Getting accepted at an elite Ivy League school is harder than ever.

Not only have the numbers of candidates for these coveted seats increased, but so have the entrance requirements. Ivy League colleges and universities accept only the best students.

Even if you’ve earned top grades in high school and on your college entrance exams, you still might not be Ivy League material.

Let’s look at what it takes to get into the Ivy League.

Set your sights early

If you’re thinking about going to an Ivy League school, your work begins long before your senior year. You’ll need to take higher level courses such as advanced mathematics in high school, and to make room for these classes, you may find yourself learning algebra in middle school.

You’ll need to make good grades in these subjects, and although you don’t need a perfect SAT/ACT score, you must show outstanding performance on your college entrance exams. Your grades and exam scores are predictors of college success.

Discover everything you can about the university

A commitment to getting a college degree is not something to be taken casually, Ivy League schools are most likely to accept students they think will be a good fit for their program. As a hopeful candidate, you have to do due diligence. Research every school to which you are applying.

Show your passion

For years everyone thought being well-rounded was the way to get into an Ivy League school. That meant getting good grades, lettering in sports, volunteering in the community, holding down a job and saving the world in your spare time. Applicants  were well-rounded but stretched thin. They had no focus and less passion.

The best way to get into an Ivy League school today is to show that you are passionate about what you do. You might only do one thing, but these schools want to see your passion for it. They also want to know that you are focused and ethical about your work.

Be yourself

Ivy League schools are looking for students who are authentic. Successful candidates who secure admission to one of these eight elite schools must be comfortable with being themselves.

Honesty goes a long way and so does being yourself. One of the best places to demonstrate both is in your application essay. Keep the tone formal, but write as though you are speaking to the decision-making committee. Avoid writing an exaggerated novel. Instead, approach the composition with honest answers that reveal who you are as a person.

It takes academic strength, knowledge about the school to which you are applying, deep passion, and personal integrity to get into the Ivy League. Your acceptance letter will recognize those characteristics, and your future Ivy League school will help you nurture them during your studies.