College Counselling

Our college counselling service is tailored to the needs of each student and the demands of college applications in three distinct stages:

• Stage 1: Research. In this stage, students will work with a counsellor to explore their learning preferences, potential majors and career path, and develop a balanced, tailored list of colleges.
• Stage 2: Preparation. In this stage, the consultant will review and strengthen a student’s academic and extracurricular profile and develop and implement an Action Plan that prepares them for applications.
• Stage 3: Application. In this stage, the college counsellor will build on the work of the previous stages to support students with their college essays and applications. This could also include assembling an artistic portfolio or audition, applying for funding and scholarships, and preparing for interviews.

The easiest way to pay for our college counselling service is through buying a full-service package, but we also offer payment at each of the different stages above:

For those families seeking a more flexible solution in terms of advice and support, our services are also available by the hour (minimum six hours). Our hourly pricing and services covered are as follows:

Simon Lewis

Simon is a Partner at UES and the Director of College Counselling. He divides his time between UES and Latymer Upper School, where he works as Head of International University Applications. He has previously worked at Wycombe Abbey in Buckinghamshire and oversaw the school's largest-ever cohort of US applications in 2019-20. He has worked in US applications for over a decade and has designed the college admissions programme at UES. Simon works closely with many of UES’s 40 school partners on their US applications provision and with the Fulbright Commission on their Sutton Trust US programme, which aims to widen access to US colleges. In partnership with the University Guy and Unifrog, he has set up international university discussion forums across the UK, shaping the national conversation around international applications. He brings an in-depth knowledge of the US applications process to the programme, including expertise in college counselling, standardised testing strategy, essay review, financial aid and scholarships, and application support. He has successfully supported students applying for a wide range of specialist majors, including architecture, contemporary and classical music, dance, and STEM subjects.

After graduating with a BA in Literature from Goldsmiths, University of London, in 2003, Simon qualified and worked as an English language teacher before working as a professional advisor and career mentor in the public and private sectors. His philosophy of advising is based on "fit", in that he strongly believes that students are most likely to be admitted and to be successful where they will be suited to the university's academic programme, extracurricular options, and campus culture.

Outside of UES he is a keen cellist and string arranger and has worked with Berklee College of Music’s Wadham Production Scholarship programme in the UK.

Jason Smith

Jason is the founder of UES and has 10 years' experience in working with students to help them gain admission to US colleges. As well as overseeing partnerships between UES and schools across the UK and Europe, he works as a US College Counsellor at Wetherby Senior School, where he delivers US application support directly to students. He also works closely with UES partners the Fulbright Commission on the Sutton Trust US programme, and regularly speaks for organisations such as the International Association for College Admission Counseling, and at top schools across the UK and Europe. Jason has developed a deep understanding of the many facets to a successful US college application and this is borne out by his students going on to study at such universities as Harvard, Duke, Notre Dame, UT Austin, and many more.

Jason has a First-Class Master's degree and a PhD in Applied Mathematics from the University of Nottingham. After graduating he carried out postdoctoral research in academia followed by nuclear research in industry and the European Commission. Outside of work, Jason is an ex-international competitor in Taekwondo, a keen skier, and a seasoned traveller.

Martine Gagnon

Martine has worked with students in US applications for over ten years and advised on college admissions for the last six application cycles. Her past students have been accepted to a range of selective colleges in the US, the UK, Canada, France, Spain, and Argentina. She helps students with every step of the admissions process, from creating college lists and drafting essays, to editing portfolios and researching financial aid. She also helps out at Wetherby Senior School, organising group sessions for students who are preparing their US applications.

Martine received her BA in Spanish Literature and her MA in Translation Studies from Concordia University in her native Montreal. She has taught English and Translation at University College London and the Sorbonne in Paris. She is also an active commercial and literary translator; her work has been published in Europe, North America, and Asia, and she has provided subtitles for film and television.

Aida Rocci Ruiz

Aida Ruiz attended Harvard for undergraduate, graduating Magna Cum Laude with Highest Honors in Psychology in 2014. She then retuned to Harvard to pursue a Master's in Fine Arts in Dramaturgy and Theatre Studies at the American Repertory Institute in collaboration with the Moscow Art Theatre, followed by a second Master's in London at the prestigious Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Inspired by her experiences of international applications, she now works for UES as a tutor and counsellor, using her drama and psychology skills to inspire students to tell their stories in a compelling and personal way, essential for successful US college applications.

On top of teaching, she continues to work as a literary advisor and editor in the dramatic arts, and writes for The Theatre Times. Aida's students have been admitted to top colleges across the US, most notably via transfer, for which the admit rates are extremely low.