Admissions Counseling

Gain admission to your top-choice schools with IvyWise admissions counseling services. Our counselors are all former Deans and Directors of admission, and our programs are personalized to fit each student’s needs and goals.

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What Is Admissions Counseling?

UndergradAdmissions counseling is a personalized, guided process where experts advise students through the application and admissions process at various types of schools. We provide admissions counseling and advising services for:

  • Colleges and universities in the U.S., U.K., and Canada
  • Primary, secondary, independent, and boarding schools
  • Graduate and professional schools
  • Academic advising for college students

Anyone can help you fill out an application, but the most effective and successful guidance comes from experts who worked directly in admissions and were in the rooms where it all happened. IvyWise counselors have at least three years of direct admissions experience reading applications, sitting in committee, and making the tough admissions decisions. We are the only consultancy with this depth and breadth of direct admissions experience.

How Can IvyWise Admissions Counselors Help You?

At IvyWise, we draw on our previous experience as Deans and Directors of admission to help families understand the nuances of the process, what admissions committees are looking for, and how students can best position themselves to gain admission to their top-choice schools in the U.S., U.K., and Canada.

We don’t just help you fill out your applications. We work with students through every phase of their educational journey – providing personalized guidance that will help them build compelling profiles that will complement and reinforce the information in their applications. IvyWise specializes in college admissions counseling, and we also offer services for primary and secondary school admissions, as well as transfer admissionsacademic advising, and MBA, law, med, and other graduate school admissions services.

Who Can Benefit From IvyWise Admissions Counseling Services?

At IvyWise, we support K-8 studentshigh school students, college students who need academic advising and/or are pursuing a graduate degree, as well as students who want to transfer to another university. In addition to admissions counseling, we also offer integrated research and tutoring and test prep services to help students maximize their IvyWise programs and outcomes.

Admissions Counseling and Additional Support For Every Phase of Your Educational Journey

IvyWise programs are tailored to fit each student, no matter what stage of the admission process they are in — or where they live. Families can engage our services at any point of their student’s educational journey — from as early as kindergarten to as advanced as graduate school — to help guide students through the entire process or the specific areas where they need the most support. 

Team-Based Admissions Counseling with IvyWise Roundtable

The IvyWise Roundtable is a mock admissions committee where all IvyWise counselors review every aspect of student applications, providing constructive feedback backed by over 375 years of collective admissions experience that enables students to implement critical changes before submitting. The Roundtable process at IvyWise is unique — you can’t find this service anywhere else. All students enrolled in comprehensive programs have unlimited access to the IvyWise Roundtable.

Comprehensive Admissions Counseling Programs

Applying to college is like running a marathon. It takes time, effort, and preparation to be successful. That’s why admissions counseling starts in the years and months before applying, as students lay a strong foundation for their interests and goals inside and outside of the classroom with intentional and personalized guidance.

Colleges look at all four years of high school grades, courses, and activities when evaluating applicants. Every decision in 9th-12th grade counts, so in an IvyWise program, your expert college admissions counselor will work with your student from as early as 8th grade to build their profile and provide comprehensive application support from start to finish. Even if families come to us later in the admissions journey, students will benefit from comprehensive admissions and application support throughout the entire process.

Building a Profile

Refine coursework plans, testing schedules, and extracurricular activities from 9th grade on
Identify and recommend extracurricular and summer activities for 9th-12th grade, as well as internship opportunities
Facilitate or improve teacher relationships starting in 9th grade, and ultimately select teachers for letters of recommendation in 11th and 12th grade
Plan for and prioritize school visits, including preparing for interviews

Application Help

Research appropriate schools and develop a balanced list based on your student’s needs and desires
Keep your student on task to complete all components of the application process
Brainstorm, draft, edit, and revise personal statements and any supplements in order to perfect them and pull together cohesive, compelling applications
Evaluate offers of admission as well as develop a strategy for waitlist and deferral decisions, if applicable

Our Short-Term Programs

Looking for expert feedback in a fast-tracked, targeted program? IvyWise offers short-term programs that give students access to expert admissions advice to help prepare their applications, or even offer personalized guidance from our expert counselors after their applications are done. 

Application Boot Camp

The IvyWise Application Boot Camp is ideal for students who are coming to us later in the process and want to tap into IvyWise’s counseling services in a focused, fast-tracked, and affordable program to finish one application and supplement. 

Application Review

You’ve already completed your application, but are you sure it’s ready for submission? Get your application read by a former admissions officer before it really counts! An IvyWise counselor will provide a comprehensive evaluation of all application aspects and make suggestions for improvement.

Portfolio Review

Are you submitting a portfolio with your college applications? The IvyWise Portfolio Review gives students a thorough, expert review of all elements of their completed portfolio and, if required, an artist’s statement by a former admissions officer and artist who reviewed applications and portfolios for both undergraduate and graduate-level art programs.

Deferral and Waitlist Consultations

You’ve already completed the admissions process and the results are in – but they’re not what you expected. IvyWise counselors provide expert insight into what comes next by reviewing all of the student’s application materials and providing a strategic plan to help maximize the chances of admission.

Learn more about other features of our college counseling programs.

