Will Studying More Subjects Help Me Get Into an Ivy League University?

Welcome back to our two-part blog on the art of self-study! Last time we learned what self-study was and how it can boost your chances of gaining admission to your dream university. This second blog focuses on:

• How you can get involved in self-study.
• How you can get your school to support you in your journey.
• How you can find the right tutor.

So lets get into it!

How can I get involved in Self-Study?

There are two key types of self study:

The first is acceleration, or simply taking subjects earlier. This will help you build an advantage over your peers in your depth of expertise, and will also enable you to compete more effectively academically at school.

This will also allow you to differentiate your academic passion for a particular subject, and will enhance your university application. Most schools are highly supportive of students who want to engage in self-study, as they appreciate any student who wants to stretch beyond the obvious and set an example for other students at their school.

The other kind of self-study is breadth, which is the pursuit of taking more subjects at the same level. This will give you an enhanced understanding of interdisciplinary problems, and will inevitably see you discover new subject interests.

This is how Crimson’s Co-founder and CEO Jamie Beaton, discovered his passion for economics, which he later chose as his major area of study at Harvard! To a university admissions officer, self-study ‘breadth’ will show that you have a curiosity for learning more about a particular subject, which will no doubt help your application.

How do l get my school to support me in my self-study?

To engage in self-study, you may also need to gain approval by consulting your relevant head of subject or academic lead at your school. Most schools are strongly supportive of self-study, as it enables their students to reach their full potential and be more competitive candidates both at school and beyond.

But even if your school is less than enthusiastic about your outside of classroom pursuits, you can still become an effective self-studier with the support of your family and online tutoring service providers like Crimson. Crimson for example can introduce students to curricular not offered at their schools or even their country - such as AP, A Levels and more. Any additional course taken inevitably shows admissions officers that you are curious, hard-working and dedicated to self improvement — a definite way of lifting yourself above the often talented competition.

Do I need a tutor to Self-Study?

Self-study, as the name may falsely imply, does not mean that it is learning in isolation, and most successful self-study efforts involve an experienced tutor. Expert tutors such as those who support and mentor our many successful Crimson students, help augment your self-study strategy by making sure you learn all the necessary content. They also motivate you to complete and finish your subjects, and make sure you learn any content in the most time efficient way possible.

How do you find the right tutor for you? It is important that the tutor you select to guide you through your learning journey is experienced, well-matched with your learning style, knows your self-study goals, and following the recent rise of COVID-19, skilled in the use of online learning technologies. Which is where Crimson’s unique expertise can help...

Tutoring from high-achieving Crimson tutors who are experienced in aiding self-studying students is proven to drive up performance and consistency. Tutors are assigned to students based on a matching criteria (such as study interest, subject expertise and learning style), which means that your tutor is the perfect one for you. A Crimson strategist can also help architect your self-study plan, and tailor it towards your university applications.

So what are you waiting for? Start your self-study journey with Crimson today!

If you are interested in completing International GCSE and A-Levels as part of your self-study, check out Crimson Global Academy, our new online school that will optimise your chances of success in high school and beyond.