Call The Ivy Dean Today at (845) 826-5310

Admissions Consulting Questions

Thank you for your interest in The Ivy Dean. Here is a list of the most frequently asked questions. If you have additional questions, you may contact us any time at (845) 826-5310 or by filling out this form.

— Drusilla Blackman, The Ivy Dean

FAQs

Can you work with students from anywhere in the country?

Yes. Each year, we work with students across the country (and even around the world). Whether you are in California, Florida, Montana, or New York, we will meet with you one-on-one by Skype to guide you through each step of the admissions process. 


Do you only help with Ivy League colleges?

No. We help with any college or university. Our company’s name, The Ivy Dean, comes from my many years of admissions experience at schools in the Ivy League. We will help you to submit strong applications that maximize your chance of acceptance to any college of interest! To see The Ivy Dean’s past college success stories, click here.


Who will I be working with?

All students work directly with college admissions expert Drusilla Blackman, who has worked in Ivy League admissions at Harvard and Columbia. She is The Ivy Dean President and is the field’s leading expert!


What is your experience with college admissions?

We have worked directly in college admissions for over 40 years at colleges such as Harvard, Columbia and Penn. After reviewing thousands of applications and essays, we know what stands out in a competitive applicant pool. As the former Dean of Admissions at Harvard and Columbia, Dee Blackman made the final admissions decisions for thousands of students. You can learn more about our experience here.


If I am an average student, can you help me?

Of course! We help all students achieve their college goals. Even if you are a B student with average test scores, we will maximize the strength of your applications through your Positioning and essays to ensure you get accepted to the best possible college.


How are you different from other admission consultants?

Our consulting group is the only one run by a former Ivy League Dean of Admissions. As a former Ivy League admissions dean, Drusilla Blackman made the final decision about hundreds of thousands of applications. We am very familiar with all the factors that impact an admissions decision—many of which are unknown to other admissions staff members. These factors can make the difference between an acceptance or denial. With over 40 years of admissions experience, we provide accurate answers to your questions, eliminating the guesswork, so you can feel confident in your application.


What is your success rate?

We work closely with all of our students to develop a college list at which they can experience the greatest amount of success. We are proud to say that all of our past students have been accepted to one of their top-choice and best-fit colleges.


Is it too early (or too late) to start?

It is never too early (or too late) to start! Your ambition to succeed brought you to this page, and that makes this the perfect time to start working on your college strategy and/or applications. Our help—at any point in the process—can dramatically increase your likeliness of acceptance. Whether you are an underclassman or a senior, we have services just for you!


Do you work with middle school students?

Each year, we work with a few highly talented and ambitious middle school students. If you are interested in learning more, please contact us at (845) 826-5310 or by completing this form.


How does the process work for seniors?

We remove the mystery from college admissions. We will work with you in a personal, customized manner. Immediately after you sign up, we will review all of your academic and extracurricular information with the same rigor that a selective college could. Drusilla Blackman will then create your unique Positioning to develop your college strategy. We will meet with you weekly to develop your essays, obtain strong letters of recommendation, complete your activity and honors lists, and prepare any supplemental materials. Furthermore, we will review all of your application materials from beginning to end before you click submit!


How does the process work for underclassmen?

Similar to seniors, we will closely evaluate your profile to determine your unique Positioning. We will then guide you step-by-step through the selection of courses, extracurriculars, and programs to support your strategy and maximize your chances of acceptance to top colleges during your senior year. To learn more about the process for underclassmen, click here.


What are your services?

You can learn more about our services by going to the underclassmen and senior pages.


Do you help with essays?

Yes. Essays are the focus of The Ivy Dean’s approach. Many students applying to selective colleges have the grades and test scores to get accepted, so colleges rely on the essays to distinguish students. We will help you develop the topics and content for each of your essays, along with providing edits and revisions to improve their strength and increase your chances of acceptance.


How many students do you work with?

We only work with a small group of students at any given time. This ensures all students meet often and directly with us, the field’s leading college admissions experts. As space is limited, our calendar fills up quickly each year, so I recommend contacting us as soon as possible to guarantee your spot.


Do you have any testimonials?

Yes. Please go to the Success Page to review student testimonials and references. We are considered leading experts in the field—We share advice in features in the Huffington Post and have been interviewed at conferences and tutoring centers across the country. Students from around the world seek our services to ensure they have the best chance of getting accepted to a top, selective college.


When is your company available to help me?

Anytime! We are open 7 days a week and invite students and their families to contact us at their convenience.


For more information, call (845) 826-5310 at any time (weekdays or weekends) or click here to contact The Ivy Dean.

Testimonials

On paper, I am by no means a perfect student. However, thanks to my Application Positioning, I was able to maximize the strengths that I bring to a college to compensate for other factors. Thanks to The Ivy Dean Team, I will be attending Princeton University, my dream school, in the fall.

Douglas R. – Princeton University

Dee provided excellent advice and guidance throughout the application process. Her overall expertise in admissions, professionalism and warmth made the experience a great one. I was thrilled that I was accepted to several of the most selective colleges in the country and will be attending Stanford in the fall.”

Laurel P. – Stanford University
It's my pleasure to inform you that I've been admitted to my first choice college: the University of Southern California. My dream is becoming reality! I am thrilled to get the chance to belong to the USC and to start a new adventure there. It is also thanks to your great help that I've been accepted, I'm very grateful! Thank you so much for everything.
Sonia G. – From Switzerland
Our son and daughter wanted to go to colleges in the same city but they had different interests and different strengths. She matched them each with their ideal college, one Columbia University and the other NYU, and worked to get them admitted. We couldn't have been more pleased.
Niki and Roger S.
I was a serious student but also wanted a university where I could continue competitive cycling. There weren't many schools that met my needs and fit my personality. From her experience, she was able to hone right in on what became my first choice school. I graduated last year and the entire college experience was awesome.
Colin J.
My parents and I didn't know how helpful it could be to have someone who understood things from the inside working with us. Ms. Blackman was able to identify just what would make me the most attractive candidate to colleges.
Bob M. – Harvard University