Go Ivy or Go Free
by Andreas Stamatakis
Go Ivy or Go Free is a podcast hosted by Andreas Stamatakis, author of the Ivy League Roadmap, that is dedicated to helping students and families navigate the process with clarity, while openly challenging the systems, incentives, and narratives that shape modern education. Beyond test scores, college essays, and acceptances, we examine how we view education—questioning incentives, power structures, and the myths that fear-monger already anxious students. Each episode offers candid conversations and practical insight for those who want to approach college intentionally, and win.
Episodes
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How Recruited Athletes Get Into Top Ivies | Go Ivy or Go Free Ep. 11 w/ Taryn Sheehan
Welcome to Episode 11 of the Go Ivy or Go Free Podcast! What does it actually take to get recruited by a top college? And how much of the process comes down to raw athletic ability versus the resources, coaching, and opportunities an athlete has access to? In this episode, Andreas sits down with...
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How I Create my MOST Successful Students | Go Ivy or Go Free Ep. 10 w/ Aryana Altaha
Welcome to Episode 10 of the Go Ivy or Go Free Podcast! Most students spend high school joining random activities they hope will impress an admissions officer. Aryana Altaha spent it creating purpose projects that have an impact: publishing three books, building companies, giving a viral TEDx…
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High School Dropout (Almost) → ACCEPTED to MIT
Welcome to Episode 9 of the Go Ivy or Go Free Podcast! In this episode, host Andreas Stamatakis sits down with Ruben Stephen, a current MIT student and one of the most compelling comeback stories in elite admissions, for a conversation that challenges everything you were told about what it takes…
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Is College a Scam? | Go Ivy or Go Free Ep 8. w/ Hannah Maruyama
Welcome to Episode 8 of the Go Ivy or Go Free Podcast!In this episode, host Andreas Stamatakis sits down with Hannah Maruyama — co-founder of Degree Free and one of the most outspoken voices in the alternative education movement — for a conversation that challenges everything you were told about...
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Make $1M Before Graduation (Or Get a Full Refund) | Go Ivy or Go Free Ep 7. w/ Nat Eliason
Welcome to Episode 7 of the Go Ivy or Go Free Podcast! In this episode, host Andreas Stamatakis sits down with serial entrepreneur, author, and Head of Founder Development at Alpha School, Nat Eliason — the man betting that the future of education isn't a diploma, it's a million dollars. Nat is...
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How to Go to College for FREE | Go Ivy or Go Free Ep 6. w/ Youssef Hasweh
Welcome to Episode 6 of the Go Ivy or Go Free Podcast! In this episode, host Andreas Stamatakis sits down with QuestBridge National Match recipient, content creator, and Gen Z strategist Youssef Hasweh — the scholar who went from never expecting to attend college to earning a full-ride to one of...
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This School Has No Teachers. Every Parent Wants In | Go Ivy or Go Free Ep 5. w/ Joe Liemandt
Welcome to Episode 5 of the Go Ivy or Go Free Podcast! In this episode, host Andreas Stamatakis sits down with entrepreneur, investor, and education disruptor Joe Liemandt — the visionary founder behind Alpha School — to hear how he's completely reimagining what school can look like for the next...
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Go Ivy, Go Free, or...Drop OUT? | Go Ivy or Go Free Ep. 4 w/ Eric Ou
Welcome to Episode 4 of the Go Ivy or Go Free Podcast! In this episode, host Andreas Stamatakis sits down with content creator, startup operator, and USC dropout Eric Ou (aka @ericcouu ) to hear how a top high school student ended up at community college, transferred into USC, UC Berkeley,...
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Build Your PURPOSE Project | Go Ivy or Go Free Ep. 3 w/ Andra Campos
Welcome to Episode 3 of the Go Ivy or Go Free Podcast! In this episode, host Andreas Stamatakis sits down with Stanford student and founder of Project Connect Forum, Andra Campos (aka @projectconnectforum), to hear how a first-generation, low-income student from Southern California built two...
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Why "Perfect" Students Get Rejected & Building Your 'Spike' | Go Ivy or Go Free Ep. 2 w/ Kate Stone
Welcome to Episode 2 of the Go Ivy or Go Free Podcast! In this episode, host Andreas Stamatakis sits down with former Princeton Teaching Fellow and elite admissions expert Kate Stone to uncover why checking all the traditional boxes is no longer enough to get into top-tier universities. If you...
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Let's fix your BORING College Essay! | Go Ivy or Go Free Ep. 1 w/ Mark Hernandez
Welcome to Episode 1 of the Go Ivy or Go Free Podcast! In our inaugural episode, host Andreas Stamatakis sits down with writing expert and Stanford alum Mark Hernandez (aka @englishwithmarkh) to decode the ultimate black box of college applications: the admissions essay. If you think stuffing…
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Intro - Go Ivy or Go Free?
Welcome to Go Ivy or Go Free, hosted by Andreas Stamatakis! Most people are playing the game blind. Traditional college admissions advice is broken and ignores the deeper systems that actually determine long-term success. This podcast was created to expose those systems and show how college can…
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About this show
Go Ivy or Go Free is a podcast hosted by Andreas Stamatakis, author of the Ivy League Roadmap, that is dedicated to helping students and families navigate the process with clarity, while openly challenging the systems, incentives, and narratives that shape modern education. Beyond test scores, college essays, and acceptances, we examine how we view education—questioning incentives, power structures, and the myths that fear-monger already anxious students. Each episode offers candid conversations and practical insight for those who want to approach college intentionally, and win.
Hosted by
Andreas Stamatakis
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