Never have I ever seen so many skateboarders zooming across a campus! My tour guide described USC as the ultimate “work-hard, play-hard” culture, and it totally made sense—everyone had places to be, and apparently, skateboards were the way to get there!

I visited USC while I was in Los Angeles for a professional conference. While there, I got to learn from admissions professionals about the latest college admissions trends and explore the iconic USC campus.

In the Heart of Los Angeles
USC’s main campus, Park Campus, is located just a short drive from downtown LA. Despite being in one of the busiest cities in the world, the campus is surprisingly compact—just one square mile. Most students live within a 2-mile radius of Park Campus. But in addition, there’s a smaller satellite campus downtown for the pre-health professional programs.

Academics
USC has 21 colleges! That’s a lot more than other schools its size. Some of the most selective programs include business and engineering, and you must declare these as your first choice on your application to be considered. But don’t worry—if you aren’t accepted into these programs, USC’s open course policy lets you easily take classes and declare minors in any college.

For example, you could major in economics in the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and minor in business in the Viterbi School of Engineering. However, double majoring across two different colleges is a bit trickier, and transferring to major in the Viterbi School of Engineering is nearly impossible.

Also, because it is LA, many students are into the creative arts. The most popular minors at USC? Dance, theater, and music! In fact, USC was the first school to offer a comedy minor.

Unique Academic Programs
USC has some super unique programs, including Dr. Dre’s Innovation Academy, which is all about creativity and entrepreneurship. There’s also a satellite campus where students study environmental science and sustainability on Catalina Island. And because it’s LA, there are classes like surfing (yes, you can surf for credit) and a natural history course that meets in different museums around the city.

For those dreaming of Hollywood, the Cinematic Arts Complex (SCA) offers incredible networking opportunities right in the heart of the entertainment industry.

USC’s journalism, communication, and media studies programs are also some of the best in the country.

Study Abroad
Sixty percent of USC students study abroad. There are programs that last from one week to a whole year, wit the most popular time to go being Maymester (after spring classes end). USC’s tuition covers up to 18 units, so if you take 14 units during the spring, your study abroad trip will be paid for through tuition – and your spring credit load is lightened!

Class Sizes & Academic Support
Like most big schools, USC has large lecture classes, especially in your first year. However, any class with more than 50 students has a lab or discussion section. Plus, freshmen are guaranteed to have two small classes (capped at 15 students): a writing class and a freshman seminar.

Housing
All first- and second-year students are guaranteed housing at USC. There are three types: classic dorms, suite-style, and apartments. The dorm buildings are smaller than you might see at other schools, which helps create tight-knit communities.

One of the coolest places to live on campus is the USC Village. Built in 2016, it has apartments on top and shops like Target and Trader Joe’s on the ground floor. If you’re a merit scholar, you get priority housing at the Village.

The Social Scene
Even though USC is in the middle of one of the most exciting cities in the world, there’s always something happening on campus. From student-run events to festivals, there’s no shortage of things to do. About 20% of students are in Greek life, but it doesn’t dominate the social scene. And if you’re itching to explore LA, USC students get free public transit to check out the city’s beaches, hiking trails, food scene, and Hollywood.

The student body is made up of approximately 40% of students from out-of-state, 20% international students and the rest from California.

Athletics
Ever wanted to touch a Heisman Trophy? USC is the only place in the world where you can! While their football program brings students together, USC also shines in other sports, like its champion beach volleyball team.

Safety First
USC takes safety seriously. To get on campus, students scan their IDs, and as visitors, we had to scan a day pass emailed to us.

In addition to security checks at campus entrances, students get free Lyft rides within a 2-mile radius at night. Every 50 yards on campus, you’ll also find a yellow-jacketed security guard (unarmed, but there to help). Our tour guide, a senior, said she feels very safe on campus and in the surrounding neighborhood.

