University Applications Counseling Office

The College Counseling process involves building a personal relationship between students and parents on the one hand, and the counselors on the other, and aims at helping families decide in which country(ies) and to which colleges/universities students will apply. The University Applications Counseling Office (UACO) also provides information that will assist students and parents in their choice of programs (Geniko/IB), subjects, extracurricular activities, summer school or other summer activities with a view to achieving the students’ university goals. In addition, the UACO provides resources for students and parents, including those who ultimately never apply to institutions abroad, on university admissions, summer programs, financial aid/loans, testing, and university/college courses. Furthermore, the Office arranges and hosts visits and presentations by College Admission Officers, which both students and their parents are encouraged and invited to attend. 

During the application process, the counselors help students understand the range of colleges to which they are reasonably likely to win acceptance, advise students as to how best they can present themselves effectively in the actual application, and coach students to fully and honestly express their thoughts in their essays/personal statements. The counselors communicate with members of the faculty in order to be able to represent each student accurately and fairly.

 

As part of the college application process, and depending on where students are applying, they will take a series of standardized tests, including PSAT, SAT Reasoning, SAT Subject (for US/Canada), and/or pre-interview tests (i.e. UKCAT, BMAT, LNAT, HAT, ELAT, TSA for certain UK Institutions/Faculties), as well as English language proficiency tests (i.e. IELTS, TOEFL, etc.,) where necessary. 

Our school, through the UACO US/Canada section, offers SAT preparation courses after school at both the 10th and 11th Grades to supplement the students’ independent test preparation and practice. In addition, the UACO offers an Application Essay/Personal Statement Workshop.