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Ari Schwartz

Mentor

Ari graduated from Northwestern University with a B.A in both Economics (which made his parents very happy) and Radio, Television, & Film (which produced a slightly different parental response). Prior to matriculating at Northwestern, Ari took two gap years to study Ancient Babylonian Jewish Purity & Property Law in Israel, a field which, perplexingly, hasn’t proven particularly relevant to his recent pursuits. Ari has worked in the admissions consulting sphere since 2018, manning the full gamut of responsibilities: as a Senior Applications Consultant with CollegeVine; an ACT/SAT Tutor with Mindfish; an independent LSAT Tutor; and a Candidacy Building and College Applications mentor with Ivy Scholars since 2021. In his free time, Ari can be found performing at various poetry and singer-songwriter open mics around Brooklyn, playing the occasional gig with his band, and finishing Proust’s In Search of Lost Time.

Everyone is the protagonist of their own story, and everyone deserves the necessary tools and platform to have their story heard. The first part is to live out your story. To this end, Ari helps connect students to exciting opportunities, regardless of their area of interest. He’s connected BS/MD applicants to internships with physicians; biochemistry obsessives to research assistantships at Texas Children’s Human Immunobiology Center, aspiring data scientists to educational non-profits; and much more. Then, Ari specializes in helping students frame and strategically relate their story to colleges, so that theirs doesn’t become just another in a pile of ten thousand anonymous stories during adcom review. With Ari’s help, students are immediately identifiable and memorable as “the sustainability in business specialist” or “the malaria maven” (these aren’t all necessarily alliterative). 

Ari loves to ask questions. And then listen. And then ask some more questions. He’s not so interested in a one-time gifting of big answers to students. Instead, he helps students cultivate self-knowledge and empower them to realize that they have the answers themselves: a realization that will power them through high school, college, and the rest of their lives. He’s driven by a subversion of a popular phrase: “Don’t just do something; stand there.”

Fun Fact: I performed at Madison Square Garden when I was ten.

Ari has helped students gain acceptance to the following schools: Boston College, Case Western Reserve University, Cornell, Emory, Rice, Texas A&M, University of Rochester, UT Austin

Profile

Alma Mater: Northwestern University

Based In: New York, New York

Favorite Quote

Let everything happen to you. Beauty and terror. Just keep going. No feeling is final.” – Rilke

Transform your college application.

5/5
Wendy Y.
Parent
Below is my son's review. He was accepted to his dream Ivy League school!

From an admitted student's perspective, I am incredibly grateful to have met Sasha - he has been instrumental in helping me achieve my educational dreams (Ivy League), all while being an absolute joy (he's a walking encyclopedia, only funnier!) to work with.

Many people are dissuaded from seeking a college counselor because they think they can get into their desired college(s) either way. Honestly, going that route is a bit short-sighted and can jeopardize your odds of acceptances after years of hard work. The sad truth is, the American education system (even if you attend a fancy private school and ESPECIALLY if you go to a public school) doesn't really tell students how to write a compelling and authentic application. Going into the admissions process alone, without speaking with an advisor, is like going to court without a lawyer - you put yourself at a significant disadvantage because you don't have all the facts in front of you, or the help you need to negotiate the system.

That said, you need a good lawyer just like you need a good college counselor. And that's where Sasha distinguishes himself from the crowd of people claiming they'll get you into Harvard. I came to Sasha worried about and frankly dumbfounded by the college admissions process. I was unsure what to write about and how to go about drafting the essay that perfectly captured my passion, interests, and self. And I was highly skeptical that anyone could really help me. But, damn, did Sasha prove me wrong. From the beginning, Sasha amazed me with his understanding of the process, and ability to lend clarity and direction to me when I desperate needed it. After interviewing me about my background, experiences, activities, outlook, and vision, he helped me see qualities about myself I had not previously considered 'unique' or 'stand-out.' This process of understanding myself was so incredibly important in laying the groundwork for the essays I eventually wrote, and I'm certain I would've drafted boring, inauthentic essays without it.

Looking back, Sasha's talent is that he can see where your strengths lie, even when you don't see them. The truth is, although we don't always realize it, everyone has a unique story to tell. Sasha helped me see mine, and with his big-picture insight I was able to write the application that truly encapsulated my life and vision. He inspired me to dig deeper and write better, challenging me to revise and revise until my essays were the most passionate and authentic work I had ever written. As clichéd as that sounds, that's really what universities are looking for. In retrospect, it makes sense - in the real world passionate (not simply intelligent) individuals are the ones who make a difference in the world, and those are the individuals colleges would like to have associated with their brand.

In the end, I was accepted to the college of my dreams, a feat I could not have achieved without the direction Sasha lent to me. Essays (and the personal narrative you develop through your application) matter so much, and can literally make or break your application. I have seen so many of my 'qualified' friends receive rejections because they wrote contrived essays that didn't truly represent who they were; conversely, I have also seen so many friends with shorter resumes accepted because they were able to articulate their story in a genuinely passionate and authentic way - I fall into the latter category.

As a former admissions officer at Johns Hopkins, Sasha knows what types of essays jibe well with universities, an invaluable asset to have in the admissions process. He is responsive, flexible, creative, positive, and witty. For anyone who is serious about going into the college admissions process informed and prepared, I highly recommend Sasha.
5/5
Arda E.
Student
I used Ivy Scholars to mainly help me with college applications. Within weeks of using this service, Sasha was able to simplify the already complex process. When it came to writing the Common App essay, Sasha didn’t just help with grammar and syntax, he brought my essays to life. Sasha also worked tirelessly to help solidify my extracurricular activities, including research and internship opportunities. Without his help, I would have never had an impressive resume.

Sasha is not only an extremely knowledgeable tutor, but also a genuine brother figure. His guidance, throughout my last two years of high school, was everything I needed to get me an acceptance letter from my dream schools (UC Berkeley, Tufts, Emory).

When it came to testing, Ivy Scholars worked like a charm. Sasha offered a very comprehensive plan when it came to completely acing my standardized tests. Without his test taking strategies I would have never gotten straight 5s on my AP tests and a 35 on the ACT.

Working with Sasha, I didn’t just become a good student, I became a genuine scholar.
5/5
Samson S.
Parent
We worked with Ivy Scholars during my son's senior year. I was concerned that we may be too late to take advantage of college advising but the Ivy Scholars team quickly and confidently directed us through the steps to ensure no deadlines were missed. Sasha's knowledge about schools, what they looked for in candidates, and how to maneuver the application process was invaluable. Mateo and Ryan worked with my son to help him create an essay that would get noticed and I am so appreciative he had their guidance.

Prior to securing Ivy Scholars, we tried using a less-expensive online service which was a terrible experience. As a parent, Ivy Scholars brought peace of mind to an area that was frankly overwhelming. This service was invaluable in the knowledge that we gained throughout the process. He has also met with my freshman daughter to provide guidance for her high school courses, career paths, extracurricular activities, and more.

Prior to signing with Ivy Scholars, I tried a less expensive online service and was very disappointed.

As a result of our work with Ivy Scholars, I am pleased to say that my son will be attending Stern Business School at New York University this fall! I highly recommend Ivy Scholars. Highly recommend!