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Expert Guide on How to Write a Good UCAS Personal Statement?
College Applications

Applying to the UK? How to write your UCAS Personal Statement

Your UCAS Personal Statement (PS) is the one opportunity to discuss why you want to study a particular degree. It is your chance to demonstrate your drive, ambitions, skills, and achievements, making you an excellent choice for the universities to which you have applied.

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What are AP Tests and should I do them?
College Counseling

What are AP Tests and should I take them?

Here at Ivy Central, we get many questions about AP Tests, are they needed or useful in the US college application process? How many should you do? Are some subjects more valuable than others? This article will help you answer these and other questions you may have about AP Tests.

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Expert Guide to Understanding US and UK College Rankings
College Counseling

Understanding College Rankings

September is college rankings season. Across the world, websites and newspapers publish stories about the rankings of colleges and universities; some focus on specific countries like the US and UK, while others claim to tell you which are the ‘best’ in the world.

While there are many other factors that students should use when making final admission decisions, college ranking lists are a resource that students and parents should use, so in this blog, I’m going to help you understand college rankings.

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Should you apply Early Action?

Early Action, or EA, is offered by many public universities and a few private universities in the US, whose deadline is typically in November.

It is often thought that Early Action (EA) is a ‘non-binding’ application to colleges and universities in the US. Typically, this means that you can apply to other universities simultaneously – something that the Early Decision or ED disallows you from doing.

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It’s Not All About the Money!

In the world of Careers Guidance, we are used to the idea that to help a young person prepare to make decisions about what career they want to pursue, you would explore their interests and strengths. Such considerations are essential; people tend to have more rewarding careers if they do something they enjoy and can do well. However, interests and strengths can only ever be part of the thinking. The individual’s feeling of job satisfaction is missing from such an approach. We may find ourselves working in a job that links to our interests and strengths but fails to provide the internal glow of a job well done.

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Tips on How to Write a Good Common App Essay | Ivy Central
Admissions

Still Writing Your Common App Essay? 5 Tips to Help You

With the submission deadline for applying in the early round of US college applications rapidly approaching, you will hopefully be well on the way to finishing your personal essay. If you are struggling, then hopefully, this article will help as I share five tips from college admission professionals that can help you create a winning essay.

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Five Top Tips for Making the Most of Grade 9

The move to Grade 9 can feel somewhat overwhelming, but it is also the start of a new chapter in a student’s life. Many think that learning has more of a point as thoughts start to move toward what comes after school. This makes Grade 9 a critical transition point for students; it allows them to explore options without worrying about standardized tests or researching colleges. Grade 9 is also the time to put in place good study practices, ones that will take you through the remainder of your education. In this blog, I will share five top tips to help you make Grade 9 the best yet.

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Do I need to take an English Language test?

Colleges and universities will look for an international student’s ability to study in English as part of their admissions process. All courses will be taught in English, so it makes sense that anybody they accept will need to understand what they are being taught. The two most common tests used to assess non-native students’ English language ability are the International English Language Testing System (TOEFL) and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). TOEFL is most common in the US, while IELTS is more commonly used in the UK.

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Summer Activities for College Applications | College Planning Guide
College Counseling

Planning for College: What to do Over the Long Summer Break?

If you are finishing grades 9 and 10, then the summer is the time for you to delve into your interests and explore new ones. Good grades will only get you so far in the college application process, colleges will also want to know about activities you have been a part of, and the long break provides the perfect opportunity for you to put time into these activities.

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Becoming a Lawyer in UK | Essential Training Guide | Ivy Central
Career Counseling

Essential Training Guide To Becoming a Lawyer in The UK Part 2.

I will focus on the route followed by aspiring lawyers in the United Kingdom. The legal profession in both the US and the UK is regulated, meaning that you will have to meet specific professional standards to practice. Once you have met these standards, then the legal profession offers a vast array of career options to suit nearly all interests.

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US Colleges & Universities with high Graduation Rates | Ivy Central
College Counseling

And the Graduation Rate is…..

Degree courses in the US are based around a four-year program of study, but across all institutions offering degrees, the average time it takes students to graduate is over five years. The reasons for this are numerous. It might be that a student changes their major, or there are personal circumstances that result in them taking time out from their studies, but it might also reflect difficulties in getting a place on popular courses or struggling to pass a graduation requirement.

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What Is an Open Curriculum? Best Open Curriculum Colleges
Majors

‘The Open Curriculum’: Should you opt for one?

When I first started understanding the US education system, I was enthralled by the unique curriculums each university offered. In particular, the Open Curriculum caught my attention as it encouraged students to dive into the subjects of their choice directly. 

Let’s understand what kind of a student is likely to make the most of an Open Curriculum –

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