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Gain an advantage in college admissions

Built around core values, meaningful impact, and a story colleges remember.

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The proof

Real growth that lasts beyond the application.

After just four weeks, my daughter had a plan not only for high school, but for her life.

Gülnar Oguz Albusova

Mother of a 9th grader

Every session was fantastic. He truly loved it, and he always tells me, “Mom, this changed my life.”

Dr. Robyn Blair

Parent

How it works

A clearer path to a standout application.

Your teen does not need to do everything. They need a meaningful direction, the right support, and a plan they can confidently follow.

Overview of the Ivy League Challenge roadmap
Choosing between Live Cohort, Accelerated, and VIP plans
Student participating in the Ivy League Challenge impact project
Student confidently admitted to their dream college

Course outline

Three phases. One clear direction.

PHASE 01

Core Values

  • Find core values that guide better decisions
  • Clarify genuine interests and strengths
  • Identify activities worth pursuing
  • Stop wasting time on what does not fit
  • Build the foundation for a real admissions story

PHASE 02

Community Impact

  • Explore nine types of standout impact projects
  • Build something useful for a real community
  • Develop authentic leadership
  • Learn how to investigate, research, and communicate
  • Live core values through meaningful action

PHASE 03

Strategic Admissions

  • Turn values and impact into application strengths
  • Learn effective professor outreach
  • Build stronger recommendation relationships
  • Craft essays that tell a real story
  • Apply to college with more clarity and confidence

What changes

More than a course. A path forward.

What they receive

  • 12 weeks of live classes with motivated peers
  • Practical tools, templates, and training resources
  • Access to a global community of ambitious teens
  • Optional 1:1 strategy support in select plans

What they build

  • A clearer sense of their values and strengths
  • An impact project that creates real value
  • A memorable profile grounded in authentic work
  • A stronger story for essays, outreach, and applications

Choose your plan

Choose the path that fits your family best.

The Ivy League Challenge provides families with the clarity, strategy, and expert guidance they need to take the stress, confusion, and guesswork out of the college admissions process. By addressing the overwhelm of conflicting advice and uncertainty about what truly matters, these programs help teens build a standout application with confidence and ensure every decision they make supports their future success.

Basic

Live Cohort

$3,497
  • Everything described in the course outline
  • Learn in a live cohort
  • Join like-minded, ambitious teens
  • Structured admissions guidance
  • Clear next steps each week
Join the Cohort

Elite

VIP Program

$25,000
  • Private admissions partnership
  • Personalized roadmap walkthrough
  • Highest level of strategy and support
  • Available by application only
  • Limited partnerships accepted
Learn More

Meet your guide

Strategy is more useful when it starts with the student.

Steve Gardner is the founder of The Ivy League Challenge, a Harvard alumnus, and an instructor at Harvard Summer School. For more than 15 years, he has helped students build stronger lives, meaningful impact, and admissions strategies that feel true to who they are.

0 years in education and mentorship
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0 in scholarships earned

Your next step

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Don’t let the daunting college admissions process stop you from getting accepted to your dream college. Join the Ivy League Challenge today!