Education

What Colleges Really Want

Good grades are not all

By: Vivaan Yadav, Journalist

March 10, 2025

What do Colleges Really Want?

Don’t get me wrong. If you have a 2.0 GPA, you will most likely not get accepted into a top-notch college. On the other hand, just because you have a 4.0 GPA doesn’t mean you will get in, but they will take a good look at your High School Transcript. For example, if you got all A’s in easy classes, most likely they will choose another person who got all A’s and B’s who took hard classes like AP courses. Colleges look at you as a whole. One way they want to see if you are a good fit, is that if you score well on standardized tests like the SAT and ACT (even though some colleges do not require this), this could still benefit you. Another way colleges look to see if you are a good fit is if your goals match up with what the colleges want. For example, if you want to be an engineer, you probably won’t get accepted into Harvard. However, you might get into MIT because your goals align with the resources it offers. Lastly, colleges look for students who have had a positive impact in their community, like how many service hours they have completed.

What Should I do to Get into an IVY League School When I am a Freshman?

If you are a freshman trying to get into an IVY league school, some tips to get in are taking hard classes. For example, taking AP classes shows that you are a hard worker. If your High School does not offer AP classes, then take the highest form of classes your high school offers. Another thing is to take meaningful extra-curricular programs. Suppose you don’t want to. You can start something like a project to raise awareness of stress. This shows colleges that you are determined to make a change in your society; colleges love this. Furthermore, preparing for the SAT/ACT, as a higher score can help colleges have a better picture on your academics. Even after following these tips, you still might not get into an IVY college. You should at least get into a top 20 school, if you just work.

https://www.collegevine.com/questions/4780/hello-i-am-a-freshmen-in-high-school-and-i-want-to-prepare-for-ivy-league-colleges-any-tips-or-advices

https://www.ivyacademicprep.com/admissions-checklist-9th-grade

https://www.forbes.com/sites/christopherrim/2024/05/16/how-to-stand-out-in-the-ivy-league-during-your-freshman-year/

https://www.quora.com/As-an-incoming-high-school-freshman-what-are-some-things-I-can-do-to-get-into-an-Ivy-League-university?top_ans=147920340

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https://www.quadeducationgroup.com/blog/best-extracurricular-activities-for-ivy-league