I ran this cycle for my own son last year. American family, international school, five UCAS choices, four countries, and a system nobody had explained to us.

Here's what caught us out: US admissions are holistic — the whole child, the essay, the extracurriculars. European admissions are course-specific. You are not applying to St Andrews. You are applying to a named course at St Andrews, and the entry requirements for that course are non-negotiable. Get the course choice wrong and the rest of the application doesn't matter.

The other thing nobody tells you: the 15 October and 13 January deadlines are not your real deadlines. Your real deadline is mid-September, when your child's school has to produce references and predicted grades. Miss that internal date and the external one is decoration.

What you get:

Ninety minutes on a call with me, working through course selection, how to spend five choices, what the personal statement actually has to do, predicted grades, three-year versus four-year degrees, and the Irish and Dutch routes if they're relevant.

Then a written one-page action plan — your child's cycle, your dates, in order.

Q: What happens after I pay?

You'll get a link to book your 90-minute session at a time that works for you, along with a short briefing form. The more I know about your child's year group, target countries and intended course, the further we get on the call.

Q: When do I get the written plan?

Within three working days of our session. One page, your child's cycle, your dates, in order.

Q: What's your refund policy?

Full refund if you cancel before your session takes place. Once the session has happened, the work is done and it isn't refundable.

Q: My child is already partway through the process. Is it too late?

Depends where you are. If school references and predicted grades haven't been finalised, there's still room to change course choices. If the application has been submitted, a session is more useful for planning offers, alternatives and the January round.

Q: Do you guarantee admission?

No. Anyone offering you one is lying to you. I'll tell you honestly where your child's grades put them and what their realistic range looks like.