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Getting into elite schools like Harvard, Yale,                                                Princeton, Stanford, and others is a goal of                                                many high school students. How exactly                                                              to accomplish this is often a mystery to                                                students and parents going through the                                            admissions process. Lots of unhelpful and                                                vague advice abound, especially from                                                        people who have never gained admission                                          themselves to these universities /schools.

In high school, I got into every university                           I applied to, including Harvard, Princeton, MIT, and Stanford, and I attended Harvard for college. I also learned a lot about my classmates and the dynamics of college admissions in ways that were never clear to me in high school. Now, I'm sharing this expertise with you.

I've written the most comprehensive guide to getting into top schools. I'm going to explain in detail what admissions officers at Ivy League schools are really looking for in your application. More importantly, I'm going to share an actionable framework you can use to build the most compelling application that's unique to you.

 

How to Get Into the Ivy League: Brief Overview

If there's one central takeaway from this article, it's that most students are spending their time on entirely the wrong things because they have an incorrect view of what top colleges are really looking for.

If you're struggling to stay afloat with a ton of AP classes in subjects you don't care about, a sports team, SAT/ACT prep, and volunteering, you're hurting yourself—and are probably incredibly unhappy, too. We'll drill down into exactly why this is such a huge mistake.

Here is an overview of the major sections in this article:

This article is long and detailed, but I strongly believe it's well worth your time. These are all the lessons I wish I had known when I was in high school myself. So I suggest you read it through fully at least once.

When you finish reading this guide, it is my hope that you'll dramatically change your beliefs about how to get into Stanford, Harvard, and other Ivy League-level schools.

 

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Important Disclaimers

Before we dive in, I need to get a few things out of the way. My advice in this article is blunt and pragmatic, and I have strong opinions. Even if one of my points rubs you the wrong way, I don't want one bad apple to spoil the bunch—you might end up ignoring advice that would otherwise be helpful. So let me clear up some common misconceptions about what I'm saying.

First of all, it's completely OK if you don't go to Harvard. I wish I were joking about having to tell people this. Attending Harvard or Yale or Stanford doesn't guarantee you success in life. Lots of students who go to these schools end up aimless, and many more who don't go to top schools end up accomplishing a lot.

More than anything, your success in life is up to you—not your environment or factors out of your control. The school you go to cannot guarantee your own success. So whether you get into a top school or not, it's only the beginning of a long road, and what happens during your journey is almost entirely up to you. (That said, I believe going to a top school gives you huge advantages, particularly in the availability of resources and strength of the community. If I had to do it all over, I would have 100% gone to Harvard again. More on this later.)

I don't believe that getting into a top school like Stanford or Duke should be the singular goal of high school students. Happiness and fulfillment are really important and are rarely taken seriously enough. Luckily, with the approach to admissions that I explain below, you'll be able to explore your passions while also building a strong application.

This article is a guide to admissions to the top schools in the country. To be explicit, I include in this the most selective schools in the Ivy League (consisting of Harvard, Yale, Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia) as well as Stanford, MIT, Duke, and Caltech. Generally speaking, these are the top 10 schools according to US News and have admissions rates below 10%. Following this guide is really helpful for these ultra-selective schools and important for raising your chances of admission.

There's a second group of high-quality schools for which admissions is relatively easier (Dartmouth, Johns Hopkins, Northwestern, Washington University in St. Louis, Cornell, Brown, Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, Rice, UC Berkeley—ranked #11-18 in US News). If these are your target schools and you follow the advice in this guide, you will absolutely blow away admissions at this latter group and get accepted to every one of them. Big claims, I know, but I stand by my advice here—you'll see.

More than a guide on how to get into Stanford or MIT, this is really a guide on how to explore your passion and structure your life around it. I believe that getting into schools is really just a positive consequence of doing things you're sincerely interested in. Keep this in mind as you read on. As you'll see, trying to do things only for the sake of getting into a top school can be counterproductive and burdensome.

Throughout this article, I'm going to sound a bit elitist. For example, I'm going to refer to what it takes for you to be "world class" and what it means to be "mediocre." This might sound distasteful, as it seems like I'm judging some efforts to be more worthwhile than others. Try not to be turned off by this. Michael Phelps is a world-class swimmer, and I am a terribly mediocre one. Facts are facts, and I'm just presenting how admissions officers will think about comparing you with the 30,000 other applicants from the rest of the world.

I founded a company called PrepScholar. We create online SAT/ACT prep programs that adapt to your strengths and weaknesses. I believe we've created the best prep program available, and if you want to raise your SAT/ACT score, I encourage you to check us out.

I want to emphasize, though, that you do not need to buy a prep program to get a great SAT or ACT score. Moreover, the advice in this guide has little to do with my company. But if you're aren't sure what to study and agree with our unique approach to test prep, our program may be a great fit for you.

Lastly, this article is not a reductionist magic guide on how to get into Stanford or MIT. There are no easy hidden tricks or shortcuts. There is no sequence of steps you can follow to guarantee your personal success. It takes a lot of hard work, passion, and some luck.

But if it weren't hard, then getting into these schools wouldn't be such a valuable accomplishment. Most students who read this guide won't be able to implement it fully, but you should at least take key elements from it to change how you view your college admissions path.

With all that said, I hope you can take what I say below seriously and learn a lot about how colleges think about admissions. If you disagree with anything fundamental below, let me know in a comment. I strongly believe in what I'm saying, and most of my friends and colleagues who went to top schools would agree with this guide, too.

 

Part 1: Why Schools Exist and What They Want to Accomplish

To fully understand my points below on how to get into Yale and similar schools, we need to first start at the highest level: what do top schools hope to accomplish by existing? This will give us clues as to how a school decides what types of students it'll admit.

All top schools like Harvard, UPenn, and Duke are nonprofits, which means that unlike companies like Starbucks, they don't exist to create profits for shareholders.

But they do something similar: they aim to create as much value as they can in the world. Value can come in a lot of forms.

A common one you hear about is research. Through research by faculty members, schools push the boundaries of human knowledge and contribute to new inventions and theories that can dramatically improve human lives. If you've ever heard a news story saying something like, "A team at Stanford today reported that they found a new treatment for pancreatic cancer," you can bet that Stanford's darn proud of that team.

Another one is through services. Universities often organize programs to consult with national governments or assist nonprofits. A third way of creating value is by publishing books and disseminating research information. The list goes on and on.

But here's one final, huge way schools create value: by educating students who then go on to do great things in the world.

Do you know where Bill Gates went to college? You've probably heard it was Harvard (even though he dropped out). Don't you think Harvard is thrilled to be associated with Bill Gates so publicly, and to be part of his lore?

How about Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the founders of Google? You might have heard that they went to Stanford. And President Barack Obama went to Columbia as an undergrad and Harvard for law school.

Every single school has alumni who make their schools proud. (For example, who can you think of from the University of Chicago or Princeton?) By accomplishing great things in their lives, these alumni carry forward the flags of their alma maters, and their schools then get associated with their accomplishments.

Think of schools like parents and students as their children. The parents provide a nurturing environment for their children who will eventually go on to do great things. The parents are proud whenever the children accomplish anything noteworthy. (And if the children make it big, they might give some money back to their parents.)

To see proof of this in action, visit the news office website of any school. All schools publicize the world-changing things that are happening at the school and by its graduates.

Why do they do this? Because it generates positive feedback loops (remember this from biology?)—aka virtuous cycles. The better the achievements at a school, the better the reputation it has. The better the reputation, the more funding it gets and the better the students who want to attend. The better the students, the better the achievements the school creates. And this continues perpetually so that places like Harvard will likely remain at the top of the education game for a very long time.

 

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We know that schools like Princeton and MIT care about creating as much value as they can, including educating their students. Now for the important question: what does this mean about what schools look for in their next class of freshmen?

 

Part 2: What Types of Students Ivy League Schools Want to Admit and Why

Let's cut to the chase. Schools are looking for two main qualities in applicants:

  • Students who are going to accomplish world-changing things.
  • Students who are going to contribute positively to their communities while in college and help other students accomplish great things as well.

That's essentially it.

For every student who enters Harvard or Stanford, the school hopes that he or she will go on to change the world. Again, this can be in a multitude of ways. The student might start the next huge company. She might join a nonprofit and manage a large global health initiative. He might write a novel that wins the Pulitzer Prize. He might even become a great parent to children who will then also go on to do great things.

Here's some proof of this from William R. Fitzsimmons, long-time Dean of Admissions at Harvard College:

"Each year we admit about 2,100 applicants. We like to think that all of them have strong personal qualities and character, that they will educate and inspire their classmates over the four years of college, and that they will make a significant difference in the world after they leave Harvard."

This, of course, is hard to predict when you're just 17 years old. You've barely developed, you don't know exactly what you want to do with your life, and you have a lot of room to grow. But the college application process, as it's designed now, is the best way that colleges have to predict which students are going to accomplish great things.

Your job is to convince the school that you're that person.

This naturally leads us to our first of four questions:

 

#1: How Do You Predict Who's Going to Change the World?

This is the challenge that all colleges face. Based on the first 17 years of your life, top colleges like Stanford and UChicago want to determine the potential you have to make an impact throughout the rest of your life.

In trying to do this, top colleges adhere to one golden rule: the best predictor of future achievement is past achievement. If you make deep achievements as a high school student, in the college's eyes you're showing that you're capable of achieving great things in the future.

This rule actually holds true in a lot of scenarios outside college admissions. In college football, for example, the Heisman trophy is given annually to the top player. Then, in the NFL draft, Heisman trophy winners are often picked in the first round—in other words, they've proven that they have a huge likelihood of succeeding.

The same goes with decisions you might make in your everyday life. If you're looking for an orthodontist to straighten your teeth, you're more likely to choose someone who has years of making happy smiles. Likewise, you'd probably avoid the rookie dentist just out of dental school who doesn't have a lot of experience and positive results yet.

The point of your application is to convince the school that, based on your achievements so far, you are going to continue succeeding and achieving great things in college and beyond.

Of course, this system isn't perfect—the past doesn't always predict the future. Tom Brady, one of the best football quarterbacks of all time, was a no-name when he was drafted in 2000. He didn't have a standout college football history, and he was drafted as the 199th pick in the sixth round. So even though you might not have a stellar college application, you could still achieve great things in your career.

 

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Pretty much every football team wishes they'd drafted Tom Brady.

 

Colleges do make mistakes, but, by and large, they try to adhere to this rule most of the time to predict future success. Therefore, to get into a top school, you need to demonstrate the ability to succeed in the future by achieving great things now.

This idea might not be new to you: "Duh, Allen—of course Harvard wants to admit students who accomplish great things!"

But most likely you're making a mistake in how you demonstrate that you are both world class and capable of accomplishing great things. Most students tackle this in entirely the wrong way; they try to be "well rounded," thinking this is what colleges want to see.

It's a big mistake.

 

#2: What Is the Critical Flaw With Being Well Rounded?

Most students aiming for top schools make the huge mistake of trying to be "well rounded." When I was in high school, I heard this refrain over and over and over again, from older students and teachers to counselors and supposed "college admissions experts." I'm sure you've heard this phrase, too.

The typical student who wants to be well rounded will try to demonstrate some competency in a variety of skills. She'll learn an instrument, play a JV sport, aim for straight As, score highly on tests, volunteer for dozens of hours at a hospital, and participate in a few clubs.

In these students' minds, they're telling their schools, "I can do everything! Whatever I set my mind to, I can learn to do a pretty good job. This means I'll be successful in the future!"

This is wrong. The world doesn't see it this way, colleges like Yale and MIT generally don't see it this way, and far too many students waste thousands of hours in their lives pursuing this.

Here's the problem: well-rounded students don't do anything particularly well. They're not team captain of a national-ranking soccer team, or head of a new statewide nonprofit, or concertmaster of a leading orchestra. This means that none of what they do is truly impressive.

To put it bluntly, "well rounded" means "mediocre at everything." Jack of all trades, master of none.

 

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By being a jack of all trades, you risk being master of none.

 

Mediocre people don't end up changing the world. They might be great low-level employees. They'll be followers, not leaders. But top schools like Harvard and Stanford want to train leaders who will change the world.

(Is this rubbing you the wrong way? Let me pause here. Remember above what I said about possibly sounding elitist? There's nothing wrong with being a jack of all trades and master of none. You might not even be that interested in success or achievement as traditionally understood by society. That's completely fine. It might be the best way to make you happy, and if so, that's the path you should take, no matter what anyone says. But top schools aren't looking for people like this. And since that's our goal right now, excuse me for being blunt.)

Think about this—did the New England Patriots care about whether Tom Brady could do math? No—he just needed to be a great quarterback and team leader. Few other things matter.

If you break your arm and need surgery, do you care that your surgeon has a fly-fishing hobby? Likely not—you just want her to be the best surgeon possible so she can fix your arm.

Does being well rounded sound like your plan? Be careful. You're going down the wrong path, and you need to fix your course before it's too late.

Here's why students make this common mistake: because they're not yet in the real world, they have a warped impression of what it takes to be successful. In a young teenage mind, it probably seems like to be successful in the future, you should be successful at everything—you need to be charismatic, be super-smart in all subjects, have a great smile, and be a great public speaker.

Let me clear up this misconception with a lesson I learned the hard way.

 

#3: What Does It Really Take to Make a Difference in the World?

In a word, focus. Relentless focus.

The world has gotten so specialized now that the days of the successful dilettante are over. Each field has gotten so developed, and the competitors so sophisticated, that you need to be a deep expert in order to compete.

If you become a scientist, you're competing with other scientists who are thinking about the same problems all day, every day. And you're all competing for the same limited pool of research money.

If you're a novelist, you're competing with prolific writers who are drafting dozens of pages every day. And you're all competing for the limited attention of publishers and readers.

This applies to pretty much every field. There really is no meaningful area that rewards you for being a jack of all trades (I would argue that early-stage entrepreneurship comes closest, but it's still far away).

If you don't have your head 100% in the game, you're not going to accomplish nearly as much as those who are 100% committed. This is what it takes to make a revolutionary difference in the real world.

 

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This does not mean you can't have multiple interests. Successful people often have wide-ranging interests and do especially interesting things at the intersection of them. I'm just saying that it's harder to be a true Renaissance man now than it was during the Renaissance, when much less was known about the world. Life necessarily has tradeoffs—the more areas you try to explore, the less deeply you'll explore any one of them.

Note as well that this does not mean colleges expect what you focus on now to be your focus for the future. This is a common worry among high school applicants. But the reality is, colleges know you'll change, and they want you to change. You might be a top ballerina today and a neurosurgeon tomorrow. What's more important is that you demonstrate the capacity for success.

If you work hard enough and have the passion and drive to become a top ballerina, the colleges know you'll be much more likely to succeed in whatever else you put your mind to later because the personal characteristics that earn success are pretty common in all fields.

To find evidence of this, we looked at what Princeton's admissions office had to say:

"Instead of worrying about meeting a specific set of criteria, try to create an application that will help us see your achievements — inside the classroom and out — in their true context, so we can understand your potential to take advantage of the resources at Princeton and the kind of contribution you would make to the Princeton community. Show us what kind of student you are. Show us that you have taken advantage of what your high school has to offer, how you have achieved and contributed in your own particular context ... We want to know what you care about, what commitments you have made and what you've done to act on those commitments."

Clearly, it's important that you show your capacity for achieving success. We'll cover this a lot more in the next sections.

Once again, if you're not that interested in making a huge difference in the world, that's completely fine. Many people don't. But you'll have to accept, then, that top schools won't be that into you.

Back to your application now—what does all of this mean for you? Essentially, you need to prove that you're capable of deep accomplishment in a field. This is what your application ultimately must convey: that you are world class in something you care deeply about.

In other words, forget well rounded—what you need to do is develop a huge spike.

 

#4: What Is a Spike and How Can You Develop One?

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This is really important, and it's my biggest point in this entire guide.

A spike is what sets you apart from all other applicants. It goes against the spirit of simply being well rounded. By nature of being unique, you don't fit in with all of the other well-rounded applicants; you do something that truly stands out in a meaningful way.

This spike requires consistent effort, focus, discipline, and passion to grow. Ideally, this spike is what makes you world class and makes colleges think you're going to accomplish great things in your lifetime.

A spike can come in a lot of forms depending on your field of interest. If you're a scientist, it might mean doing compelling, original research at a local college. If you're a writer, it could be publishing a book. It could also mean competing at the national level as an athlete, or creating a successful app as a programmer.

What we're looking for is something truly impressive that is difficult to do and sets you apart from the bargain bin of well-rounded students.

If you're dismissing my advice because you think, "There's no way I can achieve something that unique and that notable," please keep reading. It's not as impossible as you think it is, and I'm willing to bet you have the core capabilities for doing this.

What most students get wrong is where they spend their time and what they prioritize. They also give up far too early—before they've achieved significant results and before they've crossed the major hurdles that precede success. I'm going to show you below how you might be wasting 1,000 hours every year on things that don't matter.

Don't let fear about your own limitations hold you back into complacency.

Later on, I'll explain a lot more about what a big spike looks like, and how you can figure out what a good spike for you is based on your personal interests. Keep this image in mind as we go through the rest of this guide.

You can tell from my picture above that the round part of the big spike is smaller than that of the well-rounded ball. This is intentional.

It's OK to be unbalanced if you develop a big spike. Since colleges care more about whether you'll achieve something great in your lifetime, by proving that you can do so in an area of interest, colleges will care less if you fall short elsewhere.

 

body_rocks_balance.jpgUnbalanced is OK in college applications—as long as you've got your spike.

 

For example, if you're a science whiz, you do not have to be an amazing writer. Heck, you don't even have to take AP English. MIT won't care that you didn't!

This is a really hard point for high-achieving students to grasp. "What do you mean I don't need to get straight As and work 5,000 volunteer hours and also play basketball and tennis?"

Let me tell you from personal experience: having met a lot of incredibly talented people in my life, many very successful people are incredibly unbalanced. They don't fit your profile of well rounded at all.

Brilliant scientists make deep achievements by pushing the boundaries of our understanding of the natural world, but some are hapless in the rest of life. The stereotype of the brilliant, social-misfit scientist is actually sometimes spot on.

In contrast, athletes who have incredible control over their body and an innate understanding of physics might not be able to solve actual physics problems that well.

These are relative extremes, and you'll likely be more balanced than this. But the point is clear: people who focus on something specific, especially something they're passionate about, end up making the greatest impact. In turn, this means that focusing on something specific right now can illustrate your potential for achieving even greater things later on.

We've covered a lot in this section. To sum up, here are the major takeaways:

  • Top colleges want students who are going to change the world.
  • The best predictor of future success is previous success.
  • Because future success requires deep achievement, you should demonstrate deep achievement in high school.
  • Forget well rounded—you want to develop a huge spike.

 

Sidebar: Sometimes, a natural reaction to this is that you know you're capable of a lot, and that your past achievement (or lack thereof) doesn't reflect your potential to change the world.

Your spirit is fantastic. But the rest of the world doesn't see it the way you do.

Let's imagine you're getting knee surgery, and your surgeon is fresh out of medical school. "I'm fully capable of doing the best knee surgery, and I care a lot about your well-being. I'll do everything I can do make sure you do great."

You say, "Sure—but how many surgeries have you done before?"

"This is my first one. I had a lot of opportunities to practice knee surgeries before, but I didn't take them. But I promise you that I'll do well this time around."

Red flag. You would probably recoil and ask for someone with more experience. Colleges treat this the same way.

Between a person who's passionate but hasn't shown achievement and a person who's similarly passionate but has shown deep achievement, Stanford will take the second one. Every. Single. Time.

That's why prior achievement is so important.

 

 

Part 3: Busting a Myth: "School Admissions Are a Crapshoot for Everyone"

You might've often heard that school admissions for the Ivy League and other top schools is "just a crapshoot." Or perhaps you've heard a different variation of this phrase: "It's just random." "Accept your outcome and move on."

Here's the truth: admissions are only crapshoots for the marginal person that the school wants to admit (i.e., the person that the school is indifferent about admitting and can take or leave).

Let's pick a specific school: Harvard. This top Ivy League institution gets around 43,000 applications every year and has a mere 5% acceptance rate. Obviously 5% sounds really low. But admissions is not a random lottery. Many people make the conceptual mistake of thinking that everyone who applies has a 5% random chance of getting in.

The truth is that everyone who applies has a different chance of admission. If you're a true superstar, your admissions chance is closer to 90%. If you're a weak applicant, your admissions rate will be near 0%.

Let's work through some numbers. I'll start off with some round numbers for easier math, and then we'll show you the proof from Harvard's admissions statistics.

Let's say there are 5,000 "world-class" applicants in the country. These are all students who have achieved great things in their primary areas of interest, whether that's social work, writing, scientific research, the arts, or athletics. four to five million high school students graduate every year, so world class means being in the top 0.1% of all people.

