International Students

From around the world, families benefit from our expertise

Howland, Spence & McMillan has a rich history of serving international students and families from all over the world. We use our deep knowledge of the role education plays in other cultures to create the right independent school, college, and graduate program matches for international students. In addition, our consultants are highly knowledgeable of the diverse intricacies of international schooling systems, their academic grading scales, and foundational philosophies and practices. This expertise enables us to translate that information in a manner that represents the student with integrity and with a clear appreciation for that student’s distinctive strengths and potential. We then build a comprehensive profile with which to present the student to their list of prospective independent schools, colleges, and graduate programs.

To overcome the challenges of communicating and building relationships across borders, time zones and cultures, Howland, Spence & McMillan uses a variety of communication media, allowing them to work closely with international families throughout the educational planning. This level of communication enables us to develop a strong understanding of the family’s goals and values, assess the student’s strengths, interests, needs, and passions, and successfully guide the student and family through the myriad emotional and technical aspects of the search, visit, application, and decision-making process.

Because the American independent educational system is extremely complex, the school, college, and graduate program planning process for international families is an even more in-depth and intensive undertaking. Our international families are particularly relieved and grateful for the ongoing education and support we provide throughout the process. Our students have come from many parts of the world, including :