College Advising

Comprehensive guidance for your college application journey

Comprehensive College Advising by Grade Level

9th-10th Grade: Early Planning & Foundation Building

We begin working with students early in their high school journey to develop a personalized academic and extracurricular plan that positions them for long-term success. After an initial consultation to understand their goals and interests, we help students identify 2–4 passion areas—such as science, finance, law, or engineering—and guide them in selecting appropriate honors or advanced-level coursework.

We encourage participation in relevant school clubs (e.g., Science Olympiad, Robotics, Debate, Model UN) and assist with applications to selective summer programs hosted by universities. Beyond academics, we also support students in developing one or two personal hobbies or creative pursuits that showcase their individuality (e.g., sketching, music, sports, or crafts).

With our mentorship, students will enter the college application process with a strong, well-rounded profile. We also provide guidance on class scheduling, summer planning, standardized testing strategy, and any other needs that arise.

GPA Maintenance: Academic Excellence Foundation

A strong GPA is foundational to gaining admission into top colleges—it's often the key that unlocks the door for deeper consideration of a student's application. At IvyBridge, we closely monitor our students' academic performance from the start of high school.

If a student begins to struggle in a class, their mentor will proactively provide academic guidance and tutoring support. If the subject falls outside of the mentor's area of expertise, we will refer the student to another qualified mentor from our team to ensure they receive targeted help and stay on track.

Key Focus Areas:

  • Early planning and course selection
  • Extracurricular development and passion identification
  • Summer program applications
  • Academic foundation building
  • Personal hobby and creative pursuit development
  • GPA maintenance and academic support

11th Grade: Leadership & Advanced Preparation

For students beginning their college advising journey in 11th grade, we start with a one-on-one consultation to identify target universities and clarify their intended field of study. We assist students in selecting or refining extracurricular activities that align with their academic interests and help them secure leadership positions within school clubs.

Our team provides support in preparing for and applying to executive board roles to demonstrate initiative and responsibility. We also recommend academic-year college-level coursework (e.g., Columbia Edge Program - taking introductory level courses such as General Chemistry I and Calculus I alongside undergraduates at the university), allowing students to gain exposure to college-level material and earn credits.

We emphasize the importance of community engagement and help students find service opportunities aligned with their interests. Whether it's teaching art or music to younger students or volunteering in a hospital, we help students identify meaningful experiences that enhance their personal narrative.

For the critical summer between junior and senior year, we guide students in applying to highly selective programs that provide valuable research, design, or pre-professional experience. Previous mentees have attended Columbia HK Maker Lab, NYU ARISE, UMich Stamps School of Art pre-college, and Cooper Union Summer STEM, completing projects such as research proposals, video games, and art portfolios.

SAT/ACT Preparation & Testing Strategy

SAT/ACT preparation is a key focus this year. We provide a diagnostic assessment and develop a timeline and study schedule tailored to the student's goals. During the fall semester of junior year, students will meet with their mentor bi-weekly to ensure consistent progress and adjust strategies as needed.

In the spring semester, meetings will increase to weekly check-ins for closer support leading up to their official test dates. Mentors will monitor score improvements, review practice exams, and provide strategies for time management and question breakdowns. For students struggling with specific topics, our SAT/ACT team offers live sessions covering complex concepts across math and verbal sections, including statistics, permutations, subject-verb agreement, and vocabulary enhancement.

Key Focus Areas:

  • Leadership cultivation and club participation
  • Community involvement and service opportunities
  • Academic and summer college programs
  • SAT/ACT testing guidance and preparation
  • College-level coursework opportunities

12th Grade: Application Excellence & Final Preparation

Senior year is the culmination of years of academic and extracurricular preparation. At IvyBridge, we provide intensive, highly personalized support to guide students through every aspect of the college application process—ensuring their final submissions reflect the strongest version of their story and potential.

College List Generation

We begin by assessing each student's academic profile—GPA, standardized test scores, extracurriculars—as well as their academic interests, hobbies, and long-term career goals. Based on this comprehensive evaluation, we help the student develop a well-balanced college list tailored to reach, match, and safety schools.

We also work with families to determine the most strategic application route: Early Decision (ED), Early Action (EA), or Regular Decision (RD). If a student is financially eligible and on track with application timelines, we will guide them through the QuestBridge application process in place of the Common Application.

Personal Statement Development

Over the course of 10+ hours of one-on-one conversation and brainstorming, we work with students to uncover meaningful themes, experiences, and insights from their life story. These discussions explore their passions, personal challenges, growth moments, fears, unique memories, and more.

From there, we help brainstorm multiple personal statement topics and select the one that most powerfully reflects their voice and values. Once the topic is chosen, we create a paragraph-by-paragraph outline to guide their writing process, and co-develop the opening "hook" to set the tone for the essay. We provide detailed feedback and multiple rounds of revisions to ensure the final product is compelling, authentic, and memorable.

Supplemental Essays

For each college's supplemental essays, we guide students through a structured process of research and writing. We work together to explore specific details about each school's academic programs, research opportunities, student organizations, community service ethos, and career support systems.

Students then use these insights to craft compelling and personalized responses. As with the personal statement, we provide detailed outlines, brainstorm sessions, and comprehensive feedback on drafts until the essays are refined and ready for submission.

Extracurricular Descriptions & Letters of Recommendation Strategy

We help students revise and elevate the activity descriptions on their Common App to highlight their impact, leadership, and initiative. This ensures that every line of their application communicates value and purpose.

We advise students on which teachers or mentors to request letters of recommendation from—ideally individuals who can speak deeply to their academic growth or extracurricular engagement. We also support students in requesting letters from non-school mentors (e.g., research supervisors, volunteer coordinators, or employers) when applicable.

SAT/ACT Services (Integrated into the College Advising Process)

Our comprehensive SAT/ACT preparation is seamlessly integrated into the college advising process, ensuring students achieve their target scores while maintaining focus on their overall application strategy.

  • Diagnostic Testing & Personalized Test Prep Plan: We begin with comprehensive diagnostic testing to identify strengths and areas for improvement, then develop a customized study plan tailored to each student's goals and timeline.
  • One-on-One Coaching: Students receive personalized coaching sessions with experienced test prep mentors who understand the nuances of both exams and can provide targeted strategies for improvement.
  • Group Sessions Available: For students who benefit from collaborative learning, we offer group sessions that provide peer support while maintaining focused instruction on key concepts.
  • Strategy-Based Instruction: Our approach goes beyond content review to focus on proven test-taking strategies, time management techniques, and question-answering methodologies.
  • Test Anxiety & Timing Techniques: We provide specialized support for managing test anxiety and developing effective timing strategies to ensure students perform their best under pressure.

Key Focus Areas:

  • Application strategies and college list development
  • Personal statement and essay feedback
  • Interview preparation and mock sessions
  • Final selection guidance and decision support
  • Extracurricular description optimization
  • Letters of recommendation strategy

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