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If I had to describe Mrs. Maracine’s preparation program for college applications in one word, that word would be complete. Applying to American and English universities is a lengthy process involving several difficult steps: taking the SAT and TOEFL exams, writing numerous essays on diverse subjects, answering bureaucratic questions, requesting financial aid and having interviews. Luckily, Mrs. Maracine was there for me to provide guidance and expertise throughout this entire process, in a meticulous and professional, yet also friendly manner.”

– Alex, Admitted to Princeton, Stanford, Caltech, UCLA and Carnegie Mellon

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Ms. Maracine has guided me throughout the entire application process, first by preparing me to achieve my goal scores for the SAT and TOEFL exams, and later on by offering me both technical and creative insight that helped me showcase my personality through my college essays, while also making a great first impression on my interviews. Ms. Maracine’s expertise, coupled with her reassuring calmness, has comforted me through the otherwise stressful college admission process, and thus I would highly recommend her to any student wanting to gain admission to a top university.”

–Loana, Admitted to Princeton and MIT

“Back in my high-school junior year, I was aware that applying to universities in the USA and the UK was a very complex process. However, Mrs. Maracine made the whole process seem very straightforward and provided me with thorough information and personalized guidelines. From the beginning, the preparation for the SAT and TOEFL exams was very professional and yielded remarkable results in a short amount of time. Consequently, I received great help in the application process with advice custom-made for my personality and achievements. After identifying the universities that would fit me, Mrs. Maracine was very helpful with brainstorming for the essays, as well as tips for solving structural, grammatical and clarity issues in these essays. Although very stressful, the whole application process proved to be a success and I am very excited and thankful to be able to say that I will be part of Harvard Class of 2021 this year!”

– Vlad, Admitted to Harvard and Northwestern

“I much prefer working with Fred than with my parents, the weekly session gives me a safe place to open up, share my ideas and go with my creative side. He is not judgemental and has helped me narrow down course selections for university in a fun way.”

– G, International School Student, Bermuda

“Fred is a fun and inspiring coach. He is able to convey his depth of knowledge in neuroscience through creative and engaging methods while encouraging me to take charge of my life. When I started coaching, I was having a tough time academically in university even though I was one of the top 5 students at a well-established international school. Fred is a very patient listener, and guided me through this awkward transition through careful planning, understanding how to learn effectively, and providing incremental steps to living a balanced lifestyle. There is no limit to the support he has given me, from small things such as organising laundry and food preparation, to big things such as planning my final exam preparations and applying for NASA programs. He has been fantastic. I now have a toolbox of strategies and am confident that I can be a success. I highly recommend Fred as an Academic Life Coach.”

– Taj, Engineering Student, University of Colorado, USA

Mr Zhang was great to work with. His relaxed approach and positive outlook made it comfortable for my daughter to talk about which areas she wanted to improve and how to use her strengths to make those improvements.

– Liza (Parent), International School, Hong Kong

Fred is our teenage son’s coach. Fred has natural skills to connect with people and to understand their needs. Patient, optimistic, supportive, he is also passionate about helping others develop their skills, learn and grow while cultivating positive and constructive habits. We can only recommend him!

– Ingrid (Parent), International School, Hong Kong