Will Ivy-League Universities Ever Accept An Average Student?

I chanced upon this question in Quora and the answer provided by someone who seemed to have experience working with 'average' student who got admitted into Ivy-league varsity. His answer may be of interests to any regular student-readers of my blog (this blog) who somehow failed to get the excellent results for Ivy-league entry that they were aiming for in the first place - say, due to being sick on exams day.

Hope this helps:

Eric Eng, Founder of IvyCollegeAdmit (www.ivycollegeadmit.com)

Updated Jan 7 · Upvoted by Woody Hancock, studied at Harvard University and Carla Mortensen, MTS Applied Theology, Harvard University (1979)

I’ve seen students with perfect 1600 (or 2400) SAT scores and 4.0 GPA’s get turned down by the Ivies. I’ve also helped and worked with lower achieving students with 1800 (out of 2400) SAT scores and 3.3 GPA get accepted into an Ivy League (Yes, 3.3 GPA - you heard that right - and he was Asian American too).

What it all comes down to is how you demonstrate your personal qualities, leadership, and commitment to your community through the application. This takes the form of personal statements, extracurricular activities, and recommendation letters that help the admissions officers determine whether to accept or reject you.

The biggest mistake that students make is not taking their application seriously enough. This tends to happen with overachievers, who believe that their grades, test scores, and even national academic awards are enough to get them in.

So yes, do pursue your passions and your interests, and work as hard as you can during your four years of high school. Just remember to capture and express all of your personal qualities in the college application itself, and write a genuine, palpable personal statement that helps the admissions officers understand the qualities that define you.

Because at the end of the day, the bitter truth is that admissions to Ivy League schools is highly dependent on how well you present yourself on paper and draft your personal statement.

Please read my blog on what the Ivy Leagues are looking for:

The Biggest Misconception About College Admissions - Ivy College Admit

The Personal Statement: The Holy Grail of College Admissions - Ivy College Admit 

Nicole Gan Scored A (87%) for CIE A2 Chemistry 9701 in May/June 2019 Exams

Nicole Gan scored a very respectable strong A (87%) - worthy of special mention in a dedicated blog post - for her CIE (A-level) Chemistry 9701 A2 (Yr 13) in May/June 2019 exams.

For CIE AS (Yr 12) May/June 2018 exams for the same subject - she scored 88% (strong A too).

A-level is certainly much tougher that O-level.

So folks, while preparing for your O-level, do acquire strong analytical skill to carry into your A-level. Nicole has it - that's why she could score a strong A. If you are too easy-going (like 1-month holidays means 1 month off from study totally) or over-confident due to excellent O-level results, you may end up finding A-level tough and the results will show. What more when you enter university?! Put in more effort as you go higher.

With that, my heartiest congrats to Nicole n I wish Nicole the very best in her next chapter in life. May she get into the British university of her choice to do a course of her liking. Once again, congrats!

Sincerely,
Douglas.

P/s:

In IGCSE (O-Level) , Nicole (Nobel Int'l Sch) took tuition in 3 subjects from me and her scores in the 2016 Oct/Nov exams:

1) Chemistry 0620: A* (94%)
2) Physics 0625: A* (93%)
3) Add-Maths 0606: A (83%) - I actually expected her to score A* for Add-Maths based on her usual performance during tuition with me - but she told me she was panicky for the 1st paper. When she wasn't panicky for her AS-level Maths (CIE), she scored A* (94%) with no tuition from others! :)

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The best time to get tuition slot(s) from me is in June/July and Nov/Dec - just after the Summer and the Winter exams - when students who just finish their exams vacate their tuition slots.

My WA # 011-2120 1608

My email: tutortan1@gmail.com

Natalia Lim Scored A (88%) for IGCSE Add-Maths 0606 in June 2019 Exams

Natalia was a home-schooled student - she was either taught by her mum or a tutor like me (for subject like IGCSE Physics 0625).

This year (May /June 2019): She sat for 2 more subjects - IGCSE Add-Maths 0606 n Economics (taught, I think, by her capable mum) and she scored A for both (88% for Add-Maths) - results slip above.

