Academic mentorship · Grades 8–11
Develop your interests.
Deepen your direction.
An advisor to talk through ideas with, help you make decisions, and stay involved as your interests develop through school.
A place to begin
What have you been
wanting to explore?
A subject you keep reading about. A project you haven’t started. A choice between courses that both interest you.
These are good starting points for mentorship. We help you turn an interest into something you can do, and return to it over the school year to discuss what you’re learning.
As college approaches, those conversations become a foundation for choosing schools and explaining your interests in an application.
What we work on
The choices in front of you.
Courses and academics
Choose a course load that fits your interests, preparation, and the opportunities available at your school.
Projects and activities
Develop an independent project or deepen an existing commitment. We help you decide on a manageable next step and follow through.
Reading and writing
Discuss books and ideas with your advisor. Practice explaining what you think, asking questions, and developing an argument in writing.
Summer plans
Consider programs, work, independent study, and other ways to spend the summer. We discuss the time, cost, and value of the options.
Testing and college planning
Plan when to prepare for tests and when to sit them. In junior year, begin exploring colleges and the application timeline. Test tutoring is separate from our work.
How it works
A relationship that
continues through the year.
Regular meetings
A meeting schedule agreed with your family, a written plan for each term, and a review of progress at its end.
Between meetings
Direct email access to your advisor for questions about courses, opportunities, or plans.
For parents
A conversation each term to discuss progress and the decisions ahead.
Fees and applications
Mentorship is an annual engagement, priced after the consultation. As application season approaches, we discuss the transition to admissions support and agree on its scope and fee.
Begin with Ivy Star
Tell us what you’re
working toward.
Meet with an advisor to discuss your ambitions, your timeline, and the right scope of support.