IvyWise Admissions Counseling Success

We know what colleges are looking for and what it takes to stand out — and we have the results to prove it. IvyWise students are 4x more likely to gain admission to top colleges and universities in the U.S. and abroad. Our unique methodology combines expert one-on-one guidance from former admissions officers with a collaborative counseling approach through the IvyWise Roundtable to yield the best outcomes for all IvyWise students. We have helped thousands of students find the right school for their needs and goals, with 91% of IvyWise students accepted into one or more of their three top-choice schools.

IvyWise students are 4x more likely to gain admission to top colleges in the U.S. and abroad.

Rated #1 best college consultant by TopCollegeAdmissionsConsultants.com.

We are the best of the best, but don’t just take it from us! See what others have said about IvyWise.

5 Year Acceptance Rates

IvyWise Admissions Counselors

Do you want the help of someone who only walked the halls of your top-choice school or the person who was holding the keys to admission? All IvyWise counselors have at least three years of direct admissions experience reading applications, sitting in committee, and making critical admissions decisions at top U.S. universities. They were in the rooms where the decisions were made. Whether you’re seeking primary or secondary schoolundergraduate, or graduate admissions, they know what it takes to stand out when applying to a variety of institutions.

At IvyWise, we don’t assign counselors. Instead, we make informed recommendations depending on each student’s needs, goals, personality fit, budget, and more, so that families have the freedom to work one-on-one with their counselor of choice for the entirety of the program.

Meet Our Full Team of Counselors Here

Nat

Nat specializes in undergraduate college admissions and is a former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at NYU and NYU Abu Dhabi.

“Choose the activities that you really genuinely enjoy and choose the schools that will really appreciate and respect the choices that you have made.”

Kim

Kim specializes in undergraduate college admissions and is a former Associate Director of Admissions at the University of Pennsylvania.

“I think that ‘understanding your why’ is extremely important in this process. My advice to students is to be open-minded and to ask yourself tons of questions.”

Cara

Cara specializes in undergraduate college admissions and is a former Assistant Dean of Admissions at Colgate University.

“Sometimes, the college process feels like climbing a mountain. But if you pick your milestones, break it down into smaller pieces, and remember to have some fun along the way, you will make it to the top.”

Rod

Rod specializes in undergraduate college admissions and is a former Associate Director of Admissions at Case Western Reserve University.

If you plan ahead, set realistic expectations, accept that there are no guarantees, and have an open mind about the process, the journey to finding your best-fit college will be fun.”

What Students Are Saying About IvyWise

What Parents Are Saying About IvyWise

Get Started with the Initial Consultation

The IvyWise Initial Consultation is the first step on the path to a successful academic experience and application process. Following a thorough review of your student’s profile, you’ll meet with the IvyWise expert counselor of your choice for 90 minutes to go over a personalized, strategic action plan to help your student achieve their academic and personal goals. This consultation also allows your counselor to make the best recommendation for ongoing work to fit your student’s needs.

To learn more and enroll in an Initial Consultation, call us today at +1-212-262-3500.

Learn more about the IvyWise Initial Consultation »

FAQ About Admissions Counseling

Do I need an admissions counselor?

It depends! Generally, everyone can benefit from additional help and expert guidance in the admissions process, whether you’re applying to independent and boarding schools, colleges and universities, or graduate school. An admissions counselor will get to know you, your goals, and guide you through all aspects of the admissions process, including developing your applicant profile, helping you choose where to apply, editing and refining essays, polishing your applications, and more.

Are admissions consultants worth It?

Yes, as long as they are qualified and put the student first. At IvyWise, we believe that a good admissions consultant does not just help you gain admission to your top-choice schools (which we do!), they also help you learn more about your interests, goals, and who you are as a student. Our counselors really work to demystify the admissions process and alleviate stress by putting students’ minds at ease about the things they need to pay attention to and the things that are just noise. We have the expertise to support students to realize their aspirations and we provide them with the tools that will help them continue to learn and grow throughout their lives.

What are IvyWise admissions counselors’ qualifications? 

All of IvyWise’s admissions counselors are former Deans and Directors of admission from top colleges, universities, independent schools, and graduate programs. They all have at least three years of direct experience as admissions officers, reading and evaluating applications and sitting in committee. These aren’t former students who worked part time in an admissions office — they are seasoned admissions officers who made the decisions about who got in and who didn’t. They know what admissions offices are looking for and what happens in that 15 minutes of reviewing an application for the first time. IvyWise counselors are also members of NACAC and IECA, and adhere to all ethical guidelines and standards of good practice.

How much does IvyWise cost?

Pricing for IvyWise services varies depending on the counselor selection and the depth and breadth of services provided. No two programs are alike, and we work to customize an IvyWise experience that matches your goals and budget. Working with the experts at IvyWise is an investment, with students often working with their counselors for years before, during, and after the admissions process. It all starts with the Initial Consultation, a 90-minute personalized meeting with the counselor of your choice, where you’ll get a strategic action plan. The IvyWise Initial Consultation ranges in price depending on the counselor you choose to work with. Our enrollment team offers free discovery calls, where you can learn more about our programs, services, pricing, and get a recommendation on which counselor would be a good fit for your student for an Initial Consultation.

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