Help where and when you need it.
Azul Admissions´ hourly services are designed to fit our admissions consulting clients´ needs and budgets. We want our clients to have the option to efficiently and effectively choose how they spend their time with us. Here are a few of the ways we have helped our admissions consulting clients in the past.
GMAT / GRE / SAT Strategy & Planning
Understanding the role a standardized test score plays in the overall evaluation of a candidate and how to allocate time between studying for an exam or working on other components of the application is critical. With the right resources (time, study guides, strategy, number of test sittings), candidates can maximize their potential with the exam. We help candidates decide how to allocate their resources appropriately while also helping them understand that the true goal of their standardized test process is to obtain a result that falls somewhere in the middle 80% of their target schools.
Initial Planning & School Selection
Having a plan and starting that plan early are two critical components of a successful application process. We work with applicants to understand their personal, professional, and academic strengths and weaknesses in order to identify specific actions that can be taken before submitting any applications. We also help applicants filter through the many options available by focusing on the aspirations of each candidate and the different aspects of each program and university that they are considering. The end result is a comprehensive game plan for how to effectively manage the overall process.
CV Review & Feedback
The CV is arguably the most important document that will be crafted during the application process. Over the years, we have helped Latin American applicants adapt their CVs to fit the North American and European style. Whether it is for an application to a university program or a position at a multinational corporation, the CV should always be tailored to the specific program or position the candidate is pursuing. We work with all our clients to adapt their CVs to the program or school based on the templates we have gathered from students and graduates of these same programs and schools.
Brainstorming Session - The Story
Behind every successful school application is a coherent and logical story that connects the applicant´s past, present, and future. Applicants´ stories should show how they approach important life decisions with purpose and deliberation and that there is consistency in their reasoning. They must present themselves as mature and emotionally intelligent individuals who will maximize the value of the resources the program has to offer. We help lead applicants through a process of introspection by identifying the experiences that have had a profound impact on the way they live and view life. We also help them envision post-program career goals and the challenges they will face along the way.
Selection of Recommenders
Unlike the CV and the essays, the letter of recommendation is something that the candidate believes he or she has no control over. While the most perfectly written letter of recommendation is no guarantee of acceptance, a negative or lukewarm letter of recommendation is almost guaranteed to hurt a candidate´s chances of admission. At Azul, we have both asked for and been asked to write letters of recommendation for a number of different school applications. We are aware of both sides of the process and can help clients select and prepare their recommenders in a way that helps take stress out of the process and, hopefully, results in an outstanding letter of recommendation.
Essay Review & Feedback
The maximum word count for school applications has been on a steady decline over the past decade, but this does not translate to less work or an easier application. We believe the opposite to be true. Writing a compelling yet concise answer to an essay question in under 500 words is a mix of art and science. To communicate a story in fewer words requires a profound understanding of how different cultures and countries perceive directness and simplicity. We help applicants adapt their writing styles in essays in order to be more impactful. We teach applicants how to create more focus, coherency, and ¨flow¨ in the essays and how to identify counterproductive words, statements, and paragraphs.
Interview Preparation & Feedback
With this service, candidates have the opportunity to practice telling their stories, polish their presentation skills, and receive immediate feedback on the content of their answers with native English speakers. By paying close attention to the interview format and the most commonly asked questions from each school, we make the process as authentic as possible. We also provide applicants with key tips and structures for those unexpected interview questions.
Waitlist Strategy & Support
Being placed on a waitlist often leaves a candidate feeling confused and uncertain about next steps. While it is impossible to find out exactly where an applicant is on the waitlist, there are ways to manage the process and maybe move the needle just enough to turn that waitlist into an acceptance. We help applicants be strategic and purposeful in their communications with the Admissions Committee member assigned to their waitlist.
Rejection Analysis & Feedback
Almost every applicant receives at least one rejection during his or her application process. If a program has an acceptance rate under 20%, 80% of applicants receive bad news. Everyone wants to know what they did wrong. We will thoroughly review every aspect of an application to analyze what went wrong and identify areas for improvement as a re-applicant next year or for other applications this year. We provide a written report and a feedback session.
*Our rate for hourly services is U$150 per hour.
