Ivy Options

✨️ Our warmest congratulations to William Hammerson-Jones on his well-earned place at one of the most prestigious public universities in the world, UC Berkeley.
The bilingual British student with Polish heritage balanced ten years of boarding school in Hampshire with competitive tennis at the national and international levels — all while dedicating himself to meaningful charitable work, teaching English to Ukrainian students and Syrian refugees in Beirut.
Applying test-optional across the board, William earned offers from Vanderbilt (with scholarship), Rice, NYU, Durham, Edinburgh, and St. Andrews before choosing Berkeley for its academic rigour and the promise of California sunshine.
We could not be prouder! ✨️

Join Mary Ellen Simoni and Laura Waft for a special webinar for the parents of graduating seniors. We’ll share practical guidance and thoughtful advice on supporting your child through the transition to university.

⚠️ This webinar is exclusively for Ivy Options clients.

📅 Date and Time: Wednesday, June 10th at 7:30 PM Dubai time

📍 Location: Zoom (link will be sent)

Lafayette College doesn't fit neatly into one category — and that's exactly what makes it worth knowing.

It's a liberal arts college, which means you're not locked into one discipline from day one. What sets Lafayette apart is the rare combination of a true liberal arts education alongside engineering degrees — chemical, civil, electrical, mechanical, and integrative — all within a college of just 2,775 undergraduates. Other strong programs include Economics, International Affairs, Neuroscience, and Computer Science.

With a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio, research opportunities that are usually reserved for graduate students are accessible from your first year. Almost all students live on campus, which creates the kind of close community where connections with peers and professors stay with you long after graduation.

Best fit: students who are curious, open to combining disciplines, and want a community small enough to actually know their professors.

Save this post — every month we introduce a university worth knowing. 😎

Ivy Options is hiring!
We are seeking two motivated college graduates to join our team as Assistant Counselors. In this role, you will support our Senior Counselors while undergoing training to eventually work directly with students. Interested candidates should email a cover letter and resume to [email protected]. 📧

Most college lists start with rankings.
The best ones start with questions.
Save this for the conversation you're about to have with your child — or with yourself.
Which question hit home? Tell us below. ✍️
(Part 1 is on our grid.)

Once you've worked through these questions, don't keep your answers to yourself. Share them with your Ivy Options counselor or your school counselor. A good counselor won't just match you to schools that align with your grades and test scores — they'll help you translate your priorities, preferences, and personality into a balanced list of universities where you can genuinely flourish.
The goal isn't to get into the "best" university. It's to get into the best university for you.
If you'd like help building your list or thinking through your priorities, please reach out to your Ivy Options counselor or email us at [email protected]. We're here to help. ✨️

✨️ Our warmest congratulations to Wynona Barua, Barnard College Class of 2023, on the launch of Gunaa, a made-to-order womenswear brand she founded with her mother. Raised in the UAE, Wynona was inspired by her Barnard education to reimagine what entrepreneurship could look like, combining storytelling, heritage, and design through heirloom silks woven in Assam. Through Gunaa, she is also collaborating with female artisans to bring this historic craft to a wider global audience. ✨️