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International College Counselors Expands with New Florida Offices

Thursday, April 26th, 2012

International College Counselors is pleased to announce the expansion of their college admissions counseling business with new offices in Miami, Coral Gables and Palm Beach, Florida.

International College Counselors operates in three states – New York, Florida and Massachusetts, and three countries – the United States, Colombia and Venezuela.

Their new offices in South Florida will bring the International College Counselors team’s expertise closer to more students, their families, and area schools.

“We saw a need and an opportunity to bring Miami, Coral Gables and Palm Beach a local college admissions resource,” said founder and CEO, Mandee Heller Adler. “With our new offices, we’ll be able to provide more students and local schools with the personal attention International College Counselors is known for. Our guidance is based upon a student’s individual needs and talents.”

International College Counselors new branches are located at 1395 Brickell Ave., Suite 800, Miami, FL 33131; 2525 Ponce De Leon Blvd., Suite 300, Coral Gables, FL 33134; and 800 Village Square Crossing, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410.

International College Counselors will maintain their current headquarters in Hollywood, Florida and they look forward to continuing their intelligent growth, while maintaining the high quality of personal, professional service they provide their clients.

In 2012, the college advisors at International College Counselors helped more than 200 students find, apply to and gain acceptance into the college of their dreams. The expert college advisors at International College Counselors are dedicated to helping students and their parents with the often daunting and complex college application process.

For more information on International College Counselors or to contact an expert college counselor, please visit http://www.internationalcollegecounselors.com

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE COUNSELORS:

International College Counselors provides expert college counseling on undergraduate and graduate college admissions, financial aid, tuition, essays, and college applications to domestic and international students. The college counseling and college coaching services are tailored to address the goals, needs, and dreams of each student. Mandee Heller Adler, founder of International College Counselors, is a graduate of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. She also received an MBA from Harvard Business School. Ms. Adler’s achievements have brought her recognition as one of South Florida Top 100 Small Businesses in 2010.

International College Counselors has offices in White Plains, New York; Miami Beach, Florida; Miami, Florida; Coral Gables, Florida; Palm Beach, Florida; Boca Raton, Florida; Medellin, Columbia and Caracas, Venezuela.

Tags: broward college advisor, college advisor miami, college advisor NYC, college counselor miami, college counselor NYC, international college counselors, mandee heller adler
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Great Ways for Parents of High School Students to Spend Their Tax Refunds:

Monday, April 23rd, 2012

According to the Internal Revenue Service, the average 2012 tax refund is roughly $3000. Here are some great suggestions for what to do with the money you get back if you’re a parent of a teenager who plans to attend college:

1. Pay for Tutoring. The importance of grades for colleges cannot be ignored. The GPA is the single most important part of a college application. Not only that, colleges want to see a challenging high school curriculum. If your student needs help in one or more subjects, spend some money on tutoring. (It may even pay off more in the form of scholarships.) If you need help finding an amazing tutor, contact your International College Counselors college advisor for more information.

2. Put money into a 529 plan. Even if your child will be a junior this year, it’s not too late to make a tax-preferred investment for college. Many states, including Florida and New York, provide a tax deduction for 529 contributions even if you’re investing for only a short time.

3. Invest in a summer enrichment program. Summer enrichment programs can help propel your student toward college and gain acceptance into a school of their choice. Let your student explore a subject of interest or bolster volunteer work credentials. College advisors at International College Counselors know there are programs for all interests, including engineering, career exploration, robotics, entrepreneurship, women’s leadership, music, drama and test prep. Nearly every school, including the Ivies, offer a summer program for high school students, allowing students to experience life on a college campus. Some programs offer college credit.

4. Go for the test prep. Next to grades, test scores are one of the most important factors in college admissions. Please contact your college advisor at International College Counselors for the name, number and email address of a (SAT word alert) splendiferous SAT, ACT, SAT subject test, AP and TOFEL tutor who can help you increase your test scores.

5. Visit colleges. College visits can be costly but worthwhile. Your student just may find their top-pick school is nothing like they imagined. Visiting a school may also increase chances of gaining admittance and of getting a better award package, if only slightly. Taking the time to tour campus shows commitment.

6. Encourage summer college courses. Summer college courses can give your student the opportunity to attend school classes with undergraduate students or other select high school students and earn college credits.

7. Hire an independent college counselor. If you are not a client of International College Counselors, what are you waiting for? Our expert college advisors can give your student the individualized attention to properly tackle the college admission process. With new offices now in Coral Gables, Boston, Miami, New York and Palm Beach Gardens, and advisors who speak fluent Spanish and Mandarin Chinese, we can better meet your needs. From help choosing colleges, going on interviews, editing essays and more, we will give your student the tools to find and get into the college of his or her dreams.

If you need help evaluating and choosing a summer opportunity for your student and/or want information on tutoring, and are a client of International College Counselors, please give your college advisor a call or send an email.

Tags: broward college advisor, college advisor miami, college advisor NYC, college advisors, college counselor, college counselor miami, college counselor NYC, international college counselors, mandee heller adler
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How to Ask for an Early Letter of Recommendation

Monday, April 16th, 2012

1. Make an appointment to speak with your recommenders.
Don’t just thrust letter materials into a teacher’s hand the five minutes you have between periods or tackle a coach in the locker room. This shows that you’re respectful of their time.

2. Explain.
Given the number of students who (erroneously) wait for the last minute, your teacher will most likely be surprised you’re asking for a letter so early. Explain that you already know that you’d want a recommendation from him or her. And you wanted to give him or her plenty of time. Also you wanted the teacher to be able to write you a recommendation while your achievements were still fresh in mind. The expectation is that the teacher will store your recommendation on the computer until it is time to paste it into an official letter of recommendation form.

3. Help your recommender.
At your meeting, make sure you give those chosen people information they can use to write your letter. You gain extra points for yourself because your letter will, more likely, be properly detailed. You gain extra points with recommenders for showing them that you are taking this process seriously and that you appreciate their time and effort.

Information to provide your recommender should include:

* Your full name, address, email and phone number.
* A copy of your resume or a list of activities and achievements. (This information can
be used to write a stronger letter.)
* Detailed examples of any accomplishments/ improvements in this particular teacher’s
class or subject

4. Follow Up.
Remember, your recommenders are doing you a favor. Show your appreciation by sending a thank-you note.

Tags: broward college advisor, college advisor miami, college advisor NYC, college application, college counselor miami, international college counselors, Letter of Recommendation, mandee heller adler
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Get Your Teacher Recommendations Now

Monday, April 16th, 2012

Juniors, we’re talking to you.

Even if you don’t know what schools you’re applying to, the time to ask for a Letter of Recommendation is now. If you’re applying to almost any private college at all, you’ll need a Letter of Recommendation.

By asking for a letter early, college counselors know you’re

1. Making life easier for yourself. You will be busy next year.
2. Making life easier for your teacher and he or she will appreciate it. More importantly, that appreciation may be reflected in your letter!

By giving a teacher more time to write the letter, you’re giving him or her more opportunity to write a letter tailored for you. The best letters of recommendation say something special about you. They provide insight about you, your talents, abilities, strengths, positive qualities, merits, achievements and more.

Choose who you ask wisely and carefully. Make sure you choose someone who likes you. You will most likely never even see the letter that is written about you so it needs to be someone you feel comfortable with.

Different schools may require different formats for Letters of Recommendation. However, the majority of students will be using the Common Application to apply to schools. This means it’s suggested that your teacher writes a general letter for you. Also, the idea here is that the teacher will store your letter on the computer and thus be able to paste it into whatever official letter of recommendation form you provide when the time comes.

International College Counselors note to International Students: Don’t feel you need to ask an English teacher because you think they’ll write the best. The letters need to be in English if you’re applying to a U.S. school, but the teacher can “Google” translate it or have someone in the school translate it. An exception to this would be if you know a school’s admissions office accepts recommendations in other languages and has someone on staff who can read them.

Please click here to read How to Ask for an Early Letter of Recommendation

If you have any questions on Letters of Recommendation and are a client of International College Counselors, please give one of our college advisors a call or send an email.

Tags: broward college advisor, college advisor miami, college advisors, college application, college counselor miami, college counselors, international college counselors, Letter of Recommendation, mandee heller adler
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Decision making after the thick envelopes!

Sunday, April 8th, 2012

The envelopes are in.

If your student has more than one thick envelope in hand, they’re in the driver’s seat. The colleges have taken their sweeeeet time choosing you, and now it’s your turn to choose them. They’ve given you the month of April to make your choice. Far beyond the glossy paper of the brochures, here are some things college advisors at International College Counselors say you and your student should consider:

Economics. It’s hard to deny that this may be a factor for many students. If they’ve been offered a generous financial aid package or a scholarship, it’s going to be hard to ignore this “bonus”.

