For those families who want tailored support throughout the US application process, we strongly recommend our college counselling service. We will assign you to a dedicated and experienced advisor who helps you to navigate the complex US admissions process from beginning to end. This includes advice on choosing colleges, demonstrating interest, standardised testing, scholarships and funding, preparing an artistic portfolio or musical audition, writing college essays, completing applications, and applying via an early admissions programme.
If you would like to discuss our college counselling service in more detail, please click the links below to book a free call with one of our Senior Counsellors or send us an enquiry:
Free Counselling Consultation
Our Counsellors
Get in touch
Liaising With Schools
Schools are an essential part of the US application process and need to produce important documents including a school profile, student transcript, and letters of recommendation. We work very closely with schools to ensure they understand and fulfil these requirements. When students do not have an experienced guidance counsellor at their school, we are also able to advise the school on the US application process from the school’s perspective at no extra cost, ensuring that teachers understand how to write letters of recommendation for US colleges and put together transcripts, a school profile, and the Mid-Year and Final report.
Professional Associations and Codes of Conduct
As members of the International Association for College Admissions Counseling, we adhere to NACAC’s code of ethics and professional practice. For more information on how this code governs our work, please read
here
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To see how our own terms and conditions govern our college counselling, please click
here
.
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 has previously worked with schools such as Wetherby Senior School, where he helped set up successful US universities provision. 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.
Free Consultation with Jason
Aida Rocci Ruiz
Aida Rocci has two passions: empowering and guiding students through their university application journey and theatre. Originally from Spain, Aida experienced first-hand the complexities of international applications, which fuels her desire to help other international students navigate the process. Using her training in Psychology, educational counseling techniques, and dramaturgy, Aida has helped students find their authentic voice in the application process, develop long-term key organizational and decision-making skills, and access leading universities in the US, Canada, and Europe. Aida works with students who are preparing to apply as undergraduate freshmen, transfer students, and master students.
Aida attended Harvard University 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. Before attending Harvard, Aida studied at the prestigious business school CUNEF, in Madrid.
On top of counselling, she continues to work as theatre and film director and dramaturg.
Free Consultation with Aida
Mikael Perreau
Mikael currently serves as an Associate Director of College Counseling at the Lycée Français de New York on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and as a part-time undergraduate admissions application reader for New York University (NYU). He previously served as Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at NYU, in both London and New York, and managed the admissions process for the degree-granting campus in Abu Dhabi and the Meyers College of Nursing and Silver School of Social Work at the New York campus. Prior to that, he was an International Admissions and Financial Aid Counselor at The American University of Paris after beginning his career in international education with a non-profit high school student exchange organization in San Francisco, California. He is a graduate of The University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and, during his year abroad, also earned a Diplôme du Programme International from Sciences Po Paris. Mikael is married and spends his free time reading (mostly non-fiction), watching sports (mostly Liverpool FC), and looking for new recipes to try at home.
Natasha Sutton Williams
Natasha is an award-winning writer, composer, actor and journalist. As a writing specialist, Natasha's expertise lies in collaborating with students on their US college essays and portfolios, ensuring that these best capture their authentic voice and individual achievements. She has helped students achieve places at Ivy League and other top colleges including Yale, Brown, UPenn, Dartmouth (full scholarship), Stanford, Columbia, NYU, Georgetown, UChicago, UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC Santa Barbara, UC San Diego, UC Irvine, UC Santa Cruz, USC (including program of Cinematic Arts), Williams, Babson, Duke, Northeastern, Emory, University of Virginia, Boston University, McGill, University of Toronto and Columbia/Tel Aviv Dual Programme.
Natasha currently writes for the stage, screen and animation. Her plays have been produced at multiple London venues. As a journalist, Natasha writes for various national publications, including The Independent and The Stage.Natasha received a First-Class BA Honours degree in Creative Writing at Birkbeck, University of London. She also studied at Arts Educational Drama School and the National Youth Theatre. She is British Canadian and has an innate understanding of North American culture.
Kristy Magner
Before becoming a college counselor, Kristy Magner spent over 15 years in higher education, most recently as the Director of the Office of International Students and Scholars at Tulane University. In her university roles, Kristy worked alongside parents, faculty, staff to support students in reaching their educational goals. Throughout her time working at colleges, Kristy observed that many students do not fully understand all of their options for university study or how best to gain admission to a university in the United States.Her goal is to bridge this knowledge gap by guiding students and their families through the college application process to admission and beyond.
Kristy is highly knowledgeable about the cross-cultural adjustment process, both from her work with international students and from her own experiences growing up. She lived in India for part of her childhood, studied abroad in Mexico, and has traveled to six continents. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Colorado State University and her Master of Science in International Studies from North Carolina State University. Kristy is active in the New Orleans community, where she has lived for 16 years. She is passionate about New Orleans music and culture and has been hosting music festivals and fundraisers for New Orleans musicians since 2014.
Successful Applications
Amongst many others, we helped students successfully apply to the Universities listed below in the 2021-2022 application cycle:
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Babson
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Boston University
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Baylor
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Brown University
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Caltech
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Case Western University
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Chapman University
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Clemson
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Columbia
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CU Boulder
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Drexel University
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Emory
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Fordham
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George Washington University
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Michigan State
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Notre Dame
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Northeastern University
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NYU
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Penn State
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Pomona College
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Santa Clara University
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Skidmore
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Syracuse University
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Temple
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Tufts University
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Trinity University (Texas)
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Tulane
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Yale University
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UC Berkeley
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UC Davis
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UC Irvine
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UCLA
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UC San Diego
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UChicago
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UMass Amherst
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UMinnesota
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Uni of New England
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U North Texas
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UPenn
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Uni of Richmond
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UT Arlington
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UT Austin
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Uni of Vermont
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UVA
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WashU
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Wisconsin-Madison
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Wake Forest
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