IvyWise: Company Research

ivywise.md

IvyWise: Company Research

Research compiled March 2026 via web research. Covers founding, business model, financials, controversies, and competitive positioning.

Table of Contents

1. Executive Summary
2. Founding Story & Key People
3. Business Model & Services
4. Financials & Scale
5. Client & School Targeting
6. Lead Generation & Marketing
7. Controversies & Criticism
8. Competitive Position
9. Regulatory & Ethical Environment
10. Key Takeaways
11. Sources

1. Executive Summary

IvyWise is the original ultra-premium, boutique college admissions consultancy. Founded in 1998 by Dr. Katherine ("Kat") Cohen — a former Yale admissions reader — from a New York City apartment with $5,000 in seed capital, the firm has grown into what it markets as "the world's premier educational consultancy," serving families from over 90 countries across 26 years.

Key facts at a glance:

IvyWise's business model combines high-touch, multi-year counseling relationships with an exclusive team of former admissions deans and directors from Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, MIT, and other top institutions. Its signature innovation — the weekly Roundtable Review that simulates an actual admissions committee — remains the centerpiece differentiator. The firm occupies the very top of the pricing spectrum in an industry valued at $2.3 billion globally (2024), positioning itself as the Hermes of college consulting: limited capacity, no public price list, and an implied promise that access itself is the product.

2. Founding Story & Key People

2.1 Dr. Katherine L. Cohen — Background

Dr. Cohen's educational pedigree is itself a case study in the elite academic pipeline:

• Brown University: B.A., magna cum laude
• Yale University: Two master's degrees and a Ph.D. in Spanish Literature
• UCLA Extension: College Counseling Certificate

Before founding IvyWise, Cohen held several formative roles:

1. Reader in the Yale University Office of Admissions — Evaluated applications to Yale College. This experience became the origin story of IvyWise: Cohen noticed that many qualified students made easily avoidable mistakes on their applications, and recognized that expert guidance could make a material difference.
2. Intern college counselor at Palisades Charter High School — Gave her exposure to the public-school side of college counseling.
3. SAT prep instructor — Taught standardized test preparation courses.

2.2 The Founding

In 1998, Cohen launched IvyWise from her New York City apartment with $5,000 in personal savings. The company began as a solo consulting practice and grew organically — no venture capital, no outside investors. Over the next two decades, she recruited a team of former deans and directors of admissions from elite institutions, building what she describes as a team with "440+ years of collective admissions experience."

The name "IvyWise" itself is notable: it explicitly references the Ivy League brand, signaling the firm's target market and aspirations from day one.

2.3 Key People

Dr. Kat Cohen — Founder & CEO - Best-selling author of The Truth About Getting In (2002) and Rock Hard Apps (2003) - YPO (Young Presidents' Organization) member and speaker since 2000 - Former Higher Education Expert for LinkedIn - Advisory board member of the Brown Entrepreneurship Program - Chaired the Brown University Alumni Schools Committee - REACT to FILM Educational Advisory Board member - Member of NACAC and IECA - Frequent media commentator on CNN, NBC Today Show, Fox Business, Bloomberg, WSJ, NYT, Forbes, Town & Country

Christine Chu — Counselor - Former Assistant Director of Admissions at Yale University and Georgetown University - Featured spokesperson for the Elevation Experience launch

Meg, M.A. — Counselor - Former Associate Dean of Admission at Princeton University and Amherst College

Amy, M.Ed. — Counselor - Former Admissions and Financial Aid Officer at Harvard College

Cara — Counselor - Former admissions officer at Colgate University and Boston College

2.4 Publications

Cohen's two books served dual purposes — marketing vehicles for IvyWise and genuine guides for families navigating admissions:

Cohen has also contributed to the Huffington Post and CollegeXpress, and maintains an active presence on social media (@drkatcohen on X/Twitter).

2.5 ApplyWise — The Digital Pivot

In 2007, Cohen launched ApplyWise, an online college application guidance platform built on her methodology. In January 2010, ApplyWise was integrated into Kaplan Test Prep's "College Prep Advantage" and "Kaplan Premier" premium subscription tiers. The platform offered 12 interactive online lessons and organizational tools — a rare attempt by an ultra-premium firm to democratize its methodology, albeit through a partnership with a mass-market test prep giant.

