At Select College Admissions, each student is celebrated as a unique individual!
Our approach to university admission counseling is a customized and process-driven strategy to serve the needs of each individual student and family. We break up the tasks involved into bite-sized chunks and help students make a less stressful and more graceful transition towards their post-secondary education.
Phase I: Initiation Process (Self-Awareness and Goal-Setting)
We begin by getting to know each student in-depth. Through comprehensive interviews, assessments, and review of school records, we discern a student’s strengths, needs, learning style and short and long-term goals, and career aspirations. Going beyond academics, we consider the whole of a student’s personality type. We take into account a student’s values, motivation, athletic ability, hobbies, interests in the arts, as well as community service, social skills, blind spots, and anything else that is an important consideration in this process. The goal is for the students to gain a clearer understanding of their unique strengths in order for us to set educational goals.
Phase II: Development Process (Preparation and Setting up Foundations)
We set a foundation to build on in order to lead each student to his/her theme. This includes guidance on academics and course planning, standardized test preparation, summer enrichment programs, extracurricular activities and leadership, in order for our students to be the best they can be, maximizing their chances for success. Students begin the process of putting together a résumé as they make long-term commitments to a number of activities, engaging in one or more initiatives of their own, gaining leadership and confidence while making their mark within their school, their community, and sometimes even the world at large.
Phase III: Identification Process (Narrowing Down the University List)
In refining an applicant’s list of target colleges and universities, we look beyond test scores. Academic institutions vary widely in tones of formality, structure, competitiveness, and campus culture – which is why we focus on finding the right ‘fit’ for each student by considering location, size, academic offerings, social vibe, and so on. We empower students to engage in campus tours and information sessions, to advocate for themselves—encouraging candidates to reflect upon their own strengths and weaknesses, to continually refine their short and long-term goals, and to learn how to put their best foot forward. We often hear from parents that, in addition to the successful outcome, they value the new maturity they see in their teens as a result of our work together.
Phase IV: Execution Process (Sending in the Applications)
We are with the student every step of the way from identifying campuses that are a good match, to guidance on researching and visiting universities, completing applications, obtaining recommendations, writing insightful personal statements and essays, and having successful interviews as well as fine-tuning their final submissions to universities. August workshops, offered in the summer between grades 11 and 12, followed by regular one-on-one meetings throughout the fall, help us ensure that every detail of each application is tackled early so that applications can be completed and submitted in a timely and well-organized manner.
Phase V: Launch Process (Time for Celebration)
Once university decisions are released, together we will analyze the pros and cons of the student’s options to help choose the university to attend. Should the student wish to follow-up on any deferrals and wait-lists, we will be happy to support them on that front as well.
The highlight of our collaboration with each family is when we hear from the student, letting us know they have been admitted to one of their top choice universities.
Sessions are conducted in person as well as face-to-face via videoconferencing. Virtual options allow us to work with our students across the Greater Vancouver Area or across the world.