While both the BluePrint Plan (also known as the Morganelli Method) and the "5 P's of College Admissions" aim to guide students through the college application process, they differ significantly in their approach and focus. The "5 P's" framework provides a broad, holistic strategy that encourages students to showcase their passion, purpose, and achievements across various aspects of their application. In contrast, BluePrint places a premium on how a student engages in their activities, particularly in leadership and academic pursuits. This method is not just about what students do, but how they do it—focusing on the style, strategy, and intentionality behind their actions. By developing a cohesive academic narrative and strategically aligning with specific departments or majors, BluePrint prioritizes depth of engagement and the crafting of a compelling ethos that resonates with the competitive landscape of the target institution.

: The 5 P's—Passion, Purpose, Preparation, Presentation, and Personalization—offer a broad, holistic view of the application process. They encourage students to express their passion, demonstrate purpose in their academic and extracurricular choices, prepare through strong academics, present themselves effectively, and personalize their applications to each college. This approach focuses on creating a well-rounded application that appeals to college admissions officers on multiple fronts.

 on the other hand, is highly specialized, and focused on creating a cohesive application narrative centered around a student's academic interests and intellectual pursuits. It emphasizes the importance of ethos—the character or message of an essay—and the application narrative, which is a strategic communication of the applicant's academic and professional character through the entire application. The method prioritizes depth over breadth, aiming to position the student as a specialist rather than a generalist. The creator of BluePrint, former Director of Admissions at Cornell, John Morganelli, believes this positioning is key to gaining admission to highly selective schools.

2. Application Narrative vs. Personalization

 Personalization in the 5 P's involves tailoring the application to the specific college, showing why the applicant is a good fit for that institution. This might include writing essays that connect personal experiences or goals to the college's unique offerings.

The Morganelli Method takes personalization further by emphasizing the creation of an academic narrative that aligns with the specific department or major within the college the student is applying to. This involves not just tailoring the application to the college but deeply integrating the student's past experiences, research, and future intellectual goals with the specific academic environment of the prospective major.

 The preparation component of the 5 P's includes academic achievements and relevant experiences, but it doesn't necessarily delve into the specific deliverables or tangible outcomes of these experiences.

 Deliverables are crucial in the Morganelli Method. Students are encouraged to produce tangible evidence of their academic interests, such as research projects, publications, or leadership in related activities. These deliverables are then strategically integrated into the application to support the overall narrative and ethos, demonstrating a high level of engagement and intellectual maturity.

: Presentation in the 5 P's is about effectively telling your story through essays, recommendations, and other materials. It's about coherence and making sure the different parts of the application work together to present a compelling picture of the applicant.

 The Morganelli Method's concept of ethos goes deeper than mere presentation. It involves carefully crafting each essay and component of the application to communicate a specific aspect of the student's character and academic interests. The ethos must align with the overall application narrative and the strategic goals of the application, ensuring that the message is clear, compelling, and tailored to the specific requirements of the target institution.

 The 5 P's might encourage students to choose a major that aligns with their passion and purpose, but it does not necessarily involve a strategic analysis of major competitiveness.

 Major selection is a strategic decision in the Morganelli Method. The method advises students to consider the competitiveness of the major, how well it aligns with their past experiences, and whether it supports the overall narrative they are trying to build. This approach is data-driven and tailored to the structure of the university and its departments.

While both frameworks aim to enhance a student's college application, BluePrint is far more specialized and focused on creating a deep, cohesive narrative centered on the student's academic interests, whereas the 5 P's offer a broader, more general approach to building a well-rounded application. Students looking for help perfecting their college application can sign up for Ivy Tutors Network BluePrint 

 on a specific area of their application.

Start with a diagnostic SAT, ACT, SHSAT, ISEE, SSAT, TACHS, or AP test so you know where you stand and where you need improvement. Knowledge is power!

What are the 5 P's of College Admissions?

