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San Antonio College Admissions Consultants

Ivy Scholars is the premier college admissions consulting firm for high school students in the Greater San Antonio area seeking admission to top-tier colleges and universities.

College Admissions Counselors in San Antonio

San Antonio is host to many talented and motivated students, and offers significant opportunities for them (even if they don’t have an NFL team). The passion of these students is commendable, but many of them lack the support they need when applying to colleges. Their student to counselor ratio is 370:1, which is far above the recommended ratio of 250:1. This leaves students unsupported quite often. While this is not the fault of the counselors themselves, who often go to great lengths to help their students, they are often overworked and under resourced. 

This, in turn, leads to parents wanting to find other ways to support their students during the complicated and stressful college application process. Ivy Scholars is an increasingly popular choice for families in San Antonio, and for good reason. As a company founded in Texas, we have a strong familiarity with the needs and circumstances of students here, and a great track record when it comes to helping students get into Texas colleges. 

Our admissions success rates speak for themselves; on average, Ivy Scholars students are 3x more likely to get into a top college, and all of them get into a reach or target school. 

School

General Acceptance Rate

IS Success Rate

UT Austin

31%

63.6%

Rice University

7.9%

42.9%

Texas A&M

63%

90%

Duke

7.8%

15%

Harvard

3.6%

20%

Yale

5%

22.2%

San Antonio Admissions Consultants

When San Antonio parents come to us, they’re looking for expert advice. Just as you want to hire an accomplished engineer to design a house, or an honest accountant to help with your taxes, so should you want an experienced counselor to help you apply to top colleges.

With counselors based in Texas and around the country, we have experience with top colleges across the US. Each student works 1 on 1 with a mentor who guides them through the process, supported by a team of editors, researchers, and experts to help with specific concerns or areas of interest. Each student’s applications are reviewed multiple times by multiple people before we sign off, to make sure we always help our students put their best foot forward.

We begin working with students where they are, beginning as early as 7th grade, or as late as right after Early Decision results come out; either way we are able to help them find college solutions that work for them.

Resources for San Antonio Students

In our time working in San Antonio, we’ve found many great opportunities for students to get involved with. Here are some which can help you get involved with the community, or other opportunities of note.

UT San Antonio Resources

  • Voelcker Biomedical Research Academy: This is a multi-year program which pairs promising sophomores from San Antonio with researchers at UT Health.
  • BEAT Academy: This is a week-long summer program for students interested in biomedical research with UT Health.
  • Summer Research Program: Run by the Children’s Cancer Research Initiative, this is a ten week research program open to both high school students and undergrads.
  • Northside ISD Research Mentorship Program: This is a partnership specifically with the Northside School District, and lets students experience lab research during the summer.
  • Student Internship Program: This is a yearlong health internship open to both high school and undergraduate students.
  • Early Admissions Program: This program allows students to enroll in UTSA classes beginning in their junior year to start earning college credit.
  • Engineering Summer Camps: A series of weeklong summer camps to introduce highschool students to different engineering disciplines.

San Antonio Scholarships

  • Alamo Scholarships Foundation: A single scholarship foundation which provides scholarships to six different private colleges in and around San Antonio, with a single application.
  • San Antonio Area Foundation: A collection of scholarships offered by local philanthropists and charities for students in San Antonio.

San Antonio Opportunities

  • San Antonio Youth Commission: A student group which observes and contributes to city council discussions to gain experience with local government.
  • San Antonio Regional Health Junior Volunteers: A way for students interested in careers in health to volunteer in a hospital.
  • IDreamSA: A volunteering program set up by the San Antonio government to connect students with volunteering opportunities at local charities.

Feedback From Students & Parents

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!