UNIVERSITY / COLLEGE COUNSELING

University / College Counseling in America, Canada, UK and Europe

We offer a personalized mentorship program for each student that starts with a consultation session with one of our native advisors. After determining the student's goals and academic standing, we prepare a roadmap and an action plan to follow for the years prior to the application. Each process varies depending on the student and their needs, therefore making each mentorship program unique. Our generalized packages can be adjusted to each student depending on their unique needs and objectives, as well as which country they would like to study in.

Year by Year Outline

1. Freshman Year (standard package + min 10 hours of workshops + private lessons)

Many students begin to think about their choices of university long before the application process, often during their first year of high school. It is important for these students to enroll in the correct classes, continue their mastery of English, and begin preparing for university exams. We offer a 10-hour consultation package in which we meet with the student and parents, discuss their long-term plans for the future, and begin looking at a range of universities that meet their academic, cultural, and social interests. We will also help the student decide on extra-curricular activities that will be considered valuable by the academic institutions that they are considering.

– Start looking at universities and specific academic programs

– Help select courses that will enhance the student's academic standing

– Help select extra-curricular activities that appeal to universities/programs

– Offer language lessons if needed (comprehension, writing, speaking) available in English, German, French, Spanish and Russian

 2. Sophomore Year (standard package + min 10 hours of workshops + lessons)

Students often take some prep exams during their second year of high school as a way to help prepare them for the real university entrance exams that they will take in their third year. Sophomores typically have identified a number of universities and programs that interest them, although many do not know exactly what they will major in. We will help students prepare for the first round of college exams, (PSAT for American universities, pre-A Level or iGCSE exams for UK universities, etc.)

- Select courses that will help improve their CV, including language instruction courses for students who require additional help

– Narrow down a list of universities and academic programs based on realistic expectations and student/family preferences

– Begin ranking universities by first choice, second choice, etc.

– Prepare students to take the prep exams (PSAT, etc.)

– Help students select courses for third and fourth years (AP, IB, Cambridge Program etc.) to improve their university application CV

– Offer additional language lessons as needed

3. Juniors (standard package + min 20 hours of workshops + lessons)

By their third year in high school, most students have settled on a list of university choices, and many will want to submit applications for early admissions (although this is not offered at all universities). The third year is when most students begin taking university entrance exams (SAT or ACT, Cambridge A Levels etc.). Many universities will also require foreign students to take language exams (such as the TOEFL or IELTS for English, TestDaF for German, DELF-DALF for French, etc.) and we will provide lessons and coaching that will enable students to achieve high marks on these exams. Students should also start considering which teachers, counselors, and other professionals with whom they have developed strong relationships to ask for letters of recommendation (especially those applying for early admissions). We will ensure that the students are aware of what to ask for and know what makes a strong letter. During the summer between Junior and Senior year, many students travel to some of the universities at the top of their list and meet with admissions staff, faculty from their programs of interest, and students who will offer their own insight about these institutions. For students wishing to study in the US, we will help plan trips to and around the States to visit the universities on their lists, including vehicle rentals, accommodations, and arranging meetings with university representatives.

– Prepare students for early admissions applications

– Prepare students for SAT / ACT / TOEFL / IELTS / DUOLINGO / DELF-DALF / TestDaF / AP / IB / A-Level Exams

– Set realistic expectations for students in terms of university acceptance (based on CV)

– Help students and their families finalize their list of chosen universities and programs, including top choices and 'safety' schools (based on acceptance rates)

– Help students arrange summer visits to college campuses – trips to the United States, including visa applications, travel, accommodations, and tours of campuses and meetings with professors and/or admissions officials for students interested in American universities

– Provide assistance writing strong application essays and prepare students for in-person and remote interviews with university admissions officials

–  Help students request and explain the importance of letters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, and others—and what makes a strong letter of recommendation

4. Seniors (standard package + min 20 hours of workshops + lessons)

The final year of high school is a critically important time when it comes to selecting (and being accepted by) universities. Many students apply for early admissions—and while this does not improve their chances of being accepted, it does provide the student and their family with the confidence that they have been accepted to one of their chosen schools. The paperwork for regular admissions is typically due at the conclusion of the high school's winter semester (in December) for American universities, and students can expect to hear back from universities throughout February and March. The most selective schools are difficult for even the most qualified and well-rounded students to attend, which is why we suggest applying to a number of universities—including 'safety' schools with higher acceptance rates. While some students may not be admitted to their top choice universities as incoming freshmen, many are 'wait-listed' and could receive news that spots in the next year's class have opened up. It is also possible for students to transfer from one university to another, and we will be available to help make the transfer process as easy as possible.

