What does it take to become Ivy League material?
At the start of high school, this question takes center stage for students across the country who dream of attending the most elite universities in the world. Think pieces, monographs, and entire industries have emerged, offering complex responses to this question: how to level up your grades, which AP classes will impress admissions officers, whether colleges still care about test scores, how to build a dynamic extracurricular profile—the list goes on.
While all of these insights may offer helpful guidance, what separates Ivy League-bound students from the rest isn’t the flashy items on their résumé or expert admissions tactics, but their intellectual vibrancy and their cultivation of certain daily habits. Discipline, patience, and persistence form the foundation of any successful Ivy League application strategy.
Rather than seeking to cure cancer or start a global NGO, students with Ivy League ambitions should start to practice these five simple habits that will distinguish them from their peers early in their high school careers:
1. Reading
Reading is one of the simplest yet most effective habits for students of all ages to develop. It helps students cultivate high-level, complex thinking and writing skills, as well as expand their knowledge base, creativity, and imagination—all critical tools in the arsenal of an Ivy League-worthy student.
A standout student should consistently read a high volume of high-quality, diverse, complex writing. What constitutes a high volume of reading may vary from student to student, but tackling an ambitious reading volume will build a student’s confidence, reading comprehension skills, and ability to work through complex material. Within this high volume, there should be a diversity of genres and content—students should be reading high-quality literature and nonfiction, and they should also aim to read news articles, essays, and poetry. Doing so will help them identify what they like and adapt to various styles and media, while also enriching their writing skills across genres.
While reading a young adult novel or comic strip is still beneficial, students should also try to read short pieces that are more complex. Even if these works—whether an academic journal article, a political think piece, or a scientific data analysis—are brief, wading through complex ideas and dense sentence structures will prepare students for the challenging reading material they will encounter in collegiate courses. Finally, consistency is key. Twenty minutes per day will always be more effective than three hours once a month. Building reading into their daily schedule will allow students to hone their comprehension skills and complex reading to become more attainable (and hopefully more enjoyable!).
2. Organization
Even the most gifted students will see their grades falter without excellent organizational skills. Students who will succeed in the Ivy League admissions pool—and on a top college campus—are those who can effectively manage their time and juggle numerous responsibilities while maintaining excellence.
From the start of high school, students should be proactive about maintaining a planner or digital calendar tool to keep track of their assignments and extracurricular responsibilities. As they enroll in higher-level courses and take on leadership positions in clubs and organizations, students should be diligent about keeping meticulous notes, recording questions to ask their teachers, tracking grades throughout the semester, setting SMART goals, and monitoring areas where they need to improve.
The key to maintaining a full schedule and preparing for the demands of Ivy League coursework is being proactive and taking initiative. Successful students are not just those who are innately intelligent; they are those who think ahead, cultivate self-motivation for studying and completing their tasks, and take ownership of their time and goals.
3. Discourse
One commonality across the diverse core curricula at Ivy League institutions is the emphasis placed on seminar-style, discussion-based learning. Students who want to pursue higher education in these environments need to be prepared to engage in discourse about complex ideas with peers and faculty members across a range of subjects. This is a skill that takes significant practice over time. While some students attend schools where discussion-based learning is taught, others may have to cultivate this skill in more creative and independent ways.
Participation in debate clubs or Model UN can help students who wish to develop public speaking and argumentation skills, but discourse doesn’t require a formal setting. Students can grow as conversationalists through intentional participation in discussions at the dinner table, conversations with coworkers and professional mentors, and chats during office hours with their teachers. Consistency, thoughtfulness, and curiosity are foundational elements of growth. In addition, practicing active listening can help students better their discussion skills and deepen their understanding of others’ perspectives.
4. Creativity
Standing out in an applicant pool teeming with 4.0s, valedictorians, and national merit scholars requires creativity and originality. Admissions officers at Ivy League and other top schools are looking for students who will bring dynamic new perspectives to their fields and approach problems with innovative, interdisciplinary thinking. These qualities cannot be manufactured—they must develop as students play with their ideas and engage in creative thinking outside of the classroom.
While parents may feel tempted to push their children to maintain strict schedules, focus solely on grades and test scores, and pursue activities that will look good on their applications, it is critical that students have the space to explore, create, and play. This will look different from student to student—for a STEM student, it might look like coding small projects in their free time, but it also might look like painting or making music with friends. Often, the genuine, creative pursuits that students engage in outside of their intended field make for supplemental or personal essays that stand out to admissions officers.
5. Critical thinking
Finally, Ivy League admissions officers look for students who have the demonstrated ability to make an impact in their field and in their community. Critical thinking and problem-solving skills are critical to one’s ability to make positive change, from the classroom to the professional world. Students should strive to build their critical thinking skills by participating in discussions, reading class material carefully, and probing deeper through thoughtful questions. Another crucial way to practice critical thinking is through writing. Even short, informal writing, such as journaling, writing poetry, annotating readings, or reflecting on current events in a blog can sharpen a student’s ability to articulate ideas and form evidence-based conclusions. Finally, students can put their critical thinking skills to work in real-world contexts by tackling a problem in their community through an independent initiative. By identifying a need and ideating realistic yet creative solutions, students practice tangible applications of skills they will use in college and beyond.
Becoming Ivy League material requires more than just a checklist of extracurriculars and awards; it’s about cultivating and showcasing core competencies that lay the foundation for success in the rigorous Ivy League ecosystem. Rather than simply identifying action items they can cross off a list, students should strive for discipline and focus as they seek to become the kind of person that aligns with the Ivy League’s mission and values.