Fall 2012 University Newsletter

Fall 2012 Parent Newsletter From Your University Counselors

The college process for our Year 13 students is now in full swing. While the primary purpose of this newsletter is to give Year 13 parents an update on where students are in the process and what to expect in the coming weeks, we sincerely hope that our other parents find useful information here as well; in fact, we hope thereʼs a little here for everyone.

That said, weʻre also acutely aware of the fact that no newsletter can possibly convey all there is to know about the university application process. PLEASE feel free to contact your university counselor with your questions or concerns.

Appointments can be made by contacting our fabulous admin assistant, Ms Brankie Wong at:[email protected]

Finally, if you have suggestions as to what we might include in our upcoming winter newsletter, please let us know.

Your CIS University CounselorsSow Fun Dawson - [email protected] Mansueto - [email protected] Marier – [email protected]

Whatʼs inside

• Whatʼs new with the University Counseling Program this year? Page 2

• What are the goals of our University Counseling Program? Page 2 • Year 11, 12 and 13 Parents: whatʼs happening this year with regard to the

college admission process? Page 3 • Reminders/tips for parents of students applying to the US, UK, HK, Canada,

Singapore, et al. Page 5 • Parents who have “been there and done that” share what they wish they had

known before their college process started. Page 8 • Beyond prestige: how to tell if a student has REALLY researched a prospective

school. Page 9 • Which colleges/universities are visiting CIS in the near future? Page 11 • Managing your stress. Page 13

CIS University Counselor

Whatʼs new with the university counseling program this year?Marc Marier joins the CIS University Counseling team this fall with over three decades of experience in education as a teacher and counselor. He comes to us from the American School of Dubai where he worked as a school counselor for six years. Previous to his international experience, Marc worked as a school counselor and English teacher in his home state of Maine. Marcʼs wife Lori is also a teacher, and daughter Juliette entered Year 7 here at CIS this fall.

The addition of a new counselor means that we can now provide more support to our students and our parents. In fact, among our departmental goals this year is the expansion of our communication with parents and addressing the issue of stress and anxiety around the college process with students and parents. This newsletter represents a first step in meeting those goals.

What are the goals of the university counseling program at CIS?In general, the work of university counselors is guided by three important goals:

• First, we encourage students to base their university choices on careful research and an understanding of what they want and need in a quality university experience. University selections are the result of a process which begins in Year 10 under the guidance of our career counselor, Catherine Irvine where students begin to consider such factors as their strengths, weaknesses, skills, abilities, learning styles, aspirations, etc. In other words, weʼre working with students to help them go beyond “brand-name” shopping to find appropriate institutions that will best meet their needs…. ie, colleges and universities that “fit”.

• Secondly, we work to assure that application components reflect a thorough, thoughtful, and timely approach to their completion.

• Finally, we want our students to learn about themselves in this process. In addition to learning what they need and want in a university, we want this process to be a foundational experience where they learn that they can make complex and weighty decisions while reaching out appropriately for assistance to assure an informed and healthy process.

Students have been assigned to a specific university counselor based on a variety of factors. Recognizing that each university counselor has particular areas of expertise, we work cooperatively to assure that the needs of each student are met. The reality is that while your son/daughter is assigned to one counselor, behind the scenes, he/she is reaping the benefits of our shared expertise.

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University Counselors Update for Year 11 ParentsThe typical Year 11 parent will come to our office and ask: “What should I be doing this year to move my son/daughter along in this process? Should they be researching schools, taking SATʼs? I keep hoping Iʼm not missing anything.”

In the broadest terms, we want our year 11 students to be focusing on their academic studies, improving their study skills, understanding areas of interest through their courses and extra-curricular activities. We also want them to fully engage in the career exploration work that they will be completing this year. This is an important step in helping students determine areas of strength and interest as well as coming to a better understanding of the types of programs, majors or schools best suited to their needs. Career exploration also helps students focus on making informed choices for IB courses in Years 12 and 13.

While itʼs certainly appropriate for Year 11ʼs to become familiar with the application process of particular countries and to perhaps explore particular universities, itʼs developmentally inappropriate to make students feel that they HAVE to choose a particular career, program or school at this stage.

We also feel that it is developmentally inappropriate for students to be preparing for the SAT much less completing an SAT in Year 11. The PSAT, which year 12 students can complete in the fall, is ample preparation for upcoming standardized testing.

We also encourage our Year 11students to meet with the many college/university representatives visiting CIS, to ask questions and begin to understand how varied university experiences can be.

