Alex Chang is the founder and CEO of IvyWay Academy, CTO of a tech startup on skincare, a dance teacher, and a hacker. Back in high school, Alex was not exactly "Ivy League material." He did not finish top 5 in his public high school in New York, did not get a nearperfect SAT score, did not win national honors in math, was not a starter on his lacrosse team, and did not have rich and famous parents to get him into places. Therefore, after receiving his Bachelor's degree from Harvard and finishing his education at Harvard Graduate School of Education, his identity as an "ordinary student" served as the prime example for high school students to model and reach their dream schools. However, in addition to sharing his secrets to Ivy League admission, Alex feels the social responsibility to inform and warn students about the life behind those Ivy League gates. Things may not always be as pretty as they seem. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx