How to start
Start with a placement assessment. We use it to set the level and class, then confirm the year plan with the family. For schedules, tuition, and bundle offers, request the 2026-27 program guide through the form below.
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Contact a counselorFrequently Asked Questions
When should Irvine students begin preparing?
Before the start of junior year. The core materials are research experience, recommendation letters, and the statement of purpose, and all three take one to two years to build. Most US master's and PhD programs open in the fall and cluster their deadlines around December, which leaves little room to assemble materials late. Irvine families can hold the first consultant meeting in person while the student is home over a break, then continue online during the term.
Do master's and PhD applications need different preparation?
Yes. Master's programs weigh coursework and subject preparation more heavily, while PhD admissions turn on research fit: the applicant has to name a direction and connect it to specific faculty work. Program selection settles the target type first, then works backward to what still has to be built.
Who should write the recommendation letters?
Instructors or research advisors who know the applicant's academic work. A letter persuades through specific observation, not the writer's title, so a letter describing what the student actually did in a course or project beats a letter of general praise. Recommendation strategy, including whom to ask and how, is part of the service.
How is a statement of purpose different from a college essay?
The reader and the purpose differ. A college essay is about personal growth and values; a statement of purpose is about an academic path: what research has been done, what questions it raised, and why this program is where the work continues. It runs on evidence and fit rather than narrative.
Do Irvine students still need to take the GRE?
Follow what each target program publishes for the current cycle. A number of programs have dropped the GRE or made it optional, but others keep it, and policies can differ between departments at the same university. Program selection checks the requirements one by one before any test is scheduled.
