In the spring of 2024, Bronx high school student Malena Galletto made headlines after being accepted to all eight Ivy League schools—in addition to the 20 other schools to which she had applied. Incredible stories of students like Malena defying the admissions odds circulate every spring, and while they certainly inspire students, they also mislead them.
Many students who read about the unbelievable successes of those accepted to all eight Ivies assume that they can improve their own odds by simply applying to all of the Ivy League schools. However, this is not the case, and devoting time and energy to completing eight Ivy League applications is actually a detrimental strategy for most students—here’s why:
1. Every Ivy League School is Distinct
While many students and parents regard “the Ivy League” as a homogenous bloc of elite schools, the league is made up of vastly different schools, each with its own character, offerings, and campus—and every Ivy League school is not a good fit for every student. When compiling their balanced college lists, students should think strategically about the types of programs, campuses, learning environments, and communities they want access to. Do you want to attend a small school with a low student-to-faculty ratio or a large school with a plethora of opportunities? Are you interested in conducting lab research or are you more focused on the classroom experience? Will you thrive in a city or a rural setting? A student’s college list should be reflective of their answers to these questions and thus tailored to their needs and goals—both personal and academic.
A student who approaches their college list in this way will almost certainly not craft a list that includes all eight Ivy Leagues. While Dartmouth students are minutes away from hiking and skiing opportunities in rural New Hampshire, Columbia undergraduates have New York City’s entertainment and internships at their immediate disposal. Harvard offers students a highly traditional and structured academic environment. Meanwhile, Brown is known for its Open Curriculum and its diverse, creative, and interdisciplinary approach to education—one that is best suited for students who gravitate toward multiple different disciplines or want to think outside the box. As a land-grant institution, Cornell attracts students who are community minded and who want to use their learning to benefit not only the college but also Ithaca’s tight-knit community, while UPenn is known for graduating students who have a global mindset and are prepared to enter the upper echelons of their professions. In other words, students should not regard Ivy League schools as synonymous with “elite education,” but should instead weigh their interest in each individual school based on its programs, culture, and unique offerings.
2. Applying to All Eight Schools Doesn’t Increase Your Odds of Admission
It’s a common misconception that applying to all eight Ivy League schools will improve your chances of acceptance to at least one. First and foremost, students should note that applying to eight schools, all with single-digit acceptance rates, does nothing to increase their odds at any single one of them. On the contrary, it actually detracts from a student’s overall odds of admission by overloading their college list with reach schools at the expense of matches and safeties. That is to say, students are hedging their bets at schools where they face overwhelming odds of rejection (even if they are highly qualified), rather than balancing their list with schools that they are more likely to earn acceptance to.
Additionally, each Ivy League school has its own specific admissions criteria—just as every Ivy League school is not a fit for every student, every student is not a fit for every Ivy League school. A standout Ivy League application is meticulously tailored to demonstrate a student’s unique qualifications for a specific institution. Students who apply to all eight schools often cut corners, overgeneralize their reasons for applying, or tailor their answers to what they assume “Ivy League admissions officers” want to hear—all of which can negatively impact their chances of acceptance. Those who truly wish to attend a given Ivy League school should focus dedicated energy on leveling up their application materials to the particular school that aligns with their authentic interests and goals and ensure that they are putting their best foot forward in their materials.
3. Hyper-Focusing on the Ivy League Can Distract You from Better Matches
If you are applying to all eight Ivy League schools simply because of their prestige, not only will you likely craft inauthentic and unimpressive applications, but you will also miss out on other great schools that may be a better fit for you. Remember that rankings and low admissions rates are not the only measures of a school’s rigor and excellence. Rather than devoting countless hours to writing supplemental essays for every Ivy League school, you should spend your time researching a diversity of schools that house strong programs in your intended area of study. If you are interested in STEM, for instance, you might find that CalTech or UT Austin’s innovative and forward-thinking programs are a better fit for you than Harvard’s traditional option.
Ultimately, students should not apply to all eight Ivy League institutions—or any school—just for the sake of applying or because of the prestige associated with earning an acceptance. At the same time, students can gain strategic insights from the inspiring students who were accepted to all eight Ivies. How did some of the students deciding between all of the Ivies make their choice? In 2014, Kwasi Enin chose Yale after visiting the campus and enjoying the school’s residential college system and friendly student body. Craig McFarland originally chose Yale, but changed his plans when the pandemic forced him to reprioritize having a support system nearby, leading him to choose Harvard. Ashley Adirika—a Florida teen who was accepted to all eight Ivies in 2022—made her decision based on the strength of Harvard’s academic offerings in her field of interest: “[W]hen I did further research for what I want to do specifically, which is explorations in policy and social policy and things of that nature, Harvard just had a better program.”