Walking around a prestigious college campus in America, you might be surprised to see a perplexing phenomenon: twins abound! Considering it’s more challenging than ever in 2024 to get into an elite school, and each slot in an incoming class is prized more than ever by admissions officers and the families of high school applicants alike, is it really that likely that several sets of equally-qualified twins are making it into the incoming classes of each top school every year? 

The answer, as is often the case, is complicated. Let’s unpack why twins fare so well in the Early round of the elite college admissions process.

The Stronger Twin Can Buoy the Weaker Twin 

No, we’re not talking about a survival movie about twins lost at sea. Twin applicants are advantaged during the Early rounds at highly selective colleges. If the sibling with the stronger grades and better case for admission meets the criteria to make it through the door, the lower-performing twin is sometimes admitted alongside their sibling. Why? The answer is simple: admissions officers are human beings! If twins apply to the same school, the odds are high that they have a special bond that would be cruel to break.

The case of twin applicants gaining admission showcases that there’s still room for compassion in what has become a cutthroat, highly competitive college admission process. It’s not like twins contribute to the diversity of a student body — they do quite the opposite. But, nonetheless, elite colleges don’t like to break up twins. Consider it a strategic advantage while applying to elite schools!

Of course, with the rise of in vitro fertilization, which dramatically raises the possibility that a mother will give birth to twins (or triplets, quadruplets, etc.), colleges may begin to rethink this implicit policy governing twin admissions. Some may find it increasingly unjustifiable amidst an admissions landscape where highly qualified applicants face rejection from their dream schools each year. But until this point, colleges will continue to give the lesser twin an express pass to an elite education, assuming they at least have the table stakes for admission — with a few exceptions!

Distinctly Underperforming Twins Can’t Ride on the Coattails of Their Sibling

It’s worth remembering that twins don’t experience an automatic advantage in elite college admissions. If neither of them meets the criteria for admission, their twin status will not be a saving grace. And if there is a huge achievement gap between one twin and the other that even the heartstrings of elite college admissions officers can’t justify, they might both be thrust onto the chopping block. That’s right; if one twin is a C student with lackluster writing and recommendations, they may jeopardize their talented sibling’s chances! As mentioned above, the inverse is also true, but families should note that this slight advantage only occurs in the Early round. 

That said, twins still get separated all the time. It would be unwise to rely on the twin admissions boost to get your two children with very different admissions odds through the door of an elite university. Think of the advantage that the higher-scoring twins give to their sibling as a pleasant surprise, not as a guarantee. And if you’ve waited to send in applications during the Regular Decision round, don’t expect any boost whatsoever!

How Ivy Coach Helps Twins Secure Admission to Elite Colleges

All of Ivy Coach’s package clients, twin or otherwise, apply to their top school during the Early round because we understand the many benefits reaped by applying Early. Moreover, our team of former elite college admissions officers has carried over their compassion for twin applicants from their respective schools to Ivy Coach.

If you’re interested in optimizing your children’s odds of admission to the same elite school, fill out Ivy Coach’s complimentary consultation form, and we’ll contact you.