UAE-based students looking to pursue higher education goals in the US will be offered key advice this week by one of America’s foremost experts in college, university admissions and standardised test preparation.

Paul Kanarek, senior vice president of The Princeton Review, will address an audience of students and working professionals at the American University in Dubai on Thursday (October 20) during a special event themed, ‘The Secrets of Getting In’.

He will offer crucial guidance to students on how to identify the right college for them, and how to gain entrance to top undergraduate, masters, and MBA programs, a statement from the university said.

Kanarek, the last remaining founder of The Princeton Review, one of America’s largest and most prestigious educational firms, said: “Students now have more choices than ever before. There are over 3,000 colleges in the US, yet most students apply to the same 30 name-brand schools.”

“It’s no longer about the prestige only of an Ivy League school, or the convenience of lower cost of a state school. It’s about finding the right college for each individual student,” he said.

Speaking at a press briefing at the Capital Club Dubai, Kanarek was joined by Hukumat Kalwani, chairman of Score Plus Education, and the company’s CEO, Kamal Kalwani.

Score Plus Education is UAE’s largest college admissions test prep company and The Princeton Review’s exclusive franchise in the GCC region, the statement said.

“Students attending Thursday’s special event at The American University in Dubai will be offered insights by Paul Kanarek, who has delivered thousands of speeches to hundreds of thousands of people on tests and university admissions over the past 30 years,” Kalwani said. 

“We are very thankful to The American University in Dubai for their support and together we look forward to making the event a great success,” he added.

Admission is free for students and working professionals and those who are interested to attend the event can register for the event on the Score Plus Education website.

Coinciding with the announcement of the event, The Princeton Review and Score Plus Education have launched the 2012 editions of the guide books, ‘The Best 376 Colleges’ and ‘The Best 294 Business Schools’. 

Based on candid feedback from 141,000 students about life on college campuses, from the quality of academics, faculty, living conditions and the social scene, they provide UAE-based students with invaluable help to identify the right college or business school, the statement said.

“The new guide books will be invaluable aid for UAE-based students, many of whom spend an enormous amount of time grooming themselves for acceptance by a college they may have heard of, but really know little about. Besides costing thousands of dollars, it can be a very stressful process,” Kalwani said.

“But by picking a suitable campus, students can speed this process dramatically and ensure that they make the right choice. At the Princeton Review UAE we strive to help all students find their best fit school. With our ten-year history in the country, we have continued to provide the most accessible, accurate and complete college admissions and test prep information,” he said.

“Immediately following the press conference, Kanarek will be addressing around 50 UAE school principals and guidance counselors at a round table hosted by Score Plus Education,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service