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IvyWise Scholars
Pro Bono College Admissions Support

Our pro bono college admissions program serves high-achieving, low-income students across the U.S. applying as first-year or transfer college students.

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IvyWise Scholars Pro Bono Counseling

Pro Bono College Counseling Program

The IvyWise Scholars program offers free college admissions guidance from IvyWise experts to help high-achieving, low-income students reach their educational goals — providing support through every facet of the preparation and application process. Our goal is to empower students to discover and develop their passions, achieve their personal and academic goals, and find success in the admissions process and beyond.

IvyWise Scholars for High School Students IvyWise Scholars for Transfer Students

IvyWise Scholars Program for High School Students

The IvyWise Scholars program for high school students is a combination of counseling and tutoring, where students are guided through the college admissions process by IvyWise expert college admissions counselors and tutors. Scholars typically complete the Common App and 4-6 supplements by the end of their programs. We also work with students from start to finish who are applying to match with their top-choice schools through the QuestBridge scholarship.

In addition to college admissions counseling, IvyWise High School Scholars receive 10 hours of tutoring for use as needed, for either academic tutoring or test prep.

The IvyWise Scholars application for 2026-27 (for high school class years of 2027, 2028, and 2029) is now open through Sunday, May 31, 2026. Decisions will be released in June 2026.

Please reach out to [email protected] with any questions.

IvyWise Scholars Program for Transfer Students

The IvyWise Transfer Scholars program offers expert transfer admissions counseling for college students looking to transfer to different four-year institutions. Scholars will be guided through the transfer admissions process with personalized, one-on-one counseling, allowing them to maximize their program time and gain a full understanding of why they want to transfer and what they need to do to secure admission at their best-fit transfer schools. Scholars typically complete 2-3 transfer applications by the end of their programs.

The IvyWise Transfer Scholars 2025-26 application has now closed. Please stay tuned for the launch of the 2026-27 application cycle in late 2026.

Please reach out to [email protected] with any questions.

Do I Qualify as an IvyWise Scholar?

The IvyWise Scholars program is open to high school students who are 10th, 11th, or 12th graders and are planning to apply to a four-year university during 12th grade, as well as to current college students looking to transfer to a different university. Other qualifications include:

Minimum 3.5 unweighted GPA

Demonstrate financial need by having a household income below $95,000 per year and/or being eligible for a Federal Pell Grant

Will meet the U.S. citizen/eligible noncitizen requirement to be eligible to receive U.S. federal student aid as defined by the office of Federal Student Aid (FSA)

The IvyWise Scholars Application Process

In order to be considered for the IvyWise Scholars program, you will need to submit an application form that asks for supplementary materials to confirm eligibility, such as transcripts and tax return(s). All information provided will be held in strict confidence. During the application review period, we may ask for additional information in order to learn more about you, your interests, and your college goals.

In the preliminary application, we typically ask for:

Information on your residency status

Information on your household income

Information on your academic profile (including GPA, standardized test scores, etc.)

Information on your academic interests, college goals, extracurricular activities, etc.

An essay answering the prompt: “What are your college goals and what have you done thus far to achieve those goals?” (Maximum of 300 words.)

A short video essay answering the prompt: “How would being an IvyWise Scholar help you achieve your goals?” (1-2 minutes long.)

IvyWise Scholars Pro Bono College Admissions Support