Who’s a Good Fit for USC?
USC students are a perfect blend of highly motivated, academically serious, and fiercely engaged in student life. Whether you’re filming your latest project, perfecting your entrepreneurial pitch, or performing stand-up comedy, there’s room for every kind of passion. Plus, living in the middle of LA means embracing the arts, especially if you’re a creator yourself.

Fight On!

If I were applying to colleges today, Emory would be a top contender! With its mid-size, research-focused liberal arts environment, Division III sports, and a two-year on-campus housing policy—all while located in the vibrant city of Atlanta—Emory strikes a perfect balance between opportunity and community.

Emory and Oxford Campus

During my visit, I attended a 45-minute presentation by an admissions counselor who was an alumna of the Oxford College of Emory University. Oxford is a campus located about 40 miles from Emory’s main campus and is dedicated to first- and second-year students, with approximately 500 students from each class. While the majority of Emory students begin their college careers on the main campus, Oxford provides a smaller, more intimate setting for students who might benefit from a close-knit community as they transition into college life.

The presenter emphasized that Oxford offers students leadership opportunities that might not be available to underclassmen on the main Emory campus. Because Oxford has its own sports teams and student organizations, first- and second-year students can step into roles such as club presidents, sports captains, or student government leaders right from the start. For example, our presenter was the lead in a play during her freshman year and was able to write and direct her own play as a sophomore.

It’s important to note that while Oxford and Emory campuses are equal in academic rigor and admission rates, the environments are different. When applying to Emory, you’ll indicate on your Common Application whether you’d like to be considered for the Emory campus, the Oxford campus, or both. If you choose both, you’ll receive separate admission decisions for each campus. 

Emory Campus

As my Uber approached Emory’s campus, it seemed to pop out of nowhere, nestled within a charming neighborhood within the “City in a Forest”.

I was thrilled to explore the campus on foot during our tour. The sunny campus was more compact than I had expected, with art installations, food trucks, and green spaces scattered throughout. The buildings exuded a historic and academic vibe, but the interiors (at least the ones I saw) were modern and bright.

One surprise was the presence of 10(!) hospital buildings on campus. This not only provides students with quick access to healthcare but also offers ample opportunities for those interested in healthcare careers to gain hands-on experience.

Unfortunately, due to orientation and move-in weekend, I wasn’t able to tour a dorm. However, I learned that first- and second-year students are required to live on campus, while juniors and seniors often live in nearby apartments. Greek life is available starting in the second year, with about 23% of students participating. Our tour guide emphasized that Greek life is not necessary to have an active social life on campus.

Academics/Classes

The phrase “two ways in and three ways out” was emphasized heavily during my tour. This refers to the two ways to enter Emory—through the Emory or Oxford campus—but three ways to graduate. As sophomores, students apply to one of three schools: the Goizueta Business School, the College of Arts and Sciences, or the Woodruff School of Nursing. However, don’t worry about having to limit your studies to just one of these schools; it’s possible to major in one and take classes or even minor in another. The application process for these schools isn’t competitive in terms of spots available; instead, it’s based on your GPA and completion of each school’s pre-requisite classes. 

One class that particularly captivated me at Emory is a course, the Cold Cases Project,  where “undergraduate students examine unsolved and unpunished racially motivated murders from the modern civil rights era in Georgia.” Each semester, the class takes on a different case to bring closure to the victims’ families. Students spend the semester researching the case and producing a podcast.

Business School

While describing the community feel and non-competitive culture at Emory, our tour guide did mention that the Business School is graded on a bell curve. I took this to suggest that while the liberal arts and nursing schools promote collaboration, the Business School’s grading system might create a more competitive environment, with students vying for a limited number of A’s and B’s.

Atlanta, Georgia

During my weekend in Atlanta, I had the chance to explore the vibrant city. The 22-mile BeltLine path, lined with trendy restaurants, bars, and shops, along with the city’s active film scene, status as the “capital of hip-hop,” and rich history of political activism, make it clear why Atlanta is again and again awarded accolades such as “The Best Place to Live in the US” and “The South’s Best City”. 

