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IvyWise
Initial Consultation

The IvyWise Initial Consultation is the first step to receiving expert admissions guidance.

What Is the IvyWise Initial Consultation?

The IvyWise Initial Consultation is a detailed service, where your IvyWise counselor will provide a strategic action plan to help you achieve your educational goals — whether you’re figuring out your college plans, trying to make the most of your undergraduate experience, applying to graduate school, or interested in a WiseStart™ program.

This isn’t your typical consultation.

The IvyWise Initial Consultation includes an in-depth pre-screen of your profile followed by a 90-minute meeting. With the Initial Consultation, you will receive:

  • Expert feedback based on your academic history.
  • A customized evaluation and detailed, strategic action plan.
  • A Profile Building Catalog tailored to your needs and goals.
  • A comprehensive standardized testing plan, if applicable.

How Does the IvyWise Initial Consultation Work?

The IvyWise Initial Consultation is a detailed service, where your IvyWise counselor will provide a strategic action plan to help you achieve your educational goals — whether you’re figuring out your college plans, trying to make the most of your undergraduate experience, applying to graduate school, or interested in a WiseStart™ program.

Step 1: Let’s get acquainted!

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Contact us to schedule a complimentary Discovery Call with one of our expert enrollment advisors so we can learn a little more about you and your educational and/or admission goals. We will answer any questions you have about our services and prices, share what you can expect within your Initial Consultation, and help you select the best-fit counselor for your Initial Consultation.

Step 2: Set up your profile.

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Your enrollment advisor will create a profile for you in myIvyWise, our online portal, and send secure links for you to log on. At your convenience, you’ll complete your profile, helping us gain insight into your academic and extracurricular interests, independent pursuits, goals, and personality — all the information we will need for the most productive Initial Consultation. This is also where you will select your preferred counselor. This step takes about one hour to complete.

Behind the scenes, we’ll be preparing!

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Once your myIvyWise profile is complete, your counselor will create a customized, strategic action plan based on all the information you provided. Your counselor will collaborate with our expert research team to compile an in-depth Profile Building Catalog, giving you specific suggestions and action items that will help you achieve your goals.

Step 3: Let’s set a date!

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Once your Profile Building Catalog has been prepared, your enrollment advisor will schedule a mutually convenient date and time for your Initial Consultation. Since we work with families all over the world, Initial Consultations are typically conducted via Zoom.

Step 4: It’s time to meet your IvyWise counselor.

Admissions Counseling Initial Consultation

In your 90-minute meeting, your IvyWise counselor will review your profile and how it aligns with your interests and goals. Your counselor will illuminate how your profile will be assessed within the holistic admissions review process and provide our bespoke Profile Building Catalog to optimize your admissions goals — from academic planning for courses and standardized testing to advice on extracurricular activities, independent pursuits, and summer plans. Your counselor will lay out a timeline and strategy for every step of the admissions process itself: school research, list building, applications and essays, interviews and visits, and more! And finally, they will suggest a program to best support you through the entire admissions process.

 

Academic Advising Initial Consultation

In your 90-minute meeting, your IvyWise counselor will review your profile and how it aligns with your interests and goals. Your advisor will explain how your current school and courses align with your academic, professional, and/or graduate admissions goals. Through your personalized Profile Building Catalog, they will provide suggestions for adjusting your academic path to get and stay on track with your goals. This includes recommendations for course planning and extracurricular pursuits on- and off- campus, advice on what campus resources you need to be using, and more. They will discuss how to support you during any challenges you may be experiencing inside and outside of the classroom, and how IvyWise can support you with an ongoing Academic Advising program.

Step 5: Review your Initial Consultation materials and next steps.

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Following your Initial Consultation, you will have access to all the materials reviewed during the meeting, including your Profile Building Catalog and detailed session notes containing your strategic action plan and a bespoke recommendation for ongoing work. Discuss how you’d like to move forward with your enrollment advisor.

Step 6: Find the right fit for you!

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As the final step of the Initial Consultation process, your enrollment advisor will schedule a Recommendation Review call to go through your comprehensive program options and answer any questions you might have. Your enrollment advisor will work with you to determine the ideal IvyWise program for you, taking into consideration your goals, our recommendations, and your budget. Every student is unique and so is every IvyWise program, which is why we take our time to craft the best solution for you!

What Does the IvyWise Profile Building Catalog Include?

IvyWise counselors work in collaboration with families and our expert Research Team to provide robust profile building recommendations customized to each student’s unique interests, needs, and goals. No other consultancy provides this level of tailored recommendations — all to help you create your compelling narrative for admissions and save you time!

