After a hectic year, the holidays are a great time to expand your knowledge by reading a new book. Here are Ivy Options recommendations: Non-fiction Boo, Katherine - Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity Brown, Daniel - The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics Harari, Yuval Noah - Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind • Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow • 21 Lessons for the 21st

To test, or not to test? To submit, or not to submit? These are the SAT/ACT questions confronting 11th and 12th graders as they dive into USA college applications. In the wake of the pandemic and increasing criticism about the fairness of testing, approximately 80% of American undergraduate schools are now test optional – a dramatic increase from 45% in 2019. As a result, students need to carefully assess their individual situation and determine how to strategically utilize t

Babson College, though small in size, is a giant in undergraduate entrepreneurship and business education. For the past 30 years, the suburban Boston-based school has held the No.1 spot for entrepreneurship in the U.S. News and World Report college rankings. Recently, the Wall Street Journal ranked Babson in the top 10 of all schools in the United States. Babson’s strength comes from its innovative and challenging academic curriculum that emphasizes hands-on experience and bu

Situated near the San Gabriel Mountains and Los Angeles are the five undergraduate colleges of the Claremont Consortium: Pomona, ClaremontMcKenna, HarveyMudd, Scripps, and Pitzer. Modeled after Oxford University, each of the five highly selective liberal arts schools has a unique focus and character but shares resources – creating a larger campus experience. Students can take advantage of academic classes, social activities, dining halls, libraries, and other events across a

“Normalizing experiences of stress and pushing past obstacles can help kids understand that they can do hard things.” – Researchers at the University of Rochester It will surprise no one that many students of all ages are reporting increased stress and mental health struggles. When seeking to identify causes, the pandemic and social media are two of the usual suspects – undoubtedly, both have impacted students' habits, self-esteem, learning opportunities, and social interacti

Here are Ivy Options’ quick takes on the trends that have impacted the past admissions cycle. The recent US Supreme Court decision to eliminate race as a consideration in admissions has already impacted university practices, and legacy admissions will likely be the next target. However, the admissions landscape continues to evolve on multiple fronts. Falling acceptance rates, high application volumes, and Early Decision plans have impacted this past year’s students and are l

With lightning speed, artificial intelligence (AI) technology is being embraced and utilized by aspiring students to shape impactful college application essays. In the United States and the United Kingdom, the question of when and how AI should be employed in crafting these essays has ignited discussions within the academic community. The insights offered by UCAS (the British application portal) and the Georgia Institute of Technology highlight the nuances of AI integration i

What’s your ED? Don’t be surprised if you hear students asking each other this question as autumn approaches. It has become common knowledge among US-bound students that applying under an EarlyDecision (ED) application plan can increase their likelihood of gaining admission. With university acceptance rates low and continuing to fall, this powerful strategy should be considered by students who have a clear favorite destination for their university studies. In this article, we