Of the 5,000 world-class students in the country, 1,000 of them apply to Harvard. (Not every world-class person is applying to Harvard because everyone's interested in different schools, like Princeton, MIT, Yale, Stanford, Columbia, state schools, etc.)

Remember that Harvard receives 43,000 applications, so 42,000 applications are not world class. For the sake of simplicity, let's say 37,000 of these are strong and qualified applications, and 6,000 are just totally unqualified and applying for the moon shot.

Here's what the breakdown of applicants looks like:

Applicant Status

# of Applicants

World class

1,000

Strong, well rounded

37,000

Not qualified

6,000

 

Harvard gives out about 2,000 acceptances each year. Here's where it gets interesting.

Of these 2,000 acceptances, 900 acceptances go to world-class applicants. This is fair—Harvard wants to fill its class with the best people possible, so it gives every world-class applicant a shot at going to Harvard. At the same time, the school rejects 100 world-class applicants because they're huge jerks and have terrible personalities that don't mesh well with the school.

Now, Harvard has 1,100 acceptances remaining. This is still a lot of students, but remember that there are a lot more applicants who are not world class. As a result, the admissions rate goes way down.

Let's tabulate the acceptances for each class and the corresponding admissions rate:

Applicant Status

# of Applicants

# of Acceptances

Admissions Rate

World class

1,000

900

90%

Strong, well rounded

36,000

1050

2.9%

Not qualified

6,000

50

0.8%

 

It should be clear to you that for the group of world-class people, the chance of admissions is far higher.

When people look at the 5% overall admissions figure, it seems really hard. It seems like everyone has a 5% chance of getting in, which is why it's said to be a crapshoot.

This is totally false. If you're world class, your admissions rate is much, much higher than 5%.

But if you're in the second tier, then top college admissions will be a crapshoot.

(I know what you're thinking at this point—"I'm not world class, and I don't know how to be." I don't expect you to suddenly become an Olympic swimmer or a science prodigy. But there are specific actions you can take to make deep accomplishments and avoid being merely well rounded. More on this later.)

 

Data from Harvard Admissions Supports This Premise

These aren't just my personal ideas. Harvard's admissions statistics corroborate them. In the Asian-American discrimination lawsuit a few years back, Harvard was forced to release private admissions documents on how it graded applicants and admitted them based on their grades.

Here are the bullet points:

Harvard rates each applicants a score of 1-6, on the following categories:
  • Academic
  • Extracurricular
  • Athletic
  • Personal

1 is the highest possible score. It is rare - less than 1% of applicants earn a 1 in any category.

A score of 1 indicates deep achievement. Here's Harvard's description of what a 1, 2, and 3 is in each category:

  • Academic:
    • 1: "Summa potential. Genuine scholar; near-perfect scores and grades (in most cases) combined with unusual creativity and possible evidence of original scholarship."
    • 2: "Magna potential: Excellent student with superb grades and mid-to high-700 scores (33+ ACT)."
    • 3: "Cum laude potential: Very good student with excellent grades and mid-600 to low-700 scores (29 to 32 ACT)."
  • Extracurricular:
    • 1: "Unusual strength in one or more areas. Possible national-level achievement or professional experience. A potential major contributor at Harvard. Truly unusual achievement."
    • 2: "Strong secondary school contribution in one or more areas such as class president, newspaper editor, etc. Local or regional recognition; major accomplishment(s)."
    • 3: "Solid participation but without special distinction. (Upgrade 3+ to 2- in some cases if the e/c is particularly extensive and substantive.)"

2 is where a lot of strong well-rounded, locally renowned students sit. 1 is where the world-class students sit. (Nuance: Harvard does give +'s and -'s, so it's possible to get a 2+, and that will make you much stronger than a 2-.)

Earning a 1 in any single category is rare, but dramatically raises your admissions rate. 

  • Getting a 1 in even just one section is rare (<1% of applicants get it). It's very rare for one person to get 1's in multiple sections.
  • If you get a 1 in any section, your chances of admission are between 50-70%, depending on what you earn it in.
  • Getting a 2 in any single section is much more common (20-40%) with a much lower chance of admission (between 12-26%)

Here is the legal court filing source for this data. I've extracted the key tables for you, showing the application statistics across 6 years, Classes of 2014 to 2019. The key point is that most students get a score of 2-3 in every category, but the 1's get admitted at rates of 50-70% - far higher than the overall admissions rate of 7.4%. (If this seems high, reminder that this is older data running up until 2015 admissions decisions - the overall admissions rate is now down to below 4%).

Academic Rating

Academic Rating54321
Applicants5969176905806160468650
% of Population4.2%12.4%40.6%42.3%0.5%
Admitted417524297500450
Admit rate0.1%1.0%4.2%12.4%69.2%

 

Extracurricular Rating

Extracurricular Rating54321
Applicants952463910278434038425
% of Population0.7%3.2%72.0%23.8%0.3%
Admitted5218739576147215
Admit rate5.5%4.0%3.8%18.1%50.6%

 

Personal Rating

Personal Rating54321
Applicants246041125132966037
% of Population0.0%0.4%78.8%20.8%0.0%
Admitted012846768724
Admit rate0.0%0.2%2.5%25.9%64.9%

 

In summary - this is clear, hard, legally binding proof that stand-out students are admitted at over 15x the rate of the rest of the applicant pool.

 

Some more numbers to put this into perspective. Out of 42,749 applicants for Harvard's Class of 2022,

  • 8,000 had perfect GPAs
  • 625 had a perfect score on ACT; 361 had a perfect 2400 on SAT
  • 3,500 had perfect SAT math; 2,700 had perfect SAT verbal.

That's a lot of high achieving students. But these scores aren't enough to get a 1. As you see above, only 0.5% of applicants typically earn a 1 in the academic score, or around 210 students. 

There are just too many students who perform at the top 1% of academics nationwide. With 4 million high school students per year, 1% is 40,000 students!

To get a 1 Academic rating requires much more than 99th percentile GPAs or SAT/ACT scores - these are, unfortunately, relatively common.

If you want to do more reading: Here's a useful summary on Reddit. Here's a similar one from The Washington Post. Here's my writeup and analysis. Here are the raw legal documents you can spend hours reading through.

 

Why Being Well Rounded Hurts, Part 2

From the data above, you can see how many more well-rounded students there are than truly stand-out, world-class students.

Well rounded is boring. You have nothing special about you and nothing that sets you apart from other well-rounded people.

If you're looking at a bargain bin of basketballs at Walmart, they'll look identical. They're all round and seem equivalent to each other. Some might have slightly higher dimples than others. That's it.

 

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A bunch of well-rounded applicants, grouped together. How do you tell them apart?

 

This is what well rounded does to you. You won't stand out from other students. Everyone's doing the same stuff as everyone else—taking a decent number of AP classes, joining uninspiring extracurriculars such as yearbook, volunteering at the local hospital, etc.

And because of the vast numbers of well-rounded people out there who don't have anything remarkable about them, you have a tiny chance of getting in.

Here's another painful fact about being well rounded: the school doesn't really care if you get in or not, compared to the next comparable applicant. This is what I mean by "marginal acceptance."

Here's an exercise: I want you to think about the very best meal you've ever had.

Have one in mind?

It probably sticks out in your mind for specific reasons. Maybe the food was incredible, or you had amazing company, or it was a really special occasion. But your mind went to this #1 meal for a reason.

It's clearly even better than the 2nd best meal you've ever had. That best meal means a lot to you.

 

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A strong candidate for meal #1.

 

Now think about the 20th best meal you've ever had.

...

...

Waiting ...

You probably need to think really hard about what this even is, even though you've already eaten 20,000 meals in your lifetime. The 20th best meal is in the top 0.1%! But still, it's incredibly hard to remember.

And how much more do you care about the 20th vs the 21st best meal? Likely not very much.

Admissions works the same way. Top colleges care a lot about their superstars, and they want to make sure they don't miss any of them because this can dramatically change the flavor of their class. They don't want to miss the next Hemingway or Mark Zuckerberg. This is why the admissions rate for world-class people is so high.

But the rest of the class? It doesn't matter as much. Of the 1,100 well-rounded candidates from the table above, Harvard could randomly choose 1,100 from the pool of 33,000, and Harvard probably wouldn't change all that much.

This is why you'll often hear admissions officers from schools like Yale and UPenn say, "Admissions are really hard—there are way more qualified applicants than there are students we can support. We have to make tough decisions."

They're talking about the well-rounded students. They're not talking about the superstars with big spikes, who are usually clear, automatic acceptances.

When you compare well rounded with well rounded, it truly is a tough decision. How are you going to evaluate one bargain bin basketball against another?

 

This Is the Crapshoot—and the Crapshoot Sucks

Having talked to admissions officers and witnessed admissions discussions at Harvard, I find it shocking how random admissions can be if you're a marginal acceptance.

Admissions officers often go "by gut." Something about your application can pique their interest and focus their attention. Equally likely, something about you might give your reader a bad taste in her mouth. And now, because your reader presents you to the admissions committee, suddenly you're fighting an uphill battle.

To be honest, if you're indistinguishable from other candidates, your admission doesn't really matter to them. Admissions officers do honestly want to create the best class possible, but at the end of the day this will mostly sort itself out. So unless you really strike a chord in the reader, she won't fight that hard for you.

This is the critical difference between students and colleges in how they view a single application. In your mind, your application is a special snowflake, constructed carefully piece by piece over years of your life and deserving hours of scrutiny by the school arbiters.

In their minds, they're sorting through literally thousands of applications. World-class standouts are clear. From the second tier bin of comparable, undifferentiated applicants, their choice doesn't matter a whole ton. It's hard to tell who's better among them at this point, and everyone seems equally qualified, so largely they just go by their guts and choose people they like a bit better. This is the crapshoot.

You want to avoid the crapshoot. The crapshoot is not fun and it's not for you.

 

Tell Me Whether This Story About Your Life Sounds Familiar

In my work at PrepScholar, I work with thousands of students across the country. This is one thing I hear over and over again:

"I just don't have any more time in my schedule. I have a bunch of AP classes, sports practice, marching band, and volunteering. I get home late and work on homework until 1 am. I'm barely struggling to hang on, and it all feels like it's going to unravel at any second."

 

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Does this sound familiar? Do you see yourself fitting this profile?

I'm sorry that you're stressed out. If you're a high-achieving student, high school is tough because admissions gets more competitive every year.

Unfortunately, most of what you're spending your time on is probably not raising your chances of getting into Princeton.

And most likely, you don't really love most of what you're doing. Which makes for a pretty miserable time.

The good news is, it's not too late for you. I'm going to talk about how you can cut out the crap and build a much stronger application while spending your time on things you really care about.

 

Part 4: What Does All of This Mean for Your Application?

Remember my biggest piece of advice: forget well rounded. You're looking to develop a huge spike.

Let me repeat what I said earlier. That spike is what sets you apart from the other applicants. That spike makes you hard to fit into the bargain bin of well-rounded balls. This spike requires consistent effort, focus, discipline, and passion to grow. Ideally, this spike is what makes you world class and makes colleges think you're going to accomplish great things in your lifetime.

This spike comes in a lot of forms depending on your field of interest. If you're a scientist, it might mean doing compelling original research at your local college. If you're a writer, it might mean publishing a book. If you're an athlete, it might mean competing at the national level. If you're a programmer, it might mean creating a successful app.

What we're looking for is something truly impressive that's difficult to do and sets you apart from the bargain bin of well-rounded students.

Make no mistake—this is hard to achieve. That's why it's so special. There is no secret that will suddenly create something world class for you. But it's also probably closer to your reach than you think.

Many students try to develop a spike or "hook" in their applications. But where they fail is that they don't put in enough time, they don't optimize the way they achieve their goals, and they give up when the going gets rough, before they achieve something meaningful.

As I'll soon explain, often the way you will demonstrate this spike is in your extracurriculars.

 

What Does This Mean for the Rest of Your Application?

Aside from extracurriculars, you also have to worry about your GPA, SAT/ACT scores, letters of recommendation, and personal statements.

Your application's job is to support the story around this spike. Every piece of your application should be consistent with this story.

This leads to my second biggest rule: you do not need a perfect application all around.

Instead, focus on your strength—that is, your spike—even at the expense of other aspects of your application.

Are you a science fanatic? Then you need to show that you're super strong in math and science; it's OK to be weaker in English.

Are you a writer who can't stop crafting stories? Show that you have great talent and achievement in your writing—you don't have to ace calculus.

Are you being recruited for a sport? Then you don't need to be great at academics at all—just good enough to get through college. Focus the rest of the time on getting better at your sport.

Remember, no one cares that Tom Brady isn't a mathematician or that Mark Zuckerberg isn't a gymnast.

That said, you can't totally fail in the rest of your application. There are some things you can never do, like show a serious ethical lapse or have a terrible personality. No amount of achievement will overcome the perception that you're a huge jerk who no one likes to be around. (Colleges want to admit students who will be positive additions to their communities!)

You also need generally strong academics. Academics at top schools isn't trivial, and colleges want to make sure you can survive comfortably without too much trouble. You usually can't apply successfully with a 20 ACT score unless you do something truly groundbreaking. (I talk more about academic requirements in the FAQ below, so be sure to read to the end.)

So you should look generally competent in the rest of your application, and you should take challenging classes in your area of interest. But overall, colleges don't care that much about things that aren't your single strength. Once again, your ability in your passion contributes more to your success than being well rounded does.

 

What Do Strong Spike Applications Actually Look Like?

I've been talking abstractly for a long time. Let's make this more concrete.

For illustration, we'll walk through two example applications for people with very different application profiles. For these, we'll look at the major components of the application:

  • Grades/GPA
  • Test Scores
  • Extracurriculars and Awards
  • Recommendation Letters
  • Personal Statement

In general, extracurriculars are where you will develop your spike. This is where you can truly stand out, since the other components are standardized between most applicants and don't differ much. But as you'll see, the other pieces will all be part of your consistent story.

 

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Profile 1: The Science Superstar

This student (let's call her Sarah) is a science whiz. A current high school senior, she's deeply interested in physics and ultimately plans to do a PhD and conduct research in particle physics. Here's what her application looks like:

 

Grades/GPA

No surprise—Sarah has aced all her science coursework. She's taken all the major AP science and math courses (Biology, Chemistry, Physics C, Calc BC) and gotten As in them.

She's not the best writer and finds it hard to focus time on things that don't naturally interest her, so she's gotten Bs in a few English and history courses. This brings her unweighted GPA to 3.95—not perfect, but still strong.

 

Test Scores

On her ACT, Sarah started out with a 32. She found a good tutor from her local area (Boston for Sarah) and she ended up scoring 34 on Math, 36 on Science, and 32 on both English and Reading. For her AP exams, she's scored 5s on all math and science tests, and 4s on the AP English and US History tests.

 

Extracurriculars and Awards

This is where Sarah really shines. Her largest achievement was participating in the US Physics Olympiad study camp, which selects the top 20 students nationwide after a series of demanding qualifying tests. These students are trained, and the top five represent the US at the International Physics Olympiad. She didn't get into the top five as a junior but hopes she will as a senior.

Sarah is also fascinated by science research and has worked in a biophysics research lab at her local college for the past two years. Throughout the school year, she spends 10 hours a week on research work but has also spent two months for the past two summers working full-time on research. Her research concerns the physics behind protein folding, with applications for infectious diseases such as HIV. She's participated in nationwide research competitions, including the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.

Sarah is also a member of her school's Science Bowl and Science Olympiad teams, though these haven't moved beyond the state level.

In her free time, Sarah enjoys skiing and reading.

 

Recommendation Letters

Sarah has letters from her AP Chemistry teacher, her AP Calc BC teacher, and her camp supervisor at the US Physics Olympiad study camp. These are some snippets from the letters:

"Sarah is endlessly inquisitive, always diving deep beyond the textbook to find out the limits of what we currently know in science—and in the process stretching my knowledge as well."

"Sarah also has an incredible warmth of personality—she was always happy to help her neighbors figure out their mistakes after receiving their test scores. I noticed a halo effect in which people who sat around her tended to do better than the average student in class."

"One of the most passionate and impressive students I've seen in my entire teaching career."

 

Personal Statement

In her personal statement, Sarah talks more deeply about her interest in physics on a philosophical level, and how her interests have evolved over the years. It provides a nice complement to her list of achievements to convey what makes her tick.

 

Summary Assessment for Sarah

Sarah is clearly a very strong candidate that all top colleges would be happy to have as part of their class. She's created a spike in her application by competing at the highest levels possible and making deep achievements in her field. From her competitions, it's clear that she's world class in her abilities. She also seems to be a pretty cool person as evidenced by her letters of recommendation and personal statement.

The most important point from this illustration is that she's not "well rounded" in the sense that most students try to achieve. She isn't that strong in the humanities, and this shows in her grades and test scores. She also doesn't have filler activities that "well rounded" students try to stuff in, such as hundreds of volunteer hours, Future Business Leaders of America, or a musical instrument.

Instead, she's focused her time to deepen her area of interest. While others are spreading themselves thinly by covering all their bases, she's diving deep into science and physics.

 

 

Let's go through one more example of someone with a huge spike in his application.

 

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Profile 2: The Burgeoning Writer

Maxwell has loved crafting written language for a decade. Starting off with simple fiction as a middle schooler, he's started writing more complex works as he's acquired more experience and learned more about himself. He devours literature nearly every chance he gets.

 

Grades/GPA

Maxwell excels in all things related to language. He aced AP English Lit and English Language, and he's taken several electives related to writing.

For his other subjects, he's at standard grade level. He'll take pre-calculus as a junior. He's taken a few regular science classes but doesn't plan on taking APs for these subjects. His GPA is a high 3.9.

 

Test Scores

Maxwell scored 1400 on the SAT: 800 on Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, but 600 on Math. He also scored 5s on AP English Lit and English Language.

 

Extracurriculars and Awards

Once again, this is where Maxwell shines. His free time is focused around writing in all forms. Here are a few of his notable accomplishments:

  • He's been published in the top three periodicals for teen writers nationwide.
  • Since freshman year, he's entered dozens of writing competitions for high school students and won top prizes for a few of the most prestigious ones.
  • He runs a popular blog in which he comments on high school life with a satirical bent. Some of his articles have been reposted by popular publications such as the Huffington Post, where they've gone viral and received hundreds of thousands of views.
  • He started a writing club at his high school with the idea that students can share their work and get peer feedback on their writing. It grew to 30 students, and students at other high schools have become interested in participating. As a result, Maxwell has cobbled together an online platform on which students can post their works anonymously and get feedback from readers. He hopes he can expand the platform's reach to the rest of the country to establish a peer network of writers.

 

Recommendation Letters

Maxwell asked for two letters from his teachers, one of whom is the supervisor of the club Maxwell started. They both speak to his genuine passion for writing and initiative in pursuing his art in a school that doesn't have a lot of structure to support it. They also comment on his cheery personality and how he's a class favorite.

 

Personal Statement

Maxwell writes a statement about his process for writing, and how it's symbolic of his general approach to life. Of course, because of his deep experience in writing, his statement also stands out in its eloquence and vividness.

 

Summary Assessment for Maxwell

Clearly, Maxwell is an accomplished writer. He's honed his craft over years and is now producing work that's recognized by publications. He also shows his passion and initiative by spotting a need—i.e., peer feedback for high school writers—and creating a group around it. His accomplishments are world class; few other people his age who are interested in writing have achieved as much as he has.

Once again, though, he doesn't have a perfect application. He's not strong in math or science, and he's not taking the most challenging courses in these fields. His SAT score is below average for a school like Harvard. But his spike—his writing-related achievements—more than make up for this.

 

Interested in seeing what MY spike was?

Here's my ENTIRE college application. I take you through every single page of the successful application that got me into Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, MIT, and more.

I show you my entire application, including my Common App, personal statements, letters of recommendation, transcript, Harvard supplement, and more.

I also provide strategic comments on how each piece fits together to make for a compelling application.

Furthermore, you'll see what I considered weaknesses in my application, and how I could have improved it further.

If you've liked my advice so far, you'll love seeing my complete Harvard application.

 

Recapping Application Profiles

I hope the point is clear now. A big spike is truly impressive. It requires innovative thinking, hard work, passion, and focus. That's why these achievements sound so impressive to you—they wouldn't be so impressive if literally every student could do them. But they're also easier to achieve than you think, as long as you structure your life and time the right way.

Furthermore, I want to stress that you do not need to be a perfect applicant to get into Harvard or Yale. In fact, there really is no such thing as a perfect applicant. Why? Because by focusing deep on something, you'll ultimately need to make compromises elsewhere.

There is no one in the world who is an Olympic athlete, a Nobel laureate, and a legendary rapper, all at the same time. So stop feeling bad about yourself. Focus on what you like doing and what you're good at, and keep doing that.

The deeper you go in one passion, the more that compensates for weaknesses in other areas. The shallower you go, the more you have to compensate by being well rounded. And, again, the more well-rounded you are, the deeper you fall into the crapshoot.

