Caterham School on the International Spectrum
Following the ongoing demand for and success in our pupils securing Ivy League and US university places, this summer our US Universities Lead, Mrs de Silva, attended the annual International Association for College Admission Counselling (IACAC) conference at Northeastern University in Boston. This is a significant event in the college counselling calendar, attended by hundreds of the top US colleges and universities, as well as counsellors (or advisors as we call them in the UK) from around the world. As a school that is seeing continually increasing numbers of applications to the US, presence at this event is crucial, not just to put Caterham on the map, but also to keep up to date with the constant changes and trends within the sector.
Throughout the three-day conference, themes discussed included how to navigate the impact of the current US administration, AI and college application essays, views from US institutions on UK predicted grades and improving communication between Admissions Officers and Counsellors.
Most notably, the conference is an important networking opportunity, putting Caterham on the international spectrum and ensuring admissions teams are familiar with our school when we make our applications. This year, the conference also had the benefit of being hosted in one of the most densely populated cities for higher education institutions, enabling visits to several highly ranked universities including Boston University, Tufts, Boston College, Northeastern, Babson College and of course Harvard and MIT. This will be of huge benefit when advising our students on suitable institutions to apply to. With each campus offering its own unique experience, culture and approach to learning, it was a strong reminder of the importance of fit when applying to the US.
2025 saw a record number of US offers for Caterham (40), and with two continuous years of Ivy League success, six pupils currently settling into their new dorms across the Atlantic, as well as more in Canada and Hong Kong –supporting our Caterhamian’s global ambitions.
