Everything You Need To Know To Get Into EF Academy

Why Choose EF Academy?

The EF Academy is known as one of the top-notch day and boarding high schools in the US. It has three campuses — one in Califonia and another in New York that caters to grades 9 through 12, and another in Oxford, UK, for students in grades 11 and 12. With a student body composed of 30+ nationalities, there is a wide range of variety and diversity throughout its programs and activities. Across the three campuses, there is a total of more than 700 students. Yet, the school still ensures ample attention and support is given to each child with its small class size of 13 and student-to-teacher ratio of 7:1. Ever since its founding in 1965, the school has promoted its “EF Academy Difference” with its individualized approach, hands-on teaching style, and having a diverse community. By linking the past and future, they have designed their education to ultimately lead their students to happiness and success. Believing that there is truly no “one size fits all,” EF Academy strives to build a unique pathway for its students based on their talents, strengths, and interests. At EF Academy, students have opportunities to explore their interests and develop their skills through the course offerings, clubs, sports, and arts.

How hard is it to get into EF Academy? 

Many families have set their sights on EF Academy because of its hands-on and individualized college preparatory program. Its rigorous curriculum equips students not only with the ability to learn and think but also to achieve mastery of skills. With its reputation and high success rate in college matriculation,  admission is highly competitive. Applicants have to meticulously prepare application requirements including a personal statement, recommendation letters, school transcripts, and student interview. 

If you want to get into EF Academy but not sure how to navigate the admissions process, the best way to dramatically increase your chances is to work with experienced private school admissions consultants. With their deep understanding of private school admission, they could guide, assist, and help you in your application journey to ultimately get your child into one of the best boarding schools in the US.

The EF Academy Admissions Process

The EF Academy application starts by making an account in the Standard Online Application (SAO) portal where you can fill out the application form, submit required documents, and monitor your application. Below are the application steps:

1. Fill out and submit the application form
2. Chat with the enrollment advisor
3. Complete the personal statement
4. Delegate teacher recommendations.
5. Request school transcript.
6. Sign up for the student interview

EF Academy Admission Requirements

Personal Statement

The students will be required to fill out a personal statement that will be sent to EF Academy’s enrollment advisor. The personal statement is where students talk about themselves, their interests, achievements, experiences, and other accomplishments. This will show how good of a fit they are to the school community. The narrative will demonstrate the student’s personality, characteristics, and unique traits and how the school’s values and goals resonate not only with the students but also with the entire family.

How to Write a Personal Statement

The personal statement is, without a doubt, a crucial part of the application, for it will give the admission officers an overview of the applicant and their potential to not only be part of EF Academy’s community but also thrive and become successful. In writing the personal statement, it is important to show how the student will utilize all the opportunities the school has while still remaining genuine and authentic. It will be very helpful to include anecdotes, not just statements that showcase your child’s strengths and skills. For more detailed tips on how to write an impactful personal statement, you can click here.

Teacher Recommendation

The admission process will require a recommendation from a previous teacher. The enrollment officer will make the teacher recommendation form available after submitting the initial application. To get a great recommendation letter, it is important to choose the right teacher. Find a teacher whom your child had formed a strong relationship with and who would be their advocate for the admissions process. Private school admissions consultants will help you leverage these relationships to ensure a recommendation letter that will boost your chances.

How to Get Strong Recommendation Letters

Getting strong recommendation letters takes years of relationship-building and demonstrating your child’s unique abilities. Teachers will only be able to write what they see consistently. So, to ensure your child gets good recommendations, they should have meaningful conversations and genuine relationships with their teachers while they are in school. When the time comes to write letters of recommendation, they will be able to do so objectively and without bias. 

Transcript

Applicants are required to submit their latest transcripts from the past 2 years. The request for transcript forms will be available on the online application portal and will be sent directly to your child’s current school.  

How to improve grades 

With EF Academy’s rigorous academic program, the transcript will show your child’s academic rigor and ability to not only handle the school’s curriculum but also thrive in its academic environment. A sure way to ensure those transcripts are impressive is by working on your child’s grades early. If your child’s grades are not that great, consider hiring tutors and academic coaches from reputable companies like Cardinal Education. We provide online and in-person tutoring to help improve grades. We also offer academic coaching to help develop executive functioning skills for a more holistic development.

Student Interviews

After submitting all the application requirements, applicants will be scheduled for a student interview with the admissions team. The student interview will be the applicant’s opportunity to talk directly to the admission team. The interviewer would want to know various things such as the applicant’s academic interests, passions outside of school, personality, and interactive skills.

How to Prepare for Student Interviews

These interviews are not only based on how well the answers are but also on how the applicant behaved, acted, and interacted during the interview. This will showcase the applicant’s confidence, speaking skills, and articulation. Through interview preparation you and your child will be able to practice and familiarize yourselves with the common questions asked during the admissions interview. Our admissions consultants will guide you in answering and how you can be honest and authentic while adhering to the school’s values and goals.

