Tap into school resources

Applying to an American university can be a difficult process for any student.  CIEE is here to help guide your students through the process and educate you on valuable, free resources, all students should take advantage of while they’re studying here in the U.S. 

One of the most valuable, free resources available to your students are the guidance counselors at their  school. Here are a few facts about  guidance counselors that will help your student take advantage of all the services they have to offer.

• Most high schools have designated guidance office  or department  focused on college preparation. This office or department is staffed by guidance counselors whose primary goal is to assist students with writing resumes, practicing mock interviews, and applying to college.  These services can greatly improve the quality of a college application.  
• Guidance counselors help students to select colleges and universities that align with both interests and academics, and proofread college applications.
• Often, guidance counselors will invite  admissions counselors from colleges to conduct mock interviews or provide free information sessions to students. Students should stop by  the guidance office regularly to see when colleges that they’re interested in will be visiting. Any connections that students can make with a school before they apply can have major payoffs.
• If a school regularly sends students to a particular college, such as Harvard, the college will recognize the high school name. This may provide another “in” for students, helping their applications rise to the top of the review list.

At CIEE, we work with some of the top-ranked high schools in the country. Many of these schools place students at Ivy League colleges and have strong connections. Guidance counselors can provide students with a list of recent college acceptances to help show them what colleges they might have the strongest connections with. In this competitive market, any advantages help!