Educational Consultants and Admissions Counselling

OUR EDUCATIONAL CONSULTANTS ARE EXPERT. HERE'S WHAT PARENTS AND STUDENTS SAY.

“HUGE DIFFERENCE IN QUALITY OF APPLICATION”

“I chose to work with an independent consultant for the undergraduate college process for my daughter to guide her through the process and increase her chances of getting into her desired colleges. Teo’s support and guidance were instrumental with respect to identifying the suitable colleges, reviewing and providing feedback into the essays and various other sections of the application thereby ensuring a high quality college application, and resulting in my daughter getting accepted into Cornell, UCLA, NYU, BU & UCSD! I highly recommend engaging Teo for guidance when it comes to applying to colleges. It makes a huge difference in the quality of the application! “

— Carla, Beirut (Lebanon)
Daughter currently at University of California, Los Angeles

“GUIDANCE BEYOND A GOOGLE SEARCH”

“We decided to work with an educational consultant because we needed guidance as to the undergraduate business programs available in the US that would be of interest to our daughter. We needed guidance beyond what a “google search” would give. We knew we made the right choice when Teo demonstrated (from the onset) his commitment, patience and determination to lead us in the right path. Teo taught our daughter how to approach this journey from a 360 degree perspective. Teo is an excellent listener and communicator; he has a superb grasp of the US university undergraduate programs and is able to expertly guide the student. He shares his wisdom and lessons learned from his vast experience and imparts those lessons to the parents as well as the student.”

— V.S., Toronto (Canada)
Daughter currently at New York University (Stern)

THE “GAME CHANGER”

“My husband and I believed we could effectively guide our son in applying to universities in the USA and the UK. Although we did our best, there were some early missteps and we decided to turn to an expert in the area. We were fortunate to have Teo Salgado’s help. Teo was key to the successful outcome of the process, actually CORRECTING some of our errors. His work truly was a “game-changer.” Experienced, intelligent and professional, Teo also cares deeply about his students, and in our view that was absolutely invaluable.”

— N.C., Toronto (Canada)
Son currently at St. Andrews University (Scotland)

EXPERTLY MANAGED APPLICATIONS TO UNIVERSITIES IN FOUR COUNTRIES

“We needed an independent educational consultant to help us navigate through the college/university application process, understand requirements and her options. Our daughter was applying to schools in four different countries and it was especially a challenge because her school does not provide an education counselor. An independent consultant was by far the best choice for us. Teo gave us the special individualized attention that our daughter needed. He helped us identify the right colleges and programs, plan and guide us through the application process, ensuring that requirements were met and assuring the quality of what was submitted. He provided reliable information and objective advice and the individual and kind attention we really needed.

Seeking VerveSmith’s services is the wisest choice we could have made as Teo managed to take the stress and anxiety out of the process. We immediately felt that Teo knew how to relate to our daughter and took the time to genuinely understand her and her interests. We were impressed by his experience, personal style and the way he conducted meetings. Teo provided firsthand knowledge of college options and programs, was able to coordinate successfully with professionals in universities regarding our daughter’s applications and follow-up on and resolve outstanding issues. He kept abreast of issues affecting specific schools and was able to convey these and communicate with us so that we could make the best choice.”

— Silvia, Madrid (Spain)
Daughter currently at University College London

GETTING TO THE AHA MOMENT

“I was absolutely confused about what I was going to do. I knew I wanted to apply abroad but I wasn’t sure how to go about it. And that’s where Teo came in. He helped me sort out through the rubble to find exactly what I wanted, and needed. It also helped that I was getting invaluable insight from someone who knew what they were doing and who knew about international students trying abroad. He was available at all times. I’m sure I bugged him with a hundred thousand emails about the most mundane things but he obliged smilingly every time! It was a very easy relationship and I can say that I feel like hiring VerveSmith was one of the best decisions I ever made.”

— Devyanka, Kolkata (India)
Currently at American University

OUTSTANDING COACHING: SECOND TIME’S A CHARM

“I had applied in the fall of 2016 to top US colleges but didn’t get accepted by my preferred choices. So I decided to apply again the year as a transfer. I chose to work with an independent educational consultant to help me identify the right target schools and to ensure the application was at par with what these schools expected. I wanted to increase my chances of acceptance at the desired colleges.
I felt though my engagement with Teo this was an excellent decision. He provided me with great guidance on the colleges to target based on my preferences. Most important was his outstanding coaching and due diligence throughout the essay writing process to get them to the required depth and quality.”

