Great College Counseling for International Students
The United States remains a primary higher education destination for students from around the world. Many American public and private universities rank among the best in the world. As families consider sending their students to the United States to study, they often reach out to Great College Advice for college counseling for international students.
Why College Counseling for International Students is Important
Since its inception, Great College Advice has assisted families from over 50 countries to enter some of the most prestigious colleges and universities in the United States. Because many of our students are seeking the best opportunities wherever they can find them, we also assist talented students in applying to universities in other countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, and continental Europe.
Because admissions policies and procedures vary from one country to the next, it is important for students and their families to have the best guidance as they select the most appropriate higher education destinations and engage in the admissions process. In providing college counseling for international students, we empower young people to make the best possible decisions for themselves and to present themselves in the best possible light on their applications.
In addition, admission to US universities and colleges is not as clear and objective as it is in other countries, such as China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Europe. In those places, a secondary school student is assessed by either an exit exam (such as the gaokao, the baccalauréat, or the arbitur) or by their performance on a broader set of exams (A-levels and GCSE).
In the United States, entry to American universities is based on a holistic (or “subjective”) review of many aspects of a student’s performance, including their results in individual high school classes, their scores on SAT or ACT exams, the caliber of their extracurricular accomplishments, and demographic characteristics, such as their socio-economic status, their access to educational opportunity, their personalities and personal characteristics, and other aspects that are difficult to define with objective clarity.
Furthermore, international students need to recognize that a minority of entrants to top universities in the US, such as the Ivy League universities or the University of Chicago, Johns Hopkins University, Vanderbilt, or the University of Michigan, are non-US citizens. In some cases only 10-15% of matriculants to top US universities come from outside the United States.
Thus, the landscape is much more competitive for international students. This is especially true if you plan to apply to one of the eight Ivy League universities, including Brown University, Yale University, Harvard University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Princeton University, Dartmouth College, and the University of Pennsylvania. The competitive nature of the admissions process for these and other top tier universities is why so many families turn to Great College Advice for college counseling services for international students.
College Counseling Services for International Students
In order to fully prepare for the “holistic” (or subjective) university admissions process in the United States, international students need to get the expert advice that will empower them to create a portfolio of accomplishments that will allow them to stand out in a very, very competitive pool of applicants. Great College Advice offers a number of specific services that will assist international students to prepare for entry to top universities in the United States, such as the University of California, the University of Virginia, the University of Washington, and the University of Wisconsin.
Here is an example of the sort of great college advice that we offer to students.
Academic planning for international students
We help students choose the right courses to help them explore their academic interests, focus their curiosity, and paint a picture of their intellectual endeavors that will be appreciated in the office of admission at American universities.
Extracurricular planning for international students
We help international students focus their extracurricular activities in a way that will allow them to amass a record of accomplishment and achievement. The fact is that any activity can reflect the student’s excellence–and commitment, dedication, perseverance, and grit. The most important factors is to select activities that truly engage the international student and allow them to develop a portfolio that will impress admissions officers in US colleges and universities.
Interview preparation for international students
While there are many universities that no longer require an interview in the application process, some of the most selective universities, including Harvard University, Yale University, Brown University, Columbia University, and the University of Pennsylvania do recommend that international students submit to a personal interview. How do you best prepare for this interview? The college admissions consultants at Great College Advice can help make sure that you are well-prepared to engage in this important aspect of the application process to top universities in the United States.
Application strategy for international students applying to top US universities
As an international student, you need to consider how your application will be read by the admissions committee. What are the messages you are trying to convey? How can you stand out from the crowd? The applications are two-dimensional representations of who you are as a person and as a student. How can you present the three-dimensional human you are on this web-based form? The college admissions consultants at Great College Advice are able to help you craft–and convey–the messages you most need to communicate to the admissions committee.
Admissions essays and personal statements for international students
Unlike other writing you might do to support your application for admission at universities in other countries, American colleges and universities ask for a personal statement to shed light on who you are as a human being. What are your values, your priorities, your goals? What have been your failures, your challenges, and the obstacles you have faced in achieving what you have so far? What conflicts have you experienced related to principles and ideals? What has made you feel particular grateful as you have traveled life’s journey so far? These are difficult questions. The college admissions counselors at Great College Advice are highly experienced in working with international students on their essays and personal statements.
Connect with an International College Counselor
If you plan to apply to top tier colleges and universities in the United States, and you feel you need professional guidance to give yourself a competitive edge in the process, look to the expert college counselors at Great College Advice. We have the experience and expertise to empower our international students with the knowledge and skills necessary to improve their chances at top colleges and universities in the United States. To schedule a free consultation please fill out this form, and let us know how we can help give you an edge in this highly competitive process.
