Ivy League’s Advice to HISD Students: Challenge Yourself Now
Representatives from four top-tier universities share strategies to earn students admission, scholarships
October 12, 2011
More than 70 students and their parents visited HISD’s headquarters on October 11 to hear more about preparing for an Ivy League education, and the advice they heard most often was to start challenging themselves now.
Philip Koch, who represented Harvard University at the district’s third annual Tier 1 and Ivy League Forum, said that while admissions officers like to see students taking difficult classes and pursuing interests outside of school, it is important to create a balance of work and leisure.
“What they don’t want to see is someone waiting until their senior year to start participating in lots of extracurricular activities,” said Associate College Prep Program Specialist Flora Allen. “They want to see a pattern of being self-motivated, and of challenging themselves in areas that interest them, particularly in activities that highlight their leadership skills.”
All of the university representatives emphasized for the importance of students taking the most challenging classes they can as soon as possible. Even though courses completed through community college dual-credit programs are not transferrable to Ivy League campuses, there is a great deal of financial aid available. In fact, said Allen, this year alone Harvard is offering $140 million in aid, and students from families with less than $60,000 in annual income may attend for free.
New advice for students this year was a suggestion to include a short profile of the high school they attended with their application, including details about how many AP, IB, or other advanced courses were available.
“Universities know that each campus is different,” explained Allen, “but if you can show that you were taking the hardest classes available, that will be a mark in your favor.”
HISD P-16 College and Career Readiness Department Manager June Giddings thanked all of the university representatives who attended, and saluted the parents of students in elementary or middle schools in attendance for their foresight.
“We had students and parents come out from 15 of our high schools,” she explained, “including the new Young Men’s and Young Women’s College Preparatory Academies, but we also had some from Pershing, T. H. Rogers, and four other middle schools. It’s really great that they’re thinking ahead. You want to get started on the course to college as early as possible.”
October 12, 2011
More than 70 students and their parents visited HISD’s headquarters on October 11 to hear more about preparing for an Ivy League education, and the advice they heard most often was to start challenging themselves now.
Philip Koch, who represented Harvard University at the district’s third annual Tier 1 and Ivy League Forum, said that while admissions officers like to see students taking difficult classes and pursuing interests outside of school, it is important to create a balance of work and leisure.
“What they don’t want to see is someone waiting until their senior year to start participating in lots of extracurricular activities,” said Associate College Prep Program Specialist Flora Allen. “They want to see a pattern of being self-motivated, and of challenging themselves in areas that interest them, particularly in activities that highlight their leadership skills.”
All of the university representatives emphasized for the importance of students taking the most challenging classes they can as soon as possible. Even though courses completed through community college dual-credit programs are not transferrable to Ivy League campuses, there is a great deal of financial aid available. In fact, said Allen, this year alone Harvard is offering $140 million in aid, and students from families with less than $60,000 in annual income may attend for free.
New advice for students this year was a suggestion to include a short profile of the high school they attended with their application, including details about how many AP, IB, or other advanced courses were available.
“Universities know that each campus is different,” explained Allen, “but if you can show that you were taking the hardest classes available, that will be a mark in your favor.”
HISD P-16 College and Career Readiness Department Manager June Giddings thanked all of the university representatives who attended, and saluted the parents of students in elementary or middle schools in attendance for their foresight.
“We had students and parents come out from 15 of our high schools,” she explained, “including the new Young Men’s and Young Women’s College Preparatory Academies, but we also had some from Pershing, T. H. Rogers, and four other middle schools. It’s really great that they’re thinking ahead. You want to get started on the course to college as early as possible.”
