University Counselling Department

The University counsellors recognize the nuanced nature of the university application landscape. Our University Counselling Department includes former admissions directors at top universities and individuals with years of university counselling experiences. Their work at a wide array of selective institutions allows them to shed light on the intricacies of global undergraduate application processes and provide insight on how to maximize support for students' university applications.

CDNIS utilizes a highly personalized and professional approach to university counselling, where students are paired intentionally with specific university advisors to maximize success. In addition to their in-depth understanding of global university application processes, the University Counselling Department also offers counselling specialization in competitive scholarships, athletic recruitment, creative applications and ambitious university targets.

Our comprehensive approach to university counselling ensures our students understand the critical stages of their student journey that can contribute to their application over time, including curriculum choices, standardized testing, extracurricular involvement, personal statement and supplemental essay development, university visits and demonstrated interest.

As a top academic school, CDNIS students are targeting the very best in higher education: Oxbridge and other top UK Russell Group universities, US Ivy League Institutions, leading universities in Canada and Hong Kong, top medical and dental schools, and pre-eminent art and drama schools.

Starting in Grade 11, students are assigned a dedicated University counsellor to work in tandem with their Guidance counsellor for their post-secondary planning.

CDNIS University Counselling

Exhaustive university guidance
Supports students from Grade 9 through university matriculation
Emphasis on 1:1 university counselling practices
Targeted strategies to increase student access to top tier universities with an emphasis on “aspirational fit”
Relies on highly experienced University counsellors who have a mastery of the entire undergraduate application process, but can draw on specialities
Aims to maximize positive university results

Grade 9

The main focus of Grade 9 is to provide students and their families with the opportunity to make informed decisions throughout Transition and Upper School years both inside and outside of the classroom:

Course selection
Extracurricular development
Standardized testing
Timeline for the university process
Preparing for Oxbridge Talk
Preparing for Selective US Universities Talk

Grade 10

In Grade 10, we want to make students excited about the higher education possibilities available to them, and also ensure they consider their higher education aspirations when they are making their course selections. Students attend Grade 10 seminars on how to select their courses (which specific subjects to consider) and how to approach their extracurriculars strategically.

Grade 11

Grade 11 is the time for students to get serious if they want to be competitive applicants to elite universities. This year is about working hard in academic courses, diving into extracurriculars, and seeking out leadership opportunities.

In the fall, Grade 11 students will be expected to attend a workshop to launch their application process. Students and families will be given specific homework assignments and timelines for the application process.

By the end of fall, each student will have a one-on-one meeting with a member of the University Counselling Team. The University counsellor will provide the family with a research list of universities, a timeline for their process (balancing multiple application systems and countries as needed) and guidance on how to finalize the student’s application strategy and recommenders.

The Scholarship Workshop: University counsellors will introduce families to the competitive academic scholarships, such as the Jefferson, Robertson and Morehead-Cain.

Personal Statement Workshop: In the spring, students will be expected to attend personal statement workshops by application type. This will get students started on their main university essays.

Student athletes will be expected to work with their university counsellor on their recruiting timeline and making contacts with coaches.

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Grade 12

Oxbridge, Common Application, and UC Application Completion Seminars

Final University List One-On-One Meeting

Final Application Review

Gap Year Student Assistance

University Visits

CDNIS is proud to host hundreds of university reps every year on campus and also organizes an annual Higher Education Fair in March each year. We advertise university visits to our students and parents and also organize annual visits during school breaks to campuses around the world.

We welcome visiting university representatives throughout the academic year for presentations about individual universities and mini-fairs. The best time of day to visit our campus is during the Upper School lunch period from 1:35pm-2:35pm or after classes from 4pm-5pm. Visits are normally hosted in the Counselling Office or Alan Dick Forum and it is common for more than one university to visit on the same day. We are also able to accommodate larger presentations, but this must be arranged beforehand.

If you would like to arrange a visit, please feel free to contact the University Counselling Department.

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