loading… One rumor that stubbornly reappears concerning the college application process is that the essays don’t really matter. The truth is that they do, especially when considering highly competitive applicant pools or students with borderline GPAs or test scores—in these cases, high-quality, compelling essays can tip things in an applicant’s favor. Moreover, essays are a … Read more
loading… Depending on the time of year, it might seem too early to start writing your college application essays, but the present moment is always a great time to start generating ideas for those essays by, for example, jotting down experiences that have resonated with you or that you found meaningful. At Green Ivy, we’ve … Read more
loading… Green Ivy has worked with students on their college applications for about two decades, so we have heard our share of myths, rumors, and misconceptions about the college admissions process. To help you keep things in perspective, we wanted to write about the five myths we hear most often, and explain why they don’t … Read more
loading… A 2018 Wall Street Journal article reported that, at some elite colleges, admissions officers spend approximately eight minutes (sometimes less) on each application. This phenomenon is partially due to the ever-rising numbers of applications colleges receive each year and is partially the result of applications at some schools being evaluated by several different people according … Read more
loading… Since part of our college counseling program at Green Ivy includes helping students choose the right fit for summer activities, we wanted to share our best practices for choosing and applying to summer college programs. Remember: look at these programs as a way to expand or enrich a personal interest, and as one option for your … Read more
loading… One of the most effective ways for students to get a first-hand feel for college campuses and narrow their perspective college lists is to spend time planning a variety of campus visits. This is also a key way students can show “demonstrated interest” in a college, an aspect that is considered in admissions, especially at smaller or … Read more