Last year (Oct /Nov 2018): Natalia sat for 4 subjects - all of which she obtained A or A*. The subject that she took tuition from me was IGCSE Physics 0625 and she scored A* (90%) - please see an earlier congratulatory blog-post on this.

Heartiest congrats to Rachel n Natalia - it's A* or A for all subjects! :)

P/s:

1) Natalia's Mum has since recommended NC (of Gdn Int'l Sch, daughter of her medical-doctor friends) to take tuition from me for the IGCSE subjects of Physics 0625 and Add-Maths 0606 at the same hourly fees as Natalia's (RM100/hr + RM30 per to-and-return Ampang trip).

2) Available tuition slots: If you need tuition slot(s), the best time to get them from me will be immediately after Summer or Winter exams in June/July and November/December respectively.

WhatsApp me at: 011-2120 1608.

IGCSE Physics 0625: Douglas Tan's Tuition Students Who Scored A or A*

Douglas Tan's tuition students who scored A* or A in IGCSE Physics 0625 (or, Edexcel Int'l GCSE Physics (4PMO)):

1) Oct /Nov 2019 exams: A (88%) - Ng Yu Kai (Sri KL Int'l School)

2) Oct /Nov 2018 exams: A* (92%) - May Lee May Chin (Beacon Hse Sri Inai)

3) Oct /Nov 2018 exams: A* (90%) - Natalia Lim (Home School))

4) May /June 2017 exams: A (88%) - Nazeera Shafleena (Sri Cempaka)

5) Oct /Nov 2016 exams: A* (93%) - Nicole Gan (Nobel Int'l Sch.)

6) May /June 2016 exams: A* (90+%) - Lim Jin Quan (Sri Cempaka)

7) Before 2016: A or A* - Karina Hamzah (Garden Int'l Sch), Alistair Yong (Honsbridge), Angela Loo (Honsbridge) and more ... (drop me a note if I inadvertently miss you out)

8) May /June 2017 Edexcel GCSE exams Physics (4PHO): A* - Caroline McLean 

You may refer to the dedicated blog posts in this blog for their 'thank you' notes, result slips n /or WhatsApp messages to me on their results. :)

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Available tuition slots: The best time to get tuition slot(s) from Douglas is in June/July and Nov/Dec - just after Summer or Winter exams - when students who just finish their exams vacate their slots.

Douglas' WA # 011-2120 1608

Douglas' email: tutortan1@gmail.com

IGCSE Chemistry 0620: Douglas Tan's Tuition Students Who Scored A or A*

Douglas' tuition students who scored A* or A in IGCSE Chemistry 0620 (or, Edexcel Int'l GCSE Chemistry (4CHO)):

1) Oct /Nov 2018 exams: A* (94%) - May Lee May Chin (Beacon Hse Sri Inai) 

2) Oct /Nov 2017 exams: A (80+%) - Matthew Sia (Beacon Hse Sri Inai) 

3) May /June 2017 exams: A (88%) - Nazeera Shafleena (Sri Cempaka) 

4) Oct /Nov 2016 exams: A* (94%) - Nicole Gan (Nobel Int'l Sch.) 

5) May /June 2016 exams: A* (90+%) - Lim Jin Quan (Sri Cempaka) 

6) Before year 2016: A or A* - Karina Hamzah (Garden Int'l Sch), Shannon Khoo (Honsbridge), Angela Loo (Honsbridge), Kimberly (home-school) and more...(if I inadvertently miss out anyone, kindly let me know.)

7) May/June 2017 Edexcel GCSE exams: Chemistry (4CHO), A*- Caroline McLean

You may refer to the dedicated blog posts in this blog for their 'thank you' notes, result slips n /or WhatsApp messages to me on their results. :)

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Available tuition slots: The best time to get tuition slot(s) from me is in June/July or Nov/Dec - just after the Summer and the Winter exams - when students who just finish their exams vacate their tuition slots.

