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Admissions Guidance for Student Athletes

College admissions is a much easier road for recruited athletes, who receive a major boost to their admissions chances when compared to the general population. Of course, this doesn’t mean athletes don’t face stiff competition, but this comes on the field, as they compete against the hundreds of thousands of high school athletes across the country for a limited number of seats on collegiate teams. 

This process makes the news for some sports, especially football and basketball, but athletes of all stripes participate. Ivy Scholars has the experience and resources necessary to guide athletes along the path to college, and to help them navigate every aspect of it. Here’s how it works:

Preparation

Prospective athletic recruits aren’t just judged based on how many points they score or how perfect their form is, but on their GPA and standardized test scores. While colleges are sometimes more flexible here, high scores can boost your chances of recruitment.

Test scores matter for athletes, even at colleges which have otherwise gone test optional. Luckily, Ivy Scholars has a system of individualized test prep, which works with students to strengthen their knowledge and strategies, and which boosts SAT scores by an average of 180 points.

We also offer academic coaching to help students focus in on their GPA. Just as their athletic coaches help athletes perfect their technique and approach, academic coaches equip students with the skills and mindset they need to succeed academically, covering study habits, time management, interpersonal relations, and other key skills to let them prosper in high school and beyond.

The Recruitment Process

Recruitment begins at different times for different athletes, and each sport has their own traditional way of approaching the process. We provide individually tailored mentorship to guide students through every facet of recruitment. Here’s how that works:

We begin by looking at where you are, academically and athletically, and what your goals are for both. We help you determine which division and which schools within it are the best fit for you, and which will best support your goals as a scholar and an athlete.

Managing Your Timeline

When to begin reaching out to coaches, when to upload your grades and test scores to student portals, when to send out highlight reels and resumes; there are a lot of dates to track and prepare for, all while maintaining your busy schedule. We help you create a solid and actionable plan, and make sure you’re on time to meet every deadline.

Athletic resumes are different from those you need for jobs, and also vary by sport. We’ll help you determine if you need an athletic resume, and work with you to develop one which shows off your strengths.

When and how you need to reach out to colleges depends on your sport and the college in question. In some cases reaching out early is a good thing, to build a relationship, while in others you should wait until you have the needed results or experience to really wow college coaches. We also help with drafting emails and opening lines of communication with colleges.

Filming a Highlight Reel

Highlight reels show off your best attributes as an athlete, and allow coaches who may not be able to attend every event a way to visually evaluate your technique and skills. Not all sports need a highlight reel however, and knowing what to include and how to format a video can be difficult. We offer guidance on crafting highlight reels which maximize their impact, and show you off at the top of your game.

Verbal offers, written commitments, college visits; recruitment is an intensive process, with a lot of moving pieces. We help you navigate it, and let you know what your odds are while doing so, so you can maximize your chances of success in both recruitment and admissions.

Application Assistance

Recruited athletes do receive a significant boost to their admissions chances, but admissions officers still get the final say. Especially after the fallout from the Varsity Blues scandal, coaches have less influence than they used to at some elite colleges. We help you manage your college admission as an athlete and scholar both, to give you the best possible chance of admission.

Transitioning to college is difficult for many students, but athletes have significant additional scheduling pressures, and often have academic requirements to maintain their eligibility. We help you build a class schedule that will set you up to succeed during college, while also letting your experience it to the fullest, and set you up for a life beyond.

Work With Us

We’ve helped student athletes in plenty of different circumstances, from helping a fencer get into Columbia, to a sprinter get recruited for Harvard. Every student has their own path, but we know the ins and outs of recruiting and admissions alike. Schedule a free consultation today to learn how we can help you, no matter where you are on your college admissions journey.

The Ivy Scholars Competitive Advantage

Our results speak for themselves.

Last year, our personalized approach, attention to detail, and college admissions expertise led our students to be
3x Times

more likely to get into their top-choice school.

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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.
5/5
Arda E.
Student
I used Ivy Scholars to mainly help me with college applications. Within weeks of using this service, Sasha was able to simplify the already complex process. When it came to writing the Common App essay, Sasha didn’t just help with grammar and syntax, he brought my essays to life. Sasha also worked tirelessly to help solidify my extracurricular activities, including research and internship opportunities. Without his help, I would have never had an impressive resume.

Sasha is not only an extremely knowledgeable tutor, but also a genuine brother figure. His guidance, throughout my last two years of high school, was everything I needed to get me an acceptance letter from my dream schools (UC Berkeley, Tufts, Emory).

When it came to testing, Ivy Scholars worked like a charm. Sasha offered a very comprehensive plan when it came to completely acing my standardized tests. Without his test taking strategies I would have never gotten straight 5s on my AP tests and a 35 on the ACT.

Working with Sasha, I didn’t just become a good student, I became a genuine scholar.
5/5
Samson S.
Parent
We worked with Ivy Scholars during my son's senior year. I was concerned that we may be too late to take advantage of college advising but the Ivy Scholars team quickly and confidently directed us through the steps to ensure no deadlines were missed. Sasha's knowledge about schools, what they looked for in candidates, and how to maneuver the application process was invaluable. Mateo and Ryan worked with my son to help him create an essay that would get noticed and I am so appreciative he had their guidance.

Prior to securing Ivy Scholars, we tried using a less-expensive online service which was a terrible experience. As a parent, Ivy Scholars brought peace of mind to an area that was frankly overwhelming. This service was invaluable in the knowledge that we gained throughout the process. He has also met with my freshman daughter to provide guidance for her high school courses, career paths, extracurricular activities, and more.

Prior to signing with Ivy Scholars, I tried a less expensive online service and was very disappointed.

As a result of our work with Ivy Scholars, I am pleased to say that my son will be attending Stern Business School at New York University this fall! I highly recommend Ivy Scholars. Highly recommend!