The college application process and landscape have changed so much since I was a college applicant, I wanted to make sure my son would be prepared for the challenge. I had colleges in mind for my son but I needed a third party who is familiar with the process and have resources to elevate him as a strong candidate. I also needed someone to coach him so that I end up not being a "nag" essentially. I felt confident after interviewing and researching several college application counseling services that Ivy Scholars was the one. What I liked about Ivy Scholars was their bespoke approach to coaching the candidate. It was one on one which I truly loved - Not some group in a conference room discussing your child and giving vague ideas of how to build your candidacy. I felt Ivy Scholars focused on the individual candidate. Meeting with Sasha was great, instant confidence. I reviewed his team and they were all very professional and very qualified. It offered candidacy building, test prep, and essay and application help. Everything I was looking for. I had a lot of trepidation about spending money (it is expensive, they all are) on college applications but I felt it would help my son. I needed help as a parent. Well, it was well worth it. Actually I would say Ivy Scholars helped my son beyond what I expected. Daniel Schriever was my son's weekly coach and counselor. He was patient, thoughtful, and really talented. He took the time to learn my son's personality - strengths and weaknesses. My son was not the most organized - typical teenage boy. He worked with him and learned of his passions and interests and helped him get an internship that he loved. It fit right in with his interests. He helped him connect with a research mentor (Dr Len) and he was able to submit his research for publication. As for the college application process, well, my son, out of the blue, wanted to apply to the service academies. That is a whole another beast of a process. Daniel helped with 16 college applications and three service academy applications. The essays, the college app, coached him on military panel interviews as well as congressional nomination interviews. So now we have a problem - a good problem to have, we never expected. He got accepted to UT Austin early action as an out of state applicant. They had 140,000 applicants this year - 95% deferred, and only 10% is out of state. He is a national Air Force ROTC Scholarship recipient as well as Army ROTC Scholarship recipient. He received an appointment to the United States Military Academy (West Point) with three Congressional nominations. He also got accepted to 11 other colleges of which they are rewarding him with scholarships. Thank you Dr Daniel, Sasha, Dr Len and Team read more

I am a college student currently conducting broad research on the tutoring industry. Out of the ten company owners I have spoken with so far, Sasha was the first to respond and by far the most insightful and generous with his time. He provided thoughtful, detailed answers to my questions and offered a level of transparency that made it easy to understand both the opportunities and challenges within the industry. What stood out most was not just Sasha's deep understanding of the tutoring space, but also his genuine care for his students and his commitment to delivering quality education. Sasha is both kind and incredibly knowledgeable, and I would absolutely recommend him to anyone looking to learn more about the tutoring sector--or to parents and students looking for someone they can trust. read more

The incredible team at Ivy Scholars understand top-tier college admissions with unparalleled expertise. They were fully vested in helping me meet my collegiate goals. Jennifer, my mentor, provided invaluable insight, assistance, and encouragement. I am grateful and honored to have had the privilege of being in their pro bono program, Laurel Scholars, and getting to work with them. I recommend Ivy Scholars highly. Jennifer helped me make sure my personal statement articulated my journey well and was something that I was very proud of. She has been immensely supportive and by my side throughout the process--even after I submitted my applications and was waiting on decisions to be released, Jennifer checked in on me. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with her and believe her counsel guided me to my acceptances. The difficulty of finding my footing after an illness-induced break in my education put me at a disadvantage that I didn't know how to overcome. Sasha and Jennifer made sure that my future would not be lost in this gap. They offered me strategies to use my story as a nontraditional applicant to my benefit and genuinely made every effort to help me. I was accepted to and will be attending Columbia University this fall and could not be more enthusiastic about the next chapter in my story. read more

"I want to thank Ivy Scholars for helping us navigate what can be a complicated and even cruel college admissions process. What sets Sasha apart from other college counselors is his intellect, vast knowledge on intricate college entrance tips, and sense of knowing which schools would be a good fit for each student. He was willing to work with us just for senior year on our timetable. Sasha and his staff provided us with a good list of colleges to apply to along with items to consider that we would not have thought of otherwise. In the end my son got into Johns Hopkins, Washington University, Amherst College, UC Berkeley, Wesleyan, and UT Austin McCombs, amongst other schools. My son's dream was to get into a top 20 school and Ivy Scholars helped him to get into a few, one of which is ranked number 7 nationally. Sasha was even still giving us advice well after his services were officially over." -Ridhi Mehra read more

