How can you make yourself a great applicant to Yale University?

Answer 1

Get a hook. Ivy League applicants need a hook, something that distinguishes them from the others. Since all aspiring Ivy Leaguers will have demanding courses including numerous AP course under their belts and will have outstanding grades and high SAT and ACT scores, the stand-out applicant will have something truly extraordinary on his (or her) resume. It might be in athletics, business, music, the arts, literature. An All-American softball player, especially one holding some sort of record, has a good hook. A writer who had an essay published in the New York Times Sunday Magazine or a successful blog has a good hook. Perhaps an aspiring artist whose work has been galleried or a musician who has been noticed by the critics (favorably or otherwise) has a hook. A tech-savvy student with a commercially successful web site has a good hook. A thespian who's worked in shows other than the high-school musical may have a good hook, especially if some of that work has been professional. Ivy League schools are also looking for extraordinary leaders, so high-school students should strive to attain leadership positions in clubs or on teams. Being the president of one club is far better than being a member of many. Contrary to popular myth, Ivy League schools aren't looking for well-rounded students; they're looking for extraordinary ones. (Darn, I thought I (Schnazola) was logged in. Adding this to get some credit)