WiseStart™

New Initiatives

Based on students’ profiles, their interests, and their school offerings, IvyWise counselors and the Operations Research Team will put together suggestions on new ways for students to engage with their interests inside of the school community and beyond. This can include starting new clubs, contributing time and resources to community organizations, relevant competitions, and even independent projects.

 

Reading Lists

Reading is key to becoming well-versed in a particular interest or field. In collaboration with IvyWise counselors, the Operations Research Team will compile a list of suggested outside reading for students based on their interests and goals, that will help them become specialists in their fields of interest. This is critical, as colleges often ask what students are reading in their spare time as part of the application process.

 

Summer Programs

Spending summer breaks wisely is key for students applying to college. IvyWise counselors and our expert Operations Research Team will compile information on relevant summer programs that will help students build upon their academic interests and stand out when it comes time to apply to college.

College Admissions

New Initiatives

Based on students’ profiles, their interests, and their school offerings, IvyWise counselors and the Operations Research Team will put together suggestions on new ways for students to engage with their interests inside of the school community and beyond. This can include starting new clubs, contributing time and resources to community organizations, relevant competitions, and even independent projects.

 

Reading Lists

Reading is key to becoming well-versed in a particular interest or field. In collaboration with IvyWise counselors, the Operations Research Team will compile a list of suggested outside reading for students based on their interests and goals, that will help them become specialists in their fields of interest. This is critical, as colleges often ask what students are reading in their spare time as part of the application process.

 

Summer Programs

Spending summer breaks wisely is key for students applying to college. IvyWise counselors and our expert Operations Research Team will compile information on relevant summer programs that will help students build upon their academic interests and stand out when it comes time to apply to college.

 

Online Courses

With online learning, there are endless options for students to continue to develop their academic interests outside of the classroom. Our counselors and research experts will put together suggestions for online courses that will help students become specialists in their areas of interest and even earn some college credit while in high school.

 

College Summary Reports

Already have an idea about where you want to apply? Our research experts can provide summary reports on schools or programs of interest to help students better understand where they want to apply and help them refine their balanced college lists.

This type of research is available as part of the Initial Consultation for second-semester high school juniors, rising high school seniors, transfer students, and graduate applicants. College summary reports can also be purchased as a separate research service. You can find more information on individual college summary reports here.

Transfer Admissions and Gap Years

Gap Year Initiatives and Plans

Gap years are more popular than ever, and whether you’re interested in spending your gap year traveling, working, volunteering, or learning, IvyWise can provide customized suggestions on post-graduate options and recommend opportunities that will fuel your passions as part of the Initial Consultation.

 

College Summary Reports

Already have an idea about where you want to apply? Our research experts can provide summary reports on schools or programs of interest to help students better understand where they want to apply and help them refine their balanced college lists.

This type of research is available as part of the Initial Consultation for second-semester high school juniors, rising high school seniors, transfer students, and graduate applicants. College summary reports can also be purchased as a separate research service. You can find more information on individual college summary reports here.

Academic Advising

Undergraduate Programs and Majors

Need to select a major but have no clue where to start? Our experts can put together customized research on the majors available, prerequisite and graduation requirements, career prospects, and more to help you select the best-fit major or program for your needs and goals.

 

New Initiatives

Based on students’ profiles, their interests, and their school offerings, IvyWise counselors and the Operations Research Team will put together suggestions on new ways for students to engage with their interests inside of the school community and beyond. This can include starting new clubs, contributing time and resources to community organizations, relevant competitions, and even independent projects.

 

On-Campus Resources

From career services to mental health centers and everything in between, it’s important to take advantage of the resources available to you on- and off-campus. An IvyWise Academic Advisor can work with you to research and identify the campus resources that are the best-fit for your needs and goals and work with you to utilize them in the most effective way possible.

Graduate School Admissions

Undergraduate Initiatives and Plans

There’s a lot that goes into preparing for graduate school, including ensuring that you’re making the most of your undergraduate experience. Depending on your post-graduate goals, the IvyWise Operations Research Team, in collaboration with your counselor, will put together bespoke initiatives and plans based on your current undergraduate experience to help you stand out when it comes time to apply to graduate programs.

 

Graduate School Program Summary Reports

If you are already looking at grad schools, our research experts can provide summary reports on programs of interest to help you better focus your energy on where you want to apply and help you refine your school lists.
This type of research is available as part of the Initial Consultation for graduate applicants but can also be purchased as a separate research service.

 

Career and Resume Building Opportunities

Career and Resume Building Opportunities — contact us to learn more.

IvyWise is the World’s Top Educational Consultancy

But don't take just our word for it! Read more of our reviews from students, parents, and media outlets.

Ready To Enroll in an IvyWise Initial Consultation?

Contact us today at +1 (212) 262-3500 or fill out this form to schedule a complimentary Discovery Call with a member of our expert enrollment team!
Get Started With an Initial Consultation