3. Business Model & Services

3.1 Service Architecture

IvyWise operates across five verticals, each reinforcing the others:

1. College Admissions Counseling — The flagship; multi-year, one-on-one relationships
2. WiseStart (K-8) — School placement, tutoring, early college guidance
3. Test Prep & Tutoring — Subject-matter experts; average 15 years experience; 95th percentile scores
4. Research Mentorship — Ph.D.-led independent research projects for high schoolers
5. Graduate School Counseling — MBA, JD, MD, and other graduate programs

Additional specialized tracks include: - Athletic recruiting counseling - International student advising (clients from 40+ countries) - Transfer admissions counseling - Gap year advising - School partnerships — IvyWise acts as an outsourced college counseling department for independent schools (e.g., Bennett Day Upper School, 2019)

3.2 Counselor Tier System

IvyWise structures its consultants into three tiers, which directly affect pricing:

3.3 Pricing

IvyWise does not publicly list prices. The sales funnel is:

1. Free Discovery Call — Initial intake
2. Paid Initial Consultation (WiseStart) — ~$1,450-$2,125 for a profile review and 90-minute meeting
3. Custom quote — Based on grade level, counselor tier, and number of hours

Reported price ranges from multiple review sites:

The price spread within each package reflects the counselor tier (Principal at the low end, Premier at the high end).

3.4 The Roundtable Review — Signature Offering

The Roundtable is IvyWise's core differentiator and most distinctive intellectual property:

How it works: 1. Student drafts their application materials (essays, supplements, college list, activity list) 2. Materials are submitted to the upcoming weekly Roundtable session 3. The entire team of IvyWise counselors reviews the application, simulating an actual admissions committee 4. Each counselor provides feedback based on their institutional perspective 5. Feedback is compiled by the student's dedicated counselor 6. Student meets one-on-one with their counselor to review and implement changes 7. Students may resubmit to Roundtable multiple times until satisfied

Why it matters: - Replicates the multi-reader committee process used at selective universities - A student gets feedback not just from one counselor, but from former admissions officers at Harvard, Yale, Princeton, MIT, Stanford, etc. — all on the same application - Starts at $14,000 for Roundtable access alone

Marketing claim: "IvyWise students are 5x-6x more likely to gain admission to top schools versus general applicants."

3.5 WiseStart (K-8)

IvyWise controversially markets services for children as young as kindergarten:

• School Placement: Guidance through independent/boarding school admissions — where to apply, application crafting, interview prep, testing (ISEE, SSAT, SHSAT)
• Tutoring & Executive Functioning: Subject-matter tutoring, study skills, executive function development for elementary/middle schoolers
• Early College Guidance: Middle school academic planning, interest exploration, goal-setting to build a "compelling college applicant profile" starting in 6th-8th grade

The kindergarten timeline: families should start the school placement process "in the fall the year before the grade of entry" — meaning Pre-K families are already in scope.

3.6 The Elevation Experience — $300,000 Luxury College Tour

Announced June 2025 and launched October 2025, the Elevation Experience represents IvyWise's most extreme price point:

Dr. Cohen described it as responding to "growing demand from families looking for a seamless, efficient, and expert-led way to explore colleges."

3.7 Research Mentorship

A newer service offering pairing high school students with Ph.D. mentors for independent research: - Weekly one-on-one meetings with a Ph.D. in the student's area of interest - Craft a research topic, review literature, conduct original research - Designed to produce a tangible output (paper, presentation) that strengthens college applications

3.8 Graduate School Counseling

IvyWise extends its model beyond undergraduate admissions: - Medical school, law school, MBA, and other graduate programs - 100+ years of combined graduate admissions experience on staff - Application strategy, prerequisite planning, interview prep, essay refinement, GRE planning

4. Financials & Scale

4.1 Revenue Estimates

IvyWise is privately held with no public financial filings. Estimates vary across business intelligence platforms:

A reasonable estimate based on these sources: $3M-$7M annually.

4.2 Employee Count

The variation likely reflects different counting methodologies (full-time only vs. including part-time counselors and tutors).

4.3 Revenue Per Employee

Using the midpoint estimates ($5M revenue / 50 employees) = ~$100,000 revenue per employee — low by tech standards but typical for professional services firms where the "product" is billable expert hours.