Who is Emory Looking For?

In a one-on-one conversation with an admissions officer, I asked what types of applicants Emory is excited to see. I learned that Emory is working to move beyond its reputation as a pre-med powerhouse. At present, Emory is seeking students who are eager to engage across various academic areas– especially in the humanities, social sciences, and creative writing.

Fairfield University, a Jesuit Catholic university located in Fairfield, Connecticut, is a great campus for students who want to be close to both the beach and New York City, which is an hour’s train ride away. It is a values-based, student-centered school focused on outcomes and has a 98% job placement rate. Downtown Fairfield bustles with restaurants, shops, businesses and attractions; it is a great college town.

Academics
Fairfield has a core curriculum, direct-entry honors program and small intimate classes (no lecture halls). Students must apply to a specific school, but they can apply undecided and declare a major by the end of sophomore year. They do have the flexibility to switch from liberal arts to business, which is the school’s largest college. About half of Fairfield’s business students major in finance, which is more selective than the other business programs. There also is a master’s in finance program. The city of Fairfield, and Connecticut in general, has a lot of hedge fund jobs.

Fairfield University has a selective, direct-entry nursing program that students cannot transfer into. It accepts about 50% of applicants and seeks students with demonstrated strength in science and math. Students have the option to apply to the university’s engineering program undeclared, with the exception of biomedical engineering. The university’s large computer science program, also part of the School of Engineering and Computing, has about a 50% acceptance rate. About 86-92% of Fairfield graduates who go on to apply to medical school are accepted.

Fast Facts about Fairfield University:
4300 undergraduates; grown 1000+ students in 5 years
65% of students Catholic
Geographically diverse; 76% students out-of-state
92% retention rate
Division 1 (non-football)
School spirit for basketball, hockey
No Greek life
Study abroad and internships
Arts & Sciences students get paid ($2,500) internship
Good (non-audition) theater
Modern campus, new facilities and sports arena
A Minnesota connection – the University of Minnesota’s new president graduated from Fairfield

Admissions:
44% acceptance rate
27-31 ACT range
3.79 GPA
Accepts Common App
Test optional
Interview encouraged
Tracks demonstrated interest
EA, ED 1 and 2
High ED acceptance rate
Merit aid up to $2800; most students get some merit

Student Life
All freshmen live on campus and housing is available all four years, including beach houses, and many students live on the beach senior year. The college is working on becoming more diverse, but all students will feel welcome, and LQBTQ students will feel supported. There is an active Jewish student center.

Who Would Be Happy Here?
Students who want good employment opportunities and want to be involved in college and do volunteer work. Also students who are active, work hard, love the beach, and like the idea of having access to New York City. According to the Princeton Review, Fairfield is one of the top 2 colleges in the county for happy kids!

I have both good news and bad news for Harvard hopefuls. There is no formula for getting into Harvard. The university states this more than once on its website, and our experience with Harvard applicants confirms the sentiment. However, at a minimum, successful applicants are among the top 10 percent of their graduating class, get mostly As in the most rigorous courses offered, and can demonstrate qualities like leadership, intellectual curiosity, character and initiative. Even then, an acceptance rate of slightly more than 3% makes this prestigious university a reach even for those who can confidently check these boxes. 

No one can tell you exactly what it takes to get in, and university priorities contribute to Harvard’s elusiveness, as they do with every Ivy League school. But almost every year, we see students beat these odds, and we’re happy to share our insight into who is a potential fit as well as what makes a strong Harvard application. And while they may not be Harvard, we can also recommend alternative colleges that sometimes turn out to be an even better fit for students looking for a prestigious, rigorous university.

But first, Harvard. 

