What Parents Can Do to Help Their Children Get into the Ivy League

How can I help my child get into an Ivy League school? As a parent, you know that education is one of the most important indicators of a child’s success, happiness, and health in the future. In general, the better the education your child can receive, the brighter their horizons.

College was always an obvious goal you had for your child, but you’ve set your sights even further by planning to send them to the absolute best universities in the world: the Ivy League. It’s a laudable goal but always leads to an important question for parents:

Here we’ll take a deeper look at what parents can do to prepare their children for the Ivies and when parents should start this preparation process.

Can parents help their children get into the Ivy League?

How can I help my child get into an Ivy League school? Before we dive into some specifics, let’s address some misunderstandings out there. Some parents assume that their efforts won’t have a large impact on their children’s chances of getting into the Ivies. After all, as children get older, parents have less of an influence over their actions and interests. Students could choose not to pursue the Ivies after years of hard work on behalf of their parents.

While this is always a potential, it’s important for parents to understand that everything that would help prepare your child for the Ivies will still be beneficial even if your child doesn’t end up attending one of these schools. The skills and characteristics developed through this preparation will benefit your child in all areas of their life including academically and professionally.

Of course, you’d love for your child to end up following through with your goal of attending the Ivies. But it’s important to give children their own space to develop interests and pursuits of their own. Find solace in knowing that the steps you take to prepare your child for the Ivies will be beneficial no matter the outcome.

When should parents start preparing their kids for the Ivies?

We advise parents to start preparing their children for the Ivy League in grade school. It’s not like you’re going to put a Harvard brochure in their backpack or anything. Don’t worry! It’s nothing that specific. We simply advise parents to start actively considering their child’s academic trajectory towards the Ivies while ensuring they stick to their studies, get good grades, improve their studying habits, and ultimately become better students overall.

In reality, most parents probably would have done these things even without the Ivies as the end goal. The difference is that parents with this ultimate objective in mind should always be planning with that aim in perspective. As your child approaches high school, you can start taking a more active approach as these four years are absolutely critical in determining whether or not your child will get into the Ivies.

How can I help my child get into an Ivy League school?

Maintain a healthy balance.

Putting your child on the best path towards the Ivy League is a delicate process. You want to provide them with all of the opportunities, resources, and tools needed to make that academic dream a reality. But, you also don’t want to make the process overbearing or overwhelming. As a parent, you should strive to maintain a healthy balance between successfully preparing your child for the Ivies and making sure the process doesn’t become something they despise. Too much engagement on your part could end up backfiring.

Don’t get set on one school.

There are eight Ivy League schools. That represents eight opportunities for your child to receive a world-class education from one of the most prestigious groups of schools. Although each has its own strengths and unique offerings, you should resist the urge to pick a favorite of your own.

As your child develops their own interests and learns more about each of the Ivies, they’ll naturally gravitate towards the schools that are best for their needs and wants. No matter which university your child chooses, you can rest assured that the academic and professional opportunities offered will set them up for a successful life.

Get started early.

Many parents wonder what’s the best time to start getting their child ready for the Ivies. Is grade school too early or is high school too late? In reality, there’s no such thing as too early. As long as what you’re doing is relative to your child’s age, any preparation can help. Of course, encouraging and supporting your child to do their best in courses and on exams builds a great foundation.

But it’s also important to note that the classes your child takes can put them on a trajectory to the Ivies. AdmissionSight is a leading college entrance expert that offers pre-high school planning to help parents put their children in the best position to attend the Ivies by outlining a clear path from grade school, through high school, and into the Ivy League.

Work with a college entrance expert.

Ivy League schools are notorious for their daunting and complicated admissions processes. Many parents and students alike feel confused and uncertain about what’s required to get admitted to these universities.

Luckily, you don’t have to tackle this challenge alone. Working with a college entrance expert like AdmissionSight is one of the most effective ways to increase your child’s chances of getting into the Ivies. We work one-on-one with each student to guide them to nail the application process. You can think of it as your person on the inside with all the secrets to getting you in!

Look for scholarships and tuition assistance.

Getting a head start on your college investments is a fantastic way to financially prepare for the Ivies, but that’s not all you can do. There are countless financial aid opportunities offered by private organizations, businesses, charities, state and federal governments, and even by Ivy League institutions.

Learning more about what’s available to your child can help alleviate some of the financial pressure while giving them an opportunity to reduce their overall tuition costs. Here are some handy resources parents can use to search for scholarships, grants, and other forms of financial assistance.

Start investing today.

College tuition isn’t cheap. That’s no secret. And the Ivy Leagues…well let’s just say you’ll be paying for the value they provide. Parents who are really invested in helping their children get into the Ivy League should start actually investing funds as soon as possible.

You can even use a tax-advantaged account such as a 529 that will help you save even more money specifically for your student’s college education. Even if you don’t want to cover all of your child’s Ivy League tuition, every little bit helps.

Pro Tip: Many Ivy League schools offer robust financial assistance to accepted applicants. It’s a good idea for parents to take a look at these financial aid options to see how much their child might receive based on their earnings. This can make it easier to determine how much you should save up.

Help your child find motivation.

A great way to get your child just as engaged and active as you are is to help them better understand the awesome opportunities available through an Ivy League education. Keep in mind that the aspects that attract you might not be the same that motivate your child.