Ivy League schools are a set of 8 schools on the East Coast of the United States known for their academic excellence and selective admissions processes. They are often considered to be the best schools in the country, though there are many institutions with equal academic rigor that are not considered Ivy League (but are sometimes referred to as Ivy Plus schools). Officially, the eight Ivy League schools are:

Ivy League Schools Acceptance Rate in 2024

 to build our table, as well as data published by the universities themselves. Data is not yet available for the class of 2028 (admissions for 2023-24 school year). In some instances, data is also still not available for the class of 2027 (admissions for the 2022-23 school year). We have provided the most recent confirmed data for each school. 

Brown University received 51,302 applications for the class of 2027 and accepted 2,547 students for an acceptance rate of 5.1%. Their early decision rate was higher: they received 6,770 and accepted 879 students for a 13.0% acceptance rate.

Columbia University - 3.93% Acceptance Rate

Columbia University received 57,129 applications for the class of 2027 and accepted 2,246 students for an acceptance rate of 3.9%. Colombia has both early action and early decision, but has not yet released their acceptance data for these applications.

Cornell University - 6.91% Acceptance Rate

Cornell University has not yet released the data for the class of 2027, other than total admitted students, 4,994.

For the class of 2026, Cornell received 71,064 applications and accepted 4,908 for an acceptance rate of 6.91%. Their early decision rate was 19.18% (1,831 students were accepted from 9,555 total applications).

Dartmouth University - 6.1% Acceptance Rate

Dartmouth University received 28,841 applications for the class of 2027, and accepted 1,751 students for an acceptance rate of 6.1%. They accepted 19.21% of their early decision applicants. There were 3,009 early decision applications, and 578 of them were accepted.

Harvard University - 3.41% Acceptance Rate

Harvard University received 56,937 applications for the class of 2027, and accepted 1,942 for an overall acceptance rate of 3.41%. Harvard offers both Restricted Early Action and Early Decision options. They received 9,553 applications under these programs and accepted 722 students for an early acceptance rate of 7.56%.

Princeton University - 4.5% Acceptance Rate

Princeton University received 39,644 applications for the class of 2027 and accepted 1,782 for an overall acceptance rate of 4.5%. Princeton has a Restricted Early Action program, but has withheld data on the acceptance rate of students through this program for the last several years.

University of Pennsylvania (Penn) - 5.87% Acceptance Rate

The University of Pennsylvania (Penn) received 59,465 applications for the class of 2027. 3,489 students were accepted for an acceptance rate of 5.87%. They have not yet released how many students applied and were accepted via Early Decision.

Yale University received 52,250 applications for the class of 2027 and accepted 2,275 students for an acceptance rate of 4.35%. Yale has a Restricted Early Action program with a 10.89% acceptance rate for the class of 2027 (7,744 students applied REA and 842 were accepted).

Which Ivy League has the highest acceptance rate?

Cornell had the highest overall acceptance rate in the 2022-2023 admissions cycle. But of those who released the date, Darmouth accepted the largest percentage of its Early Decision (ED) applicants.

Which Ivy League has the lowest acceptance rate?

Harvard had the lowest acceptance rate in the 2022-2023 admissions cycle, both overall and among 

Which Ivy League school receives the most applications?

Cornell University received the most applications, 71,064, for the 2022-23 admissions cycle (class of 2026).

Which Ivy League school receives the least number of applications?

Dartmouth University received the least applications, 28,336, for the 2022-23 admissions cycle (class of 2026).

What Is The Easiest Ivy League School To Get Into?

No Ivy League schools are “easy” to get into. They require an impressive academic record, strong extracurriculars, and an excellent essay to earn admission. Based solely on data, however, Cornell accepts the highest number of applicants each year. Remember, however, that this does not mean 

 will get into Cornell. It’s important to understand your strengths and weaknesses and where you will be the best fit based on your background and future goals.

5 tips on how to get into an Ivy League school from admission experts

Ivy Tutors Network recently wrote a blog on 

. We encourage you to read the full article, but here are five tips to get you started.

Pursuing an academically rigorous course load is absolutely essential to getting in to an Ivy League school. Take the most advanced classes available to you, focusing on those most relevant to your intended course of study. If you’re in a competitive school, be aware of what your classmates are taking to not fall behind. When it comes to admissions you’re first and foremost evaluated based on what’s available to you and how other applicants from your school are performing.