I'm a junior in Spring Branch in Houston, TX. Since freshman year, I worked with Ivy Scholars to prepare for the SAT and SAT Subject Tests. When my parents first took me to Sasha's office, I was uninterested. The idea of taking an SAT prep course seemed like a boring necessity. Even though I hated studying for the test on my own, I enjoyed working with Ivy Scholars. Charly and Nick were some of the best teachers I've ever had, and even though we never met in person, I genuinely felt like we became friends. I was NOT an organized freshman, so the time management program that I participated in was critical in being successful in high school. Before the end of 9th grade, I went from hating to even think about how I could plan everything I had to do, to calendaring out entire weeks on Sunday and easily knowing exactly when every part of my life would occur. I was wrong to believe this would feel like it constrained my freedom; in retrospect, I was much more constrained by apathy and disorganization than I was by having to follow a plan and adjust my schedule to fit the unexpected. So, Ivy Scholars, thank you for helping me build both life skills as an underclassman, and a custom study plan that got me from a 1270 to a 1530 SAT and 800 on SAT Math 2. In addition to the Testing Program, thank you for spending the time with me to figure out what parts of algebra I did not learn well enough in school and the patience to walk me through mistakes I didn't want to admit I was making. Most of all, thank you for being patient with me and helping me grow up. read more

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 Sasha and 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. 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. read more

Sasha and his entire team were amazing! They made my entire college admissions process so much easier, and I was able to get into several Ivy League schools. My parents didn't know anything about the college admissions process, so I turned to Ivy Scholars to help me with organizing my extracurriculars, essays, and college lists. I could not thank them enough :) Sasha was able to give me pointers on my own application, and I was even able to do a practice interview with an alumni interviewer, which was extremely helpful. Overall, I'm super grateful for all his help :) read more

We have worked with Ivy Scholars to develop a plan for our daughter's college admission. Sasha and his team worked with her on SAT/ACT prep, SAT subject tests, and college admissions essays. In addition to college preparation, Sasha was instrumental in helping her adjust to transfer to a new school mid junior year. Sasha's dedication to our daughter's goals, positive encouragement, deep knowledge of the college testing and admissions process, and experience in working closely with children and families, all greatly contributed to her admission into an Ivy League university. Charly and Mateo are also incredible coaches who know how to relate to young people much better than any school counselor or college advisor I've ever met. It has been a real pleasure working with them. We are now starting to work with Ivy Scholars again to help develop a plan for our son's high school education and ultimate college major. We highly recommend the Ivy Scholars to anyone who has a child in High School who is planning on applying to college. Sasha and his team are very easy to talk to, know how to approach children and young adults and understand complicated family dynamics. Every member of Ivy Scholars is a talented and outstanding individual who is not only a pleasure to work with but is also a privilege to know. read more

