<p>I will tell you the surefire formula for getting into any Ivy:</p>
<p>1) Excellent grades and SAT scores. That is a prerequisite. By excellent grades, I mean nothing lower than an A in a highly rigorous curriculum (maybe B+ if you go to a particularly difficult magnet school, prep school, or specialized whatever). SAT scores must be top 95th percentile or above.</p>
<p>2) Get to know your teachers, especially in subjects you enjoy. Talk to them after class about questions, observations you had about the reading, etc. Show them how you're interested in their class by joining extracurricular activities that correspond. Speak up. Be respectful. Do your work. Get good grades in their classes.</p>
<p>3) Two or three main extracurricular activities. I'm talking hardcore, leadership position, done-something-significant extracurriculars, not something frivolous like swing dance club (unless you're passionate about it and have won national awards in swing dance or organized a swing dance fundraiser for charity). Of course, this is tough if you're not a) motivated and b) highly intelligent, but that's the breaks. Examples: winning Westinghouse, a Scholastic Gold Key award, scoring a perfect score on the AIME, publishing a book, co-authoring an article in a medical journal, participating in Telluride, getting your work published in the Concord Review, winning first place in the National Latin Exam, winning National History Day, going to RSI, going to states for LD debate, medaling in fencing, having a column in the New York Times, starting a multi-millionaire Internet business (but remaining humble) or organizing a neighborhood community service organization. This is where most people fail after the good grades/scores.</p>
<p>4) Write well. Don't try to write anything profound- that's stupid. If you can sum up your college essay in a tired cliche, chuck it. Read a lot, write in a diary, get a respected teacher's help, whatever it takes to have a killer essay. Of course, again this is tough if you're not smart and determined, but do whatever you can anyways.</p>
<p>5) Don't be an ass who, after achieving all of this, alienates everyone else so all his teachers and peers hate him and no college wants him.</p>
<p>That is the key into any school you want. Sure, easier said than done but if you know what you want and how to get it, that's the first step. I realize of course, that it sounds crass to reduce the process to a formula, but isn't that part of the reason people post on this website? The problem is, most aren't willing to work hard enough for it, or it's too late.</p>
<p>Of course, other rules apply when talking about minorities, development cases, athletic recruits, and important legacies. But don't worry about them unless you're one of them.</p>
<p>As for you, Zach, before you worry about what commitments you should make, first worry about your grades. Get rid of all the B's. Then make sure you're taking serious classes, not Mickey Mouse classes (at least one history, accelerated math, accelerated science w/lab, English, and a language). There are, of course, exceptions.</p>
<p>People don't like admitting there are formulas, but there are. It doesn't matter what subject you pick to be passionate about, but you have to pursue it to the very highest you can (as described above). </p>
<p>Oh, and remember to take it easy a little. You're just a kid, for god's sake.</p>