Blog — TKG

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Caroline Koppelman

Duke Legacy Policies and Guide

Duke is a highly respected research university in Durham, North Carolina. The top five majors at Duke are Computer Science, Economics, Biology, Public Policy, and Psychology, and students are drawn to the university by the strong community culture paired with exceptional research opportunities. The experience is in high demand. They receive over 50,000 first-year applications annually, and the acceptance rate for the Class of 2028 was only 5.4%. As a prospective legacy applicant, it’s possible that you already have a favorite spot on campus. Now, though, you need to get in.

Yale Legacy Policies and Guide

Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, is one of the eight Ivies, the third-oldest college in the US, and one of the nine schools founded before the American Revolution. In a word: storied. Yale is extremely popular with Ivy League hopefuls and extremely competitive – last cycle, they had a 3.9% acceptance rate. However, if you’re reading this, we assume you know this. You’re here because a parent (or both!) went to Yale and you want to follow in their footsteps. Let’s talk about it.

Best Extracurriculars for High School Freshman Interested in Business

So many students want to study undergraduate business. It is quickly becoming one of the most popular majors. This also makes it one of the most competitive, especially at elite schools. If you are serious about studying business, you need to put in the work. Good grades aren't enough in most undergrad business programs; you also need great extracurriculars. It’s never too early to start working on an impressive extracurricular resume, and we are here to help!

Harvard Legacy Policies and Guide

Harvard is, well, Harvard. As one of the most famous universities in the world, offering degrees that many see as golden tickets to a prosperous future, they definitely don’t need us gassing the school up. And they aren’t wrong. Going to Harvard offers students access to a learning experience, community, and, perhaps most importantly, network, that is only available at a handful of schools in the world. But you almost certainly know this, as you have a parent (or two) who already went to Harvard.

MIT Legacy Policies and Guide

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or MIT, is an exceptional university, and an iconic school for students looking to go into the STEM fields. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, MIT is also located in a hotbed of academic excellence, rubbing shoulders (and crossing paths) with Harvard. The overall acceptance rate for the Class of 2028 was a mere 4.5%. Students who attend MIT are best known for launching careers in technology, engineering, mathematics, and the sciences, and an MIT degree is recognized as a spot in the fast lane to professional success.  

Dartmouth College Legacy Policies and Guide

Dartmouth College is an outstanding undergraduate college within Dartmouth University, and part of the famed Ivy League. The college receives over 30,000 applications each year, including 31,657 for the Class of 2028, and the acceptance rate for the same class was only 5.4% — a record low for Dartmouth. The college is especially known for combining an exceptional academic program with an iconic community and social life. Students study hard, and they have lots of fun along the way. They have the most significant Greek Life of any Ivy, a historic athletic tradition, particularly in winter snow sports like nordic and downhill ski racing, and Hanover, New Hampshire is a beloved college town. Dartmouth is also known for a super tight-knit alumni community, and legacy admissions plays an important part of that.

How to Get into Columbia as an International Student: Strategy

Columbia is a big deal, and that is an understatement. As a top university in the United States and member of the famed Ivy League, Columbia also has the bonus perk of being located in one of the most famous and popular cities in the world: New York City. For international students, it isn’t just the allure of the top academics and bright lights, though — it’s also the three convenient international airports. Students coming from abroad who want to be able to go home are often surprised to learn how far many top universities are from a major airport with any chance of offering regular direct flights. For many, it’s hours of driving, or a mix of trains and busing, to even start getting home. From the Columbia Campus on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, it’s as little as 30 minutes to your terminal.

Best College Advisors for 9th Grade

Starting high school is an exciting yet overwhelming time. As a 9th grader, college might seem far off, but the truth is, the earlier you start thinking about your academic and extracurricular path, the better prepared you’ll be. That doesn’t mean stressing over applications now – it means laying the groundwork so that when the time comes, you have a compelling, authentic story to tell.

How to Get into Yale as an International Student: Strategy

Yale is one of the most prestigious universities in the world, and one of the hardest to get into. For nearly a decade, we’ve worked with international students to get into top-tier American schools, including Yale, and we’ve learned a lot along the way. In this post, we’re going to give prospective international applicants a peek into our playbook to help strengthen an application — starting far in advance. This isn’t just about writing a strong essay; it’s about building a competitive application over the long-term. First, though, let’s talk some statistics.