— Souheil, Beirut (Lebanon)
Currently at Boston University

KNOWLEDGEABLE AND EFFICIENT

“My son worked with VerveSmith from 10th grade up to his admission to university. Teo, with his personal presence and attention to detail, was highly knowledgeable and efficient. We felt assured and confident during the entire journey. There were some critical steps to overcome, but we knew that we had the best support, and the highest degree of attention to detail. As my son said: ‘Although I’ve succeedded to enter the university I aimed for, this would have been impossible to achieve without Teo’.”

— Fatos, Toronto (Canada)
Currently at Western University

APPLICATIONS WERE SPOT ON

“We chose VerveSmith to help our daughter find the right Engineering program and University. My husband and I knew very little about Engineering and we couldn’t rely on our school to assist us in this area. Thus we sought out VerveSmith. Carolyn worked with Teo Salgado over the course of grade 11 and 12, to first identify what program would be right for her, then which universities she should apply to. Teo’s understanding of Universities and what they are looking for in future students ensured that Carolyn’s supplements and applications were spot on. Her acceptance rate was 100%, including the top Engineering program in Canada. There is no way we could have done this process with Carolyn without using VerveSmith. “

— Michelle, Toronto (Canada)
Daughter currently at McMaster University (Engineering)

FINDING MY WAY

“As I entered my senior year of high school, I was unsure about my career options and what I wanted to study at university. I couldn’t decide between medicine and engineering. Working with Teo, who is very pleasant and helpful, I discovered more about my interests and abilities. He helped me see that what I actually wanted to study was medicine. I am now very satisfied with my decision to apply to medical school. Thank you, Teo.”

— Johannes, Düsseldorf (Germany)
Currently at Universität Duisburg-Essen

MANAGING THE PROCESS

“We sought out professional help for our daughter who was unsure with how to decide between different schools. The sheer amount of information and variety of schools and admission processes available was daunting. The choice of school was very important to us and our daughter and we really had no idea of where to start.

After our daughters very first meeting with Teo she became much more enthusiastic and calm about the process. He took the time to get to know her, where she wanted to go, what her skills were, and he reassured her that it was indeed possible to find just the right school for her. He provided summaries from carefully researched schools and provided knowledgeable guidance on admission processes. In the end our daughter had a choice of schools that fit her perfectly and she is now attending the school of her choice. We could not have been happier with the professionalism, care and diligence that Teo showed to our daughter and now shows to our son.”

— Scott, Calgary (Canada)
Daughter currently at University of Southern California

ABOVE AND BEYOND EXPECTATIONS

“Applying to Canadian universities as an international student entails countless forms to fill, deadlines to meet, guidelines to follow and places to research. During my own application process, VerveSmith’s consulting service was priceless. My consultant assisted me expertly through every step, granting me ease of mind throughout the entire process. They opened a window for me not just into university applications, but into all aspects of university life in Canada. My consultant went above and beyond my expectations in every sense to ensure my success. Looking back on the year I spent with VerveSmith, I feel I have not been accompanied by a consultant but a companion.”

— Yigit, Istanbul (Turkey)
Currently at University of Toronto

FLEXIBILITY, ACCESSIBILITY, AND COMPASSION

“Before working with Teo I was so lost! I was beginning my senior year of high school and had no idea what I wanted to study. I felt there was so much I didn’t know about the process of choosing and applying for university/college. However, from the very first meeting with Teo I knew I was in good hands. The combination of his wide breadth and depth of knowledge as well as his flexibility, accessibility and compassion made the entire experience positive and enjoyable. Teo was always willing to go the extra mile, stay as long as needed and ensure I fully understood my options. By the end of our time together, I knew I had chosen the best program at the best school for both my academic and social needs and I could not have done it without Teo’s help!”

— Ayala, Toronto (Canada)
Currently at McGill University

INDIVIDUALIZED GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT

“My educational experience has been anything but average. I live in the United States yet have been in a French school, studying the French curriculum, my whole life. The college counselors at school did not have enough time to help me find a school that fit all of the criteria that I wanted met. So without much research, they recommended schools that fit a large variety of people.

Teo took the time to understand who I am as an individual and found schools that he and I felt would really suit me. He helped me figure out what kind of student I am, and what kind of work environment best suits me. I knew that I wanted to study science, and fishing through a plethora of schools and programs was something I needed help with.