 

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Sidebar: After saying all of this, I imagine you might say, "Allen, I know someone from my high school who got into Princeton and wasn't world class the way you're describing."

Did that person apply to multiple top-10 schools, AND did she get into most of those schools?

If so, I would argue that she was world class. When multiple schools want you, you're doing something that really sets you apart and makes each school take notice. You should ask her what she did and see whether I'm right.

If not, then I would say she was one of the lucky ones who got in as part of the crapshoot. Something about her caught the eye of an admissions officer at Harvard, which got her in. This didn't happen at other top schools, so she didn't get in.

I'm not trying to be a snob here. I'm sure she's an awesome person, she's very competent, she deserves her success, and she's going to do great in life.

But if she had a stronger record of achievement, more schools would have wanted her.

Once again, if you're aiming for top schools, you don't want to be part of the crapshoot. You want to try to build yourself to a level at which Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, and Stanford are all dying to give you a chance to attend their school.

 

 

Part 5: OK—So Now What Do I Actually Do, Allen?

I know all of this is overwhelming. These applicants have accomplished so much that it seems like only something you read about in the news, not something you can accomplish yourself.

The reality is, there are thousands of students who achieve things like this in different fields, and you can be one of them. There's no question that it takes focus, discipline, competency, and passion. But it actually takes less raw talent than you think. Society in general overvalues cleverness and undervalues pure determination and hard work.

Just by taking the time to read all the way down here, you're showing that you care more about your personal success than most other students do. This means that you can do it. I'm really not BSing you or trying to blow up your ego. You can make this happen through sheer force of will and structure in your life.

To make this concrete, we're going to do a two-step exercise.

 

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Steve Jobs: someone who was never afraid to think big.

 

Step 1: Think Big—What Can Be Your Spike?

I want you to take a moment and think ambitiously, freed from the constraints you're facing in your life.

Let's say you had to go to school but had zero homework, and you didn't need to do any studying or test prep. This gives you about 40 hours every week outside of school.

What do you think you could achieve in this time, over a full year, by pursuing something you are really interested in? Think big.

Here are a few examples:

  • Like a particular academic subject in the sciences or humanities? Try to find a national level competition that you can rank well in. Find out how to excel in this competition, and work hard to meet the challenge.
    • In the sciences, there are the well-known Olympiad competitions, as well as Science Bowl and Science Olympiad.
    • In the humanities, there are competitions for speech/debate and writing (e.g., essays, poetry, etc.).
  • Passionate about a unique cause? Try to start a club or nonprofit group. Use methods that you know well to raise awareness, like social media and Kickstarter. Imagine if you started a viral phenomenon like the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Try to do something good, in a quantifiable way—consider the number of people you could help, the number of students you could teach, or the amount of money you could raise. Imagine recruiting your friends to help you out and growing this to a nationwide effort.
  • Interested in computer programming? Technology barriers have been lowered like never before. Think of a useful tool you'd want in your everyday life, build it, and then publicize it. How about releasing a mobile app and putting it in the App store?
  • Considering becoming an academic? Try to organize your own research internship at your local college. Approach professors with a passion for learning and a long-term commitment, and they will be far more likely to consider training you.
  • Have a hobby you enjoy? Think about how you can take it to a more impactful level. Can you showcase your expertise in this hobby somehow and achieve recognition? How about spreading your passion to other interested people by acting as a mentor?
  • Don't worry if your true interest seems silly. Interested in makeup and beauty products? Consider starting a high-quality YouTube channel catering to a niche audience, such as high school students or budget-strapped buyers. Imagine if you had 100,000 subscribers. Or what about video games? What if you started a nationwide high school gaming tournament?

These are just the more obvious suggestions—there are a lot more better ideas you can come up with on your own.

You know way more about your interests than I do, and you know what's considered exemplary in these fields. You can also come up with unique opportunities that no one else can. These are not only massively rewarding and fun for you to work on, but also truly impressive for your college application.

The key here is that you need to show something of meaningful achievement. You don't want to just create a random YouTube channel—you want to get to 100,000 subscribers. You don't want to just make a mediocre app—you want to get it ranked in the top #100 in the App store.

Again, think big.

 

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Step 2: What Are You Wasting Time On?

Now, of course, the bigger you think, the more daunting the ideas seem to implement.

The good news is, you're likely wasting a ton of time on things that you don't enjoy and that aren't improving your college application one bit. If you carve these out of your life, you'll have a ton of free time you never realized.

Here are a few major time sinks that most students fall victim to:

 

#1: Classes That Don't Fit Into Your Story

This is probably the biggest, most insidious time cost, and the most controversial suggestion in this group.

The "well-rounded" applicant hears of students taking 10 AP courses and thinks he must replicate this. He'll spend six hours each day slogging through homework, thinking that 10 AP courses must be way better than eight.

Wrong, wrong, wrong.

Coursework has a property of "diminishing marginal utility." This means the more AP classes you take, the less each additional AP class is going to add to your application. Compared to zero AP classes, one means a lot. Compared to one AP class, two mean a lot. But eight AP classes is barely better than seven.

Here is a hypothetical illustration:

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This is an economic concept that applies to a lot of things in life, whether it's times wearing a new outfit, number of kisses from your crush, or times gone to Disneyland. Most things tend to follow this curve. AP classes are no different.

How much time does an extra AP class cost you? Let's say beyond the normal class, there's an extra five hours per week of homework and studying for tests, and 36 weeks in a school year. Let's say in preparation for the AP test, you also study an extra 50 hours. In total, this means an extra 230 hours.

230 hours is a lot of time in one year. To put this into perspective, that's six weeks of full-time work for a normal 40-hour-per-week job. (From personal experience, 230 hours is also many times more than most students spend studying for the SAT/ACT—which is a mis-optimization, given how important the SAT/ACT is and how unimportant an extra AP test is.)

From your passion project from step 1, how far could you get with an extra 230 hours of time? It's likely a lot.

The number of hours can well exceed this if the class is especially difficult at your school or the material's really hard for you. It might go up to 400 hours in one year.

And if you avoid taking multiple AP classes that you really don't have to take across multiple years, this might end up amounting to 1,000 hours. That's a ton of time, and enough to get proficient at pretty much anything you want to learn.

If you hate biology, don't take AP Biology. It's as simple as that. Don't be pressured into it by your high school counselor, friends, parents, or college advisers. It's not going to fundamentally change your application—what can is what you do with the extra time you save.

 

#2: Unhelpful Extracurriculars

There are a lot of extracurriculars that suck up a lot of time and that really add nothing to your application. Here are some common examples:

  • Volunteering: Many students spend hundreds of hours per year volunteering (imagine you volunteer three hours per week for 50 weeks). Most people do it because they feel like they have to. And most do it in a way that does the opposite of standing out. Tens of thousands of students volunteer at local hospitals, wheeling patients around or delivering flowers. It's not at all special and takes little innovation on your side, so you get no extra points for doing this.
  • Athletics: This is a super heavy activity. Between daily practice and weekly matches, you can spend hundreds of hours per year on sports. However, if you're not team captain or a standout player (meaning you rank at state level or higher), this activity does very little for your application.
  • Instrument Playing: Marching band can take multiple hours per week for practice and competitions, as can extracurricular orchestras. Furthermore, you're probably also practicing the instrument several hours every week. Unfortunately, if you aren't section leader or concertmaster, you're not impressive. Think of all the thousands of youth orchestras and marching bands out there and how many concertmasters/drum majors/section leaders there are. And you're not even one of them.

 

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In other words, here are some signs that your extracurricular is a waste of time, as far as college applications go:

  • It takes nothing special to do: If what you're doing can be easily done by anyone else, it's not groundbreaking enough to strengthen your application. For example, if getting your volunteer position means simply filling out a paper application, you're doing nothing special.
  • You're not a leader, and you won't become a leader: If you're just a rank and file teammate or club member, you're not doing anything special. Once again, think about how many thousands of other organizations like that exist, and how many hundreds of thousands of other students are in the same position as you.
  • You've maxed out your growth: How much time have you spent on this activity already? How much further will you get with another 50 hours? If the answer is "not that much," THOSE 50 HOURS ARE A WASTE OF TIME (as far as application strength goes). Sorry for the capital letters. This is a common fallacy in the many students we've work withed that it's frustrating when they don't see the logic here.

Let me expand on this last point more. A typical athlete will spend at least 500 hours per year practicing, exercising, and playing in games. This can be a valuable credit to their application. But if you've already spent 1,000 hours on a sport and won't do anything notable with an extra 50 hours (e.g., you won't win a championship or become team captain), those 50 hours can be better spent elsewhere.

The same logic goes for any of your other extracurriculars, such as volunteering, marching band, academic teams, etc.

I run into this problem a lot in the context of SAT and ACT studying. I see students across the country mis-prioritizing their time into things that they don't really care much about, and that don't improve their applications. Meanwhile, they're unable to work on their SAT/ACT scores for over 40 hours. This is a huge mistake since SAT/ACT scores respond very well to studying and have a disproportionate impact on your application for the time you put in.

Don't get me wrong—if you really, truly, madly, deeply enjoy the extracurricular, then keep doing it, even if it doesn't strengthen your application. If you feel like you have a real obligation to a group, they truly rely on you, and it's painful to think about leaving, keep doing it. It's good to do things that are meaningful to you and that make you happy.

But don't be in denial about your extracurriculars. The less time you spend on developing your spike, the less impressive it will be and the more you will become well rounded.

Examine all your extracurriculars carefully. If you're neutral about an extracurricular, and any of the three signs above apply, cut it out and use that time somewhere more impactful.

 

#3: Other Time Wasters

In your free time outside of school, homework, and extracurriculars, what do you do? Chances are, you watch YouTube, Snapchat, read Reddit, or something else "unproductive."

Few people are immune to this. In high school, I spent a lot of time playing video games, such as Starcraft, and chatting with friends. (This was before texting, so we used a program called AOL Instant Messenger. Good times.)

It was easy to waste a lot of time doing these things because they were fun and stress relieving. But they didn't help me get anywhere.

And to be honest, now that I have an adult's perspective, very few of those activities made a tangible, long-lasting impact on my life.

 

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I'm not saying to cut off your social life and stop doing these other things. But do think about the extra value you get from every half hour you spend on these activities.

Again, the concept of diminishing marginal utility comes into play. If you go an entire day without talking to any of your friends, it's probably pretty painful.

When you talk to them, the first 10 minutes are awesome—"Did you see Mr. Robinson's new haircut? Oh. My. God." But an hour in, you're probably just talking about nothing in particular, procrastinating from doing other stuff because that other stuff seems annoying.

Fun, but not meaningful.

Challenge yourself and question what you're spending your time doing. Analyze whether you're getting that much out of every extra minute.

And have the willpower to shut it off and spend that time doing something you really care about.

 

How Much Time Can You Really Save?

Between all of the above, you can cobble together 1,000 hours per year. This is immense. It's equivalent to half a year of full-time work.

Apply this time to your dream project from step 1. In this time you could build a new organization, create a new mobile app, write 10 new essays to publish, or do any other notable achievement. You can do a lot with 1,000 hours.

Like I've said before, many students try to develop an application "hook," or spike, of some kind. But they don't spend enough time on it. They give up far too early before learning the critical best practices that make something work. They have too many distractions in their life with things that don't help their application.

Your aim is to accomplish more than the typical well-rounded student does by focusing your time and being smart about learning from your mistakes.

Done correctly, this kind of thinking requires you to have insight into yourself and your weaknesses. This is the kind of optimization in your life that you need to achieve deep success in high school and throughout your life.

While it may seem daunting or painful at first, I bet that you'll quickly enjoy the time spent developing your spike a lot more than the time you spent just being comfortable.

Again, if you're not willing to do this, that's fine. Just accept that you will be well rounded and will fall into the crapshoot. But if you're willing to put in the time, you will achieve great things.

 

The Importance of Passion—This Is NOT Helicopter Parenting

I know that developing a big spike can sound a lot like the result of "helicopter parenting." This is the much-maligned style of parenting wherein parents force their kids to become championship horseback riders, concert pianists, or beauty pageant contestants.

Helicopter parenting usually gets a bad rap because they're forcing their kids into doing something they don't want to do. This makes their kids miserable.

But the point of all my advice is to find something you're genuinely interested in. This is important because working really hard at something you don't care about can only get you so far.

For eight years, I played the violin and practiced for at least an hour a day. I wasn't passionate about this, and my mom had to watch my practice time like a hawk so that I actually did. At the end, I became fairly good at it, but I was nowhere near as good as our concertmaster who truly treated it as his passion. He worked harder at it and cared more about it, and to him I imagine each hour of practice was 10 times less painful and 10 times more effective than it was for me. This concertmaster went to Juilliard and is now a professional violinist—something I wouldn't have been able to achieve no matter how much time I put in.

When you have passion for what you're working on, you accomplish more, you think more creatively, and you become more resilient in the face of failure. When you really enjoy what you're doing, you think about what you're doing in your free time. You spend your spare time walking and using the bathroom thinking about the problems you're facing. You work harder because it doesn't feel like work. You're less likely to quit in the face of hardship, and that gets you through tough times. Because you're doing all of this, you come up with novel solutions and approaches that others don't.

This is important because in whatever area you choose, you are competing against people for whom the same area is their true passion. If it's not your passion, too, they'll leave you in the dust. Furthermore, colleges are typically pretty good at noticing when students are doing something only because they want to buff up their applications, not because they truly enjoy it.

So don't think only about how to get into Yale or how to get into Princeton. That's now how you should be orienting your energy. You should instead be thinking about how to achieve something great in your interests—getting into Stanford is a mere consequence of this.

Working on your spike should not feel miserable. It should feel joyful, that you're grateful you get to do it every day, regardless of whether you get into Harvard or not, regardless of whether you end up world-class or not. The ironic thing is this type of passion tends to produce the most impressive spikes. People who try to force world-class performance without real passion rarely get there (and I know, since I've forced this in a few different areas in my past).

It's hard to find a passion like this in your teens, I know. It's asking a lot. I didn't discover my true path until I was in my 20s (building businesses).

 

Is This Early Specialization and Is That Bad?

People who are afraid of early specialization (especially parents) worry that they're pigeonholing their kids into a narrow field at the exclusion of other things, and reducing their future options.

I get this concerns about this a lot. I address this problem in more detail in my FAQ and comments (keep reading to the end of the page) but it's so common and important I want to address it here.

Again, my advice in a nutshell is 1) to find your area of genuine interest and 2) to keep pursuing it to achieve as much as you can.

Building your spike does NOT mean you need to keep doing that interest for the rest of your life. Colleges expect you to change a lot as you go through college. What they are looking for is evidence of the potential for achievement, and that can be in any field you choose - even one that isn't consistent with your career down the line.

Building your spike does NOT mean you have to give up everything outside of that spike. Just because you want to focus on software engineering doesn't mean you have to give up your love of writing poetry as a hobby. But I do encourage focus and not spreading yourself thinly and equally - you usually get better results by making one thing your dominant things, and other things your strictly secondary things.

Personally, I think it's incredibly valuable to start thinking about interests early in life and pursuing them to achievement. Even if your interests change over time, you learn a lot of useful general skills:

  • Learning how to learn and improve - if you get good at computer programming, a lot of the same principles apply to getting better at anything else - tennis, writing, composing music, etc.

  • How to tell when you enjoy something and when you don't, and figuring out why

  • How to overcome the obstacles and failures you'll inevitably hit when you push yourself to to your limit

Finding an area of interest that you can get obsessed about is an underrated skill. Most people hope to find what they're genuinely interested in, to find something that makes them feel their life is worth living. Unfortunately, many people don't discover this area of passion their entire life and die feeling a little empty - this is why you hear about mid-life crises and career misery. It is a real problem, one of life's most difficult problems because it is existentially important, but there is no formula to finding it and lots of headwinds against it (social pressure and mimicry, parents, finances, time constraints).

 

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The Grand Overview: Getting Into the Ivy League

By this point, I hope my main points are clear. To bring it all together with step-by-step logic, here is the high-level overview of what I've talked about:

How top schools do admissions:

  • Nonprofit schools exist to create value in the world.
  • In the process of college admissions, schools want to maximize the value they create in the world.
  • Thus, schools want to admit students who will eventually change the world.
  • What does it take to change the world? Deep focus, passion, and competence.
  • How do you predict which 17-year-olds are going to change the world eventually? Deep, prior achievement: prior success is the best predictor of future success.

What this means for your application:

  • If you want to have a high chance at getting into a top-tier school, you need to develop a huge spike in your application. You need to show deep achievement in an area of your passion—something that sets you apart on a national or international level.
  • Admissions is not a crapshoot for everyone. If you're a super strong, compelling applicant, admissions at a top school is almost certain. If you're weak, you'll likely get rejected.
  • "Well rounded" is the kiss of death. Well rounded puts you in the crapshoot because you are similar to all other well-rounded applicants.

What this means for what you should do:

  • You need to reorient your time around focusing on developing your spike in your area of genuine interest. To develop a big spike, you need to focus and work hard.
  • Dream big. What is your area of passion? If you had infinite time, what would you try to accomplish in this area?
  • Cut out everything that doesn't matter. This means AP classes you don't need, extracurriculars that don't add anything to your application, and other time wasters.

I'm the type of person for whom logical arguments are the best way to persuade. So I hope this makes logical sense to you in a step-by-step fashion.

If you disagree with any of the fundamental points above, go ahead and let me know—I'd love to have a discussion. You can leave a comment below with your situation and questions (feel free to anonymize this if you like, though the more specific you are, the more helpful we can be).

 

Final Words of Encouragement

College admissions is really a microcosm of real life. If you don't care about what you're doing, don't work hard, and don't think too deeply about what you can improve about yourself, you'll have a pretty comfortable life. If that's the way to make you happy, then that's awesome. But know that you also very likely won't achieve anything noteworthy.

But if you dream big, take risks, and work extremely hard on something you're passionate about, you're in a much better position to do something great in this world. This is the way to accomplish things in the world, and it also happens to be the way to get into top schools.

This planning is just the beginning. The hard work starts here.

First, think big. Aim high. Be ambitious. Think of a world where you're unfettered from mundane concerns and envision what you could achieve. That goal is closer than you think.

Next, take small steps toward your goal. What are you most afraid of right now? What is most risky? Attack that first, head-on. Learn from your experiences and reflect on what you can do better next time. Then attack the next thing, step by step.

Keep your motivation high throughout. You won't always succeed. In fact, you'll fail often. Most people give up early on. That's why this is hard.

But not you. You care too much to let that happen. If life is a track meet, you'll turn around and look behind to see other people on the ground, gasping for breath. But you keep soldiering on and improving because you care about what you're doing and what you want to achieve.

I promise you that if you take these steps, you will achieve far more than you ever thought you were capable of. And along the way, you might become an amazing young adult that every top school in the country would be thrilled to have in their next matriculating class.

 

 

What's Next?

Now the hard work starts. Keep your head up, try your best, and let me know how it's going with a comment below. Here are a few other resources to help you out.

I wrote guides on how to get a perfect SAT score and how to get a perfect ACT score, based on my own experiences getting full scores on both tests and working with thousands of students. If your spike is academic in nature, doing well on these tests is consistent with your story, so it's important to do well.

I also wrote a guide on how to get a 4.0 GPA and better grades. Your coursework is one of the most important pieces of your application and by far where you'll spend the most time. If you're struggling to get good grades in challenging coursework, read this guide to learn the mindset and habits you'll need in order to get amazing grades.

Wondering what my Spike was? In my complete Harvard application, you'll see every single page of the application I used to get into Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, and more. You'll even see my full letters of recommendation and the exact pen marks my admissions officer made on my application. This is certain to be eye-opening for you!

 

Keep scrolling down to see answers to Frequently Asked Questions.

 

Subscribe to our blog using the form below, and Like us on Facebook. If you like the advice here, there's a lot more coming. I'm planning to share my exact Harvard application that got me in, page by page, word for word. I think you'll like it.

Finally, if you feel you could use help structuring your SAT prep or ACT prep, check out my company, PrepScholar. I truly think we've built the best prep program available right now, and we have a 5-day free trial for you to check us out.

 

 

Bonus: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

At this point if you've been reading carefully and thinking critically, you probably have a bunch of questions. I'll answer the most likely ones here that come from the perspective of both student and parent. If you have any remaining questions, feel free to leave a comment below (be specific enough so that we can give good advice). I'd love to hear from you!

 

"If this is so great and you're telling the truth, why haven't I heard about this before?"

I would argue that you have heard about this concept before. If you ever knew an older student—let's call him Brian McStudly—who got into Harvard and Princeton and every other school, and your response was, "Well, of course he did. He was a superstar!"—then you've heard about this concept.

The difference is, you probably thought this was out of reach to you. To you, Brian seemed like a demigod, perfect in every way. The reality is that he was probably unbalanced in specific ways, but you didn't know this since you didn't see his application and didn't have the global view of what the other 30,000 applications looked like.

