Students who have been dreaming of getting in the hollowed walls of one of the most prestigious universities will find some helpful pointers from a former Harvard interviewer.

Jillian Bayor, who interviewed for Harvard admissions from 1998 - 2000, says that there are four skills students must nurture and develop if they want to enter this Ivy League university. She said that although Harvard is looking for achievers who will become the future leaders, they are looking for leaders who will continue to push society forward.

Bayor, however, added that although your score might not make it to Harvard, these skills can make college and the rest of your life much better. So what are these four skills?

Money Management

Every student should know how to manage their money before entering university said Bayor because it will be their first time to handle their finances. In order to manage their money wisely, they should know how to create a budget. Furthermore, they should not accrue credit card debt by living within their means.

Handling their finances for the first time can be quite exhilarating for some; thus, they end up spending their finances uncontrollably until they wake up one day with nothing left in their budget.

Time Management

Aside from money management, students should also know how to balance their time as college is all about balancing your time between classes, projects, and their jobs if they are working part-time. In college, no one is going to look after you and tell you you have to study or do this and do that.

Optimism

A healthy outlook in life can take you a long way, says Bayor. College, especially Ivy League universities, can be quite stressful. If you have built a healthy character and have a realistic view of life, college will be much more manageable.

Resolving Conflicts

In university, you get to meet different kinds of people from different social, economic, racial, and cultural backgrounds. In some cases, you might find yourself butting heads with them, which is normal. However, you must know how to resolve these conflicts and develop healthy relationships.