My son is a very talented artist at the prestigious Shanghai American School. Matthew and Sasha did an amazing job helping my son get into the Rhode Island School of Design, as his first choice and one of the world's best art programs. Only 10 students in all of Asia were accepted for the Early Decision and my son was one of them. So I am writing this review to say thank you. I have always told my son that I would do everything I could to support him going to a very good college, that could enable him to be a fulfilled artist and happy, prosperous, professional. Our journey to get him the best education was not easy and required a lot of personal sacrifice. It was hard to find a college counselor we could trust. We did not like college counselors' attitudes in Shanghai, because they were hypercompetitive and not genuine. We felt they did not really respect him, the sacrifices he made, and why his art was important to him. My son wouldn't have fit well with a slick person. He needed to work with an artist like himself who was genuine, passionate, insightful, and creative. After the first two years of high school, I was introduced to Sasha by one of my friends from the Asian-American Council, Mandy Kao. Sasha and Matt helped her son get into Rice, and she said they could help my son too. I was very grateful for this reference, as expectations were high and time was short. Sasha's first call with my son lasted three hours. Not only did Sasha ask about academics, he asked about my son's artistic vision, personal motivations, and life goals. Afterwards, my son told me that Sasha really cared about him. I agreed. When I talked to Sasha, he asked questions like "what are your dreams for your son?" that nobody had asked before. It felt like he was a counselor and not trying to sell me something. Ivy Scholars had a playwright and poet on staff named Matt, whose work fit perfectly into my son's art. Matt was authentic, kind, thoughtful, and funny. My son loved working with him. He guided my son on his art, on publishing and getting recognition. The year he spent getting to know my son before the college application process made a huge difference. Matt and Sasha really listened to the challenges facing our family. They also helped us navigate a difficult family situation between my son and his father. By the time they started writing, they were good friends and understood each other, so they could write better together, slowly tuning into my son's best qualities and framing his story. Especially in pool of Chinese students, my son's Personal Statement had heart and showed his artists' soul. It was real and genuine. My son was comfortable with how he presented himself in his essays. Ivy Scholars lifted a heavy burden from me. They did an exceptional job accommodating the time difference. Even at the last minute, they were available. My son worked with Matthew every Monday night (China time, Sunday morning US time). He was happy to stay awake until 11PM Shanghai time, and enjoyed his late-night writing. Time management was perfect. Everything was submitted on time, which would not have happened if my son was in charge. I was still a little worried, but I felt more comfortable working with caring professionals. My advice for parents reading this is to start early and find mentors, not consultants! We started in October of 11th grade and had just enough time to complete all of my son's candidacy goals before he had to write his college application essays. I think starting in 10th grade is ideal. Less genuine counselors in Shanghai will work with students only for a month or two. This would not have worked for me and my son because we needed a mentor we could get to know personally and trust, not just essay editors. Great work with students requires rapport. Smart college counselors can't substitute for college counselors that pay attention and care. Sasha and Matt knew my son thoroughly, deeply, and with great rapport, because they were there for his development, guiding him on what colleges wanted and how to think of himself as an application without compromising his integrity. Without that personal connection, Marcus would not have written such a great personal statement, or achieved such great successes. I am so happy I found them to support my son's dreams. Thank you Sasha and Mathew! read more

Before coming to Ivy Scholars pro bono program, I was overwhelmed with how many aspects of college admissions I needed to consider and perform well in. I was particularly worried about how I would have to go through the process during the COVID-19 pandemic since it was unprecedented, and I was unable to take the SAT or ACT. I'd accomplished a lot, but I felt like my application wouldn't be enough compared to others. For my community service and leadership, I'd been active in my school's Key Club, actively participating in almost all community service events and meetings, which led to me being elected President of Key Club in 11th grade. I also spent five years working my way up in my town's Youth Advisory Committee, a program involving students in local government. Starting as a Secretary, I became a Vice President and then a President, leading all meetings, organizing projects, and keeping in contact with city officials to pursue our goals. To prepare for pre-med, I interned at a local doctor's office for 100 hours in 2019 for two months in the summer. I set appointments, took vitals from patients, shadowed the doctor, and helped organize patient charts with the CMAs in the office. I also worked on my communication skills by founding my school's speech and debate team, and serving as president. We attended several competitions and I won second and third place in some of the Lincoln-Douglas debate competitions. All this sounds great, right? Well, describing my accomplishments was one thing, but writing college essays was another. I'd tried a few drafts on my own, but I could see they weren't what they needed to be. I was terrified that all my hard work wouldn't be recognized because my storytelling fell flat. Since I had been there for all of the events in my writing, it was difficult for me to see the places in which context and necessary information for new readers may have been left out. My Ivy Scholars mentors helped me recognize those areas and develop my writing so it was ready for admissions readers to review. I worked mainly with Mr. Cruz. His essay review was the most impactful aspect of my college admissions process. Since essays are what make you stand apart from other applicants, I considered them to be the central part of my applications and appreciated his insight from an outside perspective that made my voice come through more clearly. It was interesting to gain another perspective on my essays and application and to see what context I was leaving out in my writing. I'm glad I reached out for help. I'm immensely grateful for Ivy Scholars for offering me free assistance. I am currently attending UC San Diego as a Neurobiology major. While UCLA was my first choice, UC San Diego was my second choice. When I got my acceptance, I was very excited since UC San Diego had been one of my top choices for a long time. I called my mom at work immediately and then we had a celebratory family dinner that night. Mr. Chada, Mr. Cruz, thank you for making that possible. read more

