Expert Guidance for International Students
Academic Preparation and College Admissions Support
At Presidio Education®, we help international students build the academic foundation they need to succeed at top universities in the United States. Many of our students come from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea, and we recognize the diverse academic paths and cultural experiences they bring.
We focus first on strengthening key academic skills—English writing, critical thinking, and communication—then provide targeted preparation for the SAT, ACT, TOEFL, and Advanced Placement (AP) exams.
When students are ready, we guide them through the full college admissions process, including school selection, personal statements, application strategy, and interview coaching. With deep knowledge of U.S. academic expectations, we offer expert, personalized support every step of the way.
Victoria Harbour from Victoria Peak, Hong Kong. Photograph by Diva Wong, Sustainability Logistics (College Intern), 2018.
Language Support
Building Confidence in English While Honoring Cultural Roots
All of our classes are taught in standard American English, with the exception of our Chinese Language and Culture courses. We support students in developing strong skills in English speaking, listening, reading, and writing, no matter their starting level.
Assignments include detailed written feedback in American English to help students improve clarity, structure, and expression. We encourage students to ask questions, take risks, and build confidence in their communication. Language growth is part of the journey—and we’re here to support it every step of the way.
Global Access Across Time Zones
Flexible Scheduling and Clear Communication
Our main office is located in San Francisco, California, and we work with students across multiple time zones. While we do our best to accommodate international schedules, class times depend on availability and advance planning.
Our Customer Service Team responds promptly during business hours, and our instructors reply to student emails in a timely manner. We ask that students ensure reliable internet access, especially when traveling, so we can maintain consistent, high-quality instruction.
Team Building with Students
Building Trust Beyond the Classroom
At Presidio Education®, we believe that strong relationships lead to stronger learning. In addition to preparing students for Advanced Placement (AP) exams and academic success, we create opportunities to connect outside of class.
Whether through community service projects, casual basketball games, or team lunches, we get to know our students as people—not just as test-takers. We take the time to understand their goals, interests, and personalities, and we value the trust that grows through these shared experiences.
Wayne Man, Presidio Education® Math & Social Science Teacher, with AP students, Bobby Li and Daniel Shi, at Lung Kwu Tan, Tuen Mun, Hong Kong for a Beach Cleanup. Source: Presidio Education® 2021.
Community Service with Students
Learning Leadership Through Giving Back
At Presidio Education®, we actively involve students in community service projects that build character, teamwork, and leadership. These experiences are part of our broader educational mission and reflect our commitment to social responsibility.
We invite students to join faculty and staff in meaningful volunteer work, both locally and abroad. For example, in April 2021, students Bobby Li and Daniel Shi participated in a beach cleanup in Hong Kong with teacher Wayne Man, an initiative featured on our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) page.
To read more about this experience from a student’s perspective, visit Bobby Li’s article, Beach Cleanup in Hong Kong.
Wayne Man, Presidio Education® Math & Social Science Teacher, with an AP student, Bobby Li, picking up trash at Lung Kwu Tan, Tuen Mun, Hong Kong. Source: Presidio Education® 2021.
Success Story: Hong Kong Student Achieves Top AP Scores
From Excellent Grades to Perfect AP Scores
We proudly highlight the achievements of Lawrence Kan, a graduate of the Class of 2022 from Hong Kong. Under the guidance of our expert faculty, Lawrence earned perfect grades in his high school courses and achieved perfect scores on the AP Microeconomics and AP Macroeconomics exams.
Through targeted, personalized instruction, Lawrence mastered both the course material and the strategies necessary to succeed on the exams. To learn more about his journey, read Lawrence’s articles, Earn Perfect AP Micro Grades and AP Score and Earn Perfect AP Macro Grades and AP Score, where he details how our teachers helped him earn AP 5 scores.
Lawrence’s dedication to academic excellence reflects his ambition to attend a top U.S. university. His hard work and focus continue to inspire the students we support.
Mastering English and Humanities: A Three-Year Journey to Academic Excellence
When I started high school, humanities and English were considered my weakest subjects and I never liked them. This has resulted in a lack of motivation to do any English-related hobbies such as reading or writing. However, Ryan’s intensive training in humanities and English-related subjects has given me a great leap of opportunity to improve my writing, and humanities and English-related subjects. Consequently, I have become stronger and even more skilled than other peers at school. In Semester 1 of Humanities in Action in freshman year, I struggled with many assignments relating to writing essays and creating structural analysis. This resulted in me earning mostly C and B grades for my assignments. With Ryan’s critical feedback on my analysis and assignment organization, such as for the Freshman Research Paper (FRP), I attained high grades in Semester 2. I ended up earning an A- for my 9th grade humanities class.
For my sophomore and junior years, Ryan consistently gave me strong feedback for not only writing assignments such as the Sophomore Research Paper (SRP), Gatsby Emulation, and Junior Literature Paper, but he also gave me feedback for my speaking projects, such as historical analytical presentations and shared inquiries. Despite speaking being my strength, Ryan taught me how to present my ideas in class more analytically and elaborately so that my arguments are well established and convincing. While I ended up earning an A for my 10th grade humanities class, I also ended up earning an A for my 11th grade English class.
Moreover, whenever I had questions out of class, Ryan was willing to email back suggestions and feedback so that I could finish my work before assignment deadlines. Overall, my three years’ worth of training with Ryan have proven effective as I have attained higher grades for English and humanities subjects every year, and find more interest in the books I read and study.
From Struggling with AP Macroeconomics to Scoring a Perfect 5
Advanced Placement (AP) Macroeconomics (commonly referred to as “AP Macro”) was a subject I was particularly worried about in Semester 2 of my 11th grade high school class despite my strong performance in AP Microeconomics in Semester 1. Some of the concepts I really worried about for AP Macro were government intervention in the market and the multiple components of the money market. However, with Wayne’s training, I progressed much faster and attained much higher grades in AP Macro than AP Micro.
Some aspects of Wayne’s training that really helped included reviewing my written notes, providing over 500 Section 1 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) that were harder than the AP Macro standard questions, and going through Section 2 free-response questions (FRQs) for units I particularly struggled in. Not only was Wayne resourceful throughout the training, he was also effective in identifying my weaknesses and attempting to improve them. For example, when I struggled with the T-chart in Unit 3: Financial Sector, Wayne would always pull up his drawing of a T-chart and offer relatable and fun examples to make the experience of learning more interactive.
Such training helped me to retain most of my skills throughout the year, allowing me to attain straight A grades in my AP Macro high school class. I also earned a perfect AP 5 score on the May 2021 AP Macro exam.
—Lawrence
High School Class of 2022
Spotlight on Our Hong Kong College Interns
Real Stories, Real Impact
In 2018, we welcomed Isaac Ng (Data Analytics) and Diva Wong (Logistics) to the Presidio Education® College Internship Program. Both students, originally raised in Hong Kong, joined our Sustainability Team and made lasting contributions throughout their internship.
As part of their project work, Isaac and Diva explored their home city and captured original photographs, which now appear on this page. These images highlight Hong Kong’s energy and environment while representing the international school communities many of our students attend.
We are grateful to Isaac and Diva for their creativity, initiative, and dedication—and we are proud of what they have accomplished since their time at Presidio Education®.
Presidio Education® College Interns Isaac Ng, Sustainability Data Analytics, and Diva Wong, Sustainability Logistics, in front of Yew Chung International School (YCIS), Hong Kong. Presidio Education®, 2018.
Hong Kong International School (HKIS), Hong Kong. Photograph by Social Science Teacher Kenley Lou, 2018.