<p>other than the obvious things you need to get into ivies, such as high SAT scores, good solid ECs, steller recs, amazing essays, leadership, and volunteering, and if applicable, hooks, what other things can a student do to stand out? I don't even mean getting works published, interning at places, etc..</p>
<p>Make age-appropriate progress into becoming your highest and best self. If that person is meant to attend an Ivy, so be it. But don’t assume such a path is the best for you.</p>
<p>Learn to write well. Volunteer for the good it will bring to others and yourself, not to impress some nameless committee member.</p>
<p>It you attend to your intellectual development, your test scores will reflect that in any event, but do not do so at the expense of your physical, social, emotional and spiritual development. </p>
<p>Find something that excites your passion, some domain that takes considerable time to develop proficiency, and perhaps mastery, and embark on the path of indulging that passion while developing your proficiency (and, maybe some day, mastery).</p>
<p>Do these things, and it will be relatively easy and painless to find a place to continue your process of individuation after high school.</p>
<p>Ditto to all of the above.</p>
<p>I want to add that you should show a genuine, informed interest in your top choice. Make sure you know exactly why you love that college and both how you’d be a great fit for it and how it’d be a great fit for you.</p>
<p>any tips on how to write that awesome essay?
esp. if anyone has any ideas for the why penn essay?</p>