game the ivy
Get actionable feedback on college essays from counselors.
College applications are stressful enough without wondering if your essay sounds like you. We match you with one of our counselors, who reads every word and tells you what’s working, what isn’t, and what to cut.
Every Saturday at 6 a.m., my grandmother and I folded dumplings at her kitchen table without saying a word. For years I thought the quiet meant we had nothing to talk about. Now I think it was the most honest conversation we ever had.
Through this experience, I learned that patience is important and that hard work pays off.
our counselors come from
The idea is the whole essay, so it’s where we put our best people. Send us one idea or ten, and we’ll sharpen the strongest or hand you a few good ones to choose from.
Honest, kind notes on your main essay, up to 650 words. We tell you what’s working, what isn’t, and what to cut, line by line.
Every school, every prompt. We tailor our notes to what each one is really asking. Add as many supplements as you need.
Standard feedback arrives within 14 days. Expedited gets it to you in 1–2 days for one flat fee per order, no matter how many essays.
Every note is written by your counselor, a current student or graduate of Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Cornell, or Caltech. We never use AI to write feedback, and we never write your essay for you.
We can’t promise a fat envelope. But an essay that sounds like you is a much better place to start, and your notes land straight in your inbox.
Four steps, about five minutes.
Idea refinement, personal statement, supplements, or all of it.
Paste it in or upload a PDF or Word file.
14 days, or 1–2 days if you’re in a rush.
Your notes land straight in your inbox.
Send us a draft, a half-formed idea, or the supplements you’ve been avoiding. A real person reads every word, and there’s a 100% chance you’ll know what to fix next.
Effective November 8, 2026
These Terms govern your use of Game the Ivy and the services we offer. By placing an order or using the site, you agree to them.
Game the Ivy provides written feedback on college application essays from counselors who are current students or graduates of universities. Our services are Essay Idea Refinement, Personal Statement Feedback, and Supplemental Essay Feedback (the “Services”).
You must be at least 13 years old to use the Services. By placing an order, you confirm that you are at least 13.
We give comments and suggestions. We do not write or rewrite your essays. You remain the author of your work and are responsible for what you submit to colleges, including following each college’s rules on outside help. Our feedback is written by people. We do not use AI to generate your feedback.
Prices are shown at checkout: Essay Idea Refinement $100; Personal Statement Feedback $20; each Supplemental Essay $10; and an optional expedited turnaround of $10 per order. You pay when you place your order. Payments are handled by a third-party payment processor, and we do not store your full card number. You are responsible for any applicable taxes.
Standard turnaround is within 14 days. Expedited turnaround is within 1 to 2 days. Both start when we receive your complete order and payment. Please order early enough for your deadlines. We are not responsible for missed application deadlines.
You can cancel for a full refund before a counselor starts your order. If we do not deliver within the turnaround you selected, you can ask for a refund of the late order, or of the expedited fee if you chose expedited. After feedback is delivered, fees are generally non-refundable. If there is a problem with your feedback, contact us within 7 days and we will work with you on a fix or a partial or full refund at our discretion.
You own your essays, ideas, and files (“Your Content”). You give us a limited license to store, copy, and share Your Content with the counselors assigned to your order, only to provide the Services. Counselors agree to keep Your Content confidential and not to reuse it. We will not publish Your Content, use it in marketing, or use it to train AI models. You promise that Your Content is your own work and that you have the right to submit it.
Do not submit anyone else’s essay as your own, post unlawful or abusive content, harass counselors or staff, resell the Services, or interfere with the site’s operation.
The site, brand, and design belong to Game the Ivy. The feedback you receive is for your personal use. You may use it to improve your own essays, but you may not republish or resell it.
To the fullest extent the law allows, the Services are provided “as is,” and we are not liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages. Our total liability for any claim is limited to the amount you paid for the order at issue. Some places do not allow these limits, so they may not apply to you.
We may update these Terms and will post the new date here. We may suspend access if these Terms are broken.
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of New York, without regard to its conflict-of-law rules, and disputes will be handled in the state or federal courts located in New York.
Questions about these Terms: [email protected].
Effective November 8, 2026
Game the Ivy gives college applicants feedback on their essays. Many of our customers are teenagers, so we keep what we collect to a minimum and treat it with care. This policy explains what we collect, why, and your choices.
We use your information to deliver your feedback, process payments, send order updates, provide support, keep the site secure, and meet legal requirements. We do not sell your information, and we do not use it for advertising. We do not use your essays to train AI models or to generate feedback.
We keep your essays and feedback for 12 months after delivery so you can come back to them, then delete them. You can ask us to delete them sooner. We keep basic order records for as long as tax and legal rules require.
Your information is stored in the United States. Your order is sent over an encrypted connection and kept in a private Google account that only Game the Ivy staff can access. Counselors can see only the orders assigned to them. No system is perfectly secure, so we cannot promise absolute security.
You can ask us to give you a copy of your information, correct it, or delete it. Residents of some states, including California, have additional rights under state law. We do not sell or share personal information for advertising. To make a request, contact us. We will respond within 45 days and will not treat you differently for asking.
Our site doesn’t use advertising or analytics cookies. While you check out, it briefly saves your order details in your browser so we can show your confirmation. Stripe may use cookies needed to process your payment and prevent fraud.
Our services are not for children under 13, and we don’t knowingly collect their information. If we learn we have, we will delete it.
If we change this policy, we will post the new effective date here, and tell you by email if the changes are significant.
Privacy questions or requests: [email protected].