Though we have worked in person with families in the Philadelphia and San Diego areas, many of our families only know us as online tutors who work over video chat. We have worked this way with students in over 30...
How Does Online Tutoring Work?
Author: Ivy Experience
An Updated Guide to Virtual College Tours
Where to start Without the option to visit colleges in-person, virtual tours and online content can provide a bridge and help you gain a sense of a school from the comfort of your home. While a virtual visit may not...
Test-Optional Policies: What Do They Mean?
Before COVID-19, there were already more than 1,000 colleges and universities that were test-optional. But with so many institutions changing their standardized test policies – some temporarily, others permanently – in light of the pandemic, there are more questions about...
Recommendations & Application FAQs
With continuing uncertainty about when (and if) schools will resume this spring, we recognize that juniors and families will have questions for their guidance counselors and teachers related to the college application process. In this blog post, we wanted to organize a...
How to Take Advantage of Unexpected Time Off
With many students getting time off from school due to the spread of coronavirus, we thought we should share some ideas on how to stay occupied – and manage some productivity – while stuck at home. This post is long,...
My College Visits Got Canceled – Now What?
In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, many colleges have made the decision to shut down their campuses for the remainder of the spring, which means tours and information sessions for prospective students are also being canceled. Students and their families...
Popular Schools With Why College Essays
American University Why are you interested in American University? 150 words Bard College Why Bard? 250 words Barnard College What factors influenced your decision to apply to Barnard College and why do you think the College would be a good...
How the High School Experience Can Make Your Student a Better Person (and a Better Applicant!)
Begin with what you love. We often talk about activity advising in terms of the Japanese concept of ikigai. The philosophy of ikigai means pursuing and embracing activities where what you are good at, what you enjoy doing, and what...
How to Turn College Visits into Why College Essays
We all know campus visits are an important part of applying to college – they can give students and families a “feel” for a school and provide insight that is not possible to gain elsewhere. But what most students do...