About – Ivy Dream

About Us

Our Story

Founded in 2005 by Dr. Chungsok Lee, Ivy Dream was born from a clear mission: to guide students beyond the numbers and into the heart of what makes them truly competitive in today’s college admissions landscape.

Dr. Lee, a Harvard-educated physicist, saw firsthand how many students — particularly in the Korean community —were trapped in a score-driven mindset. While grades and test scores matter, he knew that the most successful applicants had something more: a compelling story, authentic direction, and a well-crafted plan. Ivy Dream was created to provide that path forward.

For over 15 years, Ivy Dream has helped students reach their full potential — gaining admission to top universities including Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, UPenn, UC Berkeley, and more.

Our Mission

We believe that every student has a unique story that deserves to be told—and heard.

At Ivy Dream, we go beyond GPA and SAT scores. We specialize in strategic consulting that empowers students, especially those pursuing science or medical careers, to stand out in a highly selective admissions process. Every plan we design is built around the student: their interests, goals, and individual strengths.

We don’t just help students apply to college—we help them discover who they are, what they care about, and how to showcase it.

Dr. Lee graduated from UC Berkeley with a B.A. in Physics, obtained a Ph.D. in Physics from Harvard, and did fellowship at Caltech before founding Ivy Dream.

Dr. Lee has over 15 years of experience helping students gain admission to top U.S. universities. A respected voice in education, he has published hundreds of articles for the Korea Daily and Korea Times in both the U.S. and South Korea. He has been featured in numerous interviews, panels, and seminars for his expertise in U.S. college admissions.

His approach is straightforward but highly effective: he puts himself in the student’s shoes and crafts the best strategy based on that student’s profile, aspirations, and opportunities.

Chungsok Lee, Ph.D.

Chief executive officer

Team

Jim, Harvard University

Jane, Harvard University

Michelle, Harvard University

Christian, Harvard University

Rachel, Stanford University

Shuo, Harvard University

Sebastian, Yale University

John, Stanford University

Matt, Yale University

Chris, UC Berkeley