Blogs & Latest News

Becoming a Lawyer in UK | Essential Training Guide | Ivy Central
Career Counseling

A Guide to Becoming a Lawyer in the UK Part 2.

I will focus on the route followed by aspiring lawyers in the United Kingdom. The legal profession in both the US and the UK is regulated, meaning that you will have to meet specific professional standards to practice. Once you have met these standards, then the legal profession offers a vast array of career options to suit nearly all interests.

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Becoming a Lawyer in USA | Essential Training Guide | Ivy Central
Career Counseling

Guide To Becoming a Lawyer in The US Part 1.

Through my discussions with students working with Ivy Central, I have noticed an increase in students expressing an interest in a career in law; with that in mind, in this article and the next, I will show you how to become a lawyer. 

This guide focuses on the US…

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US Colleges & Universities with high Graduation Rates | Ivy Central
College Counseling

And the Graduation Rate is…..

Degree courses in the US are based around a four-year program of study, but across all institutions offering degrees, the average time it takes students to graduate is over five years. The reasons for this are numerous. It might be that a student changes their major, or there are personal circumstances that result in them taking time out from their studies, but it might also reflect difficulties in getting a place on popular courses or struggling to pass a graduation requirement.

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What Is an Open Curriculum? Best Open Curriculum Colleges
Majors

‘The Open Curriculum’: Should you opt for one?

When I first started understanding the US education system, I was enthralled by the unique curriculums each university offered. In particular, the Open Curriculum caught my attention as it encouraged students to dive into the subjects of their choice directly. 

Let’s understand what kind of a student is likely to make the most of an Open Curriculum –

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Exploring Journey to US College | Key Considerations for Students
College Counseling

Journey to US College-What Students Should Consider

It can be very easy to be seduced by the idea of going to college, particularly one of the great colleges and universities worldwide. The good news is that the dream is increasingly becoming a reality for those that aspire to this goal but achieving it is not always straightforward and can sometimes come as a shock.

In this article, I want to help anybody considering applying to a US college, and their families think about some of the hard questions that will need to be answered on their journey toward college and university.

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Spring Break
Admissions

Planning for College: What to do Now Spring is Here?

The road to submitting your college applications is a long one. The students with the best outcomes are those that have been working towards their applications throughout high school so in this article I’m going to look at what students from different grades should be doing during the next few months.

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Should I study for a psychology degree?

Have you ever looked up at the clouds and seen animals in the shapes, or wondered why you catch somebody else’s yawn, perhaps you have felt sudden pangs of hunger as you have walked past a fast food outlet? If that sounds like you and you are interested in why you do these things, then maybe a degree in psychology is for you!

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The Greek Life
Extra-Curricular

Greek Life: An American Tradition

For most international students the idea of fraternities and sororities is something they come across in films set on US colleges. Dating back to the early 1700’s fraternities and sororities have grown into an American tradition, with a presence on campuses across the country. In this article I will explain what they are, the benefits of ‘pledging’, and concerns that many have about them.

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SAT for college prep
College Applications

All Change for the SAT… But Not Yet.

The SAT, together with its near relation, the ACT, has been a feature of college applications for many years. As a result of the COVID pandemic most US colleges have moved to a ‘Test Optional’ application format, meaning that applicants can choose whether to submit an SAT or ACT score without it affecting their chances of acceptance. This test optional format remains in place with most colleges for the 2022/23 round of applications and some colleges, including some of the most prestigious, have already announced that this will be the case for the following two application rounds.

All of this has led to questions being asked about the future of standardised tests and if they are needed. The University of California colleges announced last year that they will no longer consider SAT or ACT scores when making application decisions and an increasing number of colleges have followed a similar route.

In an attempt to reinvigorate the SAT, the College Board, which owns the SAT, announced at the end of January that, following a trial in November 2021, they are going to make significant changes to the SAT and the way it is administered.

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Business Management courses
Career Counseling

Should I Pursue a Business Degree

Business degrees of one description or another are probably the most common undergraduate degrees in the world and are likely to remain very popular with students for many years to come. The reasons for this are numerous, but common themes for why students choose this are its relevance to the world they see around them and an expectation of a strong jobs market with plenty of opportunity for advancement during their working career. Some of those I speak to have more focused areas of business that attract them, entrepreneurship probably being the most common.

In this article, I’m going to explain about the different types of Business degrees and what you might study if you decide to pursue one, before going on to look at what careers you might choose to go into if you graduate with a degree in Business.

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Painting Class
College Applications

What is a Portfolio? Who should submit one?

A Portfolio is a collection of your personal work. This could be in the form of fine art, digital art, creative writing pieces, or performing arts such as music compositions, monologues, dance choreography – the list isn’t exhaustive, but it usually tends to fall under these categories. 

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Learn about F1 VIsa required by international students
College Applications

F1 Student Visa: The Basics

As an International student, you will be applying for a Non-Immigrant Visa. This means that you will not be allowed to ‘work’ in the US (excluding internships/co-ops which are practical/experiential opportunities – more on this in my future blog). While Student Visas can be received up to 120 days prior to the beginning of the course date, you are only allowed to enter the United States more than 30 days before this date

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College Applications

What’s an ‘Extracurricular Spike’?

When I meet with students to review their extracurricular activities for the first time, many are curious about whether or not they should focus on a single activity until they apply to college. I think for anyone considering an application to US universities, this is an important aspect to consider given the ‘holistic’ nature of the admissions processes, that is, thinking about how diverse your ECs should be.

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21st Century Skills for students
Study Skills

21st Century Skills

Over recent years a new terminology has been spreading through the worlds of education and business, 21st Century Skills. In this blog, I’m going to explain where this terminology comes from, just what they are and why they are important for young people today.

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Advanced Placement exams
College Applications

What are AP Tests and should I do them?

In a recent webinar Ivy Central did with students there were lots of questions about AP Tests, unfortunately, we didn’t have time to explain about them in detail so hopefully this article will fill the gaps.

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