Branko Cerny
Admission process to foreign universities is very distinct from what Czech students are used to. This is true especially about prestigious US colleges, which care just as much about the applicants' personal maturity or athletic skill as they do about their academic achievement. While guidelines for the whole process can be found online and every college strives to be as helpful as possible, there can never be anything more helpful than the advice of someone who has actual, personal experience in the field.
The whole process is lengthy and challenging, but most of all, it is really daunting. You want to get into one of the best colleges in the world, and you are competing against tens of thousands of extremely qualified applicants, who all perfectly well-versed in everything even remotely linked to getting into the college of their dreams. The fact of the matter, however, is that one can only be so qualified, and there is only a handful of those who have been in a Broadway show or written a bestseller; for the rest, it is the presentation of their accomplishments that makes the cut. And that is something no one can teach you and no college will advise you on in the applicant’s brochure – you need a great counselor for that.
Ms. Borsodi and her expertise have proved invaluable on my way to Dartmouth College. A year into my Ivy experience, I realize something that can be very easily forgotten while taking your SATs and writing your impressive application essays: all of the admission officers are just regular human beings, with their own imperfections, tired and overworked, and greatly jaded. If you want to stand out, being perfectly accomplished and well-rounded is just a qualifying criterion; you also must come across as an interesting human being. And if I were to pick out one quality that makes Ms. Borsodi an exceptional counselor, it is her awareness of this fact, and her human approach to the students and their applications. I found an incredibly helpful counselor and a true friend in Ms. Borsodi, and I am extremely privileged to have had the chance to receive guidance from her.
Marek Svoboda
Class of 2014 at Columbia University, New York
I am a student of Open Gate boarding school in Babice, Czech Republic; but primarily, I am one of those lucky ones whose dream of being admitted to one of the most prestigious universities in the world, Columbia University, Miss Kristýna Borsodi helped to fulfill. Following lines provide a short testimony of the role she played in the admission process, which, without her, would hardly be successful.
When I met Miss Borsodi for the first time, she was a guidance counselor at Open Gate. Back then, she told me it was possible for me to get to any school in the world, if I worked hard enough. Later on, this motivation became the starting line on the long track with unclear ending. She helped me plan my year-and-a-half long SAT preparation; during all that time she supervised my performance and actively helped me with everything else I needed (buying books, looking up test dates, doing research on universities, etc.)
As a part of my preparation for US university studies, I wanted to go visit USA during the summer prior to sending my applications, because I wanted to see the campuses of the universities to which I was about to apply in the fall. Miss Borsodi provided me with a few of the plenty of her contacts to admission officers at these universities to let them know about my intention to visit them. Besides that, she referred me to the Summer Program for High School Students at the Columbia University and not only that – she also helped me to collect sufficient funds for this quite expensive course. Furthermore, her personal recommendation was a part of the application, based on which I was admitted there. Thanks to that, I could visit and live my learning experience in the campus of my future university even before I sent my application there.
The most admirable part of Miss Borsodi’s work proved to be the fact that she kept helping me until the end of the entire application process. Even though she had changed her job and was no longer the guidance counselor at my school, she kept an eye on me next several months until I passed all the SAT tests and finally submitted my application. We stayed in touch; anytime I needed her help with a recommendation letter or scholarship application, she was there to lend me a hand. Overall, her experience with the application process was invaluable for me. When I received the results of the admission, she was the first person to congratulate me to my success.
Looking back at that period of time in my life, I know it was not my success only. Many factors were involved, but the most significant one of them was certainly the cooperation with Miss Kristýna Borsodi, whose professional attitude opened the door of the world I had dreamt about for me and who made me make the first step into them. I owe this lady every second of those upcoming four years at Columbia University and every opportunity I will get in my subsequent professional career. Therefore, if you are of those who dream about studying on one of the American or British universities, I recommend you approaching Miss Borsodi and asking her to show you a way to fulfill your dream. I can testify that then, you will truly become free to seize the day.
Petr Bulka
First year student at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom
I consider the admission to this university one of my greatest achievements so far and I believe that to a large extent I owe this to Ms Kristýna Borsodi. Until last year, I was a student at OPEN GATE Boarding school, where Ms Borsodi was employed as a career advisor at the time. Ever since I had expressed my intention to pursue a university degree in the UK, Ms Borsodi kindly assisted me at every stage of the demanding and complicated application process.
I appreciate her very individual approach to me. Not only was she ready to advise me whenever necessary, she also made sure I prepared appropriately for all of my exams and didn’t miss any deadlines. Apart from that she was very active in contacting the universities concerned, hence she was able to provide me with tips and information I wouldn’t have found out otherwise. Her personal experience with the British education system was also invaluable. I can therefore recommend Ms Borsodi’s assistance to anyone who is serious about their intention to enter higher education in the United Kingdom.