Nothing I'm saying here is a secret. Thousands of world-class students every year know these concepts intuitively, and high-quality college counselors who cost a lot of money know them, too. If you browse forums, such as College Confidential, you'll probably see parts of this advice scattered throughout. I just haven't seen anyone package it as completely and thoroughly as I did here in this guide.

If I were to guess why this knowledge isn't more widespread, it'd be because of the following reasons:

  • There's a lot of misinformation out there about college admissions, and most people giving you advice don't actually know these concepts. I got terrible advice as a high school student from (you name it) high school counselors, supposed admissions "experts," free consultations from local test prep companies, older students, my parents' friends, etc. Many experts who try to give you advice don't know what they're doing and have neither the experience nor the insight to be able to advise you correctly.
  • Many of the people who know the concepts in this guide (especially alums) don't bother to share it. Most adults are busy, and helping high school students be happier and more productive isn't really on their priority lists.
  • People who know this information intimately are usually dis-incentivized from sharing it. In particular, college counselors who cost thousands or tens of thousands of dollars a year feel like they might lose business if they share what they're doing with the world.

In my case, it just so happens that my current job and vision is to help millions of students and parents around the world achieve academic success. So I took the dozens of hours it took to write and update this.

Also, I'm not economically dis-incentivized from helping you out. I'm not selling a book about this, and I don't have any interest in keeping secrets behind closed doors.

If anything, to be transparent, if you read this guide and trust me, you might be interested in my test prep programs for the SAT/ACT or any of our admissions advising services. But frankly I don't care whether you buy PrepScholar or not—as long as this guide helps you and keeps you from steering your life in the wrong direction based on the other crap out there.

On a deeper, more existential level, it gives my work meaning to help out other people. But that's a topic for another time.

 

"Which leaves the question—why should I trust you?"

You shouldn't—at least, not automatically. You shouldn't take my advice or anyone else's advice on faith alone. (This is how you get sold bad products through infomercials and sucked into Ponzi schemes.)

If what I'm saying here makes logical sense to you, then believe it. If someone else's advice makes more sense to you, then follow that instead.

To justify my beliefs, I've also tried to substantiate my points with snippets from representatives of top schools and data from Harvard's admissions lawsuit. If you find anything that supports my arguments here, or anything that contradicts them, please send them to me.

I stand by everything I'm saying here, and if you want to get into top schools, I think this is the best thing you can do.

 

"I have quotes from admissions officers that say Harvard and Princeton accept well-rounded students. How do you reconcile this with your description of a spike?"

Indeed, admissions officers do say that many of their acceptances are well rounded. For instance, here's what William Fitzsimmons, Dean of Admissions at Harvard, said in a 2009 article for The New York Times:

"In a sense we think of everyone we admit as a good 'all-arounder'—a person with outstanding academic, extracurricular, and personal credentials."

However, he goes on to say that there are two caveats for groups of students who set themselves apart:

"Several hundred of our admitted students each year have the kind of stunning academic credentials—well beyond test scores and grades—that our faculty believe place them among the best potential scholars of their generation. ... There are also several hundred students who pursued some activity to an unusual degree. Such students—as well as those who are among the best potential scholars—have outstanding achievements largely because of their strong personal qualities. They have made a commitment to pursue something they love, believe in, and value—and to do so with singular energy, discipline and plain old hard work."*

Similarly, Princeton says the following:

"We review each application individually to get a sense of that student's particular combination of strengths.* We don't have a profile of the ideal applicant or the ideal class. In fact, one of Princeton's greatest strengths is the variety of talents, personal qualities, experiences and points of view in each incoming class. There are some qualities we hope all Princeton students share: integrity, a deep interest in learning and a devotion to both academic and non-academic pursuits. Many students also bring distinctive academic and extracurricular talents and achievements. Beyond those fundamental qualities, we consider how each candidate might contribute to the community we will bring together for that year's class."

*Emphasis mine.

I would be so bold as to make these claims:

  • Between a superstar with a spike and a well-rounded student, Harvard will choose the superstar, every single time.
  • Harvard would gladly accept as many superstars as it can find. But its limitation is in the number of superstars who apply, not in the percentage of superstars the school is willing to accept. Harvard is not rejecting any superstars who don't have disqualifying weaknesses (like a terrible personality).

Once again, it's a fact that top schools do accept well-rounded students. To some extent, schools don't want their classes to be composed entirely of extreme spikes.

But this does not mean that being well rounded is your best strategy for your application. As I explained above, there are many more well-rounded applicants than there are spikes in the world. It truly is harder to differentiate well-rounded students from one other—which means you fall into the crapshoot.

 

"Developing a spike like you're saying is impossible—it's hard enough to get straight As in class, let alone play the flute and compete in JV tennis."

If, like most high school students, you're struggling to balance all your classwork, extracurriculars, social life, and sleep, this guide should actually help you out.

Again, one of my main points is that it's OK to be unbalanced. It's OK to make tradeoffs.

Cut out everything you don't enjoy or that isn't meaningfully helping your college application. You'll buy yourself a ton of time—again, possibly up to 1,000 hours per year.

With that time, you can refocus your energy on something you really enjoy, and accomplish way more than you ever thought possible.

And sleep. I think it's insane that high school students feel they're pressured to the point they can only sleep five hours a day. This is short-sighted thinking that actually worsens your performance overall and is incredibly unhealthy. But this is a subject for another article.

 

"You're promoting early specialization for kids, and this is harmful. Teens aren't supposed to know what they want to do for the rest of their lives."

I agree that teens change a lot as they go into college. I'm a great example of this. Over my life I've had two major trajectory changes. Throughout most of my early, pre-college life, I wanted to be a doctor—specifically, a neurosurgeon. As if I couldn't be more of a cliché, I liked science, I liked helping people, and I liked understanding and interacting with people. The combination of these led me to medicine.

When I got into college, I realized I wanted to have a more scalable, nonlinear impact with my time than being a practicing physician would let me do. I also really liked research and innovation. So I applied to MD-PhD programs (dual-degree programs that combine medical and research training; yes, they're long—the average graduation time is eight years!) and later joined Harvard Medical School and MIT.

I really enjoyed my time there and learned a lot, but I discovered something even better for my personal preferences: entrepreneurship. I loved building products that solved people's problems; I loved fast iteration speeds (unlike research often taking decades to get from bench to bedside); and I loved the personal freedom. So I left my program after four years, getting neither an MD nor PhD.

I don't regret any of my decisions, even though they took me on a different path from where I am now. I learned a ton about healthcare and bioengineering that normal people who go straight into startups don't know, and I still feel I achieved a good amount.

The point is, not knowing exactly what you want to do isn't a good excuse for avoiding exploring and diving deeply into something. When you choose a passion and work hard at it, you learn a lot of valuable lessons that are extensible to whatever you choose to do in the future. You learn the value of discipline, how to motivate yourself, and how to prioritize your work on what's really important.

You also see firsthand the result of hard work and perseverance in your achievement—and this sets the stage for positive feedback loops throughout your life.

 

"As a parent, I get what you're saying. But I don't want to be a helicopter parent who forces my child to spend a ton of time on a single activity."

That's exactly against the point. If you're following the advice here, you won't need to be "forced" into doing anything. The idea is to work on something that's of such interest to you that spending time on it doesn't feel like work.

Not only does this make you happier, but it also takes you further—when you work on something you really care about, you have a much greater chance of success than someone who's not passionate but still trying really hard does.

So try to avoid forcing it. If you're going to spend a lot of time on something, it'll be really painful if it's something you don't care about.

 

"What if I don't know what my passion is yet? What if I don't have anything I care about that much?"

This is a hard problem and a large question in itself, and by nature everyone's different. The best thing I can do for now is give you a set of guidelines you can work through to start your brainstorming process:

  • Name five moments from the past two years in which you felt especially excited, happy, or proud.
    • For each of these, deconstruct the experience. What specifically about that experience made you feel this way? Was it the actual experience itself, or was it an abstract property that excited you?
    • This doesn't have to be academic or extracurricular in nature—it can be social or casual. Just free think here.
    • For example, let's say one of these moments was when you gave a friend a birthday gift, and she loved it. Was this meaningful to you because you cared about this person? Or was it because you liked knowing this person and predicting exactly what she needed to make her life better? Was it because you liked the process of hunting down the best bargain for this gift?
  • From these results, try to extrapolate outward to possible activities you can dive more deeply into. Think of things that are loosely related and have similar properties.
    • For the gift-giving example above, if you enjoyed that because you like understanding and solving people's problems, this might suggest starting a new volunteer effort for an underserved community.
    • Sometimes, this is easier if you have a particular subject area you care about. For instance, if you really like gardening, you can brainstorm a bunch of ways you can share gardening with the world, such as creating your own popular blog with gardening tips, building organizations for teen gardeners, entering gardening competitions, etc.
  • Narrow down the ideas that seem most intuitively attractive to you. For each of these top hits, think about how you can experiment with this to decide whether it's something you really enjoy. If you want to build a volunteer organization, for example, start with a smaller vision. Maybe you just want to prove that the need exists and that other people aren't serving it correctly. Then, you just volunteer your own time, learn what you're doing right or wrong, and assess whether you're enjoying your time. If so, go deeper and bigger. If you still don't like it after a sustained amount of effort (e.g., 100 hours), then think about why that is and improve on your next project.

If this seems like a challenge for a lot of readers, then let me know in the comments section below. I might write a more detailed guide about this if there's enough interest.

 

"College admissions shouldn't be the focus of a young person's life. This obsession with getting into Harvard and Yale is misguided."

I mostly agree. There are too many students and parents (especially parents) who treat Ivy League admissions as the fundamental goal without questioning why they're doing it or how. Even worse, if they're wrong about what it takes to get in, there's just a bunch of misery spread around for everyone.

That's why I stand especially strongly behind my advice here. The fundamental goal is to identify and nurture your passion so that you make deep achievements in it. You'll learn a lot more about yourself and your capabilities than if you simply followed the usual recommended mold. You'll enjoy your life a lot more and find meaning in your work. Even if you don't get into the college you want, you'll have a set of skills and achievements that you'll be really proud of and in a good position for the rest of your career. But ironically, this happens to be exactly what colleges are looking for.

As I said above, the college you attend has relatively little influence on where you go in life. By far, most of your success is determined entirely by you and the actions you choose to take.

However, there are true benefits from going to a better school. The largest one in my mind is the community. The students who attend top schools, and the professors and staff who work there, are of a higher caliber than those at lower-ranked schools. This is a fact of life. You'll meet people who are more insightful, creative, driven, passionate, and competent, largely because of how schools such as Harvard run their admissions processes and choose their faculty. By working with them, studying with them, and being friends with them, you'll become better yourself.

This fact wasn't apparent to me until I compared my experiences with those of friends who went to public schools and lower-level schools. The difference in the quality of the community is stark and noticeable, and will have lasting effects throughout your life.

Top schools used to be very expensive, but nowadays most of these schools are no longer cost-prohibitive. Schools such as Harvard and Princeton now have generous financial aid packages with high income limits. For example, if your family's income falls below $150,000, Harvard will only expect you to pay 0-10% of that income.

If all of this doesn't sound appealing to you, then don't go to a top school. It's really fine. Do what makes you happy.

Last note: what you do not get at top schools is a better academic education. In fact, top schools are notorious for having professors who are brilliant in their research and innovation, but are terrible pedagogical teachers. Even though I majored in chemistry, I doubt I had a substantially better classroom experience than someone at UC Riverside did. That said, the academic knowledge you gain is only a small part of how college will change you.

 

"Let me turn your logic around on you, Allen. By nature of being world class, you already need to be in the top 1% of achievement. Clearly, if everyone follows your advice, we can't all fit in there."

This is true. Admissions is relative, meaning that the school wants the best students it can find, even if the bar is rising everywhere. So if the world gets more competitive, you need to do greater things to stay at the top.

And, unfortunately, not everyone can be world-class at something. I might venture to say most people on Earth cannot be world-class at something (otherwise world-class would lose its meaning). I won't opine too much on why this is, but like all things it's probably a combination of environment and genetics. I believe I cannot be a world-class athlete no matter how hard I try. I will never be smarter than John von Neumann. It is what it is.

But a large part of world-class performance is motivation and grit, and that's a part that you can change. Not everyone's reading this guide and not everyone cares about the same level of achievement as you do. Just by reading this guide, you have a big leg up on the competition through your determination and resourcefulness.

More importantly, only a small percentage of people who read this article will ultimately be able to fully execute this advice. Once again, this stuff isn't easy—it's far easier to go with the flow and do what everyone else is doing.

As entrepreneur Derek Sivers said: "If information was the answer, then we'd all be billionaires with perfect abs." Execution is key.

By definition, you're breaking from the mold by following the advice here. This is hard to do, let alone actually putting in the hours and motivation needed to achieve something great.

So right now, don't worry about the competition—focus on yourself and what you want to do.

 

"Let's say we know for certain I cannot be world-class at something. Is it better to try to be world-class and fail, or to try to be well-rounded and succeed?"

It's a complicated question that depends on what you want out of life.

I personally believe in the "Shoot for the moon, even if you miss you'll land among the stars" life philosophy. I perform much better when I set high goals and fail to meet them, than when I set unambitious goals and barely exceed them. In the former case, my mindset is more optimistic and ambitious; I work harder; I overcome obstacles more energetically; I end up with better final results.
 
But this is me, and I don't expect anyone else to live like me.
 
This is up to each person and their parents to decide, and what "better" really means. It is all up to the individual, there is no correct approach to life.
 

 

"I have a hardship that makes this difficult. Even though I have piano talent, my family can't afford the lessons for me to be great. / I have a sick family member I spend a lot of time caring for. / I have to work a job to support my family and therefore have little time for myself."

Some people truly have extenuating circumstances that make their achievements disproportionate to their potential. Luckily, colleges truly do look at applications holistically. If you articulate this well and are able to achieve a lot relative to what you've been through, colleges will look well upon you, even if on an absolute scale your application is weaker than that of an heir of a Fortune 500 company.

If finances is a concern, I encourage you to find low-cost ways of adding value to the world through your passion. If you're into piano, you might not make it to Carnegie Hall, but you might be able to create YouTube tutorials on how to learn piano on a budget. Or you might set up a mentorship program through which you recruit high school musicians to volunteer as music teachers for low-income students. There's a bunch of stuff you can do without having to spend money, if you're creative enough,

If time is a limitation, you might truly not have the time to dive deep into your passion. The tradeoffs will be much harder for you, but you might still be able to carve out time and make sacrifices to pursue your interest. Again, at the end of the day, hardship shows tremendous character, and if on your application you tell a compelling story about where you've been and where you want to go, colleges will consider this favorably.

 

"I'm applying to college soon and don't have time to implement what you've described here. What do I do?"

Unfortunately, if you're very close to college applications (i.e., less than 2 months), there's only so much you can do to improve your applications. Namely, work on your personal statements and make sure you have strong letters of recommendation. Everything else is more or less set.

But if you have more than a few months left before applications go out, you can probably do a lot more than you imagined if you prioritize your time and efforts correctly. Be strict about cutting out items that aren't helping your application and about working hard on your passion project.

If you can show a growth trajectory that's interesting to schools, that helps—especially if by interview time you've made a lot more progress since submitting your application.

 

"What if I'm not aiming for the Ivy League and top schools?"

As I mentioned at the very beginning, these techniques are critical for the top 10 schools in the US. For lower ranked schools such as Dartmouth, Johns Hopkins, Cornell, and Brown, these concepts apply less—more well-rounded students get in—but you'll still have an outstanding application if you apply the advice in this guide.

For admissions to less selective schools (i.e., those with admissions rates of 20% and above, such as NYU), being well-rounded will serve you just fine. Because the competition is less fierce, you don't need to have a deep spike as much as you do for other schools. If you're a solid student all around, you should do fine.

That said, I would still recommend following the advice in this guide because it will almost always strengthen your application and help you do more meaningful things earlier in your life.

 

"What are the exact academic requirements you need to get into Stanford or Harvard?"

All top colleges say that their admissions criteria are holistic, and that they don't use cutoffs or rubrics. This is generally true—they do care about where you are in your life, what opportunities you've had access to, and whether you're taking advantage of them.

That said, they also have soft requirements. If you get 20 on the ACT, it will be very difficult for you to get into Harvard, no matter your other accomplishments. This is just too low of a score for top schools to have confidence in your academic ability. Furthermore, it's very likely there's another applicant who's done what you've done but also has the academic ability to match. Harvard will take that candidate every time.

More specifically, your test scores and academic performance need to be consistent with your story. If you're applying with a science focus, for example, here's what you'll need:

  • 780+ on SAT Math, or 34+ on ACT Math and Science
  • Transcripts with challenging AP science courses and high marks/scores (ideally, you'll get As in all classes and 5s on all AP tests)

The reason is pretty simple—for people with science focuses, the SAT/ACT Math and AP courses are trivially easy. I know this from personal experience. Even starting from freshman or sophomore year, I consistently scored 800 on every SAT Math section I took without much prep. If you're applying with science or math as your spike, you're competing against people like me. If you don't measure up on these standardized metrics, MIT will simply think you're not that good.

On the other hand, you don't have to ace the SAT Reading and Writing sections. You should still try to aim for at least 700, though. The reason, once again, is that science nerds typically find these sections fairly easy as well.

You can be even more lopsided: say you score 600 on Evidence-Based Reading and Writing. This is OK, but you need to compensate by being even more amazing in your spike. You must really set yourself apart from the students who are scoring 1600s and creating big spikes.

You can work through this logic for your own situation, whether that means you're applying as a humanities focus or with a special talent.

You can read more of this analysis in our guide to admission requirements for Harvard.

 

Have more questions I'm not answering here? Leave a comment below and I'll answer it!

 



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About the Author
author image
Allen Cheng

As co-founder and head of product design at PrepScholar, Allen has guided thousands of students to success in SAT/ACT prep and college admissions. He's committed to providing the highest quality resources to help you succeed. Allen graduated from Harvard University summa cum laude and earned two perfect scores on the SAT (1600 in 2004, and 2400 in 2014) and a perfect score on the ACT. You can also find Allen on his personal website, Shortform, or the Shortform blog.



Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Miguel Jiménez-Gil

 
30/05/2015, 23:59:58

Hey, Allen,

Is it possible to get into Harvard after been rejected, given that one has identified what the application deal-breaker might have been, and made tremendous improvement since the time of rejection?

Thank you!

Courtney Montgomery

 
19/06/2015, 00:11:25

Very good question--it is entirely possible to still get into a top school even after being rejected. Universities love to see that you've made improvements in your areas of weakness and have grown as a person since your last application attempt. If you can identify your weak areas (as you said) and demonstrate improvement and dedication to them, then definitely try again! If they say no again, then really examine why they may have rejected you. Do you have that passionate "spike" to show that you are a truly stand-out individual/student? Colleges are much more impressed with students who have demonstrated a clear commitment to an interest than ones who are moderately good at many subjects.

terry

 
31/05/2015, 06:29:54

I have a child who just finished their first year at Harvard. I agree with Allen completely. My childs passion was science. They took close to 20 college science classes while still in high school. They did not do a sport or play an instrument or did they join 10 different clubs. They just showed a passion for science. They went 15 for 15 on their college applications. Allen seems to have the admissions formula down

Tyler

 
02/06/2015, 01:56:53

Hi Allen;

I see that you've given wonderful advice and I really see that theres some great tips here. However, I have a question for you - what I've noticed as a Junior is that many students have begun what is known as "padding". This is starting organizations, creating "spikes" as you call it without either passion or substance. Their justification for this is that colleges will not be able to find out if the padding is substantiated or a facade as long as theres something you can present (like a website). My question is, does padding work, and how do colleges look upon this? How can they discern a substantial spike from one that is merely created, without any of the time and passion you talked about here? Thanks.

Allen Cheng

 
02/06/2015, 02:19:44

Good question - typically padding does not work because it lacks the depth that characterizes a true spike or true deep achievement. To illustrate depth, you typically need quantitative metrics (recruited 200 members around the state to my new organization, leading to 5,000 volunteer hours) or external validation (awards or recognition, letters of recommendation corroborating your claims). It is not easy to fake this, and having read a lot of applications, admissions officers can typically sniff out fraudulent claims if the story doesn't add up.

Now, some students will actually lie about doing things that don't actually exist, hoping they don't get factchecked. I'm sure some students get in this way. However, this is extremely risky, as if you get discovered, this is an insta-reject. And if you're admitted and found to have lied on your application, you will get expelled.

Amy

 
02/06/2015, 02:31:56

Hi Allen,

I am a high school student who is interested in pursuing Economics and Finance at one of the Ivy-League schools. In this article, you have suggested the ways that Science and Humanities students can create 'spikes' in their application. Could you also suggest a few options for Economics and Finance students, like me?

Thank you.

