A clear path from high school in Shanghai to the right university.
Westbridge offers hands-on, white-glove college counseling for high school students and their families in Shanghai, from choosing courses in Grade 9 to deciding between offers in Grade 12. Founded by Warren Lavender, an international educator of nearly 30 years and author of The Prestige Trap.
The right question is more interesting than “Where can I get in?”
It begins with understanding who a student is, how they learn, what environments help them thrive, and which opportunities are worth pursuing. From there, a college list becomes a set of considered choices, not a collection of names.
How we workWarren Lavender, founder
Nearly 30 years
in international education, working with students and families in China, Japan, Korea, the United Arab Emirates and the United States.
Warren has spent nearly 30 years working in international education, with experience across China, Japan, Korea, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. His career includes Shanghai American School.
In his writing on college admissions and the pressure of prestige, he asks families to look past status and consider the student’s lived experience. That thoughtful, candid perspective informs the guidance Westbridge aims to offer.
- Countries worked in
- China, Japan, Korea, UAE, United States
- Schools
- Shanghai American School
- Author of
- The Prestige Trap
The book
The Prestige Trap
An Insider’s Reckoning with the College Admissions Obsession
College admissions has taught families to chase the name on the sweatshirt. Warren’s book asks them to look past status and consider the student’s lived experience: the four years a young person will actually spend, and who they will become there.
The argument comes from decades inside international schools, watching capable students shape themselves around rankings and arrive at universities that impressed everyone but suited no one. It is the conviction Westbridge is built on.
- Prestige is a signal, not a fit
- A famous name says a great deal about a university’s reputation and very little about whether a particular student will flourish there.
- The lived experience is the measure
- Teaching style, class size, community and place shape a student’s years far more than a ranking does, so they come first when building a list.
- Looking excellent is not the same as being excellent
- Students are encouraged to pursue work they care about, not to assemble a résumé built for an admissions reader.
What we help with
Every student works directly with Warren, never handed off to a junior team. He keeps a small caseload so he can track each deadline, read every draft and be available to families when questions come up. Support can be full-process or focused on a single part of the application.
Course and activity planning
Choosing IB, AP or A-Level subjects, and building activities around genuine interests rather than a checklist.
Building the college list
A balanced list across the US, UK, Canada, Hong Kong and beyond, matched to the student's academics, goals and budget.
Essays and personal statements
Helping students find what they want to say and say it in their own voice. Students write; we coach.
Applications and deadlines
Common App, UCAS and school-specific portals, early decision strategy, and a calendar the whole family can follow.
Interview preparation
Practice interviews for alumni, admissions and scholarship conversations, with honest feedback.
Decisions and next steps
Comparing offers, financial aid and waitlist responses, and preparing for the move abroad.
How the work unfolds
Students can start at any point. Earlier starts leave more room to explore before decisions narrow.
Get to know the student
Interests, strengths, academic plan and what the family hopes for.
Explore and shape
Testing plan, summer opportunities, campus research and a first draft of the list.
Apply
Essays, recommendations, applications and interviews, on a shared timeline.
Decide
Weighing offers and aid, and preparing for the transition to university.
Visit us in Pudong
Westbridge College Professionals
WeWork Kerry Parkside, 4th Floor
1155 Fangdian Road, Pudong New Area
Shanghai, China
上海市浦东新区芳甸路1155号 浦东嘉里城办公楼4楼 WeWork
- Metro Line 7, Huamu Road station
- Landmark Kerry Parkside, beside the Kerry Hotel and across from Century Park
- Meetings In person or online, by appointment
Book a first meeting
An initial conversation with the student and family to talk through goals, timing and how we might work together.
Message Warren on LinkedIn