College Admissions Blog

Ivy Scholars

Prepare for the college admissions process amid COVID-19 with our college admissions blog, covering actionable admissions strategies, tips, and trends.

Candidacy Building

How to do Research in High School

Spotlight on Interdisciplinary Programs

Does Your High School Impact Your Chances of College Admission

Best Volunteer Opportunities for High School Students

What Are the Best High Schools in Houston?

How Should You Spend Your Summer?

Non-Profit for College Admissions

What is Intellectual Vitality?

What Do Colleges Want in High School Grades?

Extracurricular Activities for College Admissions

College Applications

Exploring UT Austin’s Honors Programs

How to Demonstrate Interest in Rice University

How to Choose Your Major Strategically

Guide to the ApplyTexas Application Portal

The New Texas A&M Essay Prompts

High School Counselors and College Admissions

Have Ivy League Acceptance Rates Changed?

What are Your Chances of Athletic Recruitment?

How to Apply to UK Universities

Why Do So Many Texans Attend Rice?

How to Get Into Engineering School

Does Your Major Affect Admission?

Rice University Admissions Strategy

When Do Admissions Decisions Come Out?

Discrimination Against Asian Americans in College Admission: Myths, Truths, and Paths to Success

Should You Apply Early Decision II?

A Guide to Financial Aid and Scholarships

Test-Optional Colleges and You

How Colleges Judge Applications

COVID-19 and College Admissions

College Essays in the Time of COVID-19

What To Do If You’re Waitlisted

Can College Acceptance Be Revoked?

How to Get Into Medical School

How to Demonstrate Interest in a College

College Deferment in the Time of COVID-19

The 9 Types of Supplemental Essays and How to Write Them

From Alpha to Omega: Starting and Ending a Personal Statement

What to Do When You’re Waitlisted or Deferred from College

How to Write a Personal Statement for College

FAQ

Should I Hire a College Consultant?

A Guide for Parents: Questions to Ask About College Admissions

General

A Q&A With Lead Mentor Martin Carlino

Reflections on the Varsity Blues Documentary

Record Numbers of Applications Submitted to Top Colleges

Discrimination Against Asian Americans in College Admission: Myths, Truths, and Paths to Success

Computer Science and Business Combine at UT Austin

Test Prep

English Proficiency for International Students

The Future of Test-Optional Admission

Is Studying for the SAT/ACT Worth it

Why Choose Ivy Scholars Test Prep?

The SAT II’s Were Canceled – What Does That Mean For You?

Test-Optional Colleges and You

Why Isn’t My SAT Score Improving?

10 Key Differences Between the SAT and ACT

Top Colleges for a Career

Which College is Right For You?

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 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.

Ivy Scholars