Dora Seigel

 
24/02/2016, 03:05:46

Hi Amy,

Sorry for the delay! You could start an Economics or Finance club (read more about starting a club here: http://blog.prepscholar.com/how-to-start-a-club-in-high-school ) Or you could intern for or job shadow a local economist or person who works in finance. Read more about job shadowing here: http://blog.prepscholar.com/job-shadowing-for-high-school-students Hope this helps!

Dora

Katie W

 
15/06/2015, 23:38:34

Is it too late to start preparing during junior year?

Courtney Montgomery

 
19/06/2015, 01:00:34

It's never too late! Really think about where your interests and passions lie and examine how you can dedicate yourself to them to demonstrate your commitment. Your application tells a story about your development as both a student and a person and colleges love to see that kind of growth and dedication. Best of luck!

Marie S

 
25/07/2015, 05:26:52

Allen,
What exactly are top universities looking for in the personal statement? How did you figure out what to write about? It would be awesome if you did a blog post about that! But replying here is great too. I'm having a bit of trouble starting to write my essay, and any guidance would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you so much!

Laura Staffaroni

 
09/10/2015, 22:08:13

Hi, Marie!

I am not Allen, but I can point you in the right direction. We have a great article up now about what your personal statement should include: http://blog.prepscholar.com/what-is-a-personal-statement-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-college-essay

If you like that article, we also have a bunch more up about the college admissions process here: http://blog.prepscholar.com/topic/college-admissions

Good luck with your essay!

-Laura

sky d

 
13/08/2015, 11:14:15

Thank you for writing this, I really enjoyed it! I'm about to go into the 7th grade and I really want to become a game designer. Although this article is probably for individuals older than me, I really want to attend Harvard. Hopefully I can meet my goal and stand out!

William

 
14/08/2015, 03:21:48

Thank you, Thank you !
Just a last time, THANK YOU !

Eishna R

 
29/08/2015, 03:39:35

Allen, I just wanted to say thank you for writing this article. It took me around 1.5 hours to read but well worth it. I am a senior searching colleges and agree with you 100%. Not only does having something you care about help with admissions, it just adds general vibrance and color to your life, which is important.

I did the same thing my junior year - I didn't take APUSH as it was the most work-saturated our school had to offer. Mentally I thought, 200,000 students can put this on their college application and waste hours memorizing historical events with 2% actually wanting to. Personally, I would rather spend that time covering a school story and writing a good article and winning an award for it, which is what ended up happening. I got recognition from Columbia's Journalism School and perpetuated the interest and was more distinguishing.

Nicole

 
06/10/2015, 21:23:09

Hi,

I am a freshman that has started this year, and I would like to know the difference between a weighted and unweighted GPA, and which one colleges usually look at. Should I not take all honors if some honors classes I am currently taking is around a B?

Laura Staffaroni

 
12/10/2015, 22:18:41

Hi, Nicole,

There's no simple answer to either question, since colleges do not all care about the same things equally. This article should answer your questions about the difference between a weighted and unweighted GPA, however: http://blog.prepscholar.com/do-colleges-use-weighted-or-unweighted-gpa

I hope this is useful,

Laura

Catera

 
21/10/2015, 17:22:45

Keep it up! Thank you so much for this guide and reteaching us misguided kids about how to get into our dream schools. This article is perfect and makes complete sense!

Keren Mir

 
25/10/2015, 18:35:28

Thank you so much! Helped a lot!

Sophie

 
30/10/2015, 00:23:43

Hi,

I'm a freshman in high school and I really want to go into the medical field and get into an Ivy League school. Should I be focusing more on science or math related extracurricular activities?

Christine Sarikas

 
22/12/2015, 21:55:51

Hi Sophie,

Sorry for the delay in replying. For someone planning on studying medicine, extracurriculars in math or science are about equally beneficial because you'll take classes in both subjects in college.

Science may be slightly better because it relates more directly to medicine, but if you enjoy math and have math extracurriculars that you want to pursue, it won't hurt your application to focus on math extracurriculars instead. Remember to keep your grades up in both subjects as well!

Good luck!

Christine

Paula

 
30/10/2015, 01:46:43

Oh well, now I don't know what to do. Is having perhaps thousands of followers on tumblr because of your art a spike? Or being an activist in your national LGBT organization? Because then I don't know what could be! I swim, but I'm not reaaaaaaally good at it, like I'm good but not the best. Also, could getting mentions or prices in MUN also be considered a spike? I have no freaking idea what my passion is. I like math but at my school we don't have any type of Olympic or anything like that (I live in Buenos Aires). I'm aiming really high, but it seems I won't be able to make it. Should I really apply to a college when odds are I won't get in? Perhaps, the only good thing that I'm doing right now is studying 5 languages (french, italian, german apart from school, english at school, and spanish is my first language), and I don't even know if that is good enough. This article really scared the crap out of me. What do you think?

Christine Sarikas

 
22/12/2015, 21:39:21

Hi Paula,

Sorry for the delay in replying. First off, it's important to realize that have a spike is only required for the absolute most competitive schools, like Harvard and Yale. You can still get into most schools, including great schools, with no spike at all.

Knowing five languages is really impressive. If you want, you could expand that by becoming a language tutor, doing some translating work for a local paper or website, or something similar. You could also become more involved in your LGBT organization (getting a leadership role, starting new activities etc. to develop that into a spike). You have the potential for a lot of different spikes, just think about what you enjoy doing the most and focus on becoming more involved and gaining leadership experience.

Again, a spike is required to get into a great school, and a lot of people (probably most people) don't know what there passion is yet. If you're interested in going to a particular school, I'd recommend applying for it, even if you don't think you'll get in. You really don't have anything to lose! Just make sure to keep your options open by applying to other schools.

Good luck, and I hope this helps!

Christine

Omar

 
05/11/2015, 05:22:19

Hi Allen! First of all, I want to thank you for this guide that you've shared with all of us. It is truly an eye opener not only to the admissions process, but to life beyond high school and beyond college as well. My question to you is: How does Harvard feel about a student who has gotten relatively low/mediocre grades in a history class, but scored higher than a 750 on his SAT 2 U.S history subject test? Grades in every other class are great, except in this class, and extracurricular are very strong as well as standardized test scores.

Christine Sarikas

 
22/12/2015, 21:43:03

Hi Omar,

This depends a lot on what you plan to study in college. If you plan to study math, science, or something similar, a low history grade won't hurt your application that much as long as you have high grades in the subject you plan to study in college. If you plan on majoring in history, a low grade may impact your application more, although that doesn't mean you have no chance of getting in. Admissions decisions are based on a lot of factors, so I'd continue to keep your extracurriculars strong and your grades up to have the best chance of getting in.

I hope this information is useful!

Christine

Christine Sarikas

 
22/12/2015, 21:43:17

Hi Omar,

This depends a lot on what you plan to study in college. If you plan to study math, science, or something similar, a low history grade won't hurt your application that much as long as you have high grades in the subject you plan to study in college. If you plan on majoring in history, a low grade may impact your application more, although that doesn't mean you have no chance of getting in. Admissions decisions are based on a lot of factors, so I'd continue to keep your extracurriculars strong and your grades up to have the best chance of getting in.

I hope this information is useful!

Christine

Zeba Huque

 
25/11/2015, 00:28:03

Hi,

I am a sophomore in high school and I have no certain passion fro anything. I take honors and AP classes, and am mediocre in all the classes i am taking. I don't have a certain interest in any of my classes. Sometimes the labs we do in chemistry really get me excited, but i'm managing an 89 in that class right now. I take all the regular core classes and my electives include orchestra and Spanish. Now, i know i don't have a special interest in these two classes but i really would like to learn and new language and i love playing with my orchestra. Sometimes i watch psychology videos because i am trying out a theory where i might be interested in human behavior/response, but i don't have space to take a class for psychology. Can you help me understand how I can find my passion (the response you put on the FAQ didnt really seem to help much), and if psychology might be my passion how would i be able to show that on my application in the future if i have no space for that class?

Christine Sarikas

 
17/12/2015, 23:36:21

Hi Zeba,


My advice is to start looking beyond just your classes to find your passion. Think about your interests. What do you like to do? Almost every hobby can be turned into a passion. What articles catch your eye on the internet? Are they all on the same topic? Maybe that's something you're passionate about. What issues do you hear about that make you angry and wish you could solve them? Global warming? Racism? Something else? Perhaps your passion is trying to figure out a way to solve one of those problems.

If psychology is your passion, I'd recommend trying to get an internship or volunteer position at a hospital, nursing home, or another location that involves working with people. You may also want to see if you could take a class over the summer to free up space in your schedule for psychology.

I hope this information is helpful!

Christine

Tanya

 
25/11/2015, 15:47:52

I'd really like you to further answer the question - what if I don't know what my passion is yet?". I really need help on that regard because I like every subject or rather am indifferent to all of them... You get the point. Pls help me figure out what I want to do in life. All I know is I want to succeed (pardon me if that's a little clichéd). I agree with all you've said in this guide, keeping in mind that it's very difficult to implement. I need your help more than u know, maybe even more than I know..

Christine Sarikas

 
17/12/2015, 23:24:13

Hi Tanya,

First off, I want to mention that it's 100% ok to not know what your passion is right now, most people don't! You can still be successful even if it takes you a while to figure out what your passion is.

To help you get started though, I'd start looking beyond just your classes to find your passion. Think about your interests. What do you like to do? What's your favorite way to spend your time? Almost every hobby can be turned into a passion. What articles catch your eye on the internet? Are they all on the same topic? Maybe that's something you're passionate about. What issues do you hear about that make you angry and wish you could solve them? Global warming? Racism? Something else? Perhaps your passion is trying to figure out a way to solve one of those problems.

Good luck, and I hope you find this information helpful!

Christine

Bon Zhan

 
01/12/2015, 22:51:38

I am wondering if I can get into Harvard when I'm Canadian?

Courtney Montgomery

 
14/12/2015, 07:54:59

Hi Bon, you can absolutely apply and be admitted into Harvard (and most other US university) if you're Canadian. Check out their site on international students for more info: https://college.harvard.edu/admissions/application-process/international-applicants

Larry Wu

 
02/12/2015, 08:35:44

Hey Allen,

I'm a grade 10 student from Canada. I haven't started preparing for the SAT, and also haven't started developing a spike. I'm essentially the typical "well-rounded" student that takes courses ahead, does volunteering, has a part-time job, and joins many sports and clubs. Do you think that it's too late to begin preparing for the Ivies? ( I have a tendency to be lazy and procrastinate, but I'm working on it).

Christine Sarikas

 
22/12/2015, 22:17:32

Hi Larry,

Working on becoming a stronger college applicant will always benefit you, so it's never to late to start. I'd work on starting to develop a spike and preparing for the SAT (you can check out our course here, which is great if you don't have a lot of time and need help staying on track: https://www.prepscholar.com/sat/s/)

Good luck, and I hope this helps!

Christine

Shilpa Saralaya

 
06/12/2015, 18:25:25

Hi Allen,
My sophomore son is really passionate about tennis!he plays # 1 on his high school varsity team and he has all A's in all his honor classes.He iS ranked at state level-should he pursue admissions as an athlete or general admissions with tennis being his spike?

Lauren Fields

 
17/12/2015, 18:36:36

Hi Shilpa!

I'd recommend he pursue admissions as an athlete. Colleges are impressed with sports spikes mostly because they hope that person will play for their team.

Read our other article on the college recruiting process for more information

http://blog.prepscholar.com/how-does-college-recruiting-work-athletic-complete-process

Hope this helps!
Lauren

Erica Jones

 
06/12/2015, 19:10:01

Hi Allen,
I am a Junior and I applied for and was awarded a $4000 grant for my school district. With the grant, I am running a project promoting healthy eating and am doing it largely alone. I have made surveys for the parents and students, which were very successful and I plan on using them to convince my school to fix up the cafeteria and get healthier food, and I am doing various other things like having a nutritionist give an assembly, etc. My goal is to improve the lives of students and families in my town (in terms of living healthier life styles). Nutrition is certainly a deep passion of mine, though I have no extracurriculars to support it. But I do love healthy cooking and have made up a few recipes and I bake/cook very often at home. Would you say this project is a spike, and if so how impressive/large compared to writing a book or making an app?
Also, for the record, I will be applying to mostly schools in that second tier you mentioned (like Amherst and Brown), but am considering applying to Harvard. What do you think?
Thanks!
(I can give you more details if you need to give me an answer.)

Justin Berkman

 
12/12/2015, 02:54:14

Hi Erica!

Congratulations on your project. It sounds important. Your project is impressive and will impress admissions committees. I've worked with many high school students, and I don't think I know of any who were awarded a grant by their high-school district and instituted a project like the one you've described. If you're passionate about nutrition, I encourage you to do more to explore this passion. Selective colleges do like to see that you've shown long-term commitment and excellence in the things you're passionate about. Think about what else you can do after you're done with this project. Can you volunteer for an organization/start your own? Maybe you can get involved with local politics to help push for changes that will positively impact people's health. Maybe you can do academic research related to nutrition, or you can work with a professor who studies nutrition. Those are just a few ideas off the top of my head.

Best of luck to you! Hope I answered your questions.

Aitana Martinez

 
07/12/2015, 22:46:08

Hi,
I'm also a freshman, and I want to go to a good college for film studies. And next year I am going to be taking over as the stage manager for the drama dept. at my school, but I feel like that isn't enough. Do you have any suggestions for other things? I also do my school speech and I play an instrument. I feel like I need to do more to get better, and do colleges care about those current things?

Justin Berkman

 
12/12/2015, 02:31:44

Hi Aitana!

Thanks for your question. If you want to major in film studies, maybe you can do more to pursue that interest. I'm not sure if you have any interest in making movies or writing movies, but you can start doing both of those things. Possibly, you can get an internship related to your interests, or you can take a film studies class at a community college.

Colleges do care about your current activities, but the more you can do to show passion and excellence, the more likely you'll be to get into a selective college. Best of luck to you!

Joe Smith

 
08/12/2015, 03:51:28

Hi Allen Cheng,
I understand this is long but please read the whole thing. I really want some advice on how I am going about college admissions.
I am a freshman. I want to go to Stanford. My passion in life is to help make the world and better place. Poverty, energy issues, deforestation, hunger, homelessness are just as few of the issues that are happening on our planet. I want to change that. I also have a passion for outer space and want to walk on Mars to research about extraterrestrial life. I have always loved learning.
When I was in 7th grade I made a great science fair project. I was hooked on renewable energy and strongly believe we need to use it to replace nuclear power and fossil fuels. I found out that solar and wind power were the most effective ways to produce electricity with no real cons except price and reliability. I went to sciencebuddies.org in search of science fair project. I found something on microbial fuel cells. This power source uses bacteria in mud to generate electricity and is cost effective. I thought this was a good topic to focus on. With the help of my science teacher, I did a project comparing voltage output based on the concentration of the mud. In 8th grade, I decided to research further and did a project comparing different sources of fluid. I got 2nd place in the Alternative Energy division in the California State Science Fair. Senator Dianna Feinstein wrote me a letter congratulating me. I also volunteered for Adopt a Family to help give Christmas Presents to the Homeless and poor that year. I realized how much help they need. This year I am organizing a free Christmas Dinner in Santa Cruz to help out these guys. There are problems, like the cost of renting a room to host the dinner, getting volunteers to help, but I am NOT GIVING UP. I WON"T QUIT. I am going to keep trying. I can do it. I will ask people around my neighborhood. I feel this is necessary. It is aligned with my passion of helping people and the earth.
Also, I am researching renewable energy more and a way to use sewage water and add solar power to my microbial fuel cell design. I am going to present my project in 10th grade after substantial research. I hope I do well again. Because the environment, health, and poverty are big concerns of mine. I am thinking about creating a website called " protectourhome.org " where I will blog about my concerns and achievements and write about my thought on solving these problems. I want to create a youtube channel educating the public about lead in water, poverty, and open defecation.
My ultimate goal in life is to create a business that will focus on installing renewable energy facilities, mitigate climate change, and use microbial fuel cells to clean polluted lakes and rivers. I feel energy is the key tool to solving many issues in this world. I want to major in energy resources engineering at Stanford.
My other focus is becoming an astronaut and walking on Mars. I want to, for part of my life, walk on Mars and discover extraterrestrial life. I am confused on where I should go and I need help. I want to probably become a test pilot while I am starting my business to earn money and get flight experience. Should I double major in aerospace engineering and energy resources engineering? What can do in high school to work towards this goal?
As for grades, in fourth grade I didn't do so well. I got many B's. However, I did start making science fair projects. From 5th through 8th I got all A's. I am getting all A's right now in 9th grade and I am in the hardest math class. I am thinking about doing the Sat II Biology Test this year and PSAT 8/9. Next year, I will do Sat Chemistry and Sat Math 2. I will to the PSAT 10 and maybe the SAT. I will do the IB diploma junior year, doing IB MATH HL, CHEM HL , BIO HL , PHYS SL (HL not offered at my school), HOTA HL , ENGL HL, SPAN SL, and TOK. I will do SAT Physics and SAT Spanish. I will do the SAT or ACT. My goal is perfect score. I want to do well. I will try self-studying AP PHYS C (cause it gives more credit )and AP environmental science.
I am enrolled in Homeless Connections Club and Eco Club in my school. I hope to advocate for a compost bin for my school to use.
For my essay. I want to to talk about my passion about helping others who are poor and in need. I want to go deep.
This is a lot to write about, but I want your opinion of my choices and plans so that early on I can plan the right way to create a big spike. I want to follow my passions the right way so that I succeed. I want to change the world. I really do. And Stanford is my dream school. What is your advice? What should I do to almost guarantee acceptance and be world class?!
Thanks so much for reading this!

Justin Berkman

 
12/12/2015, 02:18:44

Hi Joe,

Thanks so much for questions. Congratulations on all your accomplishments! I'm happy to hear that Stanford is your dream school. I graduated from there :).

Sounds like you're on the right track. You already know what you're interested in and you're heavily involved in activities you're passionate about. I admire your desire to improve the world, and any admissions committee will be impressed that you've shown a sustained commitment to make our world better.

You don't have to settle on a major right now. Many of my friends at Stanford changed their majors while they were in college.

Since you seem to be primarily interested in science, keep pursuing that passion. Take advanced science classes. Maybe you can do research or an internship at one of your local colleges. Keep participating in science fairs and competitions.

For more information, you can check out our guide on how to apply for college (http://blog.prepscholar.com/how-to-apply-for-college).

Try to enjoy your high school experiences. Keep doing well in school and pursuing your passions.

Vishnu

 
09/12/2015, 04:33:43

Hello,

I am a sophomore in high school this year and it seems that I've unfortunately fallen into the hole of thinking that well roundedness is the key to acceptance to top schools. These tips have helped me. But I would like to ask a question regarding affirmative action policies. I am an Indian male, and for most of my life I've worried about how the standard for what is "world class" among my peers that share my ethnicity, might be higher than I'm achieving. I don't mean to sound like I'm asserting that Indian males are higher achieving by the way, I know that this is not true, but I do know that Indian males are statistically less likely to be accepted into schools than, say, a Hispanic male who has accomplished the same things. That being said, should I be trying to develop my "spike" as well as try to be well rounded/secure leadership positions in my extra curriculars? I am currently a member of DECA, Destination Imagination, Rotary Interact Club, Varsity Orchestra, Math UIL Competition, and a specialized magnet school within my high school that specializes in science and technology. I have a pretty influential and leadership-oriented role in all of the above, but do those things still put me in the crapshoot? I am also in varsity football but I do not have a huge interest in it anymore and it is a time waster, that will not get me any distinguished recognition besides a customary varsity letter. I've continued football this far because I figured that it would let me stand out among other Indian males, because how many of those guys play football right? Is my logic skewed in this assertion?
I apologize for my lack of brevity, I just feel that this article's author(s) can really help me in my decisions in high school in terms of how I can succeed and be happy at the same time. So to recap:

Due to my ethnicity, do I need to make my spike any more impressive than others'?

Is there any special tidbit I should know in terms of affirmative action policies in college admission and how I can stay above the competition?

And out of all of the activities that I've listed, and have a pretty reputable position in, do I still consider those things time wasters? Even if I have the potential to advance to state/national/international levels in DI, DECA, Math UIL, and orchestra? Does advancing to state or national levels in those things AS WELL as having a spike, still place me among the well rounders in college apps?

And is my logic flawed in thinking that playing varsity level American football (for a terribly par team by the way) will help me stand out amongst other Indian males?


Thank you so much in advance for reading all of this, it would help me a great deal and these questions stress me out daily, and it would provide me with valuable closure and information if I could have my questions answered.

Thank you again,

Vishnu

Justin Berkman

 
12/12/2015, 02:00:33

Hi Vishnu!

Thanks for your questions. Allen's advice applies to students of all ethnicities. You shouldn't concern yourself with affirmative action policies. While colleges do want to admit a diverse class, your application will not be directly compared to those of other Indian males. If you want to get into the most selective colleges, focus on making yourself the most competitive applicant you can be.