When all of my applications were sent in, I felt confident that I had made the right choices, and had covered all of my bases. I always had someone to make sure all of my things were in order, to call if I was stressing out about a deadline, or to email if I was struggling with writing an essay. The college application and acceptance experience would have been very difficult for me, and I don’t know what I would have done without Teo’s guidance.”

— Sophie, New York City (USA)
Currently at Queen’s University

TRANSFERRING WITH A CLEAR VISION

“When I decided to transfer from my Canadian university to a very different program in the US, I didn’t really know where to begin. I didn’t fully understand how to pick schools, what types of candidates programs were looking for, and which schools would be reasonable for me to apply to.

After meeting with Teo, this process became much less daunting for me. Together we were able to hone the list of universities of interest and make sure that I chose the right program for me. The personalization of the guidance provided to me is what truly made this a worthwhile process, and I am positive my work with Teo has guided me in the right direction.”

— Ryan, Edmonton (Canada)
Currently at Emerson College

EASILY ACCESSIBLE

“From the day we started our search for the right university and department for our son until his registration process started they were with us and easily accessible whenever we had an issue.

Our son made a small mistake in the Ontario universities common application which would have delayed many processes. Our consultant got in contact with each university individually and handled the issue with great care. This was one of the several times that we felt very confident of our choice.”

— Cem, Istanbul (Turkey)
Son currently at Queen’s University

GREAT CANADIAN COUNSELOR

“When I decided to study in Canada, we approached Teo to provide guidance for school choices, study plans and communication support with the universities that I was going to apply. Teo was so successful in all of the above and guiding me in the right direction, that I got 100 % success rate in all my applications (University of Toronto, Queens, UBC, Trent, Bishop’s, University of Kings College, Dalhousie; and Mount Allison) and scholarships from many of the schools that I applied. I believe to have Teo was one of the most correct decisions we have made, and my mother is right in calling him “the Great Canadian College Counselor.”

— Sami, Dubai (United Arab Emirates)
Currently at Mount Allison University

THERE IS AN ART TO PERSONAL STATEMENTS

“Writing Graduate School applications can be extremely hard! Trying to stand out from the hundreds of other applicants while selling yourself in just the right way to match a program is a skill that takes years to develop. After many rejections, I chose to work with Teo to put my best foot forward – and it worked! There is an art in selling oneself that can feel unnatural for most people. Having an expert there to extract key points about myself and highlight those points in my Letter of Intent was essential to my acceptance at U of T. I could immediately tell that Teo knew what he was doing when we sat down and started reviewing my writing. Huge improvement! I believe his help made all the difference.”

— Charlie, Toronto (Canada)
Currently at University of Toronto (Engineering)

CONFIDENTLY CHOSE CAREER PATH AND UNIVERSITY

“As a high school student, choosing a career path was something I was anxious about, especially in grade 12. However, I felt that working with an independent educational consultant would offer me the opportunity to receive professional advice. Working with Teo, I was able to gain a clear idea of what I wanted for my future, my goals and ambitions. Specifically, what I wanted to study and what university would best suit me and allow me to grow both academically and socially. Overall, working Teo, I was able to confidently choose a career path and university. With his help, I was able to gain a professional perspective on ways to successfully take on my post-secondary studies and establish the foundation for my career path.”

— Alexandra, Toronto (Canada)
Currently at University of Waterloo

ALWAYS POSITIVE AND HELPFUL

“Teo had very important knowledge, advice and insight to offer.‎ He was great to work with, always helpful and positive. It was very reassuring to have him on board!”

— Connor, Toronto (Canada)
Currently at St. Andrews University (Scotland)

FOUND THE BEST FIT FOR ME

“I worked with Teo on the university search process. He helped me find the university, and program, that is the best fit for me. The selection of universities he presented were carefully chosen to match my interests, personality, character and lifestyle. He thoroughly explained application processes and guided me through all challenges of selecting a university. Along with his depth of knowledge, he was patient and considerate with me, clearly understanding who I am. I would definitely recommend Teo and his services to students in need of help finding a university.”

— Ken, Toronto (Canada)
Currently at University of Toronto (Music)

ALWAYS AVAILABLE FOR ME

“During the application progress, I felt like there were many things that I needed help with and Teo was always available for me. His interest in our work allowed me to confidently ask all the questions I had. I was so worried about writing better essays but he taught me ways to do it. As I saw his dedication to find the school I would be the happiest in, I knew it was the right decision to work with him.”

— Altug, Istanbul (Turkey)
Son currently at McMaster University

AN ADVOCATE FOR US

“We had recently repatriated and had issues having our child’s overseas educational certificates recognized by Canadian universities. As our child attended a top ranked secondary school and achieved fantastic grades, we were shocked. We decided we needed someone to navigate the bureaucracy.

