Getting into Harvard not as Easy as P-R-E-P

Ivy-League-seeking parents beware: admissions officers at top schools around the country are looking for more than just the private-school preppie. While private and prep schools still lead the way, a growing percentage of students at elite universities are public school grads and international scholars, the Wall Street Journal reveals. At Penn, international students compose 13% of the class of 2011.

In a survey of freshmen from eight top colleges, including Harvard and Swarthmore, the paper also found that elite schools are increasing their intake of low-income students—further complicating an already tough admissions game. “It’s scary,” said one 17-year-old Brown-hopeful. Public schools that fared well generally specialized in math and science. (More college admissions stories.)