into their essays which is a big
mistake as they are an extremely important part of the application.
Most applications for competitive colleges ask applicants to write a reasonably significant
500-750 words essay about what is usually a broad topic. What colleges are looking for
in the essay is an insight into how well the student thinks and how well s/he can
articulate a point of view. Colleges require applicants to submit a personal statement,
which is literally an essay about you. This may be the one chance that the admissions
committee has to get to know who you are and how you will be able to contribute to their
student body.
The main requirement for writing a convincing essay, apart from a command of the
English language, is presenting who you really are. It is about finding your voice or the
writing style that lets your readers hear who you are. The key is to write what you want
to say, and not what the college wants to hear.
You should make your essay approachable as you are more than the sum total of your
test scores, school marks, and other achievements. It should be a personal statement to
make an impression and demonstrate the special qualities that make you. The strongest
applicants are those who have the strongest stories.
Financial aid
Fortunately some Ivy League colleges are need-blind colleges. This means an
applicants ability to pay has no effect on his admission. While most colleges are need
blind only for domestic students, Harvard, Princeton, Yale and Dartmouth consider
international students as well.
Harvard and Yale are committed to meeting 100% of admitted students demonstrated
financial need. Families with income between $65,000 and $1,50,000 are expected to
pay 0 to 10%. Families with annual income over $1,50,000 are expected to pay
proportionally more.
There are need-aware colleges for international students as well. There are various
parameters that the colleges consider before being given financial aid. Usually, the
strongest applicants in terms of academics, SAT scores and profile make the cut.