Caterina Z.
Student
Stanford University, Class starting 2020
"Since I live in Switzerland and attend a Swiss national school, none of the students think about going to study in the US for university. Therefore, I didn’t have a high level of support in school, and I was very confused about the whole application process.
Thanks to Integra, I finally gained a clear overview of the whole situation. Together, Talal helped me plan for my upcoming deadlines, such as testing dates. Since we started working together at the beginning of my Sophomore year (Grade 10 / Year 11), he also helped me by suggesting activities I should do during the summer, such as university programs, to add strength to my application and always made sure I was studying hard to keep my school grades high.
What I really appreciated about Talal was his organization and precision with everything he did. He always looked into the fine details for everything. Although he had other students he was working with, he always made sure we met very regularly to go over the general situation and to work together on every essay in detail. Regarding writing essays, he always made sure I was satisfied with the edits we made together and always worked his hardest to help me translate my thoughts into words.
Finally, Talal was always available whenever I needed and always cleared all of my doubts. I could write to him at all times, and he would always spare some time to answer as soon as possible."
Natalie M.
Mother of Student
University of Oxford, Class starting 2019
"Talal's commitment, passion and support in his role as University Admissions Counsellor and Test Prep Mentor was excellent. We always found him to be very approachable, friendly and supportive of Mackenzie (my daughter) and myself! Additionally, Talal never let things slip through the net: he would always bring to my attention any upcoming test and application dates/deadlines.
I also appreciated his sense of responsiveness towards any outstanding issues that needed to be resolved fairly quickly - he promptly gave us his suggestions. His teaching style is attentive and patient, to achieve top marks for his students. He was straightforward, honest yet very polite, and his professional communication style is also worthy of note.
Talal clearly understands the goals and needs of his students, and he’s a pleasure to work with. I look forward to working with him again as he supports our son Theo: I know our son will be in good hands!"
Aizere T.
Student
New York University, Class starting 2018
"Integra greatly assisted me in my college applications. Having decided to apply to US universities at quite a late stage, I felt stressed and lost as to where to begin. Talal was really helpful in breaking down the steps needed to get the application process started. For the Common App essay, Talal helped me focus in on my ideas and clearly illustrate what I wanted to say. What made the process significantly easier for me was Talal’s approachable and encouraging character. He was also efficient and responsive throughout the whole time. This was particularly important for me given my shorter timeline.
I also appreciated his focus given in each of our sessions, coming in with detailed objectives regarding the process of the Common App essay and the individual essays for each university. In addition to helping me craft my essays, Talal provided a clearer picture of my university choices which ultimately helped me decide my top choice. He also supported me with ACT tutoring on top of the application process, which meant I was able to achieve success on the test to enhance my application strength. I am very happy to have worked with Talal and would definitely recommend him to others who are beginning their journey to university."
Nour A.
Student
London School of Economics (LSE), Class starting 2022
"Working with Integra allowed me to focus on the key activities to allow me to succeed in my university applications. The admissions process can be daunting for students and our parents, and receiving support from the company was crucial to calm those nerves and let me and my parents proceed with a clear mind. We were able to make informed decisions about our five UK university choices through the UCAS application system and ensured that my Personal Statement, school reference and overall profile was presented in a way that really allowed me to shine. Moving school from the UK back to Lebanon for Year 13 made things even more stressful, and so Talal's support was even more appreciated. I would like really thank him for his hard work and dedication. Together, we were able to achieve acceptances from all five of my UK universities, including LSE, UCL, King's College and Warwick. I was delighted to accept my offer from LSE, which was my top choice, and I very much look forward to beginning the next phase of my student life there!"
Grace G.
Student
Yale University, Class starting 2020
"Integra worked with me on my SAT test preparation as well as helping me prepare for the SAT Math II Subject Test. At the beginning of the test preparation process, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to master everything I needed to know for the SAT Math sections, which were my main areas for improvement. Integra taught me that there was no point running through thousands of practice problems right away: instead, taking the time to learn the curriculum material thoroughly at first and carefully going over your mistakes is a more effective approach.
Talal was always very friendly and patient, helping me through moments of frustration. I could tell that he really cared about my results. I appreciated how he managed to strike a balance between using our time efficiently while also making our sessions enjoyable."
Julia A.
Student
University of St Andrews, Class starting 2022
"Integra was instrumental in assisting me with my path to university. Working with Talal as my university admissions counsellor from the beginning of Year 12, I was able to plan ahead very effectively and position both my academic and extracurricular activities to really bolster my CV and demonstrate true interest to universities. Talal made sure I stayed on top of my studies and other activities and gave me a clear structure to work with. Given the high levels of competition for places at the best universities, this was very important. His assistance on my actual applications was highly valuable as he worked closely with me to choose a wise selection of universities in both the UK and US. His support on the critical essays that I had to write helped me craft impactful pieces that resonated with universities and presented my profile in the best possible light. Gaining admission to St Andrews, one of my top choices, was the outcome of consistent work and effort over the period of our time working together, and I was truly delighted with my acceptance! I wholeheartedly recommend Integra to students looking to fulfil their potential and strive for the best universities possible."
Konyinsola O.
Student
Northwestern University, Class starting 2019
"Integra greatly supported me on both my US and UK university applications as well as my SAT test preparation. Having studied in the UK, I was very unfamiliar with the US university application process in particular. It was clearly a complex landscape and I struggled to know where to start. Talal provided me with clear direction in terms of narrowing down my university choices to a carefully considered range of options - 10 universities - that were a best fit for me and working carefully through the application process with me. The essay drafting process can be particularly challenging and I greatly appreciated Talal's approach to helping me get the most out of my essays. He allowed my voice to come through in an eloquent way. Talal's strong knowledge of the UK university system also meant that he was able to fully support my UCAS application by narrowing my choices down to 5 universities and helping me draft my personal statement.
