Continuing Counseling Service

This service is designed for Chinese students, residing in China, planning to pursue undergraduate studies at an American college or university. The BCP team consists of counselors with Ivy League and similar experience. Team members has either graduated from or worked in admissions at Princeton, Harvard, Penn, Columbia, Dartmouth, Duke, and Colorado College

The BCP Continuing Counseling Service is intended for 9th, 10th, and 11th graders who desire help with all aspects of presenting the best college application possible. Guidance is provided to help the student:

· Build a transcript with strong courses and good grades

· Plan the best way to schedule and take the SAT, SAT Subject Tests, ACT and TOEFL

· Develop a resume with activities, talent, leadership, and community service, all of which are highly valued by US admission committees.

· Make a final college list, review and edit essays, complete the applications

A note for 9th and 10th graders

Although it is somewhat early to make an accurate match between your performance so far and your admission chances at a specific college, it is not too early to take a look at what you have done inside and outside the classroom and compare your accomplishments to the competitive level of US colleges you may have heard about. Based on this comparison, we can help you set goals that will make you a stronger candidate when the time comes to submit an application. Starting early is particularly important to build your credentials on the "personal side" -- various things that US colleges pay close attention to like participation in activities, talent, leadership, and service to others. Your accomplishments in these areas help an admission office evaluate what you will contribute the campus community. When you reach the 11th grade, we will do a more detailed evaluation of your admission chances leading to making a final college list and completing the applications.

From the student questionnaire, review the following:

Preferred college/university type, location, size, reputation, etc

Intended/possible majors

Test results: SAT, SAT Subject Test, ACT, TOEFL, IELTS, AP, etc.

Academic honors

Participation and accomplishments in school activities

Participation and accomplishments outside of school, during the summer

Community service

Individual talent

Non-academic honors

Hobbies and interests

Evidence of strong personal characteristics

From the transcript, review the following:

Grades and overall grade point average

Level of difficulty of high school courses

Class rank if given

Academic honors

From the parent questionnaire

Parent perspective on various student attributes and accomplishments

Parent goals for how BCP Advisors China will help the student get admitted to the "right" college

Give guidance on:

High school course selection

Standardized testing

Participation and achievement in various activities

Effective use of summer vacation to increase college admission chances

Making the college list and evaluating admission chances

This list-making and comparison of student's performance with the selectivity level of the college is the most critical step in college planning

The student lists colleges/universities of interest.

 Recommend additional colleges/universities based on student personal preferences, intended major, and admission probabilities

 Do an admission committee-type review of the student’s academic and personal credentials based on the BCP Advisors China Evaluator™.

 Compare the student rating to the selectivity level of listed colleges/universities

 Arrange schools into 6 categories to show admission chances with a high degree of accuracy. The Evaluator will continue to be updated with new information  until the final college list is completed in the fall.

Help complete the admission applications

Common Application

Coalition application

College's own application

Provide guidance in the critical area of writing the college essay

Use an essay planner to organize essay scheduling and content

Brainstorm possible topics

Personally review all essays

Common App Personal Statement

College supplemental essay questions

Non-Common App college essays

Coalition or Universal App essays

Conduct a practice interview if requested

Give advice on the most optimum way to submit applications

Go over the many different options and deadlines.  Estimate effect on admission chances.

Early Decision I

Early Decision II

Early Action

Restricted Early Action

Rolling

Priority

Regular

All of the above involves setting up a schedule on when work will be completed and establishing good communications by phone, email, and Skype. If an in-person meeting can be scheduled, that is highly desirable.