4.4 Office & Operations

• Headquarters: 780 Third Avenue, Suite 2500, New York, NY 10017 (previously listed at 501 Madison Ave, Rm 802)
• Phone: +1 (212) 262-3500
• Geographic reach: Operates across at least 2 continents (North America, plus international clients from 90+ countries)
• Service delivery: In-person (NYC) and virtual/remote counseling globally

4.5 Funding & Ownership

Per Crunchbase: IvyWise is privately held and financed through private debt. There are no known venture capital rounds, private equity acquisitions, or external investors. The company appears to be wholly owned by Dr. Cohen — a notable difference from competitors like Crimson Education (VC-backed, $27M+ raised).

4.6 Employee Sentiment (Glassdoor)

Notable employee feedback: - Positive: "Extremely collaborative... everyone here is driven, hard-working, and wants to see their teammates succeed." - Negative: "Very stressful and doesn't pay well; paying bills is a constant worry." Recent benefit cutbacks were noted, though prior benefits were described as "well above average."

5. Client & School Targeting

5.1 Client Demographics

IvyWise's client base is overwhelmingly affluent:

• Geographic concentration: NYC metro area as primary market, with significant international clientele (90+ countries)
• Socioeconomic profile: "Only wealthy families can realistically afford these services" — the $25K-$200K+ price range effectively limits the client pool to the top 1-5% of household income
• International segment: Students from 40+ countries; the firm markets heavily to international families seeking U.S. college placement
• Age range: Kindergarten through graduate school (K-8 via WiseStart, 9-12 for college, post-college for graduate programs)
• Hamptons connection: Dr. Cohen maintains a home in the Hamptons and is connected to the East End community, a detail that underscores the target demographic

5.2 Schools Targeted

IvyWise clients overwhelmingly target the most selective institutions. The firm's "By the Numbers" page lists its 5-year acceptance data for 22 schools:

These numbers are presented as five-year averages. The claimed acceptance rates imply that IvyWise clients represent a hyper-selected subset — students who were already strong candidates before engaging IvyWise.

5.3 School Partnerships

Beyond individual clients, IvyWise partners with institutions:

• Independent day and boarding schools worldwide — IvyWise provides counseling, training, and certification
• Bennett Day Upper School (2019) — IvyWise served as the school's entire college counseling department
• Professional development: Multi-day training sessions and single seminars for school counseling staff, available virtually
• Custom partnerships: Tailored to each institution's needs

5.4 Pro Bono: IvyWise Scholars

To address equity criticism, IvyWise operates the IvyWise Scholars program:

• Eligibility: High-achieving, low-income students
• Services: Free admissions counseling + 10 hours of tutoring (academic or test prep)
• Scope: Students typically complete the Common App and 4-6 supplements
• QuestBridge: IvyWise works with QuestBridge scholarship applicants
• Transfer Scholars: Expanded to include transfer students
• Scale: Approximately 1 in 7 students are served pro bono (per Alchetron/Wikipedia)

6. Lead Generation & Marketing

6.1 Media Strategy — Cohen as the Face of Elite Admissions

IvyWise's marketing engine is built almost entirely around Dr. Kat Cohen's personal brand and media presence. She functions as the public face of elite college consulting in American media:

Television appearances: - CNN, NBC Today Show, CBS News, Fox News, Fox Business, ABC News, CNBC, MTV, Bloomberg TV

Print/online media: - The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Forbes, Bloomberg, New York Magazine, Town & Country, Teen Vogue, Parents Magazine, USA Today, People Magazine, SF Chronicle, The Boston Globe

Education press: - Inside Higher Ed, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Education Week, The Harvard Crimson, Columbia Daily Spectator, Brown Daily Herald

Industry positioning: - YPO speaker (since 2000) - Former Higher Education Expert for LinkedIn - HuffPost contributor

6.2 Books as Marketing

Cohen's two books (The Truth About Getting In and Rock Hard Apps) function as both revenue generators and lead-generation tools. They: - Establish Cohen as an authority - Preview the IvyWise methodology - Create a funnel from readers to paying clients

6.3 Content Marketing

IvyWise maintains an extensive blog and knowledge base covering: - Admission rates and trends (updated annually for each class) - Standardized testing requirements and policy changes - Essay writing guides - Athletic recruiting timelines - Financial aid strategies - Early decision vs. early action analysis

This content serves dual purposes: SEO-driven lead generation and positioning IvyWise counselors as thought leaders.

6.4 The "Ivy" Brand Halo

The name "IvyWise" itself is a marketing asset — it explicitly invokes the Ivy League, the most recognizable brand in higher education. This is deliberate: the firm's identity is inseparable from the aspirational association with Harvard, Yale, Princeton, etc.

