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Caroline Koppelman

How to Get into Columbia as an International Student: Strategy

Columbia is a big deal, and that is an understatement. As a top university in the United States and member of the famed Ivy League, Columbia also has the bonus perk of being located in one of the most famous and popular cities in the world: New York City. For international students, it isn’t just the allure of the top academics and bright lights, though — it’s also the three convenient international airports. Students coming from abroad who want to be able to go home are often surprised to learn how far many top universities are from a major airport with any chance of offering regular direct flights. For many, it’s hours of driving, or a mix of trains and busing, to even start getting home. From the Columbia Campus on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, it’s as little as 30 minutes to your terminal.

Best College Advisors for 9th Grade

Starting high school is an exciting yet overwhelming time. As a 9th grader, college might seem far off, but the truth is, the earlier you start thinking about your academic and extracurricular path, the better prepared you’ll be. That doesn’t mean stressing over applications now – it means laying the groundwork so that when the time comes, you have a compelling, authentic story to tell.

How to Get into Yale as an International Student: Strategy

Yale is one of the most prestigious universities in the world, and one of the hardest to get into. For nearly a decade, we’ve worked with international students to get into top-tier American schools, including Yale, and we’ve learned a lot along the way. In this post, we’re going to give prospective international applicants a peek into our playbook to help strengthen an application — starting far in advance. This isn’t just about writing a strong essay; it’s about building a competitive application over the long-term. First, though, let’s talk some statistics.

Cornell University Legacy Policies and Guide

Cornell is a famed Ivy League research university in Ithaca, New York. The university is large, with over 16,000 undergraduates, and it is divided up into 8 smaller colleges that each provide their own unique experience and community. One of the unique aspects of Cornell, especially when compared to other top tier colleges, is the range of programs offered at the undergraduate level, including programs, like hospitality and agriculture, that don’t appear anywhere else in the Ivy League. Cornell is, subsequently, very difficult to get into. Students who want Cornell truly want the experience they offer, and there are far more students who want that experience than they can accept. The overall acceptance rate for first-years who enrolled in the fall of 2024, across all 8 colleges, was 8.4%.

Best Summer Strategy for High School Freshman Interested in STEM

We love science-kids. Whether you are mad about math or an engineer of the future, majoring in a STEM field is an excellent choice for college. However, it is also a popular choice, especially when it comes to majors like engineering and computer science. Often, these types of majors represent the most challenging programs to get into at top schools. If you dream of getting accepted to an elite STEM program, it's never too late to start crafting a great resume. Freshman summer is the perfect time to jump in! But how? We are glad you asked.

How to Get into Princeton as an International Student: Strategy

Princeton is a globally renowned university and member of the famed Ivy League. It is also one of the most popular schools in the United States for high-achieving international students. The university has become known for fostering a welcoming community for students from around the world while offering some of the most competitive academic programs on earth, literally. It shouldn’t come as a surprise then, that getting into Princeton is no walk in the park. Admissions is intensely competitive, and even more so for international applicants. In this post, we’re going to break down three steps prospective international applicants must be taking now to raise their odds of a Princeton acceptance. First, though, we’re going to get into some numbers. 

Columbia University Legacy Policies and Guide

Columbia University in New York City is one of the most famous schools in the Ivy League. They’re most known for the Columbia Core, which means students who want a true liberal arts education are probably drawn to this school like moths to a flame. But if you’re here, you’re not just drawn to the academics or culture or location, you’re drawn to it because you have a personal connection to the school.

How to Get into the University of Pennsylvania as an International Student: Strategy

International students are drawn to the University of Pennsylvania for good reason. It’s a top-tier Ivy League university with global respect and a powerful program. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, then, that it isn’t easy to get in regardless of where one is applying from. In this post, we’ll break down what prospective international applicants need to know — and do — to increase their chances of admission. First, though, let’s talk numbers.

Best Summer Strategy for High School Freshman Interested in Humanities

There is a lot to love about the humanities, and there are also a lot of humanities majors at most colleges. Whether you hope to study Russian Literature or Sociology, it is never too early to start exploring your academic interests and building a great resume. If you are dreaming of going to an elite college, you can’t waste your freshman summer. These three months are an opportunity to start to set yourself apart from the pack. But how? We are glad you asked; let’s break down what you should be doing freshman summer if you are interested in humanities.

How to Get into MIT as an International Student: Strategy

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or MIT, is one of the most respected engineering, science, and technology universities in the world. It is also one of the hardest to get into. For international students considering MIT, we highly recommend pursuing a proven strategy early. Every year we help international students get into outstanding schools, including MIT. In this post, we will give you a look at our playbook. We share three proven steps towards an MIT acceptance, along with some additional tips and tricks for the strongest possible application. First, though, let’s break down some statistics.

