College Counseling

UISG College Counselling Overview

College Counseling at Utahloy International School Guangzhou (UISG)

The college counselling program at UISG is designed to provide comprehensive support and guidance to students as they explore post-secondary options and plan for their future. Our experienced counsellor works closely with students and their families to ensure a seamless transition from secondary to higher education.The core components of our college counselling services include:

Academic Advising and College Search

During regular meetings, the counsellor reviews students’ academic progress, discusses course selection, and helps them explore a diverse range of colleges and universities that align with their educational and career aspirations.

Applications Assistance

The counsellor guides students through the college application process, providing support with essay writing, recommendation letters, and submission deadlines. Regular workshops are also organized to help students prepare for this crucial step.

University and Career Fairs

Students have the opportunity to engage directly with representatives from post-secondary institutions and employers at our annual university and career fairs, gaining valuable insights into academic programs, campus life, and potential career paths.

Career Exploration & Self Awareness

Through individual sessions, specialized workshops, and validated assessments, the counsellor facilitates the exploration of students’ interests, skills, values, and potential career paths that align with their aspirations. This process is further enhanced by the BridgeU platform, which provides valuable assessments and data-driven insights to guide the college search.

IB Diploma Results Class 2024
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Global Results

Academic Excellence in the IB Diploma Programme

UISG is proud of its exceptional International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme results, consistently surpassing global averages. Students at UISG achieve remarkable scores, with many earning 40+ points—placing them among the top IB candidates worldwide. These outstanding results reflect the dedication of both students and faculty, as well as the school’s rigorous academic environment.

Yein Oh
College Counselor

yoh@uisgz.org

Goal of College Counseling at UISG

Beyond rankings, our college counselling services aim to help students find university destinations that fit their unique profiles, preferences, and life and career direction. By empowering students to make informed decisions, we strive to ensure their successful transition to higher education and the achievement of their long-term goals.

% Diploma Pass Rate

Maximum Score

Average Score

% Bilingual Diploma Attainment Rate

Application Preparation Timeline

Student Workshops

Year 9

Year 9 is the perfect time to start setting career goals and the larger directions in life. Year 9 students at UISG have the opportunity to discuss the following topics with the college counsellor.

Setting big and small career goals
Starting the self-awareness journey
What is the your purpose in life? Learning about Ikigai

Year 10

Year 10 is a great time to start preparing for university applications by learning about themselves and the world around them. To facilitate this, the following workshops are prepared for Year 10 students at UISG.

Building self-awarenesss through personality assessments
How to approach SA & CAs: the role of activities in your uni applications
Universities around the world
How to spend your summer
Finding your ikigai

Year 11

Year 11 is a crucial time in which students start learning about higher education and crafting an effective university application. Here are the workshops offered to Year 11 students at UISG.

Basics of higher education
What makes up a university application
How to build a strategic university list
How to think about rankings
How to write a CV
Letters of recommendation
Writing US Personal Essays
Writing HK & UK Personal Statements
Reverse Admissions
Preparing for Oxbridge
How to spend your summer
Mental health & university applications

Year 12

The college counsellor works most closely with UISG’s Year 12 students, meeting with them weekly to ensure that they submit effective applications to more than ten countries around the world.

Regional workshops cover all regions our students apply to, with individualized sessions dedicated to:

US
Canada
UK
Australia
Hong Kong
Europe
Singapore
Korea

General workshops ensure that all students are prepared for university applications, such as:

Preparing for interviews
Creating a CV
Asking for Letters of Recommendations

Collaborating with the Social Emotional Counsellor, we deliver mental health in university application workshops:

Challenging irrational beliefs
Dealing with rejections

Student Advising

Student Advising is a key element of college counselling at UISG.

The college counsellor meets with every student from Y10 to Y12 at least once in the academic year.

The aim of each meeting is as follows.

Year 12

Aim: Craft individualized application timeline and create action plan.

Timing: Fall Term (August / September)

Students meet with the college counsellor to create a timeline for the upcoming year, based on their unique application needs. The college counsellor follows up on every meeting with a detailed application timeline individualized to every student as well as an action plan that the student can follow to ensure successful submission of their applications to universities around the world.

Year 11

Aim: Understand the student’s unique application goals and plan profile building.

Timing: Spring Term (March / April)

Prior to the meeting, all Year 11 students fill out comprehensive survey beforehand about their engagement in school, university interests and motivation, desired major choice, and extracurricular activities. The content from the survey is used to ensure that the counsellor gains a complete understanding of the student, make informed suggestions, and give advice to build profile befitting for their university goals.

Year 10

Aim: Discuss subject choice for Diploma Programme and its implications for university applications.

Timing: Spring Term (February / March)

The Year 10 meeting is facilitated by both the college counsellor and the DP Coordinator. Parents are invited along the student as a student’s DP subject choice can have implications on their university applications and career direction. The presence of both the DP Coordinator and the college counsellor allows the discussion of the parameters of the IB DP Subjects as well as specific requirements for universities under consideration.

University Visits

University Sessions are an integral part of the college counselling at UISG. These sessions provide students with in-depth information about academic programs, student life, campus resources, and the admissions process at various universities. By attending these informative presentations, students can learn about the unique characteristics and offerings of different institutions, which helps them make more informed decisions about where to apply and ultimately enroll.

If you are interested in visiting UISG as a university representative, we warmly welcome you.

Campus Visits

Possible Visiting Times

Breaktime [11:05-11:20]

Audience: Secondary school
Format: Booth in atrium & informal chat with interested students

Lunchtime [1:30-2:00]

Audience: Secondary school
Format: Booth in atrium & informal chat with interested students

Afternoon Homeroom [2:00-2:25]

Audience: Year 11 or Year 12
Format: Presentation to students about the university or a topic arranged prior to the visit with the college counsellor

Avoiding date conflict

Please refer to our Academic Calendar to avoid conflicting dates.

Setting up a visit

Please contact Yein Oh (yoh@uisgz.org) to discuss the best date and format of your visit.

Fairs

University Fair

University fairs allow students to explore a diverse array of post-secondary institutions in one setting. These events bring together college and university representatives, enabling students to learn about academic programs, campus life, admission requirements, and financial aid. By engaging directly with admissions counselors, students can gather personalized information and make valuable connections. University fairs help students compare institutions and identify the schools that best align with their educational goals and preferences, making them an essential part of the college search process.

A university fair is organised annually in UISG, usually in the fall term. Previously, we have organised fairs showcasing study opportunities in Hong Kong and China.

The Guangzhou University Fair 2025 will be held at UISG, October 2025.

UISG is also part of the Guangzhou Consortium, a collaborative group of Guangzhou schools that supports each other’s fair-organizing endeavors.

Career Fair

Career fairs provide students with insights into the world of work, allowing them to explore industries, occupations, and employment opportunities. These events connect students with company representatives, who share information about job requirements, in-demand skills, internships, and career paths. By engaging with professionals, students gain a deeper understanding of the qualifications needed to succeed in their fields of interest and strategies to position themselves as competitive candidates. Career fairs also offer networking, resume submission, and interview opportunities, empowering students to make informed decisions about their academic and professional pursuits.

A career fair is organised annually in UISG, usually in the spring term.

We have organised two career fairs thus far, in Spring 2024 and Spring 2025.

Please read the following ThatsGuangzhou article showcasing our inaugural career fair.https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/O9S7gDAV2RPaqogvFcxA8Q