CCIS is a company specializing in college counseling for international students wishing to apply to American, Canadian, British and other European universities. We personalize our help and counsel for each student, adapting and working with his/her background, time availability and educational goals. Our objective is to advise students on their personal profile optimization, study options, and all administrative procedures. Typically, varying on when we start to work with students, we will follow this timeline:

 

 

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Starting the college application process early is the best way to maximize the high school experience and to find the best college match possible. We will help students in the following areas:

• Personal assessment: we will set up meetings with both the student and his/her parents, conduct assessment tests, administer questionnaires, and establish a profile, highlighting strengths and possible weaknesses that the student can work on during the 4 years of high school.

• Establish a timeline: we will determine a detailed plan for high school coursework and extracurricular activities, and will help take advantage of high school course offerings to establish a strong academic schedule. We will consider academic opportunities outside of school, broaden students’ extracurricular interests, and provide opportunities to optimize summer plans.

• We will organize a testing schedule, refer tutors as needed, and plan college visits.

 

 

 

 

Junior year is most important in the application process; it is the year where the student decides in which direction he/she will go, while working hard to maintain the strongest academic level possible, and undertaking extracurricular activities that are aligned to his/her interests.

As counselors, we will help students in the following areas:

• Academic assessment: we will evaluate the student’s transcripts, and establish a plan to maintain or improve the level of performance.

• Extracurricular profile: we will evaluate the student’s activities and achievements, and explore new opportunities. We will maximize summer plans.

• College selection: we will develop a list of prospective colleges and universities, and prepare the student for college visits.

• Test scheduling: we will set up a test schedule depending on the student availabilities and possibilities, and explore test preparation strategies.

• Letters of recommendation: we will help the student identify and find a strategy to approach teachers for recommendations.

 

 

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The first semester is the crucial moment where the student has to decide and take action. We will help in the following areas:

• Evaluation and selection: we will assess current student profile, review, evaluate and finalize a target college list.

• Determine a plan: we will establish a remaining standardized test schedule and formulate a strategy for college applications.

• Essay advising: we will brainstorm ideas in response to essay prompts; we will assess the best way to address essays for the Common App as well as for specific schools; we will review and refine essay drafts helping the student to express his/her stories while emphasizing his/her uniqueness.

• Interview preparation: we will help the student acquire and be ready for interviews with college admission officers, and will provide feedback on interview practices.

• Exploration of financial aid: we will discuss financial aid goals and how to achieve them; we will review financial aid strategies and options.

 

 

 

 

We will address everyone’s college application needs to the best of our abilities:

• International students: we will help international students prepare for the American application process: we will discuss visa considerations, translation of transcripts, compatibility of diplomas and courses; taking standardized tests abroad…

• Student athletes: we will help student athletes determine a specific strategy to apply to universities, whether they fit into Division I, II or III.

• Deferred/waitlist students: we will follow through on the student’s application process until we have tried everything in our power to get them in.

• Students with disabilities: we will find ways to address how the level of disability can affect the student’s application process.

• Transfer students: we will establish methods to help students transfer between universities at any given time. 

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