Mark Greenstein, founder and CEO of Ivy Bound, has spent nearly four decades helping students with their academic potential through personalized tutoring and SAT/ACT preparation. Greenstein believes that mastering standardized tests remains one of the smartest investments a student can make.
"Our goal has always been to make students not just test-ready, but strategy-ready," Greenstein explains. "That means giving them the tools to think fast, manage time, and approach questions with confidence."
For Greenstein, who launched Ivy Bound from his living room 24 years ago, education is both an art and a system that rewards preparation. His team offers both group classes and one-on-one sessions for students in grades 5 through 12. The firm operates mostly online, connecting tutors with families across the U.S. and globally who are seeking admission to American universities.
"Families outside the U.S. often want their children to compete on the same level as American applicants," says Greenstein. "Our role is to give them that edge, to make the unfamiliar test feel familiar."
While the pandemic changed how colleges weigh test scores, Ivy Bound evolved with it, expanding its one-on-one academic tutoring while maintaining its signature SAT/ACT focus. Greenstein notes that his tutors adapt to each student's learning environment, tailoring tutoring to the demands of each student's school teacher. "If a student's teacher is very 'by the book', we follow that structure. If she or he is more exploratory, we push the student to also be creative and collaborative," he says. "The key is meeting students where they are."
This personalized approach also extends to parents. Ivy Bound's staff remains closely involved with families so that communication is consistent and transparent. "When parents call, they talk to an American liaison who understands their concerns and their child's progress," Greenstein notes.
For many families, the results are transformative. Greenstein shares that diligent students who dedicate time to test preparation see significant gains. "If you translate that into scholarship value," he says, "those hours represent great financial benefit. It's one of the best investments a family can make."
Ivy Bound's track record supports that perspective. According to Greenstein, students in Ivy Bound programs almost always gain offers from elite US colleges, often with substantial scholarships. While he emphasizes that success depends somewhat on the student's effort, his team's strategies in time management and test-taking remain central to those outcomes.
Beyond test prep, Ivy Bound has also found innovative ways to support schools. Through a program called STEM on Standby (SOS), the company provides temporary or full-year online instructors when schools face teacher shortages. "If a class needs extra support, we can step in seamlessly," says Greenstein. "It's one of the ways we help education systems stay resilient."
Even as the academic world continues to evolve, Greenstein's philosophy remains steady: preparation builds confidence, and confidence builds opportunity. "A high set of scores still puts students in the way of opportunities," he says. "For motivated students, the SAT and ACT are still doors worth opening."
