Common Application Changes for Fall 2013

The most surprising news from NACAC concerns a significant change to the Common Application, the online undergraduate admission application used by students to apply to nearly 500 different United States and international universities. The new Common App for 2013 will omit the “topic of your choice” essay prompt, a decision that has sparked debate among [...]

Options Solutions to Visit Steveston-London Secondary

Options Solutions’ consultant Edwin Liew will be giving a presentation at Steveston-London Secondary School in Richmond on US admissions, the SAT test and the Common Application process on Thursday, October 25th, 2012 from 12:50 to 1:30 PM. Topics to be covered will include: factors that can influence the increasingly selective process of US university and [...]

Options Solutions Visits Sardis Secondary, Talks US and UK Admissions

Entering the vast atrium of what appears to be the heart of Sardis Secondary, Options’ Edwin Liew was greeted by students ‘aerobizing’ in full flight to the catchy pop tune of LMFAO’s “Party Rock Anthem”. But there was a twist; the participants were cheerleading with choreographed, flash-mob-esque dance moves to their own lyrics, voicing their support [...]

Factors in US Admissions: More than GPAs and SATs

If you’re thinking of applying to a university or college in the US, aside from facing higher tuition costs, you will be encountering a number of factors that have made gaining admission progressively harder each year. At the S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Education Fair in downtown Vancouver last Saturday, December 3rd, Melinda Giampietro of Options Solutions identified and [...]