Maybe there’s a unique program that can help your child study a field that they’re passionate about. Or maybe even the location of the university is in a place your child is eager to experience. No matter what piqued the interest of your child, highlighting these aspects can get them motivated to reach for the Ivies.

Get more active in high school.

As mentioned before, high school has the greatest impact on your child’s chances of getting into the Ivies. No matter how much effort parents put into preparing their children before high school, underperformance during these four years will ultimately determine whether or not a student has a chance in the Ivy League.

As a result, we advise parents to get more active during these four years. You should make sure your child is excelling in academics and extracurriculars. The type of classes students take during high school is also an important consideration for Ivy League schools. Working with a professional to plan your student’s academics can help make sure they’re on the right path.

Give your child some autonomy.

When your child is young, they’re not thinking about which college they want to attend or what major they’d like to pursue. However, as your child enters into high school, they’ll start making some of these decisions on their own. They’ll develop their own interests, strengths, and goals.

At this point, it’s important to give your child some space to make their own decisions regarding college. If you’ve provided them with all the resources and tools needed to succeed at the collegiate level, you shouldn’t have any concerns about their future. If your child ends up choosing the Ivy League, that’s great!

However, if they end up deciding to apply to another school, try not to stress too much about it. The Ivy League offers some amazing academic opportunities, but that doesn’t mean the same or better can’t be found elsewhere. Keep in mind that there’s a relative element to the value of a college education. Maybe your child will find a perfect school outside of the Iives. You should support their decision all the way!

Create a roadmap.

Getting your child into the Ivy Leagues is a journey. To make sure you’re always going in the right direction, it’s crucial to make a roadmap towards success. Carefully outline the projected path you intend your child to take. Of course, students will deviate from this path due to unforeseen events, changes in interest, personal struggles, and other issues. Regardless, having this plan will make it easier to stay on track towards the ultimate goal of the Ivy League. You can easily adjust it when necessary to accommodate new changes or developments. But without this roadmap, your efforts will be much less effective because they’re not guided by the overall objective.

Set achievable goals.

Whenever you’re trying to achieve a major goal like getting your kid into the Ivies, it’s helpful to break down the larger aim into smaller goals. It’s easy to get lost or discouraged when focusing the entire time on the biggest objective.

Having smaller, more achievable goals can keep you on the right track and give you a boost of motivation each time one is achieved. You can move right on to the next one with the confidence that you’re always getting closer to your main goal. Here are some examples of smaller objectives you can set for you and your child on the road to the Ivies:

• Getting a stellar score on the ACT or SAT
• Getting into a prestigious high school
• Choosing a major or field of study
• Making a list of potential colleges to apply to

Take them on college visits.

College visits are a must when planning to attend the Ivies. These visits are a great opportunity for students to get some real-life experience at an Ivy League school. While your child can attend these visits alone, joining can have a large impact on the experience overall.

Your child will see your support throughout the process, and you’ll gain a better understanding of the school too! Of course, you could always do some exploring of your own if there’s a section of the tour where parents aren’t supposed to join.

At AdmissionSight, we highly encourage students and parents to attend the official school tours as they’re much more informative than visiting alone. Depending on the school, your child might have a chance to sit in on a class, meet current students, talk to instructors, eat in the cafeteria, and, in some cases, even stay the night.

These types of informative experiences aren’t possible when making a visit by yourself. Keep in mind that the whole point of these visits is to help your child better determine which Ivy League school is the best match for their personal preferences and goals. While a lot of information about the Ivies can be found online, there’s no substitute for seeing and experience the places in person.

Help your kid understand the value of the Ivies.

If you’re actively searching for ways to help your child prepare for the Ivy League, you’re probably already aware of the valuable opportunity – both academically and professionally – that these top-tier colleges can offer. But that doesn’t mean your child understands these advantages.

Sure, the Ivies are well-known for their academic excellence and world-famous alumni. Still, many high schoolers don’t see the Ivies as possible or even worthwhile. As a parent, you can help your child understand why an Ivy League education is a perfect choice. Here are just a few major advantages of the Ivies:

• Increased job prospects
• Better reputation
• World-class instructors
• More research opportunities
• More programs & majors

When your child is younger, they’ll take your lead when it comes to academic guidance and direction. However, as they get older, students will start having their own questions about their trajectory. When you can successfully demonstrate the true value of an Ivy League education, there’s a higher chance your child will continue in the direction you’ve set.

Increase your chances of getting into the Ivies

It’s not uncommon for students to feel confused when starting to apply to colleges. Not only is it a big deal, but there’s not a lot of information out there. The application process is notoriously complicated, leaving many students feeling stressed out and nervous.

That’s where AdmissionSight can help! As college admissions experts, we help students just like you better understand and eventually master the college admissions process. For over a decade, we’ve given students the resources and tools needed to earn spots in the schools of their dreams.

In fact, 75% of the students we work with end up getting accepted to a Top 10 university or Ivy League school! You could be next! Whether you need some assistance planning extracurricular activities or academics, we’ve got you covered!

What about summer programs? Yup, we’ve got your back there too! And preparation for college interviews or help with college essays? Of course! No matter what you need, AdmissionSight can help. We offer a wide array of services specifically designed to help you increase your chances of getting into the school of your choice.

If you’d like to learn more about our services, contact us today for a free consultation. We look forward to hearing from you.