College Counseling

Welcome to the College Counseling page. You will find information, resources, and advice regarding the application process from the College Counseling Team. If you wish to contact us to schedule a meeting please feel free to email us at [email protected]

General University Information

What support do students receive ?

Advice and guidance through the college entrance process聽
Extensive and regular meetings聽
Assistance in completion of support documents such as personal essays and CVs聽
Regular college visits from US, UK, and EU schools聽
Advice regarding summer programs, curricular and co-curricular choices聽
Information and tools to explore career goals and degree programs聽
Well-written and edited recommendations from 吃瓜网51爆料faculty and college counselors

What parents can do to Support their child ?

Discuss potential career paths聽
Research university and degree options with their child聽
Discuss coursework to be taken at school or independently (e.g., online courses or APs)聽
Encourage and support their child in extracurricular involvement, starting as early as middle school聽
Encourage and support their child in securing work placements relevant to their desired field of study聽
Encourage and support their child to apply to an academic or other summer program in 10th and/or 11th grade聽
Track and liaise regularly with the College Counseling Department on the progress their child is making the college application process

Getting ready for college: Expectation

- Discuss course options with parents, teachers and staff聽
- Enroll in courses appropriate to level and interests聽
- Begin to develop an organized running list (with relevant dates) of school and other activities, awards, and experiences that may be relevant to the college application process (e.g., athletics, arts and music, service learning, etc.)
- Acquire and document service learning hours yearly聽
- Undertake career exploration and discuss with college counselors and parents聽
- Create a College Board account聽
- Begin to prepare for the PSAT exam over the summer following Grade 9聽
- Attend summer programs (sports, academic or other) or engage in volunteer work or other work experience over the summer聽
- Research universities, university programs and entry requirements聽
- Ask for references from leaving teachers, if relevant聽
- Begin to prepare for the SAT, SAT Subject Tests, and ACT exams necessary for college applications聽
- Take SAT and/or ACT at least once during the second semester of Grade 11聽
- Take any necessary SAT Subject Tests in May and June of Grade 11聽
- Create Common App, UCAS and other necessary accounts and begin to populate general data

What is the SAT ?

- SAT tests are considered to be measures of college readiness聽
  - - - Tests should be taken starting in the second half of a student鈥檚 junior year聽
      - Students have the opportunity to retake the test to improve scores聽
      - Students can submit scores directly to universities that interest them聽
      - Exemplary test scores can guarantee scholarships聽
- SAT scores are used by some universities in U.S., UK, Canada and Singapore as a partial basis for admitting students聽
- 吃瓜网51爆料is an official testing center for the SAT suite of tests (SAT, SAT with Essay, SAT Subject Tests)聽
- Students take the PSAT in Grade 10 to gain experience taking this type of standardized test聽
- Test preparation materials are available in the library, on the College Board/Khan Academy website

For US Applications

Personal statements should tell a story about what has shaped the student as an individual (family experiences, failures, successes, beliefs, etc.). Students practice personal statement writing during advisory and are also assisted by the School鈥檚 College Office. A well-written statement is of crucial importance during the application process.

For UK Applications

For UK personal statement please read through the following resources (available from UCAS) on how to plan out your essay and what admissions officers seek:

Personal Statement Mindmap

Personal Statement Worksheet

For EU Applications

Most EU schools require a letter of motivation, similar to that required by schools in the UK. This letter should explain why you are choosing that particular university and degree program. It should explain:

- - Who you are and what motivates you.
  - Why you are applying to study at that university.
  - What you find interesting about the program and why.
  - What activities/experiences you have achieved that make you proud.
  - Your future goals/plans.

吃瓜网51爆料