Student story
Twelve applications. One clear story.
Nadia came to us with excellent grades and no idea how to talk about them. Eighteen months later she was choosing between offers from two of the world’s top ten universities.
Admissions advice for 1,200+ families
The considered route to the world’s best schools.
Provost guides students and parents through school, university and graduate admissions in the UK and US, with one senior advisor from the first meeting to the final offer.
Student story
Three strong grades and no plan. Eighteen months later, an offer to read Philosophy, Politics and Economics.
Oxford
Offer, 2026
About Provost
Provost is an independent education advisory for families applying to leading schools and universities. We advise on where to apply, how to apply, and what to do when the letters arrive, so your child can make the choice with a clear head.
We do not split students between departments. Each family works with one senior advisor, who brings in specialists for admissions tests, interviews or scholarships only when the application needs them.
Why families choose us
Senior advice, from the very first meeting.
We take on a small number of students each year, so the advisor you meet is the one who reads every draft.
One student, one senior advisor.
A senior advisor from day one
A fixed fee, agreed before we start
A written plan every term
We never write a word of the essay
Students per advisor
A deliberate limit, so every draft gets a careful read.
Senior advisors
Nine of them read applications for admissions offices.
Reply time
h
A written answer to every question within one working day.
Countries
Families advised from London to Lagos, Dubai and Singapore.
What we do
Four ways we help
Most families come to us for one stage. Many stay for the next. Every programme is shaped around a single student.
Also available: tutoring, admissions test preparation, guardianship and relocation support.
How it works
From first call to final offer
A clear plan matters more than a long one. Each stage ends with something you can hold: a written read, a shortlist, a finished application, a decision.
01
Consultation & assessment
A ninety-minute conversation with the student and parents, then a close review of grades, reports and interests. You leave with an honest read of where things stand.
What this includes
Academic review
Interest mapping
Family goals session
Written summary
02
Shortlist & strategy
A balanced list of schools or universities, and a term-by-term plan that sits around the student’s studies rather than on top of them.
What this includes
Balanced shortlist
Subject and course choice
Activities plan
Timeline to deadlines
03
Applications & essays
Personal statements, supplements and references, drafted by the student and sharpened in rounds with their advisor. We never write a word for them.
What this includes
Essay coaching
Reference briefing
Admissions test preparation
Final application review
04
Interviews & decision
Mock interviews with former admissions readers, then help weighing offers, scholarships and costs when the letters come in.
What this includes
Mock interviews
Offer comparison
Scholarship appeals
Transition planning
Results
In numbers
Families advised since 2012
Students offered a first- or second-choice place
Offers from Oxford and Cambridge
Scholarships secured last year
Advisors
The people your child will work with
Former admissions readers, school registrars and teachers. Every one of them has sat on the other side of the desk.
Fees
Fixed fees, agreed before we start
No hourly billing. Every programme is quoted in writing after the first consultation.
Single application
Application review
One application, read and refined with the student.
$2,400
Per application
Three rounds of essay review
Full application audit
One mock interview
Written feedback in 48 hours
Most chosen
Full admissions programme
From shortlist to offer, for one admissions round.
$12,800
One admissions round
Senior advisor throughout
Up to ten applications
Unlimited essay rounds
Admissions test preparation
Full interview programme
Offer and scholarship advice
For families
Family retainer
For siblings and journeys that run over several years.
On request
Reviewed every year
Everything in the full programme
School and university planning
Priority access to your advisor
Guardianship and relocation
Means-tested places are available every year. Ask about them on your first call.
Questions
Asked before you ask
The things parents want to know before the first call, answered the way we would answer them in the room.
Still not answered?
Ask it on the call. Thirty minutes, no commitment, and a straight answer either way.
When should we start?
For university, the spring of the year before applications is ideal. For school entry, around eighteen months before the assessments. Starting later is fine; the plan simply moves faster.
Do you write essays or applications?
Never. Students write every word. We help them find the story, ask better questions of each draft, and cut what does not earn its place.
Can you guarantee an offer?
No one honest can. What we can promise is a balanced list, an application the student is proud of, and no surprises on results day.
Do you work with international families?
Yes. Families in 27 countries work with us online, with in-person meetings in London and New York when they visit.
How are fees structured?
Each programme has a fixed fee, quoted in writing after the first consultation and paid in two or three instalments. There is no hourly billing.
What happens on the first consultation?
A thirty-minute video call with a senior advisor. We listen, ask about goals and timing, and tell you plainly whether and how we can help.
Journal
Notes from the admissions year
Guides and plain advice, written by our advisors. No email wall, no download form.
