Former Ivy League Admissions Director Helps Students Crack the Code on College Applications Process in New Book

April 27 22:42 2021
Colleges do not want well-rounded students; they seek a well-rounded class. There is a significant difference. That means universities often seek to admit great physics students, great violinists, great historians, great computer scientists, and together they create a well-rounded class. In comparison, traditionally “well-rounded” students are often left on the outside looking in.

In his newly released book Growing Ivy: How to Crack the Code on Elite College Admissions, John Morganelli, Jr. helps bright high school students and their families navigate the admissions process for roughly 80 highly selective colleges and universities.

The author knows from experience that students without access to accurate information are at a distinct disadvantage against students who understand the college application process and enter with a strategy. The practical information in Growing Ivy for students and their parents speaks for itself in the chapter titles, such as understanding application review, crafting the college story, engaged volunteerism, what drives decisions, ensuring enrollment diversity, and financial aid considerations.

The book also offers insights on the mindset and approach to support the student in presenting the best possible version of themselves to the institution of their choice. The author’s sage advice is to begin early in high school, using the term “growing ivy” to describe the preparation process as a journey that starts before sitting in front of a blank college application. “When the students I work with grow their ivy,” says John Morganelli, “they not only are preparing for the best possible higher educational experience, but also a purpose-driven life full of knowledge, wonder, and accomplishment. I always inquire about their area of academic interest and suggest they turn it into meaningful volunteerism in their community, which will enhance their experience as well as pique the attention of college admissions.”

John Morganelli is one of the only independent admissions consultants in the United States who has been an undergraduate Ivy League admissions director at Cornell University College of Arts & Sciences. His decade of experience reviewing tens of thousands of college admissions applications at some of the most selective institutions in the nation makes him uniquely qualified to help families crack the code on elite college admissions.

John offers three tips to help students and their parents prepare for the admissions process. His advice applies to almost all U.S. colleges and universities.   

1. The review process is highly subjective. Students and their families often come to me yearning for a simple formula: GPA + SAT = OFFER. But that is not the way it works. Several moving parts make a compelling argument as to why a student should be admitted to one of the best universities based on their academic performance, in-school and out-of-school engagement, and intestinal fortitude.

2. Universities seek curious people who hope to make original contributions to their communities. He believes curiosity is a fundamental difference between students who consider education a means to an end and those who view it as a tool that helps them create something new.

3. Applicants must build a story that the reader understands, believes, and remembers. That requires self-reflection. It requires in-depth research into each institution. It requires an understanding of how to see the synergies between student engagement and institutional opportunity.

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