Cornell University Legacy Policies and Guide

Cornell is a famed Ivy League research university in Ithaca, New York. The university is large, with over 16,000 undergraduates, and it is divided up into 8 smaller colleges that each provide their own unique experience and community. One of the unique aspects of Cornell, especially when compared to other top tier colleges, is the range of programs offered at the undergraduate level, including programs, like hospitality and agriculture, that don’t appear anywhere else in the Ivy League. Cornell is, subsequently, very difficult to get into. Students who want Cornell truly want the experience they offer, and there are far more students who want that experience than they can accept. The overall acceptance rate for first-years who enrolled in the fall of 2024, across all 8 colleges, was 8.4%.

Best Summer Strategy for High School Freshman Interested in STEM

We love science-kids. Whether you are mad about math or an engineer of the future, majoring in a STEM field is an excellent choice for college. However, it is also a popular choice, especially when it comes to majors like engineering and computer science. Often, these types of majors represent the most challenging programs to get into at top schools. If you dream of getting accepted to an elite STEM program, it's never too late to start crafting a great resume. Freshman summer is the perfect time to jump in! But how? We are glad you asked.

How to Get into Princeton as an International Student: Strategy

Princeton is a globally renowned university and member of the famed Ivy League. It is also one of the most popular schools in the United States for high-achieving international students. The university has become known for fostering a welcoming community for students from around the world while offering some of the most competitive academic programs on earth, literally. It shouldn’t come as a surprise then, that getting into Princeton is no walk in the park. Admissions is intensely competitive, and even more so for international applicants. In this post, we’re going to break down three steps prospective international applicants must be taking now to raise their odds of a Princeton acceptance. First, though, we’re going to get into some numbers. 

Columbia University Legacy Policies and Guide

Columbia University in New York City is one of the most famous schools in the Ivy League. They’re most known for the Columbia Core, which means students who want a true liberal arts education are probably drawn to this school like moths to a flame. But if you’re here, you’re not just drawn to the academics or culture or location, you’re drawn to it because you have a personal connection to the school.

How to Get into the University of Pennsylvania as an International Student: Strategy

International students are drawn to the University of Pennsylvania for good reason. It’s a top-tier Ivy League university with global respect and a powerful program. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, then, that it isn’t easy to get in regardless of where one is applying from. In this post, we’ll break down what prospective international applicants need to know — and do — to increase their chances of admission. First, though, let’s talk numbers.

Best Summer Strategy for High School Freshman Interested in Humanities

There is a lot to love about the humanities, and there are also a lot of humanities majors at most colleges. Whether you hope to study Russian Literature or Sociology, it is never too early to start exploring your academic interests and building a great resume. If you are dreaming of going to an elite college, you can’t waste your freshman summer. These three months are an opportunity to start to set yourself apart from the pack. But how? We are glad you asked; let’s break down what you should be doing freshman summer if you are interested in humanities.

How to Get into MIT as an International Student: Strategy

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or MIT, is one of the most respected engineering, science, and technology universities in the world. It is also one of the hardest to get into. For international students considering MIT, we highly recommend pursuing a proven strategy early. Every year we help international students get into outstanding schools, including MIT. In this post, we will give you a look at our playbook. We share three proven steps towards an MIT acceptance, along with some additional tips and tricks for the strongest possible application. First, though, let’s break down some statistics.

Brown University Legacy Policies and Guide

Brown University, located in Providence, Rhode Island, is one of the eight Ivy League schools and the 7th oldest institution of higher education in the US. They’re known for having a totally open curriculum – that’s right – no core classes. Brown is perfect for students who have a variety of interests or an interesting intersection of interests and want a place to explore those interests freely. But, if you’re here, you probably knew all this, because one (or both!) of your parents went to Brown and now you want to go to Brown too.

How to Get into Dartmouth as an International Student: Strategy

As an international perspective applicant, Dartmouth is a bit of a black box. It’s an Ivy League, and one of the hardest colleges to get into in the United States, but they don’t share much data about the details. While some other Ivies breakdown their admissions data to give applicants insight into the odds, Dartmouth doesn’t. In this post, we’ll demystify Dartmouth and give international applicants the tools they need to stand out for admissions. First, though, let’s talk about what statistics are available.

13 Best Schools without Demonstrated Interest

Demonstrated interest is when schools keep track of, and take into consideration, your level of interest in their school. Whenever you demonstrate interest, like through a tour, emailing your admissions officer, or signing up for an email, schools can track that! However, not all schools do care about demonstrated interest. Today, we’re going to talk about some of the top colleges that don’t take demonstrated interest into consideration.

9 Best Schools with Demonstrated Interest

Demonstrated interest is one of the lesser-asked about parts of the college admissions process, but that’s why we’re here to talk about it. At TKG, we’re all about the details! Demonstrated interest is when a school tracks and takes into consideration the level of interest you’ve demonstrated. We know it’s generally uncool to use the phrase in its own definition, but it’s pretty straightforward.