Student Life in EF Academy: Activities and Clubs

The EF Academy strongly enforces hands-on learning, thus giving students a wide variety of activities they could participate in, such as athletics, clubs, and arts. Over 40% of the students participate in varsity athletics through the wide offering of sports the school has. For the art minds, there are also numerous art opportunities present at the school, such as visual arts, theater & drama, and music. And for those who just want to pursue their interest with their peers, the school encourages student-led initiatives, thus making them capable of not only joining clubs but also starting clubs based on their own interests.

The EF Academy Educational Philosophy

The core of the EF Academy’s education is total immersion. Focusing on hands-on and experiential learning and individualization. The school gives students the option to choose their own courses throughout high school so that they can really take what is meaningful for them. With over 90% of teachers possessing advanced degrees and hands-on field experience in their respective subjects, they ensure that the knowledge and skills they possess in various fields will be taught not only through discussion or reading but through experience and immersion as well.

Core Academic Programs

The EF Academy offers an academic program that supports its students to pursue what they are passionate about.  With the school’s Diploma Program, students can take the courses they are really interested in while still being able to meet graduation requirements. Students are able to take various courses in the fields of humanities, mathematics, arts, and sciences. Each of these courses is not only project-based but also experiential-based and competency-based learning where students would not only learn what they are interested in but also improve their skills in it.

With the guidance and support of the school’s academic counselor, they can help you choose courses based on your passions. With each course being student-centric and hands-on, each student will truly be able to study what they really want to study and learn various things, such as critical thinking and practical decision-making skills related to their area of interest. This ensures that each student would grow not just academically but holistically throughout their facets.

For those students who want to do a deeper dive into their passions, The school also offers Advanced Placement classes. With AP, students will be able to pursue their passion more rigorously and also earn college credits. The school also has an Advanced Studies program, where students can delve into topics usually discussed in 2nd and 3rd year of university. These advanced study courses are Honors classes that have been deemed equal to AP courses in terms of academic rigor.

Innovation and Impact Program

Alongside the Diploma Program, students have the opportunity to really put themselves and their skills to the test with the Innovation and Impact Program. In the program, students will be able to learn and do something with their passions that is community-driven and that goes with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Of course, the student will be able to learn more not just from the hands-on experience but also, from the mentoring of teachers from each discipline to make their ideas into reality. 

What are the athletics at EF Academy?

The EF Academy offers various athletics options that students can join. With the school’s state-of-the-art sports facilities and fitness center, it promotes the development of its students’ leadership and teamwork skills. The school offers the following sports for varsity. 

1. Basketball
2. Volleyball
3. Soccer
4. Badminton
5. Cross Country

How can students pursue arts at EF Academy?

Students at EF Academy have several options to pursue their passions for the arts whether it’s visual arts, performing arts, or music. Students can express their artistic selves along with other students in clubs dedicated just to the different forms of art.  Students will be able to build on their interests in the arts and develop collaboration while building new friendships and connections with other students. Below are the art clubs currently available at the school but the creation of new clubs by students can be done.

Clubs and organizations at EF Academy

At EF Academy, there are numerous clubs and organizations available for each student with various interests. These co-curricular definitely complement the school’s entire “total immersion” mission and provide opportunities for students not only to pursue their hobbies, talents, and such at school, but also pursue them with friends while developing leadership skills, community skills, camaraderie, and teamwork.

From the usual organizations such as the student council to the personal pursuits of interests such as the cooking club or  Yoga club, EF Academy ensures that there is something for anybody. If there is not, the school makes it possible for a student to create their own club and make their own mark at school.  No matter the interests, EF Academy will provide hands-on opportunities for students to learn and acquire the skills in the field that they are passionate about and ultimately share them with the community for the betterment of it. Below is a list of the currently available clubs and organizations at EF Academy.

1. Art & Design Club
2. Spirit Squad
3. Cooking Club
4. Music Ensemble
5. Student Newspaper
6. Model United Nations (MUN)
7. Drama Club
8. Business & Finance Club
9. Sports Team Captains
10. STEAM Club
11. Student Council
12. Yoga/Meditation
13. Theater Production Club
14. Movie Club
15. Robotics Club
16. Astronomy Club
17. Cultural Celebration Club

EF Academy Famous Alumni

• Linus Chu – Started the blog “The Suitstanable Man” 

• Vicky Pascon – Start-up owner and Organisational Consultant at Facioli

• Vitoria Fiore –  Instagram influencer

• Olga Dozortseva –  Analyst at Bloomberg LP

• Natalya Zhirnova – Senior Manager at PwC Cyprus

• Dmitry Vingurskiy – Film Operator in a Russian Hockey Club

• Alina Shapovalenko – Senior Manager at rpc

• Duc Tam Nguyen – University of Toronto Marketing & Communications Officer for  Rotman Commerce

• Ewa Staworzynksa – USCIB’s Director of Corporate Responsibility and Labor Affairs
• Alexandra Mishenina – Assistant Director at Ernst & Young (EY)

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