If you can excel in multiple activities, that's great. Allen's point was that your chances of getting into a top-notch college are better if you're world-class at one thing rather than being good at a few different things.

Finally, if you don't really like football and feel like it's a waste of your time, then I don't think you should continue with football. Just being on the team won't really make you stand out, and you can use that time to do things you are more passionate about.

Vishnu

 
12/12/2015, 17:53:05

Thank you so much! I am indebted to this advice and it has really motivated me to do things differently and better now. Thank you very much, again.

Wesley Chee

 
23/12/2015, 17:51:27

How confident are you that applicants aren't pigeon-holed and compete against other applicants of the same race? I've had other counselors tell me the exact opposite, that they categorize applicants into Asian, White, Hispanic, and Black categories. This seems to be supported by college responses to allegations of racial discrimination. Along those lines, how do colleges know which category to place you in?

Justin Berkman

 
25/12/2015, 03:19:58

Hi Wesley,

Thanks for your question. I'm not on an admissions committee, but I've spoken to numerous admissions committee reps and have read a lot about college admissions. Each college (and state for public schools) has a slightly different approach to its admissions practices, but technically, it's illegal for there to be any fixed racial quotas or to categorize applications based on the race of the applicants. Race is a factor in admissions in that colleges want to admit qualified underrepresented minorities. Undoubtedly, colleges, especially selective colleges, strive to have a diverse class. However, when you apply, you're not only being compared to members of your race. Also, while you can indicate your race on your application, you don't have to. Hope that answers your question. Thanks!

Allen Cheng

 
25/12/2015, 04:07:34

As Justin said, schools are very unlikely to use *explicit* racial quotas or make decisions in committees based on race. Admissions committees at colleges tend to be diverse on purpose. Furthermore, because they discuss candidates in committee, an argument to admit/reject based on race or other demographic item alone would be repugnant.

This isn't to say that there aren't biases, subconscious or not, though. For example, there's been attention recently brought to Asian admissions at elite colleges, with data that admitted Asians have higher test scores than other races.

What do we make of this data point? That Asians are discriminated against and have a higher bar to cross to get admitted? Or that colleges want a diverse population, which means they influence the makeup of their class - if not by quotas, then by soft weightings

Or, like I've been saying in my guides, that test scores are merely a qualification filter, and that Harvard looks for ambitious, spike-y, interesting, passionate students who will change the world? And it happens that Asians who show these qualities tend to have higher test scores as well?

Instead of race, let's look at gender. At MIT, in 1981, women formed only 18% of the undergraduate class. In 1991, this rose to 33%, and in 2011 to near parity at 45%. (Source: http://web.mit.edu/fnl/volume/233/reif_diversity2_POP.html)

So - going from a 4:1 ratio to 1:1 within the span of 30 years.

Why did this happen? It might have been part of an overall national recognition of the need for gender equality. It might have signaled an increasing competitiveness of female applicants as K-12 education lessened discrimination against women.

It might have been because MIT deliberately changed its admissions standards to help reverse gender discrimination in technical fields. This might have meant, for a period of time, female applicants could be considered less prepared than males on certain dimensions - but this was necessary for MIT's larger, long term societal goal.

(I admit I have very little data to support the above and am just speaking from intuition).

As you can see, this is a very complex topic that, at the root, gets to the purpose of education and schools. It is partly to train the best youth to improve the world later. It is also partly a vehicle to right societal problems. In the balance of this, schools choose to admit students they believe best fulfill the mission of the school.

What does all of this actually mean for you?

If you're a talented, energetic, academically prepared, ambitious, likable, interesting student, you have a great shot at getting in, regardless of your race.

Focus on sincerely becoming that type of student, not on the small issue of competing with other Asians. Whether or not biases for or against X dimension, that is largely out of your control, and pales in magnitude to what you choose to do and spend your time on.

Allen Cheng

 
25/12/2015, 04:07:35

As Justin said, schools are very unlikely to use *explicit* racial quotas or make decisions in committees based on race. Admissions committees at colleges tend to be diverse on purpose. Furthermore, because they discuss candidates in committee, an argument to admit/reject based on race or other demographic item alone would be repugnant.

This isn't to say that there aren't biases, subconscious or not, though. For example, there's been attention recently brought to Asian admissions at elite colleges, with data that admitted Asians have higher test scores than other races.

What do we make of this data point? That Asians are discriminated against and have a higher bar to cross to get admitted? Or that colleges want a diverse population, which means they influence the makeup of their class - if not by quotas, then by soft weightings

Or, like I've been saying in my guides, that test scores are merely a qualification filter, and that Harvard looks for ambitious, spike-y, interesting, passionate students who will change the world? And it happens that Asians who show these qualities tend to have higher test scores as well?

Instead of race, let's look at gender. At MIT, in 1981, women formed only 18% of the undergraduate class. In 1991, this rose to 33%, and in 2011 to near parity at 45%. (Source: http://web.mit.edu/fnl/volume/233/reif_diversity2_POP.html)

So - going from a 4:1 ratio to 1:1 within the span of 30 years.

Why did this happen? It might have been part of an overall national recognition of the need for gender equality. It might have signaled an increasing competitiveness of female applicants as K-12 education lessened discrimination against women.

It might have been because MIT deliberately changed its admissions standards to help reverse gender discrimination in technical fields. This might have meant, for a period of time, female applicants could be considered less prepared than males on certain dimensions - but this was necessary for MIT's larger, long term societal goal.

(I admit I have very little data to support the above and am just speaking from intuition).

As you can see, this is a very complex topic that, at the root, gets to the purpose of education and schools. It is partly to train the best youth to improve the world later. It is also partly a vehicle to right societal problems. In the balance of this, schools choose to admit students they believe best fulfill the mission of the school.

What does all of this actually mean for you?

If you're a talented, energetic, academically prepared, ambitious, likable, interesting student, you have a great shot at getting in, regardless of your race.

Focus on sincerely becoming that type of student, not on the small issue of competing with other Asians. Whether or not biases for or against X dimension, that is largely out of your control, and pales in magnitude to what you choose to do and spend your time on.

Jenn B

 
09/12/2015, 05:16:21

Thank you so much for the advice! I am in grade 9 and I have this friend that gets A 's on every assignment, test,exam and written response. I always feel sad because everyone notices her good marks but I know that she doesn't focus on something she truly loves. Even though , yes, I get all A's, I know that now I have to focus on something that I love. That I am good at. That is drama. I have a huge passion for it. I read a couple of Shakespare in my past and I love them. But I do have a question. Would big colleges in the U.S.A.accept people living in a different country? (I live in Canada)
Thank you for publishing this article. Now I will definitely focus on what I love and try not to worry if my friend is getting more attention because in the long run she really doesn't have a passion for anything. She just is a jack of all trades that is not a master in any. I feel like I now have hope!

Courtney Montgomery

 
14/12/2015, 06:47:45

Hi Jenn, thanks for writing in and we're glad it's working well for you! As for your question, yes schools in the US do accept international students. Do keep in mind, however, that each US university generally accepts only a certain percentage of its incoming class from outside the US (the numbers are different for every school--for some it might be as low as 5%, for others as high as 10% or 20%, so definitely do your research on which schools you want to attend). This means that the chances for an international student being accepted into a US school will unfortunately be lower than the average, but definitely don't let that stop you from trying and applying to your dream school!

Aklesiya Abebe

 
11/12/2015, 03:05:33

Hi,
I am a freshman at my high school this year, and I just have a couple of questions.
1. What things should I accomplish in my freshman year to get into an ivy league college?
2. Is there any website i can look up for internships or programs at the ivy league colleges?
3. Currently, I have all A, but one C in biology only for my first quarter grade, and so I would like to know if I still have a chance of getting a good GPA at the end of my year to make it into an ivy league college.
4. Do I need to take any online classes during summer?

Thank you for your time, and I would like it if you give me any other recommendations as well.

Justin Berkman

 
12/12/2015, 01:43:49

Thanks for your questions!

In your freshman year, just do well in school and pursue your interests outside of school. I assume it's too late to change or add any classes, but you should also try to take challenging classes if you want to get into the most selective colleges.

You can check out our article on internships for high school students (http://blog.prepscholar.com/internships-for-high-school-students).

You still have time to improve your biology grade, and it's highly unlikely that a single grade in your freshman year will stop you from getting into an Ivy League school. However, a better grade will have a positive impact on your GPA.

You don't have to take online classes during the summer, but selective colleges do like to see that you're taking advantage of your free time to engage in extracurricular activities or academic pursuits.

Sounds like you're on the right track. If you really want to get into an Ivy League college, try to follow the advice in the article. Best of luck to you!

James

 
11/12/2015, 22:27:25

Wow! This is eye-opening and life changing! Thank you so much for taking the time to write this and for sharing for free!

Serena

 
11/12/2015, 22:32:13

Wow! Thank you so much for this comprehensive and helpful guide! I just have a quick question. You mentioned that it's not good to be well-rounded, rather, we should aim for "having a spike." What if I have 2 passions? Say, I like math and science, so I joined the math club, and I'll be taking the AMC and such. But, I also like writing and I joined my news club. Is that well-rounded? Should I, instead quit one of them and focus on the one I like the most/am the best at?
What if I love one thing, but I'm not good at it, and I'm really good at something else, but I don't like it? Which should I pick?
Also, what if I have many extracurriculars and I love all of them, and I'm good at one, but not the others? Should I quit the others and focus on the one I'm best at?
I know these are a lot of questions, but I really appreciate you taking the time to read and respond! Thank you so much, I love all of your articles!!!

Justin Berkman

 
12/12/2015, 01:24:09

Hi Serena!

Thanks for your questions. I would never encourage you to quit activities you enjoy. The article was meant as a guide for getting into the most selective colleges. You can maximize your chances of being able to get into Harvard or Ivy League schools by being world-class in one thing as opposed to just doing a ton of activities. Consider your goals. Are you trying to get into Harvard? If so, then you may want to focus on your strengths or the activities you're most passionate about. Sounds like you have many extracurricular activities and really care about your education. I applaud your efforts, and there's nothing wrong with having diverse interests.

S

 
13/12/2015, 07:25:47

Hi,
Unfortunately I am a senior applying to colleges right now. My gpa is below the average for many of these top schools -- and I am pretty certain I won't be getting into many of these schools even though I'll be applying there. My weak gpa is mostly due to the heavy course load I took throughout the years and I did not put in my 100% effort. I think my best hope for attending one of these colleges is to transfer after freshman year in college. I was wondering if you had any tips because I know that transfer rates at some of these colleges are extremely low ranging from 1%-5%.

Lauren Fields

 
17/12/2015, 03:55:50

Hi!

If you plan on transferring, read our other guide How to Transfer Colleges Successfully: Complete Guide (http://blog.prepscholar.com/how-to-transfer-colleges-successfully)

Hope this helps!
Lauren

Hannah

 
14/12/2015, 02:37:44

Hi,
Before I begin, thank you so much! I've always thought being well-rounded was the answer to getting into a good university, but this has really opened up my eyes as to why that isn't the case. I'm in eighth grade, and I have a few questions. I know I'm young, but I think about (and worry about) the future often. My passion is and has always been creative writing for as long as I can remember. I've gotten straight A's for English (as well as all of my other classes), won a few school writing competitions, and plan to publish my fiction novel onto a popular writing website once I'm done editing it (and more in the future), but that's it. I know it's a good start, but I don't know what next. Is there anything I could do to make the spike bigger? Also, I'm curious about high school, as in, are there a wider variety of classes? How do honours/AP classes work, when can I start taking them, and how many should I take? As I said before, my passion is creative writing, so I plan to take AP English Language and Composition and AP English Language and Literature. Science, specifically biology has also interested me a lot, but would that be a good enough reason to take AP Biology? Oh, and also, when is generally a good time to start preparing for the SAT? I want to get into one of the top universities, so I'm also wondering what score I should try to aim for. Sorry for all the questions, and thank you in advance for taking the time to read this!

Lauren Fields

 
17/12/2015, 03:53:15

Hi Hannah!

Good questions! You're off to a great start! Keep pursuing your creative writing when you start high school. Submit to more competitions. Write another book and see if you can get it published elsewhere or see if you can get a short story published in a magazine. Start a creative writing magazine at your high school.

For high school classes, it varies by high school. I'd contact a school administrator at the high school you're going to attend and ask for a course list. For information about AP, read our other article http://blog.prepscholar.com/what-are-ap-classes-and-why-should-you-take-them

I think you should take as many AP classes as you can (even if they're outside your spike). The spike really only applies to extracurricular, not classes. Take as many AP classes as you can handle and as early as your school will let you take them!

For the SAT, read our article Complete Plan: When Should I Start Studying for the SAT? (http://blog.prepscholar.com/when-should-i-start-studying-for-the-sat-complete-plan)

Hope this helps!
Lauren

Amanda

 
15/12/2015, 15:14:50

Thanks so much for sharing such an informational piece. I practically stayed all night just to finish reading it. However, I'm rather frustrated at the fact that I didn't discover this article sooner. Unfortunately as a result of my discovering this article when I did, I have already submitted my application to Harvard and was among one of the 4000 students to receive notification of their application's deferral to the regular admission pool. Since I'm already pretty much in the late stages of the application process, would you say I still have time to apply at least some of the above advice within the next 3 months or have I already Essentially sealed my fate? Thanks
- Amanda

Courtney Montgomery

 
21/12/2015, 09:31:18

Hi Amanda, thank you for your comment and great question! To sum up, the answer is a little bit of "yes" and a little bit of "no." If you're planning on applying to more schools than just Harvard and your deadlines haven't yet passed, then definitely start employing some of our advice as much as you are able. But even if Harvard (or any of your other dream schools) comes back at you with a rejection, don't think you're fate is sealed! There are always more options. For instance, there is a slight chance you can appeal your rejection if your dream school allows for appeals (some do, some don't, but it doesn't hurt to try for those that do). So if you feel you have significant grounds for an appeal based on *new* information in your application (for example: you won an award, your grades improved dramatically, you placed first in a competition, your test scores skyrocketed, etc.), then that is certainly an option. There is also the option of going to one of your second choice schools or a junior college for a semester/year/two years and then applying to transfer to your dream school (if your school of choice allows transfers, and the majority do). There is also the option of taking a gap year (work, travel abroad, volunteer, significantly engage in a passion/your spike) and then applying again to your dream school. No matter what path you choose, don't despair that doors are closed forever--you still have options. So keep working hard in high school and show off just how awesome your skills and passions are, either for this round of applications or the next. Good luck!

Ussaid Ishaq

 
16/12/2015, 12:34:01

Hello prepscholar team! First of all, I would like to thank you for penning this amazingly helpful free resource. It's a really noble thing to do on your part. I wanted to ask you, at 14 years of age, would it be too late for me to start working towards the goal of getting into Harvard? Keep in mind that I am in the country of Pakistan, not in a financially comfortable position and haven't been able to secure perfect grades till this point. I am however very interested in debating, and aim to break into the PAK national u19s debating team. If I do manage to accomplish that task, would it be enough to warrant an admission into a top Ivy League school?

Lauren Fields

 
17/12/2015, 03:39:48

Hi Ussaid!

Good question! It's definitely not too late. However, you should try to keep your grades as high as possible. Read our resource on how to boost your GPA (http://blog.prepscholar.com/how-to-get-a-4-0-gpa-and-get-better-grades-by-a-harvard-alum)

Debating and breaking into the PAK national u19s debating team would be great for your application!

Also, make sure to get your SAT or ACT score as high as possible. Make sure to read our resources on how to study for the SAT or ACT.

(http://blog.prepscholar.com/all)

Hope this helps!
Lauren

Idahlia Rodriguez

 
16/12/2015, 17:59:22

Hey Allen,
I am in my senior year and got rejected from my dream school (Rice) a few days ago. I wish I had read this article earlier! I am planning to apply as a transfer and my question is: If I put in enough work and create my own spike in my first year of college, do you think I'll have a good chance? Would they refer back to my old application and compare high school me to present me? Is 1 year too short to show "past accomplishments" to predict future accomplishments? Thanks again for writing this article, I never thought about the admission process this way!

Courtney Montgomery

 
21/12/2015, 09:48:40

Hi Idahlia, we're sorry to hear about your rejection, but that's a great attitude and a great question! Most transfer application deadlines are in March, so if you want to spend one year at another school, then, starting now, you have 15 months to create your spike and show your accomplishments. The applications committee does indeed look at the past applications of transfers and re-applicants, so your job is to show them how much you have pushed yourself to improve in that time, how you've learned from the past, and why you are now, in their minds, more suited for the school than you once were. So definitely take advantage of all of those 15 months (including your next semester of high school and your summer break) to really demonstrate your skills and passions. (And if you don't feel that the year was enough time to demonstrate your accomplishments as indicators of future successes, then you can always transfer after two years instead of one.)

Azra Sanlı

 
16/12/2015, 22:38:35

Hi Allen,
So I have been reading your writings and I thought they were very helpful, it cleared so many things. I was worried that I didn't have enough extracurricular activities but that turned out wrong!
As my question, I am from Turkey but I am very succesful. I want to get into Harvard or MIT more than anything. About my spike, I don't know what to do and where to start. To be honest, there aren't many people that can help me and I don't know how, too. Can my spike point be just joining olympics or should I get myself into one subject deep? If so, how am I supposed to find that deep subject?
I know they are not the easiest questions to be answered but I can't tell you, how much I would be happy to get some answers and help. Because all of the other things are just fine and they can be done but the spike point is the thing what makes you different. I know I can be but I don't know the way. Please answer me.
Thank you so much!

Lauren Fields

 
17/12/2015, 03:29:59

Hi Azra,

Thanks for writing in! I'd recommend trying to get yourself deep into a subject.

To find this subject, brainstorm. What do you like to do ? What are you interested in studying at MIT or Harvard? Are you interested in Math, Engineering, Art, or something else? If you're interested in studying Math, consider joining a Math team at your school (or starting one) or consider starting a free Math tutoring program for other students. If you're interested in Art, consider submitting your artwork to some competitions or starting an after school art program for kids.

Hope this helps!
Lauren

Camille Christophe

 
17/12/2015, 04:53:07

Hi, this article was so very helpful and I knew bits and pieces of this advice but never the big picture. I'm a freshman in high school and I currently take all honors classes except for science, In keeping my grades up, I think test scores are covered.
The thing I love is being an artist.
My passion for art is my "spike" I'm very interested in the arts in general. For now my only extracurricular activity is being in plays in the drama club. I really want to go to stanford and I was wondering in what ways do you think I could make an impact with my spike? Especially throughout my next years in high school.

Lauren Fields

 
17/12/2015, 18:22:29

Hi Camille!

Glad you found this helpful! You can definitely create a spike in art/the arts. I'd recommend trying to submit whatever artwork you make (i.e. paintings, sculptures, poetry, creative writing, short films, etc.) to competitions. Also, there are competitive drama activities (such as Duo, Dramatic Interpretation, and Humorous Interpretation learn more here - http://www.speechanddebate.org/competitionevents). Keep doing plays with Drama club. Try to get a leadership role (Treasurer, Secretary, VP, President) in the Drama club.

Also, consider trying to volunteer in the arts or start a fundraiser for charity using art to raise the funds (i.e. put on a play where all the proceeds go to your local homeless shelter or teach an acting class to kids at your local children's hospital, etc.)

Hope this helps!
Lauren

Angelo Ou

 
17/12/2015, 23:06:07

Hello Allen,
I was just wondering, can a person be well-rounded and have a huge spike? Also, I recently got a B first semester in AP Chemistry, but I really enjoy the subject. The teacher is just super rough in that particular subject. I have even won state level awards in Science Olympiad for chemistry as a freshman last year. Does this mean I should change my "spike" area?
Thanks!

Justin Berkman

 
21/12/2015, 01:47:45

Hi Angelo,

It's possible for a person to be well-rounded and have a huge spike, but it's unlikely. Typically, if you have a huge spike, you don't have enough time to pursue other activities to be considered well-rounded. However, having a spike doesn't mean you can only do one thing.

You don't have to change your spike just because you got a B in one semester of AP Chemistry. Since you enjoy chemistry and are clearly a capable student, try to figure out what you can do to improve your grade next semester.

Leah

 
19/12/2015, 11:43:16

Allen Cheng,
First, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to you for disseminating this uncommon knowledge that being one of the basketballs inside a bargain bin isn't going to get you to Harvard(or any other university of the same calibre, for that matter).
On to my question,though it does bear likeness to one already asked by a certain Serena, mine is a more personal approach:
I am certain about where my passions lie as of now, but that's the problem..I don't have A passion...I have a couple:fashion and design,music and writing.Unfortunately,due to the misconception that "rounder is better",these areas have not been given the attention that they truly deserve and therefore no noteable achievements have been made by me in these fields.
Now the real Q:should I focus on only one of these areas:as you've strongly pinpointed that "less is more"?and if so, how do I chose which one to give maximum attention to? Thirdly, should I give my time and effort to something(art in my case-though it is related to design) that I find myself good at though I have very little passion for it at the expense of my other passions which I am making little progress in, if any?

