Ivy League Schools

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It’s not every day that someone becomes a trending topic on Twitter. For senior Shannon Jordan, however, that became her reality after she posted her acceptance letters from Yale and Harvard.
“I was surprised because I didn’t expect it to get that much attention,” Jordan said. “Every few minutes it would be another 1,000 retweets, and it was just really cool to see that happen for me.”
Six seniors, including Jordan, were accepted into Ivy League schools this year.
Senior Eric Hagerman was admitted into Princeton University, which is the number one college in the nation, according to U.S. News Today.
He said he was overjoyed after being accepted.
“Getting into Ivy League schools is a prestigious honor, so I was surprised but excited when I opened my acceptance letter,” Hagerman said. “It felt like all my hard work was beginning to pay off.”
Aside from their almost perfect transcripts, being involved in numerous in-school and out of school activities is just one of the many characteristics that helped these students stand out.
“From the consistency that I can see, it’s getting involved in summer enrichment programs. Doing some kind of enrichment program on a college campus usually sets someone apart,” college counselor Kevin Coy said. “Leadership comes into play, that’s definitely a big piece.”
Getting accepted to an Ivy League is an accomplishment in itself, but attending is just as important. There are many factors that come with choosing your specific college besides the status that institution holds. Fit is a huge aspect; you have to make sure you can picture yourself being there for four years.
Choosing to attend Harvard was not a hard decision for Jordan; this has been a dream of hers since she could remember.
“I plan on attending Harvard in the fall because it’s been my dream school forever. I truly feel like I mesh well with the community and that I can be extremely successful at this university,” Jordan said.
By attending a school with an acceptance rate of only 5.4%, Jordan has made significant advances towards her future and plans to major in biomedical engineering.
Throughout the history of H-F applicants to Ivy Leagues, the trends vary depending on the year. From the records available, H-F has been above the national average.
“You’re not going to see Ivy Leagues admit H-F students year after year, that’s just not how Ivy Leagues work,” Coy said. “For example, one year we had three students admitted to Yale, which is unheard of, and the next year we had zero, so it just depends.”
With all data ultimately working against these admitted students, how did six seniors achieve the impossible?
“Aside from my academics, because everyone who applied to Ivy Leagues are extremely intelligent, I think my dedication to service, extracurricular activities and creative supplement answers set me apart from other applicants,” senior Sydney Hayes said. Hayes was admitted into the University of Pennsylvania, which has a 9.4% acceptance rate.
Although Hagerman, Hayes and Kennedi Sidberry were all admitted into Ivy Leagues, they will not be attending these schools. Tuition never stops going up, and sometimes, financial aid is just not enough.
However, there are many scholarships to help with tuition.
The Posse Scholarship Foundation offered three seniors full-ride scholarships this year, and one of those recipients was Amber Haywood.
Haywood said she was worried about getting the scholarship and ordered a pizza to calm her nerves.
Haywood received the scholarship to Cornell University, which has a 14.1% acceptance rate.
“I think that H-F has prepared me well for Cornell, but I guess we’ll have to see once I get there,” Haywood said.”