Admissions Academy : International Competitive Edge

Phone 650.463.5530
Fax 650.463.5536

Our Services

High School Students

Transfer Students

International Students

Int'l Admissions Advantage

Int'l Competitive Edge

Test Preparation

Academic Tutoring

International Competitive Edge

For international students, the U.S. college admissions process can be both complex and challenging. Each family's needs are unique, and our experienced team of counselors works with individual students to help them establish a strong collegebound profile. Through strategic one-on-one interactions, our counselors guide 9th and 10th grade students to showcase academic achievements and depth of participation in meaningful extracurricular activities, as well as helping students match their strengths to U.S. colleges and universities. Whether your son or daughter is an international student needing an F-1 visa, boarding school student attending an American high school, permanent U.S. resident living abroad, or expatriate, Admissions Academy will provide the direction and advice you need to navigate the process successfully.

Our counseling programs are comprehensive in scope, and we work with students on a multi-semester basis – fall, spring, and/or summer. Our efforts are focused on both specific areas of concern and overall goals that encompass three critical topics: Life Outside of the Classroom, Crossing the Academic Threshold, and College Planning & Exploration.

Life Outside of the Classroom

Foundations and Early Summer Planning
Career and Major Exploration
Resumes and Cover Letters
The Activity Essay and Developing Your Profile

Unique extracurricular involvement allows a student to stand out in the eyes of the admissions officer. In addition to helping students understand the role of the extracurricular profile in the admissions process, we encourage thoughtful and authentic choices outside the classroom. Students research potential career and academic paths and learn how to use their time in high school to begin pursuing their interests, through summer and year-round activities, jobs, classes, and internships. To highlight extracurricular involvement to colleges and employers, we guide students through the process of writing a concise yet detailed resume. Students also have the opportunity to begin connecting their extracurricular profile with their college essay writing.

Crossing the Academic Threshold

Defining Academic Success
Tools of a Successful Student: Inside the Classroom
Tools of a Successful Student: Outside the Classroom
Goal Setting and Academic Planning

Getting into college is all about crossing the academic threshold, demonstrating the ability to succeed at an institute of higher learning. Admissions Academy advises students on building a strong curricular profile that will best communicate their academic potential and interests to colleges. We provide students with an overview of the SAT Reasoning, SAT Subject, ACT, and TOEFL exams, and our counselors ensure that students plan dates for all standardized tests throughout high school. Counselors also introduce students to essential time management and study skills, and students learn how to cultivate lasting relationships with their teachers.

College Planning and Exploration

Self-Assessment
Eligibility and Major/Career Exploration
Tools for Effective College Research
Mock Admissions Committee

Setting realistic college goals is critical to guiding students on the right path during their high school years. We help students explore and conduct detailed research into their college options, and guide students through creating strategic college lists that fit their academic, extracurricular, and personal interests. We teach students how to ask questions and discover answers about college life, academic programs, and potential future interests so that the eventual application process is a culmination of effort, rather than a one-time event. Students also explore a variety of majors and career opportunities in order to more successfully develop their personal long-term goals.