Our Founders
Rabih Aridi
“Part of what we do is mentoring students by setting them on a path of growth be it personal or academic. It is intrinsically rewarding when I see them so happy at their college or with their careers.”
As a certified College Counselor (UCLA), Rabih has been living in the U.S. for more than 40 years. He studied in the UK and the U.S. (Engineering, Philosophy and Management). His passion has always been Education. He has been counseling international and U.S.-based students bound for the U.S., UK and Canada for the past 20 years. Rabih has served on several boards, including Amnesty International, Human Rights USA and Center for the Victims of Torture. He has been and always will be devoted to helping others obtain the best education possible. Rabih believes that effective counseling requires an understanding of cultural differences within the global community. He is particularly sensitive to the challenges students from different backgrounds face and helps them to better address their needs throughout the application process. He strives to bridge the educational gap students may have to improve their odds of success in college and in their career. Rabih resides in Los Angeles with his wife Nada and two daughters.
Nada Maher Aridi
“What I love about my job is the close connections I have the privilege of making with my students. They become our kids and we take care of them like our own.”
Nada was born in Lebanon, grew up in Saudi Arabia and moved to the U.S. when she was 13. She studied Art History at Georgetown University. She’s fluent in English, Arabic, proficient in French and Spanish, with knowledge of basic Italian. Nada worked in Advertising in New York City for 11 years, mostly for Ogilvy at the flagship office as Partner, Management Supervisor on IBM Worldwide and co-head of the Ogilvy Account Management Training Program for two years. Nada has been counseling international students since 2005. She is a passionate mentor and specializes in application and essay coaching, and interview prepping. She believes the most powerful personal statements are those that speak authentically while revealing how the student’s mind works. She was a member of Georgetown’s Alumni Admissions Program for 8 years, interviewing candidates and writing recommendation reports. In her free time, Nada loves to play tennis and paint. She currently resides in LA with her husband Rabih, two daughters and pup Poppy.
I have known Rabih personally for many years. I consulted with him for both my undergraduate and graduate admissions processes. I was always impressed by his encyclopedic knowledge of colleges and universities, and as a result I was able to understand the strengths and weaknesses, pros and cons, of so many programs across the country in my field. I believe he would be a valuable resource for anyone regardless of his or her stage in pursuing higher education.
Omar W. MA (Political Science)
Harvard UniversityRabih does an excellent job of listening, creating a plan and bringing that plan to fruition in the real world. He has the experience necessary not only to help you get to the program you want to be in but also plays a wicked smart devil's advocate and in doing so assures you of your own path. He has helped me continuously grow along my journey.
Daniel N. (Astrophysics)
UC BerkeleyGuiding my hand with unceasing dedication, passion and encouragement, Nada & Rabih truly made the application process more organized, simpler and easier. Whether it be reviewing my personal statement or putting together a college list, they were there every step of the way.
Michael T
(High School Graduating Senior)CCI has helped me all throughout my academic career, from tailoring essay, to giving me advice during my degree. I felt heard and supported through the application process and when voicing my concerns. Rabih and Nada’s help has been invaluable. All their suggestions and changes made my essays stronger and were greatly tailored to the programs I was applying to. He made the process easier and significantly clearer.
Aida A. (Ph.D candidate - Environmental Science)
Imperial College LondonRabih pointed me in the exact direction I needed specifically when I needed it. Rabih introduced me to the Southern California Institute of Architecture, (SCI-Arc) a totally unconventional university and a school that I could only dream of attending. He shaped me and my application in such detail and without him I wouldn’t have felt like a strong candidate for this university. Rabih is a true scholar and professional, he is very critical and pays extreme attentional to detail and because of that I am very grateful. I guarantee that no matter what you choose to study Rabih has got your back.
Nader N. (BA - Architecture)
Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-ARC)The college application process can be pretty overwhelming. Under The guidance of CCI, I was able to organize and approach each aspect more effectively.
Tian H. (Mathematics)
University of TorontoWith CCI’s mentorship, I was able to portray myself in an exciting and truthful manner. Their advice does not only pertain to the college application process, but also allowed me to evaluate my own strengths and career goals.
Nicholas K. (Engineering)
Duke UniversityCCI was instrumental in helping me polish the essays that I used when applying to Georgetown and U Chicago. I truly believe the message I was trying to get across was clarified and made more powerful using their suggestions. They are friendly, professional, and unbelievably canny when it comes to knowing what admissions officers are looking for. I was accepted early to Georgetown and Chicago.
Najib W. (BS Physics)
(Georgetown University)Nada invested hours in helping me learn how to effectively tell my story, and helped me dig deep to find what qualities and skills I had that I needed to develop and describe in both my undergraduate and law school application journeys. I truly have CCI to thank for helping me get this far.