There’s plenty of space to do an activity “just for fun”, but make sure you have several extracurricular activities that can be tied into your future goals and show intentional leadership.

Having a clear academic goal is the most helpful way to build a strong college application because you can make decisions throughout high school based on this goal. They can help determine which coursework is most advantageous and which activities speak to your strengths.

, to your application makes it cohesive and creates a clear picture for the admissions department of who you are and how you'll contribute to the student body.

A good strategy can make a big difference in competitive college admissions. Different schools have different strengths and weaknesses. A really competitive program at one Ivy League might be less competitive at another. A college admissions coach can help you determine which schools and programs offer you the best chance of admission.

From test prep to application strategy, our 

 at Ivy Tutors Network are ready to help you get into your dream school. 

 or download our free College Planning Checklist here.

Ivy League Acceptance Rates in 2024

This blog was updated on September 9, 2024

 is open to all current eighth grade or first-time ninth grade students who live in New York City. This 3-hour test is the only criterion for gaining entry into one of the nine specialized public schools, which are known for their academic rigor, top teachers, great courses offerings, and exciting extra-curricular opportunities. 

SHSAT registration opens up in the Fall of each year. Here’s what you need to know to get the chance to attend one of these amazing public high schools!

Yes, the SHSAT is held every year for 8th and 9th graders in the Fall/Winter.

To register for the SHSAT, you need to log into your 

 account. If you do not already have an account, you can create one.

When you are logged into your account, you will be given the option to rank the specialized high schools in order of preference. Give some thought to this and make sure you are truly listing schools in the order you would want to go to them.

Approximately two weeks after the registration deadline, you will receive a personalized test ticket with information on when and where you will take the test.

You can also register for the SHSAT through your school counsellor.

The 2024 SHSAT test dates, along with other important dates, have just been announced. 

 for the most accurate and up to date information on all testing information. 

. Before registering for the SHSAT, you will want to do some research on the specialized high schools and give some thought as to how you are going to rank them. You can learn more about the specialized high schools 

 and by visiting each of their individual websites. We highly recommend attending any tours or information sessions that are available, either in-person or online.

. Needless to say, you’re going to want to familiarize yourself with what’s on the SHSAT and start creating a study plan. We recommend students start 

 in the second semester of 7th grade if they are taking it as an 8th grader, or the second semester of 8th grade if they are taking it as a 9th grader. The key to mastering the SHSAT lies in ample and consistent practice. The more students familiarize themselves with the material covered on the test and work on skills like time-management and concentration, the better their results will be.

 to provide a better sense of the student’s strengths and weaknesses, and a valuable roadmap for topics to review and testing skills they’ll need to master. We can help administer this test and provide a comprehensive report to help organize the test prep process.

 after several months of study, and/or a month before the test date, to gauge the student’ progress, inform their long-term test prep plan, and build their confidence in test taking. Like the diagnostic test, these tests should be timed and proctored (by a parent or tutor), re-creating the actual test conditions so that the student can accurately assess their test taking skills.

 Practice is a good thing, but students who don’t first learn the content and strategies related to their test are just “practicing” or reinforcing their mistakes. Students should make sure they understand why they got the problem wrong (yes, all of them!) before moving on to more practice.

Ivy’s brilliant and caring tutors have helped thousands of students learn smart studying and test taking strategies, understand key concepts and build confidence, skills that are vital not just for SHSAT, but for the 

 creates the necessary structure and reinforcement that students often need to practice consistently. 

, a small group online workshop where students take a diagnostic exam, review content and learn tricks and strategies for excelling on this challenging test.

Our semi-private classes are available in person and online. A proven method with fantastic results year after year, students work in groups of 3-6 and share the cost of an expert tutor!

Get ready for the SHSAT 2024! Our comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about SHSAT registration, including important dates, required documents, and expert tips to secure your spot at specialized high schools in New York City. 

SHSAT Registration 2023

SHSAT Registration 2024

There's so much to consider. We're here to help you through it every step of the way. Prices start at $30/hr for larger groups.

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