Integra also worked with me on the SAT. My English and Math section scores both improved considerably through our work together. I really appreciated my mentor's patience, positivity and encouragement to keep me motivated and aspiring for the highest score I was capable of. His knowledge of the curriculum and specific test-taking strategies made a real difference to my score.
Integra's support meant a lot to me as I was offered admission into my dream school: Northwestern University. I recommend him to any student looking to improve their chances of both finding and gaining admission into their top-choice university."
Tomas C.
Student
Imperial College London, Class starting 2022
"I began working with Integra in Year 12. My goal was to gain admission to top UK universities for Engineering, as this was my clear passion given my love for cars. I was initially nervous about my potential to gain admission. Through my working relationship with Talal, I was able to quickly find my feet as we came up with a suitable application strategy. After going through a careful selection process to choose five appropriate universities that was based on detailed and objective data gathering, I was able to narrow the search down to a perfect shortlist. We also went through a very rigorous drafting process for my UCAS Personal Statement that strongly presented my motivations for applying and my suitability for the Engineering courses that I chose. Moreover, he worked carefully with me to maximise my International Baccalaureate (IB) predicted grades so that my academic profile was as strong as it could be. I was very grateful for the support that Talal provided throughout the journey. His help made the process so much more seamless. Receiving an offer from Imperial College, an outstanding and highly selective university and one of my clear favourites, was a significant achievement for me."
Juan O.
Student
Bocconi University, Class starting 2019
"Going into the journey to university at the start of Year 12, I feared that seeking advice about my personal interests, regarding university and my future, with someone that I did not know might result in inadequate advice or shifting of my opinion towards some sort of ‘standard’ university choice or future path. Just after the first session with Talal, I could tell that I was mistaken in thinking so. Talal made me feel so comfortable with making many important choices. He let me know what was objectively favourable while at the same time keeping in mind that my opinion and interests were the main driving force influencing the process. His positive and outgoing approach made me quickly forget my initial fears and feel as if he was someone walking next to me on this difficult path towards university. His academic mentorship was highly valuable and helped me stay on track with my IB at school as well as allowing me to fully explore my academic interests through suggested summer programmes.
Along the way, Integra also gave me help to prepare for the SAT test, formulate my personal statements and application letter, and ultimately come down to making the right choice. Their sense of confidence and undoubting manner of answering my questions took me from a wide field of choices and doubt to an assured set of possible paths and opportunities to consider for my future as I ended up applying to top universities in both the UK and Europe. I appreciated the ideas, thorough advice, and multiple practice tests that the company was able to supply me with and the wide range of flexibility to find either working hours or time to check in with me along the process, even outside of our scheduled time. I could not have been more pleased with Integra as a university counsellor and mentor to guide me along my path."
Matthew P.
Student
Colby College, Class starting 2020
"Talal and I first started working together at the end of my Freshman year (Year 9) to support me in my high school Math classes as I was taking the most advanced course that my school offered. This continued into Sophomore year (Year 10), and he also then worked with me on my SAT test preparation from the beginning of Junior year (Year 11). Always patient and encouraging, Talal's tutoring and test preparation help was invaluable to allow me to excel in my school studies and prepare me for university. He challenged me to think on my feet and push my academic abilities. My confidence in Math continued to grow along with my GPA, and I am very grateful for his support. In the SAT, I was able to improve my score significantly through our work together which put me in a fantastic position for my university applications.
Towards the end of Junior year (Year 11), Talal also began supporting me as a US university admissions counsellor. He helped me finalise a strong list of my best-fit universities and ensured that I began the essay drafting process in good time ahead of my Early applications. He guided me through the crucial essay process through careful and well thought-through iterations of my essay drafts to end up with highly personalised and impactful essays. He also ensured that I always stuck to my deadlines.
Talal and I had a long journey together on my path to university and I am very happy to say that it ended with admission into my top-choice university: Colby College. I truly valued his support and academic mentorship along the way, and I highly recommend him as a tutor, test prep coach and university admissions counsellor."
Rachel C.
Mother of Student
Santa Clara University, Class starting 2020
"Our son worked with Integra during high school, initially as a math tutor during Sophomore year. They hit it off right away and quickly established a positive and successful working relationship.
We then hired Integra to tutor our son for his upcoming SAT exams (he had done mock exams for both the ACT and SAT and we decided that the SAT was best for him, given his learning profile). Integra was extremely helpful in guiding our son through the process by keeping him organized and motivated… celebrating the victories, while focused on the work that still needed to be done. They were very flexible working with our son’s busy schedule and other commitments, keeping the stress level down. Our son's composite score increased by an impressive 300 points!
Talal also helped with the college application and essay process. It was the best thing we could have done, taking us parents out of that already highly-charged process. As parents, we could remain somewhat objective and in a primarily supportive and bounce-things-off-of type of role. Talal kept him to a realistic schedule, with milestones set over a number of weeks, so there was no crazy 'crunch' as application deadlines approached. The essays were supported at just the right level: edited mostly by Talal for grammar and punctuation, allowing our son’s voice, personality and story to shine.
I’m very happy to say that our son had a great SAT score, very strong (and entertaining) essays and was accepted into his first choice university for Early Decision 1. We are so grateful and appreciate Integra's steady hand, kind manner and patience in guiding our son through the college process… it really made something that we were anxious about going into much more manageable and much less stressful than we anticipated."
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