I most recently visited campus last May. My niece, an assistant professor there, served as my tour guide, and she was able to give me a thorough, personal tour so I could bring back what I learned to my students. As a college consultant, touring Harvard and visiting iconic landmarks, such as Harvard Yard as well as the Widener Library, is always thrilling. After my recent tour, as well as years of advising and celebrating the acceptances of Harvard hopefuls, here is what I’ve learned about applying to and attending the country’s oldest college.

Academics
At the core of Harvard’s mission is a focus on liberal arts and sciences. “Before students can change the world, they need to understand it,” proclaims Harvard’s website. This commitment is the foundation of a Harvard education, and its breadth and depth of experiences is unmatched. 

Harvard offers 50 majors, which it refers to as “concentrations,” and you do not need to know your concentration when you apply; you will declare it during your sophomore year. Many concentrations offer different tracks so you can specialize within a field, and if you have interdisciplinary interests, you can pursue a second concentration or even design your own course of study.

To help students “understand the world,” Harvard offers about 3,700 courses, a mix of classes that teach useful, marketable skills as well as explore more obscure topics. For example, in their pursuit of knowledge, students can study things like Greek mythology, the philosophy of comedy or human osteology (the study of skeletal remains). Two more great perks for students is they can take courses at MIT and transfer the credits, and Harvard offers dual degree options for music students at the Berklee College of Music and the New England Conservatory. 

Students are encouraged to engage in hands-on research as early as their freshman year; in fact, it’s said there are more labs looking for undergrads than undergrads looking for labs. Students can seek opportunities through the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (URAF) and affiliate programs as well as through individual inquiries with departments and professors.

A lot of learning takes place outside the classroom, too, and there is never a dearth of activities at Harvard. Want to explore archeology in Peru? No problem. Serve as case manager for a homeless shelter? Students do that, too. Participate in an aikido or table tennis team or mentor youth? Through enrichment opportunities like study abroad, as well as more than 500 student-run organizations, you have the opportunity to expand your learning in the community as well as globally.

Admissions Overview 
Each year, Harvard seeks a diverse, intellectual class of students who want to use their education to have an impact on the world. There are no GPA “requirements” to get in, but ranking at the top of your class is expected. However, academics alone will not set your application apart. Admissions also looks at factors like character, ability to overcome adversity, special talents and unique perspectives. To convey your unique, personal story, essays, letters of recommendation and activity descriptions are important parts of your application. 

Here are some admission highlights (stats are for the class of 2027).  

• 56,937 applicants 
• 1,966 admitted (3.4%)
• 16% international students
• 55% received need-based scholarships
• Tops fields: Humanities, Social Sciences, Physical Sciences, Engineering
• Test optional admission
• Need-blind admission
• Supplemental materials are accepted (music recordings, art, academic samples) 
• Nov. 1 Restricted Early Action (non-binding) deadline – mid-December notification
• Jan. 1 Regular Decision deadline  – end of March notification

Campus Life/Housing
Housing is unique at Harvard and an important part of social life on campus. Freshmen live in dormitories in or adjacent to Harvard Yard and dine in Annenberg Hall, fondly referred to as “Berg,” a beautiful Gothic-style building resembling the Great Hall in Harry Potter.  

For the remaining three years, students are assigned to 12 houses. About 350 to 500 students live in each house, which includes its own dining hall, library, advising staff – even mascots and traditions, so it becomes a big part of a student’s campus life. Assignments aren’t completely random; in an application freshman year you name seven people you want to live with. House assignments are announced with a lot of fanfare on Housing Day, an exciting tradition in spring and one of many ways students are immersed in the rich history of Harvard.

Cost/Financial Aid
Applying for financial aid and applying with financial need does not have a bearing on your application at Harvard. Harvard offers need-based aid but does not offer merit-based, and the university meets 100% of demonstrated need (the difference between the price of attendance and a family’s ability to pay). Read more about how aid works at Harvard. For the 2023-24 academic year, Harvard College’s tuition was $54,269. With fees including housing and food, the total cost of attendance was $79,450. 

