Ivy League and highly selective colleges use a holistic approach and review process when evaluating applicants for admission. That means admission to these colleges is not based on a simple formula of grades and test scores. Instead, they consider a variety of factors: the student’s academic record, extracurricular interests, intellectual achievements and personal background to decide who will be rejected or accepted.
Here are just some of the factors that are a part of the decision-making process:
- The student’s curriculum and grades - course load as it relates to the individual student.
- The context of a particular candidate, including family circumstances, secondary school, community, interests and access to resources.
- The quality of a student’s involvement in activities beyond the classroom.
- The character and personality of a candidate, and the impact she or he will make on a diverse, residential campus.
- Meaningful, evidence-based letters of recommendations.
- Cultural competence and intelligence.
- Community competence, intelligence and contribution.
- Emotional intelligence
- Ethical engagement and contribution.
- The Application - the person behind the application. All parts of the application are carefully reviewed and every part matters!
- And then there are the intangible personal qualities that can not be manufactured: honesty, motivation, grit, initiative, decisiveness, risk-taking, respect, diligence, imagination, creativity, humanity, ambition, selflessness, humor, harmony, effervescence, compassion, transparency, or lack thereof.
- The candidate’s fit and potential contribution for the distinctive college and its campus experience.
- The Wow Factor!
- A combination of all of the above as it specifically relates to each applicant and the mission of the college in that admissions year.
These competitive colleges follow a committee-based approach; no candidate is admitted without a detailed discussion and examination of the application by multiple admissions officers. Admissions committees at Ivy League and highly selective colleges are seeking a diverse well-rounded class not necessarily well-rounded individuals. Much of their decision is based on their perception and perspective of a student as well as the application. Dr. Lowe and his team (with character education experts, psychologists, image consultants, ethnomusicologists, linguists, screenwriters and former admissions officers and directors) use the committee-based approach during a client's entire admissions journey.
"In my experience, the students who are accepted are those who can standout and lucidly articulate their achievements, goals and personalities. As future contributing members of an incoming class, you must project yourself in a positive light to a committee of six to ten diverse people! You certainly don’t want to be among the 90 -95% of waitlisted or rejected applicants who are “unique” just like everyone else." - Dr. Paul Lowe
HOLISTIC APPROACH AND REVIEW
“To know that we know what we know, and that we do not know what we do not know, that is true knowledge. ” - Confucius
So are you certain you know what it takes to holistically climb the admissions mountain and be admitted to your top-choice college?
So you think you're all that and getting into your first choice college is about having a high GPA, top SAT scores, high grades and a manufactured application and personal statement....THINK AGAIN! If you think that's all you need, then we are certain that you will be among the students who will be REJECTED!
"Year after year, I hear the horror stories from parents whose kids got in nowhere because they thought the college admissions race was just about grades, SAT scores, their perceived 'unique' applications, generic essays and perfect connections." - Dr. Paul Lowe
Let's not forget that you are being compared to other applicants in your high school, county , state, country and overseas! Not just the kid next to you in your AP Chem, AP History, AP Calculus or AP English class.
We Know What You Don't Know!
You want RESULTS! Not generic advice and promises!