Justin Berkman

 
21/12/2015, 01:24:52

Hi Leah!

Thanks for your question. If you have multiple passions, I recommend either pursuing them all or focusing on the activity that's most important to you. Allen's advice was for students who want to get into Harvard or the most selective colleges. Basically, his point was that you can improve your chances of getting into these schools by being world-class at one thing as opposed to being good at many different things. I recommend continuing to pursue your passions. If you find yourself naturally gravitating toward one activity, commit to it and push yourself to see how much progress you can make. Good luck!

Natalie Rose

 
20/12/2015, 16:34:41

hi allen, thank you so much this has been so helpful. im 15 from london and will hopefully be doing the international baccalaureate next year. do u know what are harvards views on the ib course? I am mesmerised by the medical field, surgery in particular however i do not have a knack for science or maths, but i am very studious and have always been the top student in my class in all subjects. i do however enjoy english and art. taking your advice about the spike, i am confused on which area to focus on to make my application outstanding as a med student, also if u dont mind me asking, what was your spike?

Justin Berkman

 
21/12/2015, 01:13:14

Hi Natalie!

Thanks for your question. Harvard is familiar with IB courses, and all Ivy League schools want students who take challenging classes. You don't have to take all of the hardest classes, but if you want to get into the most selective colleges, you should be able to excel in many of the hardest classes that are available to you. If you want to pursue medicine, I recommend not only showing excellence in the hardest science classes but also doing extracurricular activities where you can demonstrate your interest and aptitude in fields related to medicine. You can most easily develop a spike by fully committing yourself to an activity or area of study that you enjoy and can excel at.

I believe Allen's spike was in science and math. On top of his perfect grades and test scores, he did a number of science and math-related activities that demonstrated commitment and excellence relative to his peers and other applicants.

Hope that helps. Good luck!

Tosin

 
20/12/2015, 17:28:41

Hello, and thanks for your advice (and the entire website in general, actually - it's fantastic!). I'm a student from Nigeria and I'm currently taking a gap year off to take standardized tests and so on, mainly because my school discouraged us students from doing so while preparing for the national examination. I was wondering whether that would be a hindrance to getting into all these top universities. Also, do you have any advice for people like me who are taking a year off?

Justin Berkman

 
21/12/2015, 00:48:35

Hi Tosin!

Thanks for your question. I don't think your gap year should prevent you from getting into a good college. Just make sure the colleges understand why you're taking a gap year. For any students taking time off in between high school and college, I just recommend using that time wisely and letting colleges know (probably in your application essay) why you needed that time and why it was/will be valuable.

Tosin

 
21/12/2015, 11:46:42

Thanks for the advice!

Erica J

 
20/12/2015, 18:53:29

Hi PrepScholar!
I will be taking a gap year to be an exchange student in Italy (taking a 5th year of HS with the Rotary Club). I know that this will make me stand out as an applicant but the issue is that I will not have done this before I apply to colleges. How can I incorporate this and make it stand out in my application to impress colleges? I may write my essay on my Italian heritage and in this case I could include my year abroad here...
Thanks for the help!
Erica

Justin Berkman

 
21/12/2015, 00:43:19

Hi Erica,

Thanks for your question. I recommend incorporating your plans for your gap year into your essay. You definitely want to let colleges know what you'll be doing during that time, and the essay may be the only place in your application where you can reveal that information. If you have any college interviews, you can also discuss your gap year plans during your interviews. Good luck!

Alesha Lewis

 
24/12/2015, 04:39:10

Hello
I am a junior in high school. I love biology, and plan on becoming a doctor (either a neurologist or neurosurgeon)), and majoring in neuroscience in college. I have already attended two summer camps for careers in medicine, bit I am wondering what more I could do to develop a really "big spike" in my application, in regards to my extracurricular activities.

Justin Berkman

 
25/12/2015, 02:20:34

Hi Alesha,

Thanks for your question. Off the top of my head, you can do independent research, work with a local college professor, or enter science competitions. You want to demonstrate a non-stop commitment to your passion and show excellence in your chosen field. Also, you should try to take the most challenging science classes and excel in them. Best of luck to you!

Ava-Nicole

 
21/12/2015, 20:31:48

Hi Allen,

I learned so much from your piece and only wish I read it before applying to a few Ivy schools. I created a website at the age of 14 for writers and publishers to promote their books. The website does well and continues to grow. I shared this with Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Dartmouth. I am extremely proud of all the work invested in my project as I helped many writers sell more books on Amazon. The only thing is a my SAT scores are no where near where they should be for Ivy - below 2000, GPA 3.97 with strong essays. My interest is Computer Science which is what I indicated on the application. So am I a dreamer or a superstar?

Thank you for your time

Justin Berkman

 
25/12/2015, 02:39:32

Hi Ava-Nicole!

I think you're a superstar. You should be very proud of your website and your accomplishments. Obviously, your SAT score is below average for Ivy League schools, but your other accomplishments will undoubtedly enhance your application. I can't tell you whether or not you'll get into those schools, but you have a chance. At this point, all you can really do is finish the semester strong and hope for the best. Regardless of which college you go to, considering the success you've already had, I assume you'll continue to do great things. Best of luck to you!

Max Lam

 
23/12/2015, 01:29:06

I have a question about my application. I have a strong music extracirucular and have a GPA of 4 for my main subjects. Does a SAT score of 1900 make a difference compared to a score of 2100?

Lauren Fields

 
24/12/2015, 03:53:05

Hi Max!

Yes, 200 points make a big difference. However, the exact difference depends on the schools you're applying to. Here at PrepScholar, we recommend trying to get your SAT score at or above the 75th percentile SAT score of admitted students at your target school. I'd recommend retesting to get your score at or above the 75th percentile SAT score of admitted students at your target school. Check out our other guide for a more in-depth explanation of this concept: http://blog.prepscholar.com/whats-a-good-sat-score-for-your-college

Hope this helps!
Lauren

Jessica

 
23/12/2015, 06:13:53

Hello!
First of all I'd like to thank you so much for this amazing and very comprehensive guide. I'm glad that I am reading it as an eleventh grader because it will definitely help bring structure to my resume building in the next two years. I'm in IB and have been making myself as well-rounded as possible for the past couple years and I will gleefully stop doing that.

I have a couple rather complicated questions because I find myself in a rather unconventional position. I'm torn between two very different fields of study: medicine and international relations.

When it comes to medicine, it's been something that has fascinated me pretty much all of my life. I consistently receive my highest grades in science class, volunteer at doctors offices and have been working with a buddy of mine for the past couple of months on creating an assistive technology for blind people because of my affinity for science. However, the same cannot be said for math. It's almost like I've been getting progressively worse and worse ever year in high school. This is reflected in my incredibly low current mark and my low practice test scores for the SAT math section. Do you think it's feasible for me to improve my math abilities enough to get into an Ivy League school's pre-med program?

On the other hand I was elected to be a Youth Councillor in my city as well as the Director of the Public Health Portfolio and am hosting my branch's first event for youth in March next year. I've also gone to Canada's capital (Oh yeah, I'm Canadian btw) to speak with legislators about issues affecting youth. Although I wold definitely be interested, I'm not in my school's Model UN or debate club because I've already committed my time to other clubs that probably won't help my application but I really enjoy. I know that my current accomplishments don't constitute a noteworthy spike but I don't know how to split my time to develop a spike in two incredibly different areas of study.

Is it worth my time to try to figure out some way to combine both, risking not being able to achieve this in my short timeline? Should I rather just focus on the technology that I've been developing for the past couple of moths even though my math mark are poor? Should I give up on going to an Ivy school for pre-med and instead focus solely on developing my spike in international relations?

Thanks.

P.S. Sorry for making this super long.

Lauren Fields

 
24/12/2015, 04:01:16

Hi Jessica!

Your current accomplishments definitely constitute a noteworthy spike! It sounds like you've done a lot of very impressive things (with the technology development and being a Youth Councillor for Public Health in your city). I recommend sticking to your pre-med spike. I do recommend trying to raise your math marks if possible and trying to get a high score on the SAT/ACT to give yourself the best shot of being accepted to an Ivy.

Check out some of our other guides for more information:
http://blog.prepscholar.com/whats-a-good-sat-score-for-your-college
http://blog.prepscholar.com/how-to-raise-your-gpa-in-high-school-class-strategies

Hope this helps!
Lauren

Allie

 
25/12/2015, 02:17:31

Hello, Alesha. If you don't mind telling me, what camps have you attended? I'm a freshman with an interest in medicine as well and I'm looking for some good summer programs.

Janhavi Kulkarni

 
26/12/2015, 07:37:31

Hi Allen,
I'm currently an eighth grader. I read your article through and through, and it was the most eye opening thing I have ever read. You helped me revamp my life and priorities in a way that pleases me and will hopefully lead me to receive admission to my dream college, Stanford. I have two passions- writing and piano. I am currently writing a novel which I hope will get published. I am writing it not because I want to get into Stanford, but because I genuinely love writing. Honestly, even if my book doesn't get published, I won't waste any tears. I'm writing what I can never seem to express out loud. Whether Stanford gets to see it or not is not what should matter. I think that's the mindset that should be derived from your article. Right? As for piano, it is the second way I communicate what I never have the guts to say. Right now, I am refining two pieces I am using to apply to play at Carnegie Hall. Academics wise, I am strong, I have straight A's and a 4.0 GPA, the highest GPA you can receive at my school. Now you must be wondering, why am I telling you all this? Well, I'm telling you all this because I need some sort of feedback about if I'm on the right path or not. I can't thank you enough for publishing this article. All of these adventures in my passions were sparked because of your article. I would really appreciate it if you could write back and tell me if you think I'm heading in the right direction. Also, I have is it alright to have deep accomplishments in two areas (writing and piano)? Does it make you more well rounded, or does it just contribute to a sharper spike? Thank you so much for taking your time to read this!

Justin Berkman

 
03/01/2016, 00:53:48

Hi Janhavi,

Congratulations on all your accomplishments. You should be proud of yourself. Also, since I'm a Stanford grad, I'm happy to respond to your comment.

Keep pursuing your passions. It's perfectly acceptable to have two spikes. However, most people are only capable of creating one spike given the time commitment it takes to become one of the best in a certain field. As time passes, you may decide to focus more on music or writing. You may find that doing music/writing prevents you from really excelling in the other, or you may be able to achieve spikes in both. For now, continue to express yourself and do well in school. Hope that helps.

L

 
31/12/2015, 18:00:11

I have a really large spike in Literature, but I don't really like it and I was hoping to study Political Science. Do you think it's okay to have a spike even if it's not in what you plan to study? Or would that just hurt me?

Justin Berkman

 
03/01/2016, 00:41:27

Hi,

Thanks for your question. It's absolutely acceptable to have a spike in something that you don't plan to study. My spike was in athletics. However, colleges do want to see commitment and passion. If you don't like literature, that passion may not be evident. I recommend pursuing your interests and attempting to create a spike in activities you truly enjoy. Hope that helps!

Elizabeth

 
02/01/2016, 04:26:05

Hello,

I just read this article, and all I thought reading it was, "Oh, crap." If you could help me with several questions, I'd greatly appreciate it! My dream goal is to attend a lower tier Ivy League school (Dartmouth or Cornell) or one of the mini Ivy schools (such as Smith and Bryn Mawr). However, I'm aware that I likely do not have what it takes and I am also working to attend UCLA or UC Berkeley or a strong university that is Catholic (like myself).

As a short biography of myself, I am a junior and will likely graduate with a 4.3 GPA (freshman to senior year), with eight AP classes, and a handful of "B"s on my transcript. I will probably hold an SAT score around the low 2000s, and have two major interests, data analysis and business administration and management. I've taken AP classes in every single core subject but science, which is not my forte or my passion. I care deeply about the thrill of strategically figuring out and how to improve and my organization (currently, I'm the Secretary and Treasurer for a club with approximately 125 members, and in line to be Co-President next year). I have worked for a lawyer as an administrative assistant and receptionist and volunteer at the local Arts center as an administrative assistant. I also care deeply about music, having been in choir for 11 years, and having six years of vocal training. This ultimately resulted in a performance at Carnegie Hall in New York City. I also am a founding member of my flag team and serve as the sole person to market the flag team. I am also an assistant researcher and paid tutor hired by Palomar College, studying the effect the Latino population has on the college campus environment. I also participate in my church's children's ministry as a co-teacher and have been awarded Teen of the Year Twice. For the most part, I have attempted to only focus on extra curriculars that I care about.

Now to cut straight to business, I have a few questions.

1) Realistically, do I have a crapshoot for any of the mini-Ivy league schools, or should I be content with other good, respectable schools like UCLA?

2) If it is possible to attend a more competitive school, given my interests, what would I need to do to move forward and shine?

3) How do I balance well-roundedness (as appreciated by lower schools) and being a spike student?

4) What is the best way to get college-training support given that I come from a family with moderately limited means?

Thank you so much!
Elizabeth

Justin Berkman

 
11/01/2016, 07:26:26

Hi Elizabeth,

Thanks for your questions! First, congratulations on everything you've already accomplished. Your resume is impressive. I think you have a realistic shot of getting into all the colleges you're interested in, especially if you do well this year academically. For the most selective schools, you probably want to try to improve your standardized test scores. You may want to try the ACT since more is known about it than the new SAT. You can find study resources for both tests on our blog.

Also, it sounds like you really enjoy your extracurricular activities, but you may want to focus the most on the ones you're most passionate about and have been doing the longest. The most important thing is that you're able to balance your extracurriculars with your academics. Additionally, you may be able to accomplish more in the activities you're most passionate about if you're not doing so many. That's up to you, though.

Finally, there are resources to help you with everything related to college. This blog is a great resource. We have articles on test prep, college research, college applications, and financial aid. Also, there may be a program in your area that offers free help with college preparation. You can also ask a counselor at your high school for assistance.

Hope that helps. Best of luck to you!!

Saray

 
03/01/2016, 07:58:30

This was incredibly helpful and I wish I had read this before my senior year, as it has changed my perspective on college admissions immensely. I will be sure to share this, thank you so much!

AL Aksadi

 
06/01/2016, 22:59:35

Hi,

I'm in my second semester of freshmen year and i have all honors classes but i have A's and B's in them. I am thinking about going to Harvard because i am aspiring to become a lawyer. I want to know if there is anything in particular that i have to do to increase my chances at achieving my goal?

Justin Berkman

 
11/01/2016, 07:07:09

Hi,

Thanks for your question. I recommend following the advice in the article. Also, improving your grades would help if you want to go to Harvard.

If you're interested in becoming a lawyer, you may want to pursue extracurricular activities like mock trial or speech and debate. Good luck!

Julia

 
08/01/2016, 04:39:13

Hey PrepScholar,
Thank you for this wonderful article! Which got me to think, does valedictorian matter?

Lauren Fields

 
09/01/2016, 05:40:57

Hi Julia!

Good question! While the spike is arguably the most important part of getting into the Ivy League. Class ranking does matter. You don't need to be valedictorian to be accepted to an Ivy League School, but you should try to be near the top of your class (at least top 10%).

Hope this helps!
Lauren

Bajrang

 
12/01/2016, 18:11:06

Hello,

This article is so amazing! I am currently a high school junior, studying at India. I am a great science geek. Astronomy is my passion, love, and everything! I am working hard/smart to pursue Astronomy at Harvard.

Well, my achievements: My School didn't have any school clubs at all. With the help of the internet, I got to know the importance of school clubs and then I initiated the talks about the establishment of school clubs at my school with our Principal and Chairman. I co-founded the first ever clubs at my school namely Model UN, Debate Club, and Quiz Club. We are also deciding to establish an Astronomy Club next semester.

Plus, I have attended two State level Science Fairs and won prizes. I have also attended many Olympiads and secured a National rank of 75 in the English Olympiad. I have also done research on aviation and hover-crafts with the help of a Professor from a local college. This year, I am planning to take the National Level Astrophysics Olympiad in my country.

Am I in the right track? Your valuable advises?

-Bajrang

Justin Berkman

 
16/01/2016, 02:38:13

Hi Bajrang,

Thanks for your question. Congratulations on all your accomplishments! You seem to be on the right track. If your passion is science, and astronomy in particular, keep pursuing that passion. I recommend making sure that none of your other clubs or extracurricular activities takes away from your science accomplishments if you're trying to get into Harvard. You want to make your science accomplishments as impressive as possible. Hope that helps. Good luck!!

Uros Pajic

 
20/01/2016, 15:13:17

Thank You for all your advice I think it's going to be really helpful , I am a 9th grader in California , and I am wondering is 3 years of sports enough for a ily league school , I am obviously to keep my grades up but do I need 4 years of sports or is 3 enough ?

Justin Berkman

 
24/01/2016, 10:00:10

Hi Uros,

Thanks for your question. You don't need to do sports at all to get into an Ivy League school. However, selective schools do like to see commitment. It's better to do 4 years of an activity vs. 3 years. But, like Allen mentioned in his article, if you want to get into the most selective colleges, you should focus on developing your spike. If your spike is in athletics, then you'll probably be doing sports all through high school and college.

Hope that helps. Best of luck to you!

Jessica

 
18/01/2016, 03:33:11

Hi PrepScholar!

Thank you so much for publishing such amazing articles and providing such a great prep program; I undoubtedly recommend PrepScholar to all of my friends.

I am currently a junior at a competitive high school. Like most of my peers, I am constantly striving for the perfection. I have very strong extracurriculars, a 4.0 GPA, and high test scores. However, I find myself very concerned with the flaws colleges may find in my application.

I am taking 5 AP classes (all that would fit into my schedule), but I only took two years of foreign language, while most competitive students take 4 years of foreign language. I have a 4.0 unweighted GPA, but I have several A minuses. I have taken advantage of every opportunity to be in an honors class, except I decided to take regular Algebra II my freshman year instead of my school's advanced Algebra II/Trig program that gets students into Calculus by their sophomore year (a path that most competitive students take as well).

Should I be worried about these details? Will these details prevent my admission into a top school?

Justin Berkman

 
24/01/2016, 10:06:56

Hi Jessica,

Thanks for your question! Congratulations on all your accomplishments! If you can take an extra year of foreign language, that would be helpful. However, if you're able to do well on an AP or SAT Subject Test in a foreign language, that could mitigate not having taken 4 years of foreign language. At this point, I wouldn't be stressed about anything that's already happened. None of those things are dealbreakers for getting into the most selective schools. For now, I'd focus on what you do from here on out. I assume you'll continue to be very successful. Best of luck to you!

Ali Ida

 
28/01/2016, 03:44:53

How would I become world-class in volleyball as a high-school student? (Outside of my school team) I'm a sophomore and fairly new to the sport.

Justin Berkman

 
01/02/2016, 08:35:52

Hi Ali,

Well, most of the best volleyball players played club volleyball during their high school years. Typically, athletes who are at the top of their sports are training and competing all year. You have to be incredibly dedicated to become world-class in volleyball. I recommend that you try to find a club team, if possible. You can also ask for advice from your high school coach. Best of luck to you!

Janet Keller

 
04/02/2016, 02:21:25

Hi Allen & team,
As a parent, I just wanted to say thank you for all that you do. The free information you impart to us is incredibly invaluable. More than you can imagine. There is so much confusion out there and you've distilled this complex subject with so much wisdom. It will benefit us and so many other parents & kids for years to come. Please keep up the great work that you. I will make sure to recommend you to all my friends. You guys are amazing!

Suzanna

 
20/02/2016, 10:15:04

hey allen i just wanted to say that you are heaven sent. up until reading this article, i was very focused on being a well rounded student but now i have a pretty good idea of what my spike can be. when i win a pulitzer prize, ill mention you in my acceptance speech!

Zoe Snook

 
30/03/2016, 23:36:28

Hi,
I'm interested in going to Juilliard and I was wondering if anyone had any tips on getting into that college? Thank you!

Dora Seigel

 
01/04/2016, 00:05:51

Hi Zoe!

I'd recommend you read our guide to getting into to USC as it may have some more applicable advice: http://blog.prepscholar.com/how-to-get-into-film-school-by-usc-alum

Hope this helps!
Dora

Kevin Kwon

 
08/04/2016, 04:33:52

Hello, I currently attend University High School in Irvine, California. I am a junior, so I am very stressed out of colleges. I would really love to go to NYU because I want to major in environmental science and take Animation classes also. I have 3.7 unweighted and 4.02 weighted. I got 2060 on my SAT. Since my SAT score is not that good, I am planning to take ACT on June to get a high score and do better than I did at SAT. I think about plethora of things like other high school students. Except just studying for the ACT by using the practice book, is there a way to improve my score? I am good at math and writing, but I am not good at reading. Thank you.

