Ivy Link

A less-than-perfect GPA can feel like a roadblock to graduate school. Yet applicants who demonstrate clear academic growth and strong post-college experience can still make a compelling case for admission.

In a recent U.S. News & World Report feature on navigating graduate admissions with a lower GPA, Ivy Link Founder & CEO Adam Nguyen discusses how targeted coursework, stronger recent performance, measurable achievement, and detailed recommendations can strengthen an applicant’s candidacy.

For students considering graduate or professional school, Ivy Link offers admissions advising alongside preparation for major exams including the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, and MCAT.

Get in touch: myivylink.com/contact

As a growing number of graduate programs adopt broader approaches to evaluating applicants, the conversation around GPA and what defines academic readiness continues to evolve.

In a recent U.S. News & World Report feature on navigating graduate admissions with a lower GPA, Ivy Link Founder & CEO Adam Nguyen explains how applicants can strengthen their candidacy through stronger evidence of capability, growth, and readiness beyond a single metric.

Read more and explore Ivy Link’s recent media mentions: myivylink.com/press

“Optional” is a policy. Evaluation is something else.

At the most selective level, most applications already meet a high academic threshold. What follows is interpretation—how clearly a student’s readiness comes through within that context.

In our recent blog, Ivy Link explains how to think about testing within that lens.

See the full article:https://www.myivylink.com/blog/do-satact-scores-still-matter-yes-but-the-real-question-is-how

Students often approach admissions as a set of choices—to compare schools, build a list, and decide where to apply. But the cycle described in a recent The Wall Street Journal feature is shaped by early options that limit flexibility, by colleges assessing who is likely to enroll, and by waitlists used to manage final numbers.

Students still choose—but from options already constrained by the process.

Learn how Ivy Link approaches elite college admissions: https://www.myivylink.com/college-admissions-advising

In a recent The Wall Street Journal feature on an admissions cycle described as increasingly complex, Ivy Link founder Adam Nguyen offers a pointed insight into how students interpret their role in the process.

WSJ piece outlines a cycle shaped by earlier commitments, expanded early-admission rounds, and the use of waitlists—factors that influence how students approach their applications.

Explore the full article and Ivy Link’s recent media mentions: https://www.myivylink.com/press

Effort isn’t always the variable.

Two students can prepare with the same intensity and see very different results. The difference often shows up earlier—how they move through the test, how time accumulates, how stable their performance is from start to finish.

Direction matters. When that’s right, improvement tends to follow.

In our recent blog, Ivy Link outlines how to approach this decision before preparation begins.

See the full article: https://www.myivylink.com/blog/sat-vs-act-why-this-choice-has-become-more-strategic

This is feedback from one of our students: a 35 on the official ACT.

Behind it is a process: choosing the test that best aligns with a student’s strengths, mapping out a prep timeline that doesn’t compete with the academic schedule, and approaching it in a way that actually moves the score.

Work with Ivy Link on test selection, timing, and preparation: https://www.myivylink.com/test-preparation

Meet Cory Bragar.

A graduate of The Dalton School, Trinity College, and Harvard Law School, Cory has spent the past two decades working one-on-one with students and families navigating the SAT, ACT, LSAT, GRE, and GMAT—bringing clarity and structure to the process.

In Ivy Link’s upcoming SAT/ACT workshop, she’ll walk through:
– whether the SAT and ACT still matter
– how to decide between the two
– when students should begin
– what effective preparation actually looks like
– how recent changes impact testing strategy

If you’re thinking about testing, this workshop will help clarify your approach.

See available dates and register here: https://www.myivylink.com/workshops

“Test-optional” is often misunderstood.

It means a school will accept applications without scores. It does not mean that skipping testing is the strongest position in a competitive pool.

At highly selective institutions, applications are read in context—against other applicants, not just against a set of requirements. The goal is not to meet the minimum. It’s to present the strongest application possible.

Standardized testing is one of the few areas where students can add a clear, comparable signal—when it makes sense for their profile.

We’ll walk through how to approach that decision with clarity.
→ Join our SAT/ACT Workshop: myivylink.com/workshops

When should you start SAT or ACT prep?

“Later” rarely arrives on its own. The better question is not what grade to start, but when there is still room in the schedule to approach it well—before it has to compete with everything else.

In our recent blog, Ivy Link explains how timing shapes the way students approach testing.

See the full article: https://www.myivylink.com/blog/https/wwwmyivylinkcom/blog/when-should-you-start-sat-act-prep-earlier-than-it-feels-necessary