Before meeting Sasha and the Ivy Scholars team, I was frightened by the college admissions process. Admissions nowadays are ever-so competitive, and I was worried I may not be able to stand out amongst the thousands of applications from around the world. I'll be honest and share that I was not the most academically structured or organized, not knowing all that I was supposed to do to make my college application make me stand out as a candidate for America's top-tier universities. I was struggling to get a desirable score on my standardized tests, and couldn't seem to get an effective test-taking strategy to boost my scores to the top. I worked with Sasha personally on creating the effective strategies needed to consistently score 1400+ on SAT practice exams. Sasha showed me the path to confidence not only in my test-taking experience, but also as he helped me build my resume to include activities I would not have dreamt of before our working together. Sasha inspired me to think outside the box and use what resources I had in front of me to create something new and intriguing not only to impress colleges, but to help me find my sense of worth in a world similarly competitive with challenging philosophies on how to find a meaningful life. Now an entrepreneur with a successful online business, I credit Sasha's guiding hand in helping me find my path in this crazy busy world we live in. After receiving unbelievable scholarships from various top-producing institutions across the country, I ultimately decided to attend Texas Christian University, for their small class sizes and close proximity to home. As a computer science major, I have close connections with all of my professors, using some of the relationship building techniques Sasha taught me in our many interpersonal sessions together. Sasha's guiding wisdom and discernment on my life as he listened to my challenges made all the difference. It is for these reasons I can confidently recommend Sasha and the entire Ivy Scholars team as the premier test prep, candidate building, and admissions coaching company. Through Ivy Scholars I have met some long-term mentors, like Sasha, who I will continue to hold dearly even though it's been years since our program together has ended. read more

It's a true pleasure for me to write about Ivy Scholars who helped my son get into some top-tier universities. After early admission failure in mid-December, my son was scared and we contacted Sasha to ask for his help with personal essays. He had only two weeks to apply without much preparation. Sasha and his staff immediately jumped in to help my son. Charlie, Mateo and Nick were all phenomenal to work with son to make sure every parts of the essays were taken of. What makes IvyScholars better than others is their layered approach of supporting and reviewing process by multiple staff members. Every essay that son composed was revised and edited by ALL of them. That helped him to get different perspectives and and come up with amazing set up write ups. Son got his admission to Stanford, Rice and UT to name a few. A big shout out to Charlie especially, who challenged son with many thought provoking ideas till the final day of his applications. I highly recommend ambitious kids to call Sasha if they dream about great schools. Good luck Sasha and team! read more

