To begin, could you introduce us to your school and tell us a little about it?
Vladimir Komarov Tbilisi School of Physics and Mathematics N199, located in Tbilisi, Georgia, is recognised as the country’s leading STEM school, with a 60-year history of academic excellence. Over the past 20 years, its students have earned more than 300 medals, including 40 gold medals, at International Mathematics, Informatics and Physics Olympiads. The school combines an advanced curriculum and expert teaching staff with a wide range of extracurricular activities, while its boarding facilities provide access to high-quality STEM education for talented students from across Georgia. Admission is highly competitive, with successful applicants typically ranking in the top 10% of entrance exam candidates.
Having attended the school and lived in its dormitory for six years, I experienced its strong sense of community first-hand. In 2021, after completing a master’s degree in economics, I returned to Komarovi to lead the dormitory and teach economics, before taking on the leadership of the counselling office two years later.
As the only college counselor in a public school, what has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced, and how has it shaped the way you work?
When I was offered this role at Komarovi in 2023, I had no prior experience working in a counseling office. The biggest challenge for me was to build the counseling pipeline from scratch. Nevertheless, I had to learn fast and simultaneously help my students with their future education.
I started to read as much as I could about admissions systems, career pathways, different types of university models, and country-specific policies. After a while, I knew many details, but lacked firsthand experience and practical insight. I reached out to various international organizations and Komarovi School alumni for their support. I held regular meetings with current students and parents to understand their needs and, step by step, built bridges between all the involved parties.
To better understand students’ needs and provide necessary information without delays, we decided to introduce counseling classes into the standard school curriculum. I developed a syllabus and materials based on my experience. Students and parents were also involved in the process by sharing their comments and suggestions. This way, recurring information moved from repeated individual conversations into a structured curriculum.
Although I am the school’s only college counselor, I do not feel alone. I built an ecosystem where students, parents, and university representatives can exchange information, build relationships, and seek advice at our school. During my first year as a counselor, with the help of all these people, my students continued their studies at MIT, Columbia, Cornell, the University of Pennsylvania, and at other universities across Europe and Asia.
When you’re responsible for so many students how do you decide where to invest your time and energy? What have you learned to say “no” to?
On average, 175 students graduate from Komarovi School, and 75 of these students aim to continue their studies abroad. During 2025-2026 admission cycle, 54 students continued their studies in 16 countries, including the USA, several EU and Middle Eastern countries, and China. Overall, students obtained $3.8 million in merit-based and need-based financial aid from 34 international universities.
I constantly need to prioritize time and effort to lead a college application process this massive. On the one hand, we have students who are winning gold medals at IMO, and on the other, students who are interested in Business Administration and Visual Effects. Those are extremely different directions. To effectively address their needs, I first set internal deadlines and share fill-in documents such as recommendation brag sheets and exercises for choosing the best-fit universities. However, I still have regular office hours where students can book a meeting to discuss their questions.
I tend not to say “no” to meetings with my students and listen to what they have to say. However, I always refuse to decide which major or university will be best for a particular student. I guide the students, but the decision is theirs to make.
Parents often have different expectations from their children – and from counselors. How do you navigate situations where your advice conflicts with a family’s wishes?
When my advice conflicts with a family’s wishes, I listen to their arguments and try to show them the other party’s perspective. To ensure common understanding, I discuss possible education and career paths with each party. I offer extra time for more consideration and book another meeting after several days. This way, students and parents can reconsider their position at home. My practice shows that, more often than not, they find common ground. However, I firmly believe that although parents are an important part of the equation, students’ aspirations should remain central. My role as the counselor is to help them reach an informed decision together.
With limited time for one-on-one counseling, how do you ensure every student still feels supported and has access to quality guidance?
At Komarovi School, every student can book a meeting with me to discuss their future education. I believe that students should feel that their voice is heard and their needs are considered. Any student can approach me even during five-minute breaks to discuss any topic, be it university selection criteria, standardized exam scheduling, or activity planning. On the other hand, I collect their stories and needs and connect one student with another to foster a collaborative spirit. This way, students share information, reducing the amount of time spent explaining technical details. My office cultivates a community where students feel a sense of belonging and where the necessary information and experience flow.
Can you share an example of a creative initiative that had a big impact on students despite limited resources or staffing?
During the typical admissions cycle, we receive tens of guests from around the globe at Komarovi School. I need support to conduct these meetings; presentation devices should be assembled and monitored, and parents and students should be informed. To solve these types of technical problems, I established the Counselor Club, which helped me organize meetings with students, parents, and university representatives.
However, the club soon changed its function, transforming into a knowledge platform. Currently, high school students can join and initially observe the application process. They learn a lot by witnessing these processes firsthand for several geographic destinations and attending university representative meetings. After a year or two, they gain immense experience and help me share knowledge and information with younger students. When I need advice or different insight, I regularly consult with them. To my surprise, students even created a counseling column in the school newspaper where they write about admissions strategies, describe various universities, and interview successful alumni. Counselor Club a school community whose members prepare to study abroad and simultaneously help others on this path.
Being the only counselor can be professionally isolating. How do you continue learning, exchanging ideas, and avoiding burnout?
In our profession, most things change regularly. Admission policies and approaches evolve each year, and one needs to pursue self-development to keep up. Conferences, webinars, professional reading, and university representatives’ expert opinions provide invaluable information to fill in the gaps. I regularly consult with local and international fellow counselors for their professional insights when I encounter country systems where I have limited exposure. Most importantly, I keep relationships with alumni. For Komarovi School, admission is not the endpoint. Our graduates provide detailed information on whether a university or a country matched their expectations and needs. We discuss what the current cohort might consider to obtain better outcomes. Every unusual application, destination, scholarship, rejection, or problem expands my knowledge for the next cohort.
Initially, I believed that I had to know everything and be the source of all information. However, the experience taught me that it is more important to know where to find answers and whom to ask.
If you could change one thing about how public schools approach university counseling, what would it be – and why?
In Georgia, there are no college counselors at most schools. Moreover, Georgia lacks a sufficiently developed counselor workforce. Generally, students transition from schools to universities without adequate guidance regarding the range of career paths and study destinations available to them. Students who make decisions without proper information might shift their majors or drop out of university. We should reevaluate this situation. Schools should consider increasing students’ access to college counselors. This will increase the number of students who are better informed and can choose a career path that aligns with their interests.
Do you have cases of counseling uncooperative students? How did you work with
them?
I love working with my students. They are academically gifted and approach their education with discipline. Sometimes, a student misses a deadline, is absent from our meetings, has an unrealistic university list, or won’t work on essays. I patiently try to diagnose the situation and offer an alternative solution for this student. To assess the situation objectively, I prefer a one-on-one discussion. I teach most of my students, and I can always meet them, even in the hallway, to discuss this matter. Not reproachfully, but with care and interest in their future. For example, a couple of weeks ago, one student missed my essay draft deadline. After my investigation, I realized that he was preparing for IMO and could not find time for counseling assignments. I deemed this reason valid and offered him an extended deadline. Proudly enough, this student won a silver medal at IMO and, a couple of days ago, submitted my assignment too.
Want to learn more about this topic?
Watch a recording of a related Info Session from the SRT 2026 E-Conference for International Educators: MENA and Beyond. The discussion focuses on the theme The Lone Counselor Playbook: Managing Many with One.
About the Author
Shota Katamadze is Head of International Programs and College Counseling at Komarovi Campus School.