Brown University Legacy Policies and Guide

Brown University, located in Providence, Rhode Island, is one of the eight Ivy League schools and the 7th oldest institution of higher education in the US. They’re known for having a totally open curriculum – that’s right – no core classes. Brown is perfect for students who have a variety of interests or an interesting intersection of interests and want a place to explore those interests freely. But, if you’re here, you probably knew all this, because one (or both!) of your parents went to Brown and now you want to go to Brown too.

How to Get into Dartmouth as an International Student: Strategy

As an international perspective applicant, Dartmouth is a bit of a black box. It’s an Ivy League, and one of the hardest colleges to get into in the United States, but they don’t share much data about the details. While some other Ivies breakdown their admissions data to give applicants insight into the odds, Dartmouth doesn’t. In this post, we’ll demystify Dartmouth and give international applicants the tools they need to stand out for admissions. First, though, let’s talk about what statistics are available.

13 Best Schools without Demonstrated Interest

Demonstrated interest is when schools keep track of, and take into consideration, your level of interest in their school. Whenever you demonstrate interest, like through a tour, emailing your admissions officer, or signing up for an email, schools can track that! However, not all schools do care about demonstrated interest. Today, we’re going to talk about some of the top colleges that don’t take demonstrated interest into consideration.

9 Best Schools with Demonstrated Interest

Demonstrated interest is one of the lesser-asked about parts of the college admissions process, but that’s why we’re here to talk about it. At TKG, we’re all about the details! Demonstrated interest is when a school tracks and takes into consideration the level of interest you’ve demonstrated. We know it’s generally uncool to use the phrase in its own definition, but it’s pretty straightforward.

College Advisor for High Schools Students with Dyslexia

Teenagers with dyslexia face unique challenges during the college application process – on top of the usual stress of essays, deadlines, and standardized tests, they’re also navigating reading and writing difficulties that can make the process feel overwhelming. Applications often demand a level of written communication that doesn’t reflect their true intelligence or potential, which is why having the right support makes such a difference.

Best Summer Strategy for High School Freshman Interested in Business

Just by reading this blog, you are more prepared than many other first-year students. It is never too early to start exploring your academic interests, especially if you hope to attend an elite college. Business is one of the most popular majors, and undergraduate business schools/programs are often among the most competitive to get into. Usually, our students who dream of Haas, Wharton, Ross, Sloan, and more hit the ground running to build a great resume. The summer after freshman year is the perfect time to start getting serious about your goals and academic ambitions. However, it can be hard to know where to start. Thankfully, we are here to help and give you some tips for ensuring your freshman summer puts you on the launch pad for business success.

How to Get into Brown as an International Student: Strategy

Brown is a prestigious university that has become immensely popular with international students for combining top-tier Ivy League academics with a creative community and open curriculum. Unsurprisingly, it’s also extremely difficult to get into. It is hard to gain admission to Brown for any student, but prospective international students face a particularly steep uphill battle. And yet, we regularly support international students from around the world in earning an acceptance letter. In this post, we’re going to give you a peek into our playbook — and how we pull it off.

College Advisor for High School Students with Eating Disorders

Eating disorders affect 4% of teenagers in the US, with the vast majority of those being young women. As a group of illnesses that almost exclusively impacts teens aged 13-18, these disorders can greatly impact the day-to-day and long-term of anyone who struggles with them. While 4% of teens have an official diagnosis, 50% of teenage girls and 30% of teenage boys use unhealthy weight control behaviors – and with that comes the same set of psychological symptoms that make managing an eating disorder particularly hard.

College Advisor for High Schools Students with OCD

Teenagers with OCD face significant challenges during the college application process; the anxiety and rumination over the process itself are tacked onto the intrusive thoughts, compulsions, and obsessions they already have to deal with on a daily basis. The college application process can be especially triggering for students with OCD, which is why they benefit so much from working with us.

How to Get into the University of Chicago as an International Student: Strategy

The University of Chicago is a top-tier American university on par with the vaunted Ivy League and other exceptional schools, like Stanford. It is exceptionally hard to get into as an American, but especially hard to get into if you are an international applicant. Only 16% of undergraduates at the university are international students, which is a lot if you are not an international student but is a tiny slice if you’re one of the thousands of international applicants trying to get into the university. We routinely help international students pull off an acceptance by the University of Chicago. In this post, we’ll give you a peek into our playbook.