– Help students put together application packages for their chosen universities

– Continue essay and interview counseling for students applying during regular admission periods (not early admissions)

– Continue to provide support for students writing admissions essays and preparing for interviews with university admissions departments

– Offer further assistance for exams in the Fall (applications should be submitted before winter)

– (After admissions are determined) help students select the right university based on their academic, cultural, and community preferences

– Provide additional counseling regarding financial aid, CLEP exams, and applying for academic scholarships

5. Graduate Students (standard package + min 10 hours of workshops + lessons)

Many students attend universities here in Turkey, but would like to continue their studies in the United States for any number of reasons. We offer a service package that will help graduate students apply for study in the overseas—helping them select universities and prepare them for entrance or language exams. Many graduate programs require a certain TOEFL or IELTS score in order to prove proficiency in English or other languages, and we offer exam preparation lessons that will help students prepare for these exams and achieve high scores. As with prospective undergraduate students, many Masters and PhD students will want to visit specific universities and meet with admissions staff and faculty before committing to a certain school. For American universities we will help arrange these visits, and ensure that students and their families are comfortable while visiting the United States.

–  Help graduate students identify universities and programs that will help them achieve their professional and academic goals

–  Prepare students for entrance exams (GRE, Miller's Analogies, TOEFL, IELTS)

–  Assist students in securing financial aid (grants and scholarships)

–  Prepare students for interviews with admissions departments and visits to chosen university campuses

6. Last-Minute Applicants  (standard package – xx hours of workshops + lessons)

Not every high school student has a solid plan for continuing their education until they are older. Many students do not consider moving abroad to continue their education until their final year of high school, or even after. For these students, we offer a service package that will help them construct a strong CV that highlights their best qualities, prepare for university entrance exams, write a strong application essay that helps define their goals and interests, select a list of schools that best fit their educational needs and cultural preferences, and prepare for interviews with university admissions professionals. While there may not be enough time to visit universities in person, we will do our best to connect students with (and apply to) the best universities that meet their specific needs.

–  Help students select a number of universities that match their preferences and interests

–  Prepare students for exams (and help them apply to take these exams) - SAT / ACT / TOEFL / IELTS / DUOLINGO / DELF-DALF / TestDaF / AP / IB / A-Level Exams

–  Help students construct an effective and informative CV that includes academic information, extra-curricular activities, volunteer work, and other important qualities

–  Contact universities on behalf of students to arrange distance interviews and meetings with admissions staff and professors

–  Help students write effective application essays by providing writing coaching and proofreading services

–  Assist students in making the best enrollment decision based on their list, qualifications, and interests

–  Provide assistance paying for school (applying for financial aid – grants, scholarships, loans)

7. Study Abroad Program (10 hours of workshops + lessons)

Many universities in Turkey maintain partnership programs with several other learning institutions around the world—many of them located in the United States such as our partners. This provides students at Turkish universities with the opportunity to study for a semester or an entire year at an American partner university. We offer a service package that will help prepare Turkish university students for life at an American university—selecting the right classes, choosing the best places to live (on or off campus), helping with traveling and visa issues, and ensuring that students will feel at home while attending the American university of their choice.

–  Help students identify which partner universities best suit their academic and cultural interests

–  Ensure that student's academic progress at the partner university will count towards their program of study at their home university in Turkey

–  Arrange meetings between students and university admissions professionals, professors, and program coordinators

–  Offer English lesson packages as needed (speaking and academic writing)

–  Help students select courses at their American university that will fit in with their program(s) of study at their home university

8.  Students with special/outstanding skills (athletes, musicians, etc) (min 10 hours of workshops + lessons)

While many students compete with one another to earn a spot at many different American universities, some universities compete with one another to earn the commitment of specific students. For students with outstanding athletic talent, musical abilities, and exceptional achievements in science or mathematics, many universities will offer generous academic/musical/STEM grants and scholarships to earn their admission. Our mission is to ensure that students make the right decision to grow both as an academic student as well as an athlete, musicians, performers, etc... We will help students reach out to and secure interest from universities that actively recruit prospective students with their unique skills (basketball players, musicians, etc), and offer these students with the help that they need to maximize the benefit that they receive from their personal skills and interests.

–  Help students with athletic, musical, or other skills reach out to American universities that will both benefit from the student's talents and provide the student with an excellent education

–  Assist students in preparing for auditions or try-outs at American universities

–  Ensure that prospective American universities have an appreciation for the students' unique talents (highlight tapes, athletic/musical/scientific accomplishments)

–  Help students secure scholarships and grants that will help them pay for their education (athletic/musical scholarships, fellowship grants, STEM scholarships, etc)

–  Offer students English lessons as needed