Study Abroad Guide: As Indian students increasingly target top US universities, admission experts have noted that the route to Ivy League institutions lies less in collecting certificates and more in sustained, genuine interests, academic rigour, and personal initiative. The advice comes amid rising competition: Harvard and Columbia are expected to receive between 50,000 and 60,000 applications each for the Class of 2031, with historical acceptance rates of around 5 per cent.
In a report published by the New York Post, experts have suggested that academic performance, standardised tests, recommendations, extracurricular commitments, and personal essays can all influence the outcome, thereby asserting that admission decisions are not determined by a single formula.
Additionally, universities are revising testing requirements, evaluating how applicants use artificial intelligence and looking for evidence of intellectual curiosity, initiative and personal development beyond the classroom.
When To Begin Preparation?
Experts cited in the report said that meaningful preparation often begins in Class 9, though middle school can be used for low-pressure exploration in academics, music, sport and community service. Students should build strong study habits, identify academic gaps and choose challenging courses.
How Parents Can Help?
Command Education founder and CEO Christopher Rim said parents should not turn middle school into a college-admissions boot camp. "Let your kid really be a kid," he said, urging families to allow children to explore projects, sports and activities without locking them into one pursuit years in advance.
Parents can support by helping their children plan coursework, identify academic weaknesses, and establish study habits.
How School Activities Lead To Sustained Commitments
Schools can provide opportunities to explore academic subjects, sports, music, community service, and other activities without the immediate pressure of college admissions. Experts noted that early exploration gives students time to discover their strengths and pursue interests that may eventually develop into sustained commitments.
Standard Tests
The report highlighted the return of standardised testing requirements at several prominent US universities. For the 2026-27 application cycle, Yale required either SAT or ACT scores, narrowing earlier options that allowed Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate results to meet the requirement.
Yale officials said that internal research showed test scores help predict academic performance at the university. However, the report stressed that scores remain only one element: grades, course rigour, teacher recommendations, essays and extracurricular depth continue to matter.
Why Are Extracurricular Activities Important?
According to the report, highly selective colleges receive applications from thousands of students who have earned excellent grades and performed well on standardised tests. As a result, extracurricular involvement, intellectual interests, and evidence of personal initiative can help admissions officers distinguish among academically qualified candidates.
Time Spent Beyond Classroom
The New York Post reported that in September 2026, Princeton's dean of admissions, Karen Richardson, said that the university evaluates how applicants spend time both inside and outside the classroom. She identified examples including working at a supermarket, writing for a school newspaper, performing in an orchestra, and caring for younger siblings as experiences that can help admissions officers understand an applicant.
How To Write College Essay In The Age of AI
The report also warned against using artificial intelligence to manufacture application essays or fabricate extracurricular narratives. Rim said that AI can help students research colleges, compare programmes, organise deadlines, and brainstorm, but it cannot replace the personal experiences and judgement that make an application distinctive.
Richardson noted that admissions officers want to understand how applicants think, ask questions, and communicate ideas independently.
"Relying on AI to produce personal essays or manufacture extracurricular narratives can create a host of other problems for applicants, the report stated. An AI-generated essay may be grammatically polished, but it cannot independently communicate the experiences, motivations, and judgment that make an individual applicant stand out.
Students aiming at Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia or other highly selective universities must note that prestige-chasing, expensive summer programmes and AI-polished essays are unlikely to compensate for a lack of authenticity. A strong US undergraduate application is built over years through consistent academic effort, genuine interests, meaningful responsibility, and a clear personal narrative.
