Rona Aydin is the founder of Oriel Admissions, a Princeton-based college admissions consulting firm serving families nationwide. An Oxford University graduate, Rona leads a team of former admissions officers from Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia who help students build standout applications to the most selective universities in the country. Her data-driven approach to college admissions strategy has helped hundreds of families navigate the increasingly competitive landscape at Ivy League and top-20 schools.
TLDR: Williams (7.4%), Swarthmore (7.4%), and Amherst (6.78%) set record-low Class of 2030 acceptance rates in March 2026 (sources: The Williams Record, Swarthmore College News, The Amherst Student), placing all three among the most selective undergraduate institutions in the country with admit rates comparable to Cornell. For affluent families choosing among them: Williams offers a … Continued
TL;DR: By April of junior year, Ivy-bound students should have a 3.9+ unweighted GPA with 4-6 AP courses, an SAT score of 1500+ or ACT of 34+, a clearly identified extracurricular spike with measurable impact, strong relationships with two academic teachers, and a concrete summer plan with research, internship, or program already confirmed. Students who … Continued
TL;DR: Five costly myths continue to derail college admissions outcomes for high-achieving families: that being well-rounded still works (it does not), that test-optional means tests do not matter (scores still help 70%+ of admitted students), that legacy guarantees admission (legacy acceptance rates have fallen sharply since the SFFA lawsuit revealed the 33% legacy rate at … Continued
TL;DR: By the end of junior year, the typical admitted Ivy League student has an unweighted GPA above 3.93, an SAT above 1520 or ACT above 34, 8 to 10 AP courses completed or in progress, 3+ years of deep commitment to one extracurricular domain with tangible achievements (published research, competition wins, revenue, or founded … Continued
TL;DR: The majority of valedictorians who apply to Harvard are rejected. Former Harvard President Drew Faust has publicly stated Harvard could fill its incoming class twice over with high school valedictorians, underscoring that class rank alone does not guarantee admission. A perfect 4.0 GPA and 1580 SAT do not guarantee admission – they are the … Continued
TL;DR: Starting college prep in April of junior year is late but not too late – 15 months of runway remains before the January 1 Regular Decision deadline of senior year. The honest answer: families can still substantially improve outcomes if they act immediately and strategically, but the marginal return on interventions decreases sharply after … Continued
TL;DR: Junior year is when your AP course load should peak at 4 to 6 AP classes, up from 2 to 4 in sophomore year. The most impactful junior-year APs are AP US History (or AP European History), AP Calculus AB or BC, AP Physics, AP English Language, and one AP aligned with your intended … Continued
TL;DR: Your school counselor writes a recommendation letter that every college on your list reads, and it carries different weight than teacher letters because counselors provide institutional context – your course load relative to what is available, your role in the school community, and any circumstances that affected your performance. 78% of admissions officers rate … Continued
TL;DR: Junior year is the single most important year in the college admissions process. Junior-year grades are the most recent complete academic year on your application and carry the most weight with admissions officers. 73% of admissions officers rank junior-year grades as the most important transcript factor (NACAC, 2025). The six highest-impact actions for juniors: … Continued
TL;DR: The optimal junior year SAT and ACT strategy is a first sitting in October or December, a retake in March, and a final attempt in May or June if needed. The middle 50% SAT range at Ivy League schools is 1500 to 1570 (College Board, 2025-2026). Most students improve 30 to 60 points between … Continued
TL;DR: Recommendation letters are rated “very important” or “important” by every Ivy League school in their Common Data Set filings (CDS Section C7, 2024-2025). The best time to ask is March of junior year – before spring break, not after. Ask two core academic subject teachers who know you well, not the teacher who gave … Continued
TL;DR: The summer before senior year is the most strategically important summer of your high school career. By August 1 when the Common App opens, the strongest applicants have a polished personal essay draft, a finalized list of 10 to 14 schools, and research completed on supplemental essay prompts. This summer should be split between … Continued
TL;DR: The University of Michigan waitlist acceptance rate has averaged approximately 4% over the past 24 years, with a high of 1,663 students admitted (Class of 2029, 9% rate) and fewer than 80 admitted in multiple years (historical UMich Common Data Set filings, University of Michigan Office of the Registrar; 24-year compilation by The Michigan … Continued
TL;DR: Northeastern’s waitlist acceptance rate has historically ranged from 0% to approximately 10%, with most recent cycles falling in the 2 to 5% range (Northeastern CDS 2019-2025). Northeastern received over 105,000 applications for the Class of 2030, making it one of the most applied-to schools in the country. Northeastern is one of the few top-30 … Continued
TL;DR: Sophomore year is the highest-leverage year in the college admissions process because it is the last full year where you can meaningfully change your academic trajectory before junior-year grades lock in. 94% of Ivy League admitted students graduated in the top 10% of their class, and that ranking is built over four years – … Continued
TL;DR: “Rigor of secondary school record” is rated the single most important admissions factor by every Ivy League school in Common Data Set Section C7 filings. For sophomores targeting top-25 schools, the ideal course load includes 2 to 4 AP or honors courses, with AP World History, AP Biology or Chemistry, AP Language and Composition, … Continued