Douglas' WA # 011-2120 1608

Douglas' email: tutortan1@gmail.com

Douglas Tan's Teaching Profile

This Teaching Profile summarizes my teaching and private tutoring experience and achievements up to Year 2016. Thereafter (2017 - 2019), students' achievements are recorded through individual dedicated posts in this blog:

The best time to get tuition slot(s) from me is in June/July or Nov/Dec - just after the Summer and the Winter exams - when students who just finish their exams vacate their tuition slots.

My WA # 011-2120 1608

My email: tutortan1@gmail.com

May Lee Scored A* for Both Physics (92%) and Chemistry (94%) in IGCSE Oct /Nov 2018 Exams

(Updated on 05/01/2019)

Yeah, more great news!

A moment ago, May Lee whatsapped: "I get 94 for chemistry and 92 for physics" followed by a 'thank you note' - please see the photoshot. And, I thank her for her kind words.

May Lee took tuition on Physics 0625 and Chemistry 0620 from me for about 16 months - 1.5 hours for each subject. The 2 subjects were done one after another - totaling 3 hours in 1 session firstly on Saturday, then changed to Sunday. You will note later that her tuition hours for Physics were increased by 1.5 hours about 3 months before her exams because she obtained only 70+ for Physics in her mock exams.

And, her parents - upon noticing her non-A score for Physics - on their own without my request, increased her tuition hours by 1.5 hrs / week about 3 months before the exams - the additional 1.5-hr gave me more time to help her. Students usually take 2-hr tuition for subjects like Physics, Add-Math n Chemistry for at least 15 months to excel in the subjects.

So, finally she scored A* for both Chemistry (94%) n Physics (92%).

Warmest congrats n best wishes to May Lee! :)

Sincerely,
Douglas Tan

WA: 011-2120 1608

Natalia Lim JX Scored A* for IGCSE Physics 0625 in 2018 Oct /Nov Exams

Yeah, good news from Natalia's Mom!

Rachel just whatsapped me Natalia's IGCSE full results slip with the following words "...Mr Douglas - you are the best ... Your reputation as a great physics teacher is proven once again" - it's an A* for Natalia who never learn physics before and never from any one else but me - her sole physics tutor. In fact, Natalia scored at least an A for all the subjects she took!

Natalia and her siblings are all home-school students with a very capable and dedicated Mom. Dad is a very nice man - a corporate lawyer. Elder sisters are mostly in Canada - holding Master n PHD. It's an honour really to get to know this Christian family which was why I was impressed enough to buy her a farewell "Thank You" cake on my last lesson with her. Her mom was surprised n remarked that: "We should be the one thanking you!" n presented me with chocolates n tarts bought from, I think, Taiwan. The family has many lovely dogs - some of which were previously stray dogs - but you couldn't tell from their current loveliness! :)

So, you see; it is possible for a student who is bright - Natalia is bright, intelligent, conscientious n never over-ride me on my implementation of the tuition programme - and  has zero knowledge of physics initially to eventually score A* in IGCSE by spending 2 hours/week (for about 15 months) taking tuition from a physics tutor with proven record.

Proven record means the tutor must have produced many verifiable tuition students who scored A* or A in the subject before and he must have a systematic approach in conducting his tuition - covering every areas mentioned in the applicable syllabus using: firstly, an Examiner-approved (Cambridge) textbook n all the questions therein; secondly, has taken pain in extracting relevant past year questions for the student to do upon finishing each syllabus area or topic; and, finally, just 2 or 3 months before exams, going through all the preceding 3 or 4 years of past-year questions on paper-by-paper basis (not topic-by-topic as was earlier done)..

Natalia's mom has experience in giving tuition too. She sat in during the first few lessons. She was impressed and she paid me RM100 /hr (instead of the my normal RM90 /hr for IGCSE level) because she knew from her experience that I have spent a lot of time n effort in preparing my tuition programme including in extracting topical questions for my students.

Natalia's A* would not have been possible without her Mom concurrent monitoring of homework (mainly past-year questions) I gave Nat to do.

So, it's joint-happiness for Natalia's A*.

Heartiest congrats to Natalia and I'm really proud of you Nat! :) <3