6.5 Social Proof via Statistics

IvyWise prominently displays comparative acceptance rates (their clients vs. general applicants): - "6x more likely to gain admission to top universities" - "Over 98% of IvyWise students gained acceptance to at least one of their target schools over 5 years" - "91% of IvyWise students gain admission to at least one of their top three choices"

These statistics are unverified and not independently audited, a point noted by multiple review sites.

6.6 The Elevation Experience as PR

The $300,000 luxury college tour is as much a marketing event as a revenue product. It generated widespread media coverage (PR Newswire, CBS affiliates, Morningstar, luxury travel press, Yahoo News) — far more press value than the per-tour revenue. Even the backlash ("This seems ridiculous") amplifies IvyWise's brand positioning as the most exclusive option in the market.

7. Controversies & Criticism

7.1 The Kaavya Viswanathan Plagiarism Scandal (2006)

The most prominent controversy in IvyWise's history:

Background: Kaavya Viswanathan was an IvyWise client counseled by Dr. Cohen for two years. Cohen was impressed by Viswanathan's writing and referred her to Suzanne Gluck, Cohen's own literary agent at the William Morris Agency. Viswanathan, then a high school student, was signed by 17th Street Productions and published How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life while enrolled at Harvard.

The scandal: In April 2006, over 40 passages in the novel were found to contain language, scenes, or dialogue structures plagiarized from Megan McCafferty's Sloppy Firsts and Second Helpings, plus works by Salman Rushdie and Meg Cabot. Little, Brown recalled all copies on April 27, 2006, and canceled both the revised edition and the contracted second book.

IvyWise's role: Cohen served as the pipeline connecting Viswanathan to the literary industry. While Cohen was not accused of any involvement in the plagiarism itself, the incident raised questions about: - The extent to which elite consulting firms "manufacture" student narratives and achievements - The boundary between counseling and packaging - Whether the pressure to build a distinctive profile incentivizes dishonesty

Cohen's defense: "I don't believe the Kaavya I know would ever wantonly or willingly copy someone else's work with the deliberate intent to deceive others."

Impact: The scandal paradoxically increased IvyWise's visibility. It became a touchpoint in broader debates about the "admissions industrial complex" — the question of whether consultants help students present their authentic selves or construct fictional ones.

7.2 Equity and Access Concerns

The most persistent criticism:

• Price barrier: At $25,000-$200,000+, IvyWise services are accessible only to wealthy families, exacerbating the advantage gap between affluent and lower-income applicants
• Kindergarten marketing: WiseStart's K-8 services, including kindergarten school placement, are criticized as feeding parental anxiety and normalizing the idea that college preparation begins in nursery school
• Selection bias in statistics: IvyWise showcases "acceptance rates thrice the national average" — but critics argue this reflects the pre-existing wealth and credentials of their clientele, not the consulting value-add. A student whose family can afford $50,000-$200,000 for consulting likely already has access to elite high schools, legacy connections, SAT tutoring, and extracurricular resources.
• "Passing off the importance of wealth as consulting value": One observer noted that IvyWise's marketing techniques effectively conflate socioeconomic advantage with consulting efficacy

7.3 Unverified Success Claims

Multiple review sites flag concerns: - The "98% into a best-fit school" and "6x more likely" claims are self-reported and not independently audited - "Best-fit school" is subjective and defined by IvyWise, not by the student - Many Trustpilot reviews "sound generic and read more like polished testimonials than honest feedback" - No standardized methodology exists for measuring the causal impact of admissions consulting

7.4 The Elevation Experience Backlash (2025)

The $300,000 private jet college tour generated significant criticism:

• Impracticality: Reddit users noted that all 7 schools (Columbia, NYU, Princeton, Yale, Harvard, MIT, Georgetown) are within 2-4 hours of each other by car, making a private jet absurdly unnecessary
• Environmental: A single large private jet produces more emissions in one hour than the average U.S. citizen does in an entire year. Using one for a regional Northeast tour was criticized as wasteful (despite IvyWise's carbon offset pledge).
• Status signaling: "The people considering this don't care about finding cheaper ways to do this" — the tour was seen as functioning primarily as a wealth marker, not an educational tool
• Equity optics: Launching a $300K luxury product while maintaining a pro bono program for low-income students drew accusations of tone-deafness

7.5 Industry-Wide "Admissions Industrial Complex" Critique

IvyWise exists at the center of a broader critique of the college consulting industry:

• Harvard students have characterized elite consulting firms as "running a sophisticated marketing scam" that exploits family anxiety
• The Princeton Daily Princetonian editorialized that "college consultants must prioritize accessibility and pedagogy, not profit"
• High school cultures sometimes stigmatize consultant use as "gaming the system"
• First-generation and immigrant families face particular pressure, as they lack the institutional knowledge that wealthy families take for granted

8. Competitive Position

8.1 Market Position

IvyWise occupies a specific niche: ultra-premium, boutique, NYC-based, team-approach. It competes primarily on brand prestige, counselor credentials, and the Roundtable Review process rather than on scale or price.