Who Would be Happy Here
Serious students who are at the top of their class, truly love learning and who seek a diverse student body that will challenge their ideas and perspectives would feel at home at Harvard. The academic atmosphere is intense, and the course load is ambitious. Add to that extracurriculars and activities, and it is a busy, competitive environment that a student needs to be up to – both mentally and academically. Students who are successful at Harvard also tend to be confident, focused and passionate, with very specific interests and goals.

By Sue Luse

MIT has serious name recognition. Everyone has heard of MIT and immediately associates it with some of the brightest minds in science, math and technology. It isn’t for applicants who have a passing interest in a subject but deep passion and engagement beyond high school courses that they can demonstrate on their applications. MIT students are described as inventive, obsessed and talented, if not a little quirky. In other words, MIT is for the nerdiest of nerds – and its students proudly own this distinction.

I visited MIT on a beautiful day last spring as part of a tour of many Boston colleges and universities. My guide reinforced the idea that an MIT education is all about collaboration and hands-on projects meant to advance knowledge and serve society. In fact, MIT’s motto – Mens et Manus, or Mind and Hand – embodies this emphasis on intellect as well as craftsmanship, and a “learning by doing” philosophy is at the heart of all its programs.

True to this mission, upon graduation, MIT grads typically have completed three projects, some of them paid, through experiential learning opportunities. Understandably, research is also a big part of the MIT experience, and undergrad research starts the semester you arrive. According to MIT’s website, “through MIT’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP), more than 85% of undergraduates enrich their education through engaging in frontline, faculty-led research.” 

For all of its emphasis on science and technology, MIT also takes the arts, humanities, and social sciences seriously, and its curriculum demonstrates deep regard for the intersection of these disciplines and STEM. Its General Institute Requirements include a six-course science core; eight courses in the humanities, arts and social sciences; and 8 credits in physical education. First-year grading is designed to ease the transition from high school to college. Students start with Pass or No Record grading during the fall and  transition to A, B, C or No Record grades for spring. Standard A-F grading begins sophomore year. There is an IAP term in January, which means students get the month off for flexible, independent learning..

Fast Facts about MIT:

• Students take 4 classes each semester
• Calc, physics, chemistry and biology are required
• 8 humanities courses are required
• 70% of students come from public schools 
• There are 500 student clubs on campus
• 20% of students are varsity athletes
• The average starting salary for an MIT grad is $104,617 

The MIT application

MIT is not on the Common App. Instead, it uses its own system called MyMIT. Its admissions process is holistic, which means it takes into account factors besides academic merit. One of the most important factors is character, which you can demonstrate throughout your application. For example, MIT’s short essays prompt you to write about community, diversity and challenges. What you do for fun is also important, and there is only space to highlight four activities, so quality trumps quantity. Consider what you put your heart into, and write authentically – not with the goal to impress admissions. They truly want to know! You should submit one letter of recommendation from a STEM teacher and one from a humanities, social science or language teacher. Test scores are self-reported and required, and admissions likes to see perfect scores in math. MIT does superscore. 

After you submit an application, you will be contacted for “more of a conversation than an interview”, according to my tour guide. It can be virtual. MIT is 100% need blind and it does not offer scholarships. You will receive your college decision on, appropriately, March 14, or pi day.

Campus Life

At MIT, housing works differently than on most campuses. There are 11 dorms, but no traditional “freshman dorms”, and students select where they want to live. Most have cooking and dining areas, and cats are allowed in two of the halls. First-year students must live on campus, and 90 percent of students stay on campus all four years. The Greek system is popular at MIT, and there are 26 fraternities, 10 sororities and five independent living groups, which are co-ed fraternities and coop houses, each with their own unique culture.

MIT’s website sums up the vibe of its campus well: “We are fun and quirky, elite but not elitist, inventive and artistic, obsessed with numbers, and welcoming to talented people regardless of where they come from.”

Interested in adding MIT to your college list? Contact your College Expert counselor to learn more.