Francesca Fulciniti

 
17/04/2016, 21:37:46

Hi Kevin - I would start by checking out our complete guide to ACT reading:
http://blog.prepscholar.com/the-ultimate-prep-guide-to-act-reading-practice-strategies-tips

We have a ton of articles addressing ACT reading content and strategies, and we're constantly adding more. You can access all of them through this link:
http://blog.prepscholar.com/topic/act-reading

Sam

 
21/04/2016, 06:26:44

Hi, Thank you so much for this advice! I just wish I had seen your article sooner. I am junior who stupidly decided to fill her entire schedule with AP classes because she believed it would be the ideal thing to do if she wanted to be accepted into an Ivy League. At this point I don't think I can drop or cut out some of those AP classes which I am not really interested because it is almost the end of the year. I know my spike is in writing and public speaking. I currently am a writer for a very prestigious newspaper as well as a contributor to another popular website. But, because of the amount of work I have undertaken through these AP classes, I have not been able to focus a lot of my time and energy into those two projects which are my real passions. I feel like time is running out. What should I do in the meantime for developing my spike...even while still devoting my time to all my AP classes? At this point I feel very drained and hopeless to even continue all of this much less find the time to focus on my interests. Lack of sleep is affecting both my grades and my passion for things like writing. I know some people find the balance and do it all, and I thought I could too, but so far, its not going really well and I am getting really worried because I was aiming for a school like Harvard.

Justin Berkman

 
22/04/2016, 19:52:44

Hi,

Thanks for your question. Honestly, at this point, all you can do is the best you can. Since your spike is in writing, I would at the very least make sure you do as well as possible in your AP English class. Also, do the best you can to avoid getting any C's. You may have to devote a little less time to your writing while you're trying to stay on top of your schoolwork, but I don't think you should give up your writing jobs.

Try not to worry too much. At the end of the day, all you can do is your best. You may or may not get into Harvard, but if you're taking all AP classes and get B's or better, you're going to get into a great college. Best of luck to you!

Justin

Ankit Sharma

 
21/04/2016, 09:27:57

Hey, Allen
If I'm 18 years old and applying, to Harvard does it decrease my chances for getting into Harvard? As there many students who are 17.

Francesca Fulciniti

 
24/04/2016, 00:29:09

Hi Ankit - your age should have no bearing on your application (many students are 18 by the time they submit their college apps senior year). I hope this helps! - Francesca

Catie Kobayashi

 
23/04/2016, 22:36:22

Hi,
So I have a really quick question for you: my interest (my spike) would be in writing/vocabulary/reading.
I have published a few pieces online, and one of them, published on TeenInk, was Editor's Choice. I am a freshman, and my reading/writing score on the PSAT 8/9 was 670 - I had missed, for the reading/writing sections combined, just 5 questions. My aim is Pomona College. Would you say that I am on my way to becoming a standout applicant?

Francesca Fulciniti

 
24/04/2016, 00:23:11

Hi Catie - congratulations on your publications! It sounds like you're on the right track. From here on out, I would concentrate on maintaining a high GPA and getting a great score on the ACT or SAT. I would also keep focusing on writing and publishing your work. Good luck to you! - Francesca

Ben Chipman

 
02/05/2016, 04:12:55

You talk about how volunteering is such waste and a bad thing, but we need to develop a deep interest/passion for our spike. What if volunteering is my passion? I love helping others and have travele across the world into developing countries to do so, and am even considering going to India in the upcoming years to do more service. Could this still be my spike?

Francesca Fulciniti

 
05/05/2016, 02:27:59

Hi Ben - this is a great question. Allen did mention in the article that feeling obligated to spend a ton of time on volunteer hours can hurt when it comes to developing a spike. In these situations, students participate in community service not necessarily because they're passionate about it, but because they think they need to volunteer to be well-rounded. In your case, it sounds like community service is an important part of your life - not just an obligation. If you're interested in going to an Ivy League school and can demonstrate that you're capable of great things through your volunteer work, there's no reason why it can't be an effective spike. I hope this helps! - Francesca

Valeria Otarola

 
02/05/2016, 07:35:02

Hi! Does this also applies for graduate school? I am a Psychology major and I am really interested in doing my specialization in an Ivy League school.

Francesca Fulciniti

 
05/05/2016, 02:20:58

Hi Valeria - great question. Applying to graduate programs at Ivy League schools is a lot different than applying to undergraduate programs. First, each program type is going to have its own requirements and application processes (for example, applying to grad programs in psych will be very different from applying to other programs, like public health, law, or government). We might have more info on graduate applications in the future (keep an eye out!), but for now I'd encourage you to chat with an academic advisor or career counselor about your next steps. I hope this helps! - Francesca

Becca Rivers

 
06/05/2016, 06:48:11

Hello! I really enjoyed reading your article and I have some questions:

I want to be a psychiatrist, but my interests are reading/writing. Should I take science-related classes or reading/writing classes in school?

Also, my rank is kind of low (72 out of 573 kids). My weighted GPA is 5.1 (max is 6.0). If I published a book or something, would that cancel out my poor grades?

Francesca Fulciniti

 
06/05/2016, 21:53:36

Hi Becca - thanks for your question. If you're interested in psychiatry, you should start thinking about preparing for med school. This means you should be focusing on science and math classes in high school when possible - you'll need a strong foundation if you pursue a pre-med track as an undergraduate. To answer your second question, nothing can really "cancel" out poor grades, although other parts of your college apps (e.g. high ACT/SAT scores) can help mitigate them. I think the best thing you can do is work on raising your GPA as much as possible - refer to this guide for more info: http://blog.prepscholar.com/how-to-raise-your-gpa-in-high-school-class-strategies

Gabriela Morales

 
06/05/2016, 14:51:25

Hey,
I'm having trouble trying to come up with a "spike" for science. My school offers no science or tech clubs at all, and I'm a freshman so doing research and things of that type are very difficult. I've been talking to teachers and emailing proffesors at Universities near me to ask for internships or oppurtunities, but I haven't had luck. What would be a good impressive way for me to develop a sciency spike?

Francesca Fulciniti

 
06/05/2016, 21:36:19

Hi Gabriela - it sounds like you're taking a lot of the right steps to develop your spike. Even if you're a little inexperienced to find research or internship opportunities at local universities, making contact with professors is the best way to express interest (especially if they find they'd like help from you in the future). You say that there aren't any science or tech clubs at your school - have you considered starting your own? As a freshman, you'd have a lot of time for it to grow and develop. Starting your own club is also a great way to demonstrate leadership ability, which is a huge plus for college applications. Check out this guide for more info: http://blog.prepscholar.com/how-to-start-a-club-in-high-school
Hope this helps! - Francesca

Erin G.

 
29/05/2016, 20:42:58

Hi Allen!

Thanks for this excellent article! I am just finishing my freshman year in high school and am trying to decide about my college plans. I would love to attend an Ivy League school and want to do all I can to prepare for that route. I have a few different questions for you. First, does the "spike" I highlight in my application have to directly correspond to my major? I am very passionate about piano and have already placed highly in many state-national level competitions. I have considered majoring in music, but I'm not sure that I want to pursue piano performance/teaching as my career. Would it still be okay to use that as an example of my drive/passion/desire to learn on my application, even if I am not planning to major in music? My next question is if it is possible to have two "spikes." I definitely fall into the category of your well-rounded student who's interested in almost everything! I participate in competitive speech and debate as well as advanced piano. While I haven't pursued speech and debate for as long as piano, it has started consuming more and more of my time, and I have done very well in both areas. Would it be all right to discuss both of these activities on my application? My final question is what should I do if I have not yet decided what I want to major in? I could see myself enjoying many different majors/careers, which would affect the types of AP/dual credit classes I take in high school. I especially love reading, writing, and history-related courses, if that helps.

Thanks so much! Sorry for the long post.

Justin Berkman

 
30/05/2016, 08:51:49

Hi Erin,

Thanks for your questions. Your spike doesn't have to be related to your major. Colleges will be impressed by your piano accomplishments regardless of your intended major. It's possible to have two spikes, but it generally doesn't happen because of the time required to create a spike. For an activity to be considered a spike, you should be one of the best in the country for your age in that activity, or you should have an accomplishment that's unparalleled by other college applicants. Finally, you don't have to know your major now. Most colleges don't even require you to select a major until your junior year of college. Keep pursuing your interests, and eventually you'll find the best major/career for you. Hope that helps.

Justin

Shad Ahmady

 
01/07/2016, 09:10:19

Hey Allen,

I am currently a sophomore in high school and my dream university is MIT, and I was wondering what I should do to stand out more than the other MIT applicants. I already know about what SAT and ACT. scores I need and what GPA I need, but wanted to know what I should do to "stand out".

Justin Berkman

 
02/07/2016, 00:38:47

Hi Shad,

Thanks for your question. If you're interested in MIT, you may want to try to show exceptional achievement in science/math. In addition to excelling in advanced math and science courses in school, you can do competitions, research, internships, and take additional classes at a local college. A school like MIT wants to see that you've taken initiative to pursue your interests.

Ideally, you'll be able to demonstrate passion and accomplishments that are at least on par with other applicants. Best of luck to you!

Justin

Kara Alam

 
13/07/2016, 01:30:08

Hi Allen,
Your article was amazing! My dream is to go to Harvard University and you have made my path much more clear. How would you recommend creating a spike for real estate development or becoming a lawyer? Also, would you recommend taking your SAT course if you have not taken a PSAT or SAT?

Dora Seigel

 
21/07/2016, 04:11:47

Hi Kara!

I'd recommend trying to emphasize lawyer because I think it's more do-able. You could emphasize it by joining or starting a speech and debate team and competing at tournaments. If you ranked in the top 3 at a prestigious tournament, that'd be very impressive to colleges. You could also job shadow a lawyer or intern for a law office or government office.

You can definitely take our course without taking the PSAT or SAT first. It will better prepare you for both of those tests.

Hope this helps!
Dora

Izzy

 
14/08/2016, 05:04:01

Hey Allen,

I'm a senior in high school who is just starting the college application process, and I have a pretty big spike in music and debate. However, I want to study to become a doctor, but I've never been good at math (my SAT score for that section is a 600). While I've done 3 biology-related research projects at places like UVA, my high school, and at a NASA base, I'm afraid that my low score will completely destroy my chances of getting into an Ivy League. Do you think that, despite this setback, I have a solid chance at being admitted into one of these schools (namely UPenn or Princeton)?

Justin Berkman

 
17/08/2016, 08:11:37

Hi Izzy,

If you want to go to UPenn or Princeton, I recommend studying and retaking the SAT. Even with a substantial spike, you'll improve your chances of getting into those schools by improving your math score. We have a ton of great articles to help you with SAT Math: http://blog.prepscholar.com/topic/sat-math

Also, you can purchase our online SAT program which provides tons of practice problems and is customized to help you improve your weaknesses.

Hope that helps. Best of luck to you.

Justin

Muna Winters

 
02/09/2016, 12:41:58

I'm worried that I might be well-rounded. I do a lot of activities and have won many awards such as being a Semi-Finalist in the National Spelling Bee in my country, winning several creative writing competitions, and becoming Champion in some local Olympiads. My biggest achievement has been winning the National Biology Olympiad and being selected for the International Biology Olympiad 2016, where I got a Merit Award (I missed getting a Bronze medal by less than 2 points). The thing is, I am very passionate about every single one of these activities. If I didn't love them, I would never have pursued them with the time and hard work that I did and made these achievements. So I'm confused. Will college admissions consider me to be a mediocre "well-rounded" student? Or should I just go ahead and list all of these activities in my application? Each one really is very meaningful to me.

Carolyn Bakx

 
03/12/2016, 02:59:39

Hello,
I am a sophomore in high school. I'm having trouble applying this advice to myself, because I do well in most subjects very easily. You say well rounded is bad, but what about the kids who do really well in all/most areas? My personal favorites are math and science, and i don't like english. I'm not great at english either but I would say i'm still better han most people. Also I have developed a spike, but it may not be in the best area. I pole vault and am on track to being a competing at state and possibly going to nationals. I love this and find it a passion of mine, but I want to become a doctor. Is this spike still helpful to me? If it helps at all I'm 4th in my class, and have a gpa of 4.65. However that is without any AP credits yet, because I am in a special immersion program that makes me fluent in spanish. Thank you so much for the help!

Ellen McCammon

 
03/12/2016, 06:31:42

Hi Carolyn,

Your spike doesn't necessarily have to be something directly related to your future professional goals, so being a really gifted pole vaulter could definitely be a spike. If you are a really exceptional pole vaulter, definitely communicate that in your application, and if you want to continue to pole vault in college, being recruited may also be an option for you.

Good luck!

Ximena Mancilla

 
10/12/2016, 17:15:22

Hi, As you mentioned AP classes are important but i am from another country and here schools don't have AP classes. What could I do?

Ellen McCammon

 
11/12/2016, 01:00:53

Hi Ximena,

Selective colleges expect you to take the most difficult classes available to you. So whether that's IB classes, AP classes or just the hardest classes available to you, colleges understand that you are limited by what courses your school actually offers.

Best,
Ellen

Sive

 
16/12/2016, 07:51:37

Thank you for this elaborative article. I am planning on applying to top grad schools in the US from Turkey in approx. 1 year and this was quite helpful!

Susan Mazeika

 
22/12/2016, 13:27:46

How important,is it to take the ACT's? My sons goals are computer coding or computer engineering.
He earned 1390 on SAT's. It was his first test as a junior. And earned staright A's for past 6 years.
Thanks.
Susan

Ellen McCammon

 
22/12/2016, 19:51:35

Hi Susan,

Most colleges will accept either the SAT or the ACT. If your son is more comfortable with SAT, taking the ACT isn't strictly necessary.

Sai Ravi

 
02/01/2017, 23:53:46

Hi Mr. Cheng. I know that I would need a good score on SAT/ACT/etc. and get a good High School GPA. Does Middle School GPA also count to get into schools like Harvard, John Hopkins, Yale, MIT, etc? I am planning on studying medicine but worried about my Middle School Grades. Thank you.

Ellen McCammon

 
04/01/2017, 04:42:38

Hi Sai,

Colleges won't even look at your middle school grades.

Best,
Ellen

Shalini Basu

 
21/01/2017, 01:21:05

Hi I'm an 8th grader currently and i'm going to high school soon. I play the violin in my school orchestra however I am a very average player and I don't enjoying it at all. I was holding on to it because I thought it would look good for college. After reading this I am looking into dropping it and focusing on things that I have a passion for. But, I fear that it will look bad that I dropped orchestra. I just don't know what I should do. Will it look bad on college applications if I drop orchestra?

Ellen McCammon

 
23/01/2017, 02:16:44

Hi Shalini,

Since you're still in 8th grade, I wouldn't worry too much about it looking bad if you drop the orchestra. In fact, if you don't do it as a high school activity, colleges probably won't even know that you were ever in the orchestra. Try to cultivate consistent extracurricular activities (that you really enjoy!) in high school!

Best,
Ellen

Shalini Basu

 
24/01/2017, 02:00:36

Thank you so much! Also, will not doing orchestra at all give me any disadvantage compared to others applying for the same college? I'm also involved in many different styles of dance which I am passionate about, so if I achieve something great in dance will that make up for the absence of orchestra?

Ellen McCammon

 
24/01/2017, 19:32:48

Just so long as you demonstrate interest and expertise in other areas, not having orchestra in particular won't post a disadvantage. Best of luck! Remember, it's more important to develop a "spike" than to be "well-rounded," so to speak.

Dominik A

 
02/03/2017, 02:48:22

Hey Allen,
I am a Canadian (living in Mississauga) and I am currently in high school. What are some ways that I could apply to any US colleges? I've asked many people, but no one around my can say. Is it even possible for a Canadian to do so?

Ellen McCammon

 
02/03/2017, 05:18:22

Hi Dominik,

It's definitely possible for you to apply to US colleges. Look at the processes for international applicants for an US colleges you are interested in. Note that financial aid for international students is often extremely limited.

Best,
Ellen

Nina Cabe

 
05/03/2017, 17:13:15

Hi Allen,

I recently had to choose between having my native language (Slovak) and German as my language subject. Since I'm Slovak AP would be very easy and it would be a lot easier if not certain I would have straight A's. However German I have mostly B's in and could probably not do the AP course, maybe I could do the IB course, and I'm not sure whether it matters or not which one I choose and whether either of them would be more impressive or which one would be better for an Ivy League, or whether it matters at all.

Nina

Ellen McCammon

 
05/03/2017, 21:24:33

Hi Nina,

First of all, there's not an AP exam for Slovak, so if you're interested in AP credit you would have to take German. However, it's going to be more impressive to colleges if you take a new language as opposed to one you are already fluent in. Taking classes in a language you are already fluent in will make it seem like you are not interested in challenging yourself.

Ellen McCammon

 
23/05/2017, 22:37:00

Hi Alice,

Many people have not discovered their main passion in life by 7th grade! I wouldn't worry too much; instead, give her some room to discover what she likes for herself. How does she spend her free time when she has total control over it? That may give some clues as to a passion that could be parlayed into extracurricular activities and projects.

Best,
Ellen

Harsh Mathur

 
07/10/2017, 10:06:47

Hi!
First off, thanks for a great article.
My question is specifically based with regards to the AP program. I come from India where the AP is not a commonality. So I'm sure if I do not take it, it would catch the eye of the department of admissions just like parents' education matters. (more of which Allen described his other article)
However, I can still take it.
Therefore I'd like to better explore the tone taking or not taking the AP in my special situation sets, and the better course of action I could take.
My second question is: If I must take them, how many do I take?
As I said earlier, AP tuition isn't common either. Therefore it's just gonna be me, the books, some videos and some online stuff, which doesn't set a very academically positive environment, if I take too many of them. But if I'm doing them, I don't want to under-do it either. So, I'm looking for the sweet spot.

Thanks!

Christine Sarikas

 
17/10/2017, 18:48:51

Hi Harsh,

Most universities are understanding of the differences between American and international schools, so you could still get into good school without AP classes since they're not common in India and admissions officers at American schools will know this.

If you do want to try taking APs, I'd recommend not taking more than two or three.

Hope this helps!

Christine

Mui Shamp

 
09/10/2017, 17:43:37

I'm a parent of a gifted son, and your article makes perfect sense to me! I was definitely told to be "well-rounded" when I was in school, and was pressured into doing all kinds of junk that I hated. Now I know that I don't have to put my son through the same hell to get into a top school! Why, that's what my friends did, and their kid got rejected by Harvard anyway and went to a state school instead.
My son is currently in 6th grade and you have given me a clear vision on how to get him into a top school and be happy in the process. This is already my plan, but I was wondering if it is good enough for Harvard (not doing a zillion hours volunteer work that he doesn't like), but you have given me confidence that I should encourage him in his area of interest.
I am saving a copy of this article in my computer to show my son when he's older. He just indicated last night that he would love to go to Harvard or Yale.
Thanks again for a brilliant article! Seriously, why don't most high school teachers and counselors know this? It's not hard!

Rohan Patel

 
30/11/2017, 06:32:39

I have read a lot of other PrepScholar blog articles, and they are all amazing. Surprisingly, I am in 7th grade

Ashira Shirali

 
17/12/2017, 14:18:38

Hi Allen,
Just wanted to say that this is stellar advice. I read this article for the first time in 10th grade, and implementing this advice got me into Princeton. Thank you for for all you do.

Kaddor Kanjo

 
12/01/2018, 17:00:35

Just thank you thank you thank you (x1000)!!!!!!

Dikwai Fan

 
12/04/2019, 10:12:22

"The school you go to cannot guarantee your own success. So whether you get into a top school or not, it’s only the beginning of a long road, and what happens during your journey is almost entirely up to you."

As a parent, I totally agree with you, Allen. Great article. Thanks for the insight.

Lisa Monet

 
04/04/2020, 13:02:53

Hello! I have read this article thoroughly and I just wanted to ask a question. I am an american citizen living in an african country. We don't have much extracurriculars to do and we are encouraged to have the best grades possible, that is how our educational system works. Our first language is french so I speak it better than english. Harvard and other ivy leagues seem to give a big importance to extracurriculars, however we aren't given access to a large range of them. In my country, if you are the first of your class and of your school, you are considered a good student. How do I cope with the difference of standards of both countries? I always dreamed of getting into the Ivy league...

Ashley Robinson

 
08/04/2020, 00:47:38

Lisa,

That's a great question. It sounds like your school doesn't offer very much in the way of formal extracurriculars. However, that doesn't mean there isn't an opportunity for you to get involved in activities outside of the classroom! Look for volunteer opportunities you're passionate about in your community. Or better yet, meet with your teachers and see if there's a club you could form around one of your interests or career goals! Forming your own extracurricular club would look great on a college resume — not only would it showcase your passion, it would also highlight your get-things-done attitude.

Keep in mind that extracurriculars are just ONE part of your overall application. Things like your class rank, GPA, and test scores all factor into admissions decisions, too. So even if you can't find many extracurriculars to participate in, you can still make your application stand out if you think outside the box a bit.