8.2 Competitive Landscape

8.3 IvyWise vs. Crimson Education

The most significant competitive contrast:

8.4 IvyWise vs. IvyCoach

Both firms explicitly reference the Ivy League in their names and target the ultra-wealthy:

• IvyCoach is smaller, more confrontational, and known for its outspoken blog. It was involved in the $1.5M lawsuit against a Vietnamese family for unpaid consulting fees (2018).
• IvyWise is more polished and media-friendly, positioning Cohen as an authority rather than a provocateur.
• Both charge in the high five- to six-figure range for comprehensive services.

8.5 IvyWise vs. InGenius Prep

8.6 Competitive Moat

IvyWise's competitive advantages: 1. First-mover reputation: 26 years in operation; established brand 2. Cohen's personal brand: Extensive media presence creates trust 3. Roundtable Review: Genuinely unique process that competitors haven't replicated 4. Counselor credentials: Former deans/directors, not just readers or associates 5. NACAC/IECA membership: Signals ethical compliance

Vulnerabilities: 1. Scale ceiling: Boutique model limits growth vs. VC-backed Crimson 2. Key-person risk: Brand is deeply tied to Dr. Cohen 3. No technology platform: No proprietary software or data analytics 4. Price sensitivity post-COVID: Families may question ROI at these price points 5. AI disruption: ChatGPT-class tools can draft essays and provide admissions advice at near-zero cost

9. Regulatory & Ethical Environment

9.1 Lack of Regulation

The college admissions consulting industry is effectively unregulated:

• No state licensure exists for independent educational consultants in any U.S. state
• Anyone can claim the title of "college consultant" with no training, certification, or oversight
• The Varsity Blues scandal (2019) — in which Rick Singer facilitated bribery and fraud — did not result in industry-wide regulatory reform
• Singer himself was released from federal prison in March 2025 and resumed advising work (with a court-ordered disclaimer)

9.2 Self-Regulation: IECA and NACAC

IvyWise is a member of both major self-regulatory bodies:

IECA (Independent Educational Consultants Association): - Professional membership requires: master's degree, 3+ years experience, visits to 50+ campuses - Principles of Good Practice: no commissions from institutions, no misrepresentation of student records, no interference with admissions evaluation - Membership is voluntary; fewer than 1 in 5 admissions consultants are IECA members - Annual recommitment required

NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counseling): - Broader organization including both school-based and independent counselors - Statement of Principles of Good Practice governs member conduct

9.3 Varsity Blues Context

IvyWise was not implicated in the Varsity Blues scandal, but the case reshaped the industry environment:

• Increased public scrutiny of all consulting firms
• Some consultants joined IECA post-scandal to signal legitimacy
• Colleges became more vigilant about "packaged" applications, though admissions staff "struggle determining whether applications underwent professional consulting"
• No standardized oversight governs consultant qualifications or claims verification

9.4 Ethical Tensions

Several structural tensions define the ethical landscape for firms like IvyWise:

1. Authenticity vs. packaging: Consultants claim to help students "tell their authentic story," but the multi-reader, heavily edited process may produce applications that are more consultant-voice than student-voice
2. Equity vs. access: Services costing $25K-$200K+ inherently advantage the wealthy, regardless of pro bono programs
3. Outcome claims: Without independent verification, success statistics function as marketing rather than evidence
4. Early intervention: K-8 services normalize the idea that 5-year-olds need "college preparation," feeding a cycle of parental anxiety that benefits the consulting industry

10. Key Takeaways

10.1 For the Simulation

IvyWise's model reveals several dynamics relevant to modeling college admissions:

1. Hook amplification: IvyWise's Roundtable Review essentially optimizes the "presentation" of each student's profile. In simulation terms, this is equivalent to a noise reduction on the application — the student's true signal (GPA, SAT, ECs) is transmitted more clearly, with fewer presentation errors. For wealthy students with consulting, the random noise term in the admission function should be lower (tighter distribution around the true score).