Teo responded within a day even though he, himself, was out of the country. After thoroughly reviewing our situation, Teo was able to use his contacts and advocate on our behalf resulting in a placement offer. We were thrilled with the outcome.”

— Maria, Toronto (Canada)
Daughter currently at McMaster University

DEEP, CURRENT KNOWLEDGE

“Guidance departments at public high schools are overloaded and ill-equipped to provide students with the time and quality of information that we received from a private consultant. With his deep knowledge about current programs and cultures at Canadian universities, Teo was able to work with our son to determine which schools would be best suited to both his interests and his learning style. Teo was able to answer all of our questions, or could use his broad network of contacts to obtain the information we asked for. I would recommend Teo for any student. The investment is well worth it for such an important decision, and for the peace of mind that we have done everything possible to set our son up for success..”

— Nadine, Oakville (Canada)
Son currently at Western University

OUR SON GREW IN CONFIDENCE

“We decided to work with Teo because we felt the school advisors were more focused on getting all the kids on their roster into Universities rather than the quality of the outcome. The process we had to work through with Teo, helped our son narrow down career choices and match them to the best fit universities. He grew in confidence through the process and ultimately was accepted by all bar one of his preferred choices and is now looking forward to joining his first choice.”

— Sarit, Hong Kong
Son currently at University of British Columbia

IT DIDN’T FEEL LIKE WE WERE 7,122 MILES FROM EACH OTHER

“A consultant in Mumbai strongly recommended Mr. Teo Salgado and vouched for his work. We were told that he is best known for his knowledge about Canadian schools. We were extremely anxious at the beginning as we introduced ourselves over emails, but after our first meeting with Mr. Teo, we were thrilled and thankful to finally find an excellent individual consultant. He systematically noted down all our requirements, talking to us and our daughter separately. He made video presentations and displaying multifarious types of schools on Skype meetings, as we gradually narrowed them down to an ideal school for our daughter, matching her aptitude and interest. He was a very helpful, approachable, hardworking and a knowledgeable person, who helped us with a lot more than just finding a school. His techniques of presenting us with the information didn’t make us feel like we were sitting 7,122 miles apart from each other! Our journey with Verve Smith has been more than just a delightful one, and words are too less to describe our experience.”

— Sharada, Mumbai (India)
Daughter currently at a high school in Ontario

FRIENDLY APPROACH, QUICK RESPONSES

“At first, I didn’t think it would be necessary to work on university applications with a professional consultant. I figured it would be very smooth since our daughter would be going through the process with other international students and that the school counselor would guide her through this stressful path.

Once we started going through the process, we all admitted working with VerveSmith was the best thing for us. Teo’s guidance, friendly approach, and quick responses to our never ending questions comforted us, and was just what we needed. Being miles away from my daughter and having no clue about the application process was eased with Teo’s presence.”

— Katya, Istanbul (Turkey)
Daughter currently at University of Toronto

HELPED IDENTIFY A CAREER PATH

“I worked with an education consultant as I was unsure that my chosen career path was the right one for me. Many of my classmates also struggled with identifying their best career path. Teo worked with me to identify my skills and strengths as well as which career path would be best suited for me. Having Teo help makes me feel sure I will get the best university experience possible.”

— Raul, Mississauga (Canada)
Currently at Laurier University

COMFORTABLE DURING ENTIRE PROCESS

“When our son decided to study in Canada for his university education, we thought that we have to work with a competent consultant we could rely on because this was not within our area of expertise. Any mistake in the process might be permanent, after all. Then, we chatted Teo and Selva from VerveSmith. Because Teo worked previously in University of Toronto’s admission office, he had extensive knowledge of the entire process. Our son felt very comfortable after the interviews with Teo because Teo could answer all of his questions and guide him on the necessary steps. As a result, we felt comfortable during the entire process. Looking back to last year, I can tell that we made a good decision by working Teo and Selva.”

— Ekrem & Hilal, Istanbul (Turkey)
Son currently at University of Toronto

PERSONALIZED EDUCATIONAL CONSULTING AND ADMISSIONS COUNSELLING

CLEAR, INDEPENDENT UNIVERSITY AND SCHOOL APPLICATION ADVICE

HELPING YOU FIND SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES THAT FIT

VERVESMITH | EDUCATION CONSULTANTS | TORONTO (CANADA)

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