Part of doing your homework and due diligence before applying to a top college is getting clear on reality versus mythology. There are few myths that I want to dispel because it drives me crazy when people misstate the facts. And, I would hate for you to look ignorant during a college interview or in your college admission essay.
1. Fiction: You Can Get a Full Ride to Attend an Ivy League College. The “Ivy League” represents the athletic pool of schools like the Pac 10 or Big 10. These universities are known for their high standards of academics. They put academics first and do not allow sports-based scholarships. So when you hear someone say that they know a student who got an athletic full ride to an Ivy League College, that person is wrong and ignorant. All aid is need-based on income, and admissions is need-blind. In other words, the Admissions Office and the Financial Aid Office operate independently. This is not to say that the Admissions Office cannot guess who has money and who does not, but they are only allowed to guess.