My niece wrote this repost. She got into multiple Ivy Leagues including Columbia :) Sasha tutored me for two years in mathematics, physics, chemistry, English composition, and SAT preparation. He also provided substantial guidance for my college essays and application process. Sasha's tutoring helped alleviate the stress of a heavy course load in my junior year. His own academic achievements, such as graduating a year early from Johns Hopkins with a double major, was proof of his strong grasp of the subjects in which I was struggling. Sasha was able to explain and elucidate even the most difficult physics concepts in AP Physics C and AP Chemistry. Besides just understanding the subjects well, his teaching method focused on finding different angles to each concept and problem. He always strove to understand my comfort level and my current knowledge of a subject so that he could tailor his tutoring to me individually. Not only was he well versed in math and science areas, but also he provided extraordinary insight into my English essays and SAT reading composition questions. It wasn't until I began writing at Columbia did I realize how much my writing would have suffered without Sasha's help. The transition from formulaic high school essays into thought-provoking, layered, and elegant essays that my professors at Columbia demand was indeed difficult. Sasha's advice on my high school English essays opened new perspectives on writing that went beyond simple grammar corrections. I entered the college application process the same way all of my classmates did: uncertain, confused, and stressed. For everything I had done in my four years--all, seemingly, for this one moment--it appeared as if the crucial decision rested on a matter of semantics. 640 words and a Why question. I approached Sasha looking for guidance on my common app essay and my Columbia application. At the time I didn't know what I wanted, or even Why Columbia. I sat down with Sasha with the sense of urgency that a competitive personality and high school environment had permanently imbued in me. But beyond the 640 words and the drive to distinguish myself from 33,000 other applicants, it was clear that I was lost. Sasha never crafted a golden, perfect essay for me. He didn't simply focus on the essay I brought to him, he sought to understand me first before even looking at the essay. He saw greater horizons in me, and he refused to believe that all I needed was an edit. Sasha, a few years my senior and a graduate of the same high school, knew the application process intimately from his experiences at Hopkins. He understood the pressure of an intensely competitive academic environment, at times more stifling than stimulating. Through insightful conversations and patient listening on his part, we discussed steamrolling through checklists, measuring myself with numbers and resume bullet points, and my eternal struggle to balance passions and academic conformity. I confided in him, and he, unlike other college advisors who demand thousands of dollars to mold students to an outdated formula, focused on expressing my individuality through my application while showcasing my accomplishments and talents. He asked me about what I wanted in my college, my environment, and my education. He asked me about what I wanted, period, and because of him I considered not only whether a college would accept me, but also whether it would fit me. Sasha invested himself in understanding my visions, my problems, and my experiences so that he could best mentor me. I firmly believe that the introspection I gained through him, coupled with his formal guidance on my essays, was crucial for my application. Beyond the goal of crafting college essays which contained enough depth and distinction and interest, Sasha's advice on writing still aids me. He challenged me to look at myself differently through my writing. He had no qualms about telling me to scrap entire paragraphs and rewrite them. Once I got over my hang-ups on taking out a nice-sounding line, my writing became fluid. After talking with Sasha, all of my 640 words were different, and completely my own. I had written a common app essay which a friend later told me gave her goose bumps. Conversations with Sasha provide interesting insights and reveal his intellectual passions. Sasha pursues many passions, and his understanding of the arts, sciences, and college trends allows him to relate to his students on many levels. He is wonderfully compassionate, always willing to offer thoughts, jokes, or advice on any matter. Through our time together, he became an amazing mentor and a friend, and someone I relied on during the most stressful time of high school. He was the only person who advised me in my college applications, and I know he pours just as much effort and sincere care into each of his other students. read more

Ivy scholars is a fantastic program for all different things, day to day tutoring for classes, SAT prep, and for admission counseling. I highly recommend them to anyone read more

Guys - thanks so much for all of your help. From Dad: Ryan's energy and enthusiasm for our son's education was immensely reassuring. His meticulousness and thoughtful approach to strategy issues made it very easy to trust him. His flexibility around our schedule and willingness to be there whenever needed (even in the middle of a very busy time for his company) helped our son stay on task and learn the organization that Ryan was teaching him. His expertise was extremely impressive. I don't think we could have found the right university or written the essays we needed without him. The consistency and attention to detail we received from Ivy Scholars was critical in reaching our goals. The SAT instructor, Alex, was also very good. From Mom: From the moment we met Ryan, I knew we were going to have a good experience. He was warm and professional, and focused on our son's well-being. From the first day, he helped our son understand what really made up his criteria for a good fit college. As parents going through the application process for the first time, my husband and I were immensely relieved by the plan Ivy Scholars laid out, which saved us a lot of stress and made researching colleges clearer. Sasha's risk management analysis for how to choose safety, target, and reach schools answered questions that our high school college counselor just wasn't qualified for. At the end, Sasha had really made friends with my son - he was the first person he called when he got into Duke! From our Blue Devil: I worked mainly with Sasha, Mateo, and Alex but also with other members of the Ivy Scholars team. Sasha did a fantastic job helping me grow as a writer, a thinker, and a test-taker. He made sure that he was going to be able to help me, regardless of my attitude at first. I remember when he took me out to lunch after our first meeting. I had put the bare minimum effort into the homework he gave me and was expecting him to criticize me. I thought a college admissions consultant would be pushing me to look as competitive and prestigious as I possibly could and act like someone I'm not in interviews. Instead, Sasha and I talked about philosophy, psychology, and classics for two hours. He really cared how I studied, what my goals were, how I expressed myself, and how I wanted to evolve as an adult in my career. When we got to talking about homework, I knew he really wanted to know what I thought and felt about the assignments he gave me. He was also very helpful in staying on top of deadlines and essays. I know I would have missed some deadlines and had a lot more trouble finishing the 27 essays without his help. They also wouldn't have been as good, since I learned a lot about what colleges want to see in essays and "show don't tell." His whole attitude was very different than I expected and I'm glad I have worked with someone with his level of talent. I wouldn't have made it to Duke without him. read more

