Preparing to apply to Ivy League and other top schools is a daunting process for students and parents alike. The admissions process is becoming increasingly selective — Harvard and Columbia universities admitted record-low percentages of applicants (both less than 4%) into the class of 2027.

Many schools are refusing to publish their admissions data, prompting more students to apply and more mystery around the admissions criteria than ever before.

The reputation, rigor, and extensive networks offered at these highly selective schools make them all the more desirable — and, therefore, all the more competitive.

This means that students face greater pressure early in their middle and high school careers to set themselves on the trajectory for admission to top universities.

However, most parents do not know how to help their children prepare for competitive Ivy League admissions, a process that starts as early as freshman year. Particularly as many top universities are receiving more applications than ever before, applicants need to do more to distinguish themselves from the ever-expanding crowd of Ivy League hopefuls.

In light of these challenges, how can parents help their child prepare a competitive application? What steps should students and parents take to ensure that pupils will submit competitive applications?

Whether their student is enrolled in public or private schools, parents often need expert guidance to answer these questions. Private schools typically bake into the cost of tuition a variety of extracurriculars and activities outside of the classroom, such as tutoring, opportunities for research, service projects, and internships, and employ a team of college counselors to guide students through the application process; however, even at the best private school, a college counselor cannot provide students with the intensive and personalized support they need to excel in Ivy League admissions.

Likewise, depending on the particular region and school, students at public or charter schools may have to do research and seek out those resources independently. In either case, there are myriad organizations and activities to choose from, and without proper direction, it is easy to become overwhelmed.

While academics are important, they are only the foundation of a strong application.

“Challenging courses, immaculate GPAs, and elite test scores serve as the building blocks for a strong application, but in and of themselves, they are rarely enough to secure Ivy League acceptances,” says Gabe Cramer, managing director at Command Education, a New York City-based private college consulting firm.

“Schools like Stanford and Yale could fill entire freshman classes with students who fit that mold—elite universities are evaluating candidates more profoundly to find the very best of the best for their institution. They want students who have demonstrably pursued unique, authentic passions throughout high school—students who have a compelling, sensible narrative that shows growth and commitment to their education.”

According to Cramer, students must demonstrate their unique passions and interests to distinguish themselves from other applicants. Rather than seeking to be a well-rounded applicant, students should start early to cultivate a core passion that will orient their extracurricular involvements and ultimately signal how they will impact a university campus and community.

In order to discover the guiding passion that will provide a succinct and compelling picture of themselves on their applications, students should spend the early stages of high school exploring their interests by joining clubs and activities offered through their school or through independent organizations. Parents can help them to think critically about which subjects and disciplines they find compelling and encourage them to engage meaningfully with a variety of clubs and activities to expand their horizons early on.

Once students have identified their area of interest, parents should guide their students to focus their engagement in their preferred activities, pursuing quality over quantity. This will ensure that when it comes time to write the personal statement and compile the activities list, students will have a clear, perceptible passion that will tell a unique story in their application.

Finally, parents should remember that every school is not a match for every student—just because a school has prestige doesn’t mean a student will thrive there. Each of the Ivy League schools has a distinct character, different academic offerings, and unique campus characteristics. While all are competitive and rigorous, students and parents should do their research to discover which school is right for them.

Cramer notes: “One of the biggest mistakes students make is failing to convey meaningful and specific interest in the school to which they are applying. Submitting to all eight Ivies is rarely a strong strategy—students should carefully build college lists with the goal of including schools that fulfill their needs and goals. At the same time, it’s equally important that the schools they have chosen institutionally value their personal qualities, values, and beliefs. It needs to be a strong fit both ways.”

Parents should help their students think critically about their academic goals and their desired location and campus community as they craft a college list. This will push students to research the schools on their list and examine the specific reasons that they would like to attend their top schools, yielding essential information that they can incorporate into their supplemental essays and discuss in their admissions interviews.

With a proactive, thoughtful, and strategic approach, applying to Ivy League schools does not have to be overwhelming for students or their parents. Starting early and implementing a clear strategy will empower parents to help their students navigate this competitive process with self-assuredness, clarity, and purpose.

Christopher Rim is the founder and CEO of Command Education, an elite education and Ivy League college consulting firm based in NYC and Miami.