If the student has not received the full financial aid offer, college advisors at International College Counselors recommend you begin to explore your financial options through free tools like the one offered on FinAid.org.

The Ivies and a small number of other schools have policies that allow them to attend irrespective of their ability to pay. Contact each school separately for information on these policies.

Fit. Where does a student feel like he or she will fit in best? Some students thrive at universities where the city itself plays an important role in one’s overall education. In cities such as New York and Boston, the cultural and internship opportunities are enormous. However, city schools tend to be more impersonal. Residential campus schools like the University of Florida pride themselves on a school community atmosphere. Then there are considerations like the size of the school, the role of Greek life, the athletic culture, and more. College advisors at International College Counselors recommend that your student look for the campus energy that matches his or her own.

Academics. Ideally, a student should have a vague idea of a desired career path. What is needed is a school that offers a major or program that will allow your student to explore that option to fullest.

Culture. Michael Roth, president of Wesleyan College presents this consideration excellently:

“The evolution of student culture over many years that comes to define the way a place feels to the young men and women who spend these transitional years on campus. Students – not teachers and officials – make that culture. At Duke, for example, there are extraordinary programs and deep research going on. But over several weeks of the spring semester, it’s Blue Devil basketball frenzy that takes over campus culture. At Middlebury, there is currently an energetic student debate about the meal plan, which many students see as a defining element in their campus experience. At USC, the entertainment industry seeps into the fabric of the place, even when the subject areas are quite distant from Hollywood. At Wesleyan, the students have created vibrant music and film contexts that seem to fuel independent rock and hip-hop on the one hand, and popular film and TV on the other. Although most students here study neither music nor film, the energy of these areas percolates around campus.”

Job connections. After college, your student will want to get a job so it’s smart to consider a college’s career services center. Call them and ask about job fairs, internship opportunities, on-campus corporate interviews, and the number of students per career counselor.

Only you and your student will know what is truly important to you. Ask questions and take a good hard look at the school. Visit the top two choices again if you can. This is going to be your student’s home away from home for the next four years.

Experienced college advisors at International College Counselors believe if a student is having a tough time choosing among two or more schools it is probably because he or she has done a good job putting together the list. Most likely that student will be happy at whichever college is chosen.

Worse comes to worse, a student can transfer.

Most importantly, don’t let your student procrastinate. This is probably the biggest decision they can make at this point in their life.

For help from an experienced college advisor, please contact the expert college counselors at the Miami based International College Counselors of http://www.internationalcollegecounselors.com

International College Counselors
(954) 414-9986

About International College Counselors
International College Counselors is a Miami-based company that provides expert college counseling on undergraduate and graduate college admissions, financial aid, tuition, essays, and college applications. The college admissions counselors at International College Counselors work with domestic and international students. International College Counselors, founded by Mandee Heller Adler, tailors college counseling and college coaching services to address the goals, needs, and dreams of each student.

International College Counselors has seven offices in three countries.

Tags: Add new tag, broward college advisor, college advisor miami, college advisor NYC, college counselor miami, international college counselors, mandee heller adler
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Make Summer Count

Monday, March 26th, 2012

High school students who want to shine on their college applications should consider the summer an ideal time to add some resume gold.

Contrary to popular belief, a student doesn’t need to build wells in Costa Rica, said college counselors at International College Counselors. There are many choices of summer activities that raise the APA (application point average).

“While there’s nothing wrong with a little down time, high school students with college aspirations should use the break to enhance their college applications,” said Mandee Heller Adler, founder of International College Counselors. Summer is coming up fast so here are some ideas for high schools students to make the most of the summer.

Enrichment Camp

There are hundreds of different summer enrichment programs, from the local to the international and, between them all, they offer thousands of opportunities. There are recreational camps, athletic camps, academic programs, volunteer programs, internships programs, and more. Some come with the opportunity to earn college credit. A number of programs give high school students the taste of life on a college campus.

Great summer job or internship

“Summer jobs and internships are great ways to gain valuable real-world experience,” said expert college advisor Adler. “In a tight job market like the one we’re experiencing now, your best bet may be the internship.”

An internship is unpaid (or token payment) work experience that provides students with an opportunity to gain experience in a field of interest. What isn’t gained in cash, is gained in experience, friends, and networking connections. Think of it as a summer course. With persistence and luck, you can even land an internship in a dream career.

Volunteering

It can be profitable to work for nothing. You can make a difference, gain experience make networking connections, and explore interests. For example, if you’re interested in a career in medicine, you can volunteer at a hospital or nursing home. The choices are endless and the hard work and time can pay off. Colleges and scholarship funds truly adore students who can demonstrate that they make the effort to help others. Then there’s always the fact that doing good is a wonderful reason to volunteer in itself.

