The terms of Ivy League are so familiar among teenagers and the world community, especially in the US. Simply, it is a group of colleges and universities in the northeastern U.S., consisting of Harvard (Massachusetts, 1636), Yale (Connecticut, 1701), Pennsylvania (1740), Princeton (New Jersey, 1746), Columbia (New York, 1754), Brown (Rhode Island, 1764), Dartmouth (New Hampshire, 1769), and Cornell (New York, 1865) which has a good reputation in terms of college achievements and social status. In this article we shall see if Ivy League Colleges Look at Freshman Year Grades?
Technically speaking, the Ivy League was, in the beginning, a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sports league in 1954 when the athletics conference for Division I was formed, and those 8 members have been included based on their location/sports team, rather than academics. Over time, these universities have turned out to be increasingly competitive, making them extremely elite faculties.
Is it Difficult to Enter the Ivy League Colleges?
The average number of acceptance rates of the eight members of the Ivy League when calculated on average is only around 7 to 9% with Harvard becoming the difficult one to get into (5% Acceptance Rate) and Cornell becoming the easiest one (11% Acceptance Rate), (based on Niche 2022). From this aspect, you may imagine how difficult to get into Ivy League colleges…. However, there are still chances to get accepted into these colleges
With such a very low acceptance rate, several aspects can be prepared to be accepted at Ivy League colleges. Those several aspects include GPA, SAT and ACT scores, and adaptability to the learning system.
GPA (Grade Point Average)
An unweighted GPA reflects the grade earned in a course, without considering the course level. It is always rated on a scale of 4.0. This equalizes the playing field for all students, making it easier to compare academic performance between them. This kind of GPA that used by colleges to make admissions decisions.
GPA must be a benchmark that cannot be ruled out in any selection of prospective new students on every campus. Although it is not the main benchmark, these campuses use GPA as a consideration. Mostly, the standard GPA in the US is 3.0, but if you want to enter an elite campus like the Ivy League for one, your minimum GPA must be around 3.8 – 4.0.
Campuses like Cornell with the highest acceptance rate among the other eight members can still receive a GPA below 4, but still close to it. On the other hand, as we know Harvard university on average receives a GPA in the range of 4.0 or more, but there will be other considerations if you have talent or experience as an athlete or have strong connections with the campus.
SAT and ACT Score
The Scholastic Aptitude Test is a standardized exam created by the College Board, a US-based nonprofit. Here is the SAT score if you want to get into the Ivy League based on Niche 2022.,
| Universities | Harvard | Yale | UPenn | Princeton | Columbia | Brown | Dartmouth | Cornell |
| SAT Range | 1460- 1580 | 1460- 1580 | 1450- 1570 | 1450- 1570 | 1460- 1570 | 1440- 1560 | 1440- 1560 | 1400- 1540 |
There is also the American College Test which is similar to the SAT. If you want to get into the Ivy League, here is the ACT score based on Niche 2022.
| Universities | Harvard | Yale | UPenn | Princeton | Columbia | Brown | Dartmouth | Cornell |
| ACT Range | 33-35 | 33-35 | 33-35 | 32-35 | 33-35 | 33-35 | 32-35 | 32-35 |
There are differences between these two tests, which is the SAT has a longer duration in reading tests (65 minutes) than the ACT (35 minutes). And there are some different tests from both of them, such as SAT has writing, language, and math tests, while the ACT has a math section, English test, and science test only.
Adaptability to the Learning System
When you get into an elite university such as the Ivy League, you must adapt to its learning system. Whether to its environment, the lecturers, students, etc.
What are the Freshman Year Grades and Why Should Colleges Care About It?
In the United States, the term freshman is referred to the first-year student in high school or ninth grade. The average age of 9th-grade students in the United States is 14 to 15 years old. Here are the reasons why colleges should pay a little bit more attention to the freshman year grades.
- As an initial benchmark in entering higher education levels.
- As a consideration to know the basic abilities of a student before entering the world of lectures.
- Although it does not broadly determine a student’s grades, the grades in the first year also influence grades in the following year.
Conclusion
Now we know that every university, whether elite or not, considers the grade point average as one of their considerations in making admissions decisions. Despite not being the main benchmark for admissions, this aspect is considered the common way in terms of the admissions things.
Related to the grade point average that is considered the common way to make admissions decisions, there are also what we called “Freshman Year Grades”. Ivy League colleges look at the freshman year grades for many reasons.
Any individuals who want to apply to that university, one may start to prepare whether your GPA or freshman grades, because it is a basic requirement to get into an elite university such as an Ivy League.
FAQ’s
- Can I get accepted into the Ivy League with a 3.0 GPA?
Generally, no you can’t. The standard average GPA in the Ivy League is 3.8-4.0. However, if you have any kind of achievements in sports, they may consider you to be one of their students even though your GPA is 3.0.
- What if I get a bad score on my first-year grades? Can I still get accepted into the Ivy League?
Well, the possibility of you getting accepted still exists and you may still get accepted unless your GPA is improved in the next years.
- Do I Get Scholarships if my first-year grades are above average?
Yes, you do. There are so many scholarships provided by the universities including the Ivy League.
