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… At Green Ivy, we like to periodically spotlight on some of our favorite summer programs at colleges and other venues, featuring everything from STEM research and creative writing courses to outdoor adventure trips. Those featured programs are great ways to spend part of your summer, but they may not be the right fit for … 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… An important part of Green Ivy’s college counseling program involves helping students to understand the role that each piece of an application plays in college admissions. Students sometimes underestimate the importance of letters of recommendation from teachers and counselors, but we have seen them make all the difference in admissions to private schools. Recommendations … Read more