Virtual Class or Dual Enrollment

Virtual classes and dual enrollment programs offer students a chance to explore something new. Both can help save time and money if you take classes that count both for high school credit and college credit. Depending on your school, the credit may reduce your course load per term or even allow you to graduate early.

For help from an experienced college advisor, please contact the expert college counselors at the Miami based International College Counselors of http://www.internationalcollegecounselors.com

International College Counselors
(954) 414-9986

International College Counselors has seven offices in three countries.

Tags: broward college advisor, college advisor miami, college counselor miami, college student summer, international college counselors, mandee heller adler
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Enter the 2012 Miami Herald Business Plan Challenge

Wednesday, March 7th, 2012

by Mandee Heller Adler
CEO of International College Counselors

High School students who have a great idea for a business, should enter the 13th Annual Miami Herald Business Plan Challenge, said college experts at International College Counselors.

Last year three students from International College Counselors won the challenge!

More information can be found on the Miami Herald website here and I’ve pasted some relevant parts of the rules below.

Expert college advisors at International College Counselors say winning this Challenge will look good to colleges and, even if a student doesn’t win, it’s a great learning opportunity and/or a launchpad for some budding entrepreneurs.

A panel of judges will select the three best business plans submitted by high school students, grades 9-12, based on both the quality of the idea and the submitted plan.

According to The Miami Herald, general rules for high school students wanting to enter the Business Plan Challenge include:

* Students must live in South Florida (Miami-Dade, Broward, Monroe and Palm Beach counties).

* The entry must be no more than three pages, type no smaller than 10 point. Students may include one additional page of supporting material, such as a product picture or diagram, a financial spreadsheet or marketing materials.

* The contest is open to students in grades 9-12 in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe counties. A one- or two-page entry is fine in the student category. Put “High School Entry” at the top. A video of the top student winner with be filmed and it will be featured on MiamiHerald.com.

* Entries must be for proposed for-profit businesses or firms in the start-up phase. Companies launched before Jan. 1, 2010 are not eligible. If the submission is an original franchise idea, it will be allowed. Multiple entries from one person are allowed if they are different business ideas.

Entries must be e-mailed by 11:59 p.m. Saturday, March 24, 2012.

The top three competitors will be the subjects of a Miami Herald Business Monday cover story and section. Winners will also be invited to a luncheon in their honor.

If you are a client of International College Counselors and want us to review your business plan, please contact your advisor and they will be more than happy to do so.

May the best business plan win!

International College Counselors
(954) 414-9986
www.internationalcollegecounselors.com

Tags: broward college advisor, college advisor miami, college counselor miami, international college counselors, mandee heller adler, MIami Herald Business Challenge
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How to Handle a Deferral

Thursday, January 12th, 2012

Many students who apply to college Early Decision or Early Action find that they’ve been deferred. This means they’ve neither been accepted nor rejected.

Typically, a deferral means the college wants to compare you with the full applicant pool because your application did not shine enough for them to admit you early.

Unlike a rejection, a deferral offers hope and chance. Ironically, hope is not always the least stressful option. As any expert college advisor at International College Counselors will tell you, you have work to do if you want to improve your chances of turning the ‘maybe’ into a ‘yes.’

Here are some of our expert college advisor suggestions:

Don’t panic. There was a reason you weren’t rejected straightaway.

Get information. Contact the admissions office and see if you can find out why you were deferred. Then ask for suggestions regarding turning your deferral into an acceptance. By doing this, you’ll make the school aware of your commitment and get more information. Do not call if the college has specifically asked that students not call them.

Send in improved standardized test scores. This is especially important if you believe your submitted scores may not have measured up

Send in your midyear grades. Make sure you meet their deadline. (This is another reason why it’s important not to let your grades slide.)

Write a letter. Sincerely express your continued interest in the school and reasons why you believe it would be a good match for you. Do not come across as whiny or negative. This is also where you can attach information about your new accomplishments that are not in your original application. Accomplishments could include new activities, new awards or leadership positions.

Send in a strong and relevant additional recommendation. The best letter of recommendation would discuss your unique qualities and why they make you an ideal match for a school. What you don’t want to do is send a generic recommendation. Make sure you check to see if the college allows you to send extra letters before you send them.

Let go. There is no one “perfect” school. Hope for the best but prepare to go to one of your backup schools.

INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE COUNSELORS NOTE: At all times and with all communication with the college be polite, professional, positive and enthusiastic.

To work with an independent college advisor at International College Counselors click here or call (954) 414-9986.

Mandee Heller Adler

Tags: broward college advisor, college advisor miami, college counselor miami, Early decision college, international college counselors, mandee heller adler
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Miami Dade College is Free for Students with a 3.0 GPA or Higher.

Thursday, March 24th, 2011

Miami Dade College is Free for Students with a 3.0 GPA or Higher.

International College Counselors is excited to tell you about this.

Incredibly, all Miami-Dade public and private school students who graduate with a GPA 3.0 or higher will be able to attend Miami Dade College for free starting in the fall.

The American Dream Scholarship, the first scholarship program of its kind, was designed to let more Miami-Dade students focus on their academic ambitions than worry about paying their bills.

The scholarship will cover 60 credits, which would normally cost about $6,500.

The scholarship is open to any student with a diploma, whether he or she attended a private, public or charter school in Miami-Dade, or was home-schooled.

Entering students would have to meet certain qualifications:

• Be a legal Miami-Dade County resident.

• Graduate from high school with a weighted GPA of 3.0 or higher and maintain that through
college.

• Have MDC entry test scores indicating they are ready for college.

• Apply for federal student aid.

• Not be currently enrolled at Miami Dade College.

All graduating seniors this year will be eligible for scholarships come next fall. There is no separate application for the American Dream Scholarship. Simply apply for admission to Miami Dade College, and submit your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the Aug. 1, 2011 deadline; meet the requirements; and register for at least 12 credits in the fall and you will be awarded this opportunity.

For more information on the American Dream Scholarship here is the link , or call or email us at International College Counselors .

International College Counselors
Main office: 954.253.5719

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE COUNSELORS
International College Counselors provides expert college counseling on undergraduate and graduate college admissions, financial aid, tuition, essays, and college applications. Mandee Heller Adler, college admissions consultant and Founder of International College Counselors tailors her college counseling and college coaching services to address the goals, needs, and dreams of each student. Our college advising company works with domestic and international students. Let us help you make the best decisions in choosing, getting into, and paying for college.

Tags: American Dream Scholarship, broward college advisor, college advisor miami, college counselor miami, international college counselors, mandee heller adler, US college counselor
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2011 International College Counselors Scholarship

Saturday, February 5th, 2011

Expert college admissions counselors at International College Counselors are pleased to announce our continuing annual scholarship competition. Students in grade 9-12 from Dade, Broward, Palm Beach counties and elsewhere are invited to submit an essay that answers the question:

What makes a good college education?

Five prizes of $250 each will be awarded, three to students who attend school within Dade, Broward and Palm Beach County; one to a student from the U.S. outside Dade, Broward and Palm Beach County; and one to an international student who attends a college within the U.S.

Work will be judged on the basis of originality and effectiveness of argument or presentation.

Please note the following contest guidelines:

Submissions may be in Spanish or English, 500 words or less

The deadline for receipt of essays is April 1, 2011

The contest rules and submission information can be found at International College Counselors. Select the “Scholarship” section of the website for downloadable contest rules. You can also go directly to the entry application.

Students do not need to be clients of International College Counselors to enter or to win this annual scholarship competition.

The International College Counselors High School Essay Contest has established a Scholarship Fund to increase awareness of the value of higher education among high school students, as well as to give financial aid for tuition to college-bound students.

Good luck to all!

International College Counselors
(954) 414-9986

Mandee Heller Adler mandee@internationalcollegecounselors.com
Barry N. Liebowitz barry@internationalcollegecounselors.com
Jonathan Saltzburg jonathan@internationalcollegecounselors.com
Pablo Botero pablo@internationalcollegecounselors.com

International College Counselors
Office Locations

Boca Raton: 595 South Federal Highway
Hollywood: 4700 Sheridan Street
Miami Beach: 1111 Lincoln Road
Palm Beach Gardens: 800 Village Square Crossing

About International College Counselors
International College Counselors is a Miami-based company that provides expert college counseling on undergraduate and graduate college admissions, financial aid, tuition, essays, and college applications. The college admissions counselors at International College Counselors work with domestic and international students. International College Counselors, founded by Mandee Heller Adler, tailors college counseling and college coaching services to address the goals, needs, and dreams of each student.

Tags: broward college advisor, college admissions counselor, college counselor miami, college scholarships, international college counselors, mandee heller adler
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