If you ask most people what schools are part of the Ivy League, they'll likely include at least 1 that is incorrect...and that one is usually Stanford. The "why" behind Stanford (or MIT, U Chicago, Duke, etc. for that matter) not being included is actually pretty simple: the "Ivy League" is an athletic league. 

In 1933, sportswriter Stanley Woodward used the term “ivy colleges” to describe these schools' - Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Cornell, University of Pennsylvania, Brown, and Dartmouth - athletic competitions, and the idea of an athletic “league” soon caught on. While these colleges had a long history of athletic rivalry dating back to the late 19th century, the "Ivy League" was not officially established as an athletic conference until 1954. Over time, the Ivy League’s reputation has expanded beyond sports, coming to symbolize a tradition of academic rigor, social prestige, and influential alumni networks worldwide.

Students considering applying to one of these "highly rejective" institutions (all have single-digit acceptance rates) may believe there is a special "code" to getting in. While there are tips and tricks on TikTok, YouTube, blogs you can scour, or books you can read dedicated to this so-called "secret sauce" (and please check the sources when considering that information), there are some simple things that all students applying to the Ivies should know before even pressing submit on their applications.

TIMING OF DECISIONS

Students applying to Ivies receive their application decisions typically at two different times during the year - mid December and late March/early April (often referred to as "Ivy Day"). The mid-December notifications are for students who have applied Early Decision (Cornell, Columbia, UPenn, Dartmouth, Brown) or Restrictive Early Action (Harvard, Yale, Princeton). Restrictive Early Action is a non-binding early application option that allows students to apply early and receive an admission decision by this mid-December timeframe, but they are not required to attend if admitted.

However, applicants are restricted from applying early to other private colleges so students could not, for example, apply REA to both Harvard and Yale. Summing this up: students can only apply to ONE Ivy under one of the Early app plans (ED OR REA). This is often a BIG decision for students if they are strongly considering more than one Ivy, and many don't realize this until they get ready to hit submit on their apps. 

Some students may also receive a "deferral" notice during the December ED or REA period pushing their final decisions to the late March/early April notification pool. Students applying in the Regular Decision pool would also hear back at that time.

Finally, all Ivy League schools also use a waitlist as part of their admissions process. After regular decision notifications are released, applicants who are not admitted or denied outright may be offered a spot on the waitlist. This means the school is interested in the applicant but must first see how many admitted students accept their offers before making additional admissions from the waitlist. Final decisions for waitlisted students are typically made by July 1, though some may hear back sooner. It's important to note that being placed on the waitlist does not guarantee eventual admission, and the process is highly variable (and competitive!) from year to year.

Early Evaluation Process + "Likely" Letters

Most Ivy League schools send out "likely letters"—informal notifications indicating a strong chance of admission—between mid-February and early March, well ahead of regular decision notifications. These letters are relatively rare and typically go to a small subset of applicants, such as recruited athletes or students with particular talents or backgrounds. It's important to note that the majority of admitted students do not receive them so don't count yourself out if you don't see one in your inbox.

Aid Awarded Based on Need 

All Ivy League schools are need-blind for U.S. applicants, meaning they do not consider a student's financial situation when making admissions decisions for domestic students. All 8 Ivies also commit to meeting 100% of demonstrated financial need for admitted students. This means that, after evaluating a family's financial situation, each school provides enough institutional aid to cover the gap between the cost of attendance and what the family is determined to be able to pay.

One thing to note: Ivy League schools do not offer merit scholarships of any kind—including academic, talent, or athletic. Financial aid is strictly need-based, meaning all institutional grants and scholarships are awarded solely based on a family's demonstrated financial need, not on student accomplishments or talents. So when someone tells you that their child received a "scholarship" to an Ivy, what they've received is not based on grades, talent, etc, but financial need. 

IYKYK...Apply Early!

Early applicants to the Ivies are admitted at rates often two to three times higher than those in the regular decision round. However, it's important to note that the early pools often include a higher proportion of highly-qualified applicants and recruited athletes, which partially explains the higher acceptance rates. The early decision path requires a commitment to matriculate and, as mentioned above, the only financial aid you can count on is need-based aid. Do your due diligence to ensure that an Ivy is financially feasible before you go this route!

Just because a school is considered an Ivy, it doesn’t mean they are the same.

Even though each of these eight colleges and universities are highly-esteemed, historic institutions, they are fundamentally different. Some are more research-based, some are more liberal-arts focused. Their locations vary and geographic settings are different. The “vibes” on the campus cover a very diverse spectrum. Do not apply to a particular Ivy just because it may be the most prestigious, or because it is what we call a “sweatshirt” school.The vast differences between these 8 institutions means applying to ALL of them doesn't make sense...unless your sole hope is to be able to tell your local news station that you were "Accepted to All Eight Ivies!" (which is not the point of applying to college, is it?). Do your deep research before you start the process and understand if one or more of these will be the right fit for YOU. 

Decide what is the right choice, commit, and give yourself plenty of time!

Applying to an Ivy League school is not for the faint of heart. These colleges require a lot out of their applicants in order to submit. If you decide that one of these schools will be on your list, do your due diligence to understand what is involved. Give yourself PLENTY of time! 

Everyone is a good applicant. What will make them want YOU?

Ivy League admissions professionals review applications from the best of the best from around the world. Impeccable grades and perfect test scores are a dime-a-dozen. This is why it's imperative that you get to know the college to which you are applying. Find out how their mission, their priorities, and their programs are in alignment with you FIRST. Then, use that information to show admissions representatives why they should want YOU on their campus. How will this alignment benefit their campus community?