Expert US University Consultants

Initial Discussion

For students wanting advice on US university applications, we begin by arranging an initial meeting with one of our experienced university application consultants.

At Ivy Education, we generally advise parents and students to start thinking as early as 9th Grade (Year 10). Developing interests and extracurricular activities can be more difficult when these activities are not provided readily at school. From Year 11 (10th Grade) onwards, students should expect a carefully crafted timetable covering SAT or ACT preparation, application timelines, and extracurricular activities.

Personalised Admissions Timeline

Beginning as early as the 9th Grade or Year 10, our consultant will prepare a personalised timeline so your child can manage their application and highlight the dates of any standardised tests.

Applications to the US are judged against multiple criteria: academics, leadership, extracurricular involvement, volunteering, and “likeability” (demonstrated through essays and recommendations). Academics form the baseline for admission. For example, a score lower than 1450 without strong additional factors is very unlikely to secure admission to a top-tier university.

Once the academic standard is met, the broader elements of the application come into play; something our US admissions consulting services are designed to address.

Supercurriculars and Application Profile Building

Admission to a top school usually requires at least one very strong extracurricular. There are a few metrics with which to think about these activities.

When evaluating extracurriculars, key factors include:

• Whether the activity is recognised at the school, local, national, or international level.
• Evidence of excellence, such as awards, leadership roles, or special recognition.

While sports and music are classic extracurriculars, students can distinguish themselves through a wide range of activities, from starting a company, founding a charity, contributing to a think tank, or pursuing original creative projects. Ivy Education's university consultants help students develop and highlight the extracurricular achievements that will most strengthen their application.

Alongside these, we help students build the supercurricular side of their profile: the reading, research, competitions and independent projects that demonstrate genuine intellectual interest in their intended major. For Ivy League applicants in particular, this is often what separates one strong candidate from another.

Application Support Across Every Stage

In the 10th Grade or Year 11, the consultant will update the application and testing timeline whilst offering guidance on final A-Level, IB or Pre-U subject choices.

They will help your child research universities and colleges and, if necessary, assist with applications for summer programmes to strengthen the student's academic profile. Alongside continued academic check-ins, they may also recommend relevant work experience and help build a strong CV.

US College List Building

By the 12th Grade or Year 13, our university admission consultants will help your child develop an application list aligned with predicted grades and standardised test scores.

A considered list balances ambition with realism, and a US list is longer than a UK one. We help families weigh reach, target and likely schools, and look past the familiar names to the universities that genuinely suit your child's academic interests, their preferred setting and the course structure they will thrive in.

Early Decision and Early Action Strategy

Our consultants will assist in developing an early application strategy, which for many students is the single most consequential decision in the process.

Early Decision is binding and can only be used once, so it must be spent on the right university. Early Action is not binding, and some universities restrict how it may be combined with other early applications. We help families understand which routes each of their universities offers, what the rules allow, and whether applying early genuinely improves your child's position or simply brings the deadline forward.

Common App, Supplemental Essays and Submission

Our consultants communicate with universities about extenuating circumstances or additional information, offer detailed personal statement and supplemental essay advice, and ensure your child completes all applications across different platforms, including the Common App, Coalition Application, and individual university portals, within deadlines.

Where the UK asks for one personal statement, a US applicant may write a Common App essay and a dozen or more supplemental essays, each answering a different university's question. These are read closely, and they are where “likeability” is won or lost. We work through them with your child so each one says something the rest of the application does not.

Interview Preparation and Final Decisions

Where universities interview, often through alumni, we prepare students for the conversation: what they are likely to be asked, how to speak about their interests without sounding rehearsed, and how to ask good questions of their own.

For Ivy League applicants, this is frequently the last impression the university forms. Our consultants will also provide guidance on following up after applications and help your child make an informed final university selection once offers are received.