During the 2023–24 admissions cycle, Harvard applications topped 50,000; UPenn’s applicant pool swelled by 10%, reaching over 65,000 applicants; and Yale saw a record-breaking number of applicants, totaling 57,465. Given these staggering numbers, many students assume that they are competing against approximately 50,000 other applicants when they apply to an Ivy—but this is not necessarily the case.
Students aren’t competing against all other applicants, but rather a specific subset of individuals with similar academic interests, extracurricular experiences, and backgrounds. In order to craft standout applications and maximize your chances of admission, it is crucial to understand the actual competition and how you fit into it.
If you are applying to an Ivy League or other top school this fall, here’s who you’re really competing against in the admissions process:
1. Other Qualified Applicants
In the most general sense, you are competing against other qualified applicants. Thousands of Ivy League applicants lack the foundational academic credentials needed to be seriously considered for admission (i.e. their GPAs and test scores fall below the 25th percentile, they lack necessary course rigor, etc.). This is particularly significant in the years since the Covid-19 pandemic, as test optional policies led to a spike in unqualified applicants that has yet to return to pre-pandemic numbers. Some top schools use the academic index, whereby they can quantify students’ basic qualifications in a standard manner and eliminate those who do not meet baseline requirements. Qualified students then proceed to the next round of consideration, which involves a more holistic assessment of application materials.
First and foremost, students interested in applying to Ivy League and other top schools should first ensure that they build the academic profile necessary to be considered qualified—and even competitive—applicants. Additionally, applicants with a 4.0 GPA and a 1550 SAT should recognize that they are not competing against applicants with 2.0 GPAs and 1100 SAT scores, and instead are competing against a qualified pool whose transcript and scores likely look very similar to theirs. As such, they should be strategic and intentional about building a profile that will stand out in a sea of stellar academic records—through an engaging hook, high-level engagement with their passion, demonstrated leadership in dynamic extracurriculars, and original essays.
2. Applicants with Similar Backgrounds and Interests
Admissions officers are not only evaluating individual applications—they are seeking to build a class composed of students with diverse backgrounds, interests, and intended areas of study. Ivy League schools don’t want to admit an entire class full of future engineers—they want a balance of students across disciplines, from computer science to the humanities. Additionally, they must consider “institutional priorities,” which can include everything from legacy and donor considerations to athletic recruiting, program funding, and the capacities of individual departments and programs. Therefore, applicants are—to a certain extent—competing against other qualified candidates who share similar experiences, backgrounds, and academic interests.
Some students may assume that this means they will have higher odds of admission if they apply to an obscure major, as the competition will be slimmer. However, this is not necessarily the case. Given that demonstrated interest is one of the most important criteria for any program, applying to an obscure major without the necessary hands-on experience could render you a less competitive applicant for the school. If you are concerned about applying to a popular major, rather than changing what you’re applying to study, you should focus on showcasing how your approach to that field is unique.
3. Classmates Attending Your High School or Schools in Your Region
Finally, one of the most direct competitors in the admissions process might be sitting next to you in class. Ivy League and other top schools seek to admit students of diverse geographic and institutional origins and often try to limit the number of students they admit from a single high school. Of course, this does not mean that top schools will allocate only one or two spots per elite secondary school—Horace Mann has sent 22 students to UPenn in the last three years alone. It does, however, mean that perhaps only five out of twenty applicants from your school may earn admission, even if the other fifteen are stronger candidates than the competition from other schools. Applicants should keep in mind that admissions officers evaluate applications in the context of what’s available at an applicant’s high school. For example, the committee will consider how you’ve taken advantage of challenging courses (whether AP, IB, or Honors), service and leadership opportunities, and extracurriculars compared to your peers. Distinguishing yourself from other applicants in your school requires that you start early and take initiative to identify opportunities to grow and demonstrate your leadership skills within your institution.
By understanding who their real competition is, Ivy League hopefuls can take a strategic approach to building their admissions profile starting early in their high school careers. While the college admissions process can be overwhelming, students should focus on excelling in their unique interests, creating a compelling personal narrative, and setting themselves apart within their specific subset of the applicant pool.
Originally Published on Forbes.
