About Us
Professionals Dedicated to Excellence
Our Mission
Ivy Ready's mission is to provide a personalized admission strategy for each student by capitalizing on their strengths, background, interest and aspirations. We value the diversity of the families we serve and devote tremendous effort to ensure every student has the opportunity to share their compelling story.
Meet a Few Members of Our Team and Their Admission Background
Our team is comprised of former admission officers and graduates of highly selective schools. Contact us if a coach with the particular background you seek is not listed . We have an extended list not shown here. We are dedicated to finding the perfect coach for you.
James
College Counseling Professional
B.S., Stanford University
Former Admission Officer, Stanford University
James brings wide and deep experience to assist students applying to US universities. Some of his experiences specifically involve Stanford: he got his engineering degree there, taught three design courses, served as small group coach for two other courses, did undergraduate admissions, had one daughter admitted and another waitlisted. But James has integrated the knowledge gained at Stanford with his other experiences teaching at both public and private high schools in the US, Australia, and New Zealand as well as being a parent of high achieving students. James understands the process and strives to work with motivated students in creating compelling “profiles” to generate a range of great admission offers.
Ariel
College Counseling Professional
B.A., Stanford University
M.A., University of Southern California (USC)
Former Admission Officer, Stanford University
Ariel has been working in college admissions for nearly a decade, both as a member of an admissions committee (Stanford University) and as an ambassador to prospective students. In this time, she has read thousands of applications, edited hundreds of personal statements, and developed a wide breadth of knowledge about the admissions process. Ariel combines her insider's knowledge of the application process with her passion for working with teens to help students of all levels and backgrounds communicate unique and compelling applications. To take full advantage of her expertise, select Comprehensive Application Support from the Application Support page. She can guide students with school selection, writing personal statements, application strategy, interview preparation, what (and what not) to include on an application, how to make a strong resume, and everything in between!
Erika
College Counseling Professional
B.A., Harvard University (English)
M.Div., Episcopal Divinity School
Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions, Princeton University
Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions, Columbia University
Seasonal Admission Reader, Harvard University
In addition to her experience as an Admission Officer, Erika has taught Advance d Placement Language and Composition for more than a quarter century, and has guided thousands of seniors in the writing of successful college essays, including her own daughter, a recent graduate of Columbia University. Erika has written hundreds of letters of recommendation, as well, and knows the college admissions process from a variety of perspectives: student, parent, teacher, and admissions officer. She enjoys showing young people that, as daunting an experience as the admissions process is, it can also be an exciting opportunity for students to discover both who they are, and who it is they wish to become. Erika has been an admissions consultant both domestically and throughout Asia, having traveled to and worked with students in India, South Korea, and China. She most enjoys helping students with the essay writing process, and watching them discover their voices as both writers and as young adults who are ready to offer their gifts to the world.
David
College Counseling Professional
B.A., Brown University
J.D., Cornell University
Former Admission Officer, Brown University
David is an outstanding college admission consultant with extensive experience supporting students to apply and gain admission to top schools. He began his college counseling career with the desire to help students achieve their dreams. Working at the office of Undergraduate Admission at Brown University, David saw firsthand how to help students improve their applications. He also felt at “home” at his alma mater Brown University. In recent admission cycles, students who worked with David have been admitted to Cornell University, New York University, Northeastern University, Stanford University, UC Berkeley, Yale University, and the University of Chicago, among others! Whether you are looking for hourly consultation or long-term support, David is ready to assist you! Request your introductory session with David by clicking below.
Alicia
College Counseling Professional
B.A., George Washington University
MBA Candidate, Whitman School of Business, Syracuse University
Former Admission Officer, Columbia Business School
With more than ten years of experience in higher education admissions, financial aid, student affairs, and teaching, I bring with me a lot of knowledge and expertise to my counseling work with students. As a Former Assistant Director of Admissions at Columbia Business School, I had the privilege of working with both full-time MBA and Executive MBA applicants. I also served as Assistant Director of Student Financial Planning at Columbia University Medical Center and have helped dozens of students navigate the financial aid system. I interviewed students, read applications, and coached hundreds of applicants into Columbia’s top-tier programs.
Marie
College Counseling Professional
B.A., University of Pennsylvania
Former Admissions Officer, Columbia University
Marie has over 11 years of experience working in higher education counseling. As an admission officer at Columbia, she reviewed and participated in committees covering thousands of applications. As a college admission counselor, she specializes in helping applicants focused on getting into highly selective schools, and she works extensively with international applicants. She is truly passionate about helping prospective applicants showcase their potential through creative writing.
Anna
College Counseling Professional
B.A., University of San Francisco
MPH, University of San Francisco
Admission, University of San Francisco
Admission, UCSF, Master of Science in Global Health Program
Advisor, UC Berkeley Department of Economics
Anna has extensive experience working with students and families with college planning, application preparation, and financial aid opportunities. She has worked as an academic advisor at a private institution, as well as in the UC system, guiding and preparing students for their academic journey. She graduated from the University of San Francisco with a B.A. in Psychology and a Minor in Neuroscience. She then went on to earn a Masters in Public Health from the University of San Francisco. She has significant experience working with Jesuit universities, as well as the UC system, at both the graduate and undergraduate level.
Dr. Workneh
College Counseling Professional
B.A., Stanford university
M.P.H., Yale University
M.D., University of Califronia, San Francisco
Dr. Workneh is an American Board certified internal medicine physician who serves as Ivy Ready's premier medical school planning and application consultant. She is an outstanding physician with an unparalleled educational pedigree and excellence in patient care. Recently, she was awarded the Clinical Research Fellowship at Johns Hopkins University, where she now serves as a resident physician. She has extensive knowledge of the medical school admission process not only from her own journey of gaining admission into prestigious institutions like Stanford, Yale, and UCSF, but also from her time as an admission committee member at UCSF. She is available to assist you with long-term planning, as a mentor, or to address your specific questions through short-term consultations. Request more information by clicking here.
Gregg
College Counseling Professional
Former Admission Officer, Stanford University
Gregg has extensive experience (and success!) supporting students with their applications to Stanford and other highly selective schools. During his tenure as an admission officer at Stanford University, he reviewed domestic and international applications. He is an accomplished college counselor who has helped students put forward powerful narratives to increase their admission chances.
Deborah
College Counseling Professional
B.A., The George Washington University
MPM, Carnegie Mellon University
Former Assistant Director of Admission, Carnegie Mellon University
Deborah is an outstanding counselor who has has spent over five years in admissions and has reviewed almost 5,000 applications during her career. She has extensive experience supporting students with their applications to the Ivy League and other highly competitive schools in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and the arts. In addition to reviewing applications for academic programs, she also has experience partnering with the visual arts during their review and evaluation process (Art, Architecture, and Design), as well as making admissions decisions. Having spent time recruiting students with very different interests for private, public, or arts focused institutions, her favorite part of the admissions review process is getting to know students and helping them find their university home!