In an effort to empower Sri Lankan students with the opportunity to obtain world-class higher education opportunities, The Blackboard Project is a homegrown initiative which strives to do just that. With a special focus on Ivy League and Russel Group universities, The Blackboard Project for several years has been doing all the required groundwork to pave the way for Sri Lanka’s top minds to walk through the hallways of the world’s most prestigious universities and is now fully geared up to accelerate.

Drawing on extensive student and education consultancy experience, the entire team at the The Blackboard Project works together to set in motion a unique programme which brings past Ivy League university students and admissions officers together with keen students in interactive webinars and live sessions.

These all important informative sessions empower Sri Lanka’s young minds to understand the complexities of entering such prestigious universities, backed with the guidance of one of their fellow countrymen who has experienced the same. The Blackboard Project understands that more than 600,000 applicants apply to Ivy league and the top 4 Russell Group Universities annually but only 25,000 students get the opportunity to study at these institutions. Expert minds which make up the team have observed and learned through direct experience in years of consultancy that, if a student seeks to secure one of these coveted seats, it often takes a lot of hard work, dedication and deliberate planning. Speaking on the same, Chief Executive Officer of The Blackboard Project Raees Ul Haq notes that while there isn’t a set formula or a guaranteed way to gain acceptance into these schools, there are strategic ways to minimize the admissions odds. “In the past, being a well-rounded college applicant was considered the best admissions strategy. Good grades, great SAT, ACT and IELTS scores, a range of extracurricular activities, being unique and specially skilled in comparison to other applicants, and the likes, would be sufficient. While this still holds true to a large degree, there are charges that have transpired as well. This is where the The Blackboard Project team is going to play a key role in educating Sri Lankan students who are seeking to gain admission, facilitating access to direct knowledge and experiences of Sri Lanka students just like themselves, who have already graduated from these prestigious Universities and traversed the Ivy League path,” he said. One of the unique aspects of The Blackboard Project is that it relies on real graduates to join hands with them to educate the new brigade of young Sri Lankan minds on achieving their educational goals. Therefore, all those who have graduated from such universities are encouraged to reach out to The Blackboard Project to work together on this endeavor. “Your stories, experiences, and input will allow such aspiring students to understand what it truly is like and help them set off on their own journey towards receiving an education and life lessons that will hold them in good stead for the rest of their lives,” the CEO of the company further added.