2. Selection bias: IvyWise's claimed 6x-9x acceptance rate multiples reflect a pre-selected population. Students whose families invest $50K-$200K already have: high household income (correlated with SAT scores), access to elite high schools (feeder school effect), legacy/donor connections, and strong extracurricular infrastructure. The simulation should model consulting access as correlated with income, not as an independent variable.

3. Application strategy optimization: The Roundtable process helps students build optimal school lists — balancing reach, match, and safety. In the simulation's buildCollegeLists(), this manifests as better calibration of P(admit) estimates for wealthy students.

4. Early intervention effect: WiseStart K-8 clients arrive at 9th grade with stronger profiles (better school placement, earlier EC development), which compounds through high school. The simulation could model this as a starting-position advantage in GPA/EC distributions.

10.2 For Understanding the Industry

1. The market is bifurcated: IvyWise serves the top 1% by income; the median family uses free school counselors (who manage 400+ students each). The consulting industry amplifies existing inequality.

2. Brand > evidence: IvyWise's competitive advantage is brand prestige and media presence, not proven outcomes. The success statistics are structurally unfalsifiable due to selection bias.

3. Boutique vs. scale tension: IvyWise's refusal to scale (vs. Crimson's 2,400+ staff) preserves exclusivity but caps growth. The Elevation Experience ($300K tours) represents an attempt to grow revenue without growing headcount.

4. AI disruption risk: Essay drafting, school list generation, and admissions probability estimation are all tasks that AI can perform at near-zero marginal cost. IvyWise's moat is human expertise and social signaling — whether that's enough against GPT-class tools remains to be seen.

5. The pro bono paradox: IvyWise Scholars serves ~1 in 7 students pro bono, but the program's existence may function more as reputation insurance than as a meaningful equity intervention. The 6 paid students subsidizing 1 pro bono student is a common pattern in professional services.

11. Sources

IvyWise Official

• About IvyWise
• Dr. Kat Cohen Bio
• IvyWise By the Numbers
• IvyWise Roundtable
• IvyWise Team
• College Admissions Counseling
• WiseStart (K-8)
• IvyWise Scholars
• School Partnerships
• Research Mentorship
• Graduate Counseling
• Test Prep and Tutoring
• IvyWise in the News
• IvyWise FAQs
• Athletic Recruiting

Reviews & Analysis

• IvyWise Review — Best College Admission Consultants
• IvyWise Review — The College Investor
• IvyWise Review — AdmissionsRank
• IvyWise Review — TopCollegeAdmissionsConsultants
• Best College Admissions Consultants — Exam Strategist
• Best College Admissions Consultants — Research.com
• IvyWise Glassdoor Reviews
• IvyWise Glassdoor Salary

Business Intelligence

• IvyWise — Owler
• IvyWise — ZoomInfo
• IvyWise — Crunchbase
• IvyWise — Growjo
• IvyWise — Apollo.io
• IvyWise — PitchBook
• IvyWise — Datanyze

Media & Press

• Female Founders: Dr Kat Cohen — Authority Magazine
• Women of the C-Suite: Dr Kat Cohen — Authority Magazine
• Dr. Kat Cohen on College Admissions — Hamptons Social
• The Business of Getting In — The Harvard Crimson
• Yale Grad Offers Pricey Admissions Advice — Yale Daily News (2001)
• Princeton Column on College Consulting — The Daily Princetonian
• IvyWise Elevation Experience — PR Newswire
• Luxury College Tour Backlash — The Cool Down
• IvyWise: A Smart Start — The Purist

Kaavya Viswanathan Scandal

• How Opal Mehta Got Kissed — Wikipedia
• Viswanathan's Plagiarism Case — Slate
• A Passage to Harvard — Washington Post (2006)
• IvyWise — Alchetron

Books

• The Truth About Getting In — Amazon
• Rock Hard Apps — Goodreads

Industry & Regulatory

• IECA Principles of Good Practice
• IECA FAQs on Independent Consulting
• IECA Response to Varsity Blues
• Suit Reveals $1.5M Consulting Fees — Inside Higher Ed
• College Admissions Consulting Market — MarketIntelo
• Rick Singer Returns to Business — CNN

ApplyWise / Kaplan

• ApplyWise Available to Kaplan Students — Kaplan (2010)
• Katherine Cohen Bio — Kaplan
• Katherine Cohen — CollegeXpress