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. Without exaggeration, seeking Sasha's advice was one of the best decisions I made in high school. As someone who truly wants to see his students realize their dreams, he is the type of inspiring teacher, educator, and mentor I really, really wish I had met earlier in my life. read more

Sasha tutored me in physics, chemistry, English composition, and SAT preparation. He also provided substantial guidance for my college essays and application process. Sasha's tutoring helped alleviate the stress of a heavy course load in my junior year. His own academic achievements, such as graduating a year early with a double major, was proof of his strong grasp of academic subjects. He always strove to understand my comfort level so that he could tailor his tutoring to me individually. Not only was he well versed in math and science, but also he provided extraordinary insight on my English essays and SAT reading composition questions. Sasha's advice opened new perspectives on writing that went beyond simple grammar corrections, and ultimately he pushed me to write beyond what high school English teachers expected of me to prepare for my teachers at Columbia. I entered the college application process the same way all of my classmates did: uncertain, confused, and stressed. For everything I had done in my four years--all, seemingly, for this one moment--it appeared as if the crucial decision rested on a matter of semantics. 640 words and a Why question. I approached Sasha looking for guidance on my common app essay and my Columbia application. At the time I didn't know what I wanted, or even Why Columbia. But I had to answer Why Columbia, and in the case of being unconvincing, answer Why for other schools. Sasha never crafted a golden, perfect essay for me. He didn't simply focus on the essay I brought to him, he sought to understand me first before even looking at the essay. He understood the pressure of an intensely competitive academic environment, at times more stifling than stimulating. I confided in him, and he, unlike other college advisors who demand thousands of dollars to mold students to an outdated formula, focused on expressing my individuality through my application while showcasing my accomplishments and talents. He asked me about what I wanted in my college, my environment, and my education. He asked me about what I wanted, period, and because of him I considered not only whether a college would accept me, but also whether it would fit me. Sasha didn't look at me as just another student who may or may not get into her dream school. Sasha invested himself in understanding my visions, my problems, and my experiences so that he could best mentor me. I firmly believe that the introspection I gained through him, coupled with his formal guidance on my essays, was crucial for my application. Beyond the goal of crafting college essays which contained enough depth and distinction and interest, Sasha's advice on writing still aids me tremendously. I reached out to Sasha because I knew of his brilliance in writing, but it is quickly evident to anyone from his advice. He challenged me to look at myself differently through my writing. He had no qualms about telling me to scrap entire paragraphs and rewrite them. Once I got over my hang-ups on taking out a nice-sounding line, my writing became fluid. After talking with Sasha, all of my 640 words were different, and completely my own. I had written a common app essay which a friend later told me gave her goose bumps. To this day I am immensely proud of it, and I owe its development to Sasha. Sasha never fails to impress me with his quick wit. He pursues many passions, and his understanding of the arts, sciences, and college trends allows him to relate to his students on many levels. He is wonderfully compassionate, always willing to offer thoughts, open about his own experiences, and unafraid to admit his own struggles. Sasha intellectually challenged me and helped develop my college apps, but most of all, he strongly believed in me. I cannot express my gratitude at his enthusiasm for guiding me through my thoughts, my academics, and my writing. He was the only person who advised me in my college applications, and I know he pours just as much effort and sincere care into each of his other students. read more