This replacement guide addresses the application-planning question behind the older Ivy League URL. There is no single application rulebook or guaranteed route to admission across those institutions.
Build a separate checklist for each college
- Start with fit. Record the student’s academic interests, support needs, location preferences and practical constraints. Include a balanced range of colleges.
- Read the current official requirements. Keep a link, the application cycle and the date checked. For example, Yale publishes its own requirements; another college’s policies may differ.
- Record documents and deadlines. Track the application, school materials, recommendations, testing requirements, supplements and any separate aid steps required by that institution.
- Coordinate with the school. Ask the counselor about internal deadlines. Give recommenders time and useful factual context.
- Draft in the student’s own voice. Use specific experiences and reflect honestly. Editing should help the student communicate; it should not invent accomplishments.
- Check receipt. After submission, follow the college’s instructions for monitoring outstanding items. A submitted application does not always mean every document has arrived.
Example tracker: college, official requirements link, deadline, responsible person, status and next action. Discuss one manageable next action at a time instead of asking the student to solve the whole process at once.
For contextual help, see academic and college guidance. Tutoring, activities or paid counseling do not guarantee admission.