Please remember that your university counselors are here for parents as well as students. While most of our work understandably focuses on Year 13ʼs and 12ʼs, itʼs important that you understand the application process and feel that your questions are being answered and your concerns are being addressed when they arise.

And for Year 12 Students?For Year 12 students, academic expectations and workloads increase, so we need to be careful not to overburden them with an untimely amount of information and stress regarding the college search and application process. Colleges will typically be paying closer attention to academic performance during this year, another reason why student focus needs to be on academics, especially initially as they settle into their more demanding courses and workloads.

The formal part of the college process for Year 12 students begins in earnest after first term. Around Chinese New Year, university counselors will be conducting an evening meeting for all Year 12 students and parents during which the college search and application process will be outlined in greater detail. Individual meetings with each Year 12 students will be held in order to understand individual student interests, to assist each student in researching schools and to help each better define what he/she wants and needs in a quality university experience. Throughout the spring term, simultaneous with individual meetings, university counselors will also be conducting group meetings focusing on various aspects of the college process.

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During this spring term, counselors will also help Year 12 students formulate a plan for completing SAT/ACT exams (if necessary). Year 12 students will write an initial essay or personal statement. We will also discuss the option of formulating plans for visiting universities over the summer.

Your university counselors will never tire of saying that we are available to meet with any parent or student who has questions and concerns with any aspect of the college process. Please feel free to avail yourself of our services!

What are the Year 13 students up to at this point?Most Year 13 students are currently in the process of researching schools, refining their prospective lists, requesting teacher recommendations (if needed) and writing and revising essays and personal statements (again, if needed). Generally, most of our students have seen their counselor by this time, but if your Year 13 has yet to come in, please encourage him/her to make an appointment as soon as possible.

University counselors meet with their Year 13 students on an “as needed” basis throughout the school year to assist them with any of the application components. As previously discussed, we focus on helping students understand and research college options as well as complete quality application components in a timely and healthy manner. Additionally, we have already held two large group meetings with seniors and we held a very successful Mock Admission session with visiting university representatives so that students would better understand how the admission process works at competitive US based colleges/universities.

Regarding student appointments, our university counseling office is a beehive. When we set aside time for a student who is a no-show, it unnecessarily displaces another student who needed to see us. Please stress with your son/daughter that appointments with university counselors need to be honored.

What can parents do to help their precious cargo through this college process?University counselors are often asked by parents: how much of this should I be taking on, and how much do I leave to my child? The answer to these questions depends in large part on the studentʼs research and organizational skills, ability to meet deadlines as well as handle the stresses of this application process while balancing school and extra-curricular activities in a healthy manner. Thereʼs no question that they have a lot on their plates.

It is the rare teenager who retains a mature and balanced perspective throughout this process. The typical teenager will experience highs as well as lows at various stages. Problems typically arise when there are hidden agendas, expectations are unmet, and the college process becomes an ongoing tug-of-war between parent and student. Clarifying expectations and setting mutually agreed upon times to review where the student is in this process eliminates the need for constant checking (students might call this nagging!) and gives the teenager space to navigate his/her way successfully.

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A conversation with your child and the university counselor can also help clarify roles and expectations. Generally, we encourage our students to take charge of this process in an organized, thoughtful and healthy manner and to confront expectations pro-actively.

We meet with parents frequently throughout Year 13 so PLEASE feel free to take advantage of our services if you have any particular questions or concerns. We canʼt overemphasize the fact that we are here for parents as well as students. Reaching out is a good thing!

How else will university counselors support Year 13 parents?Please read our emails and upcoming newsletters. AND stay tuned for word on upcoming Year 13 parent workshops. The first, tentatively scheduled for the new year, will discuss what Year 13 parents can do to prepare their kids (and themselves!) for the upcoming transition to college. In May, weʼll be holding an additional session which will help parents understand the nuts and bolts of sending off a child to college, visas, what to purchase, etc. Additionally, look for our winter, spring and summer newsletter editions.

The following offers a country-specific overview of where Year 13ʼs are in their college process.

Applying to the US?

If your son/daughter is considering an Early Action (EA) or Early Decision (ED) application, university deadlines are generally November 1st. Teacher recommendations must be requested by this point, and students should be drafting and revising the essay(s) and necessary supplements. They should also have a firm understanding of what their application entails with regard to ACT, SAT Reasoning and Subject Tests.

A general word about ED applications: students should only be applying Early Decision if they are wholeheartedly committed to attending that special school should they be accepted. Unfortunately, students will sometimes apply ED thinking they can enhance their chances of gaining admission without carefully considering if the school is right for them. Applying ED in order to “game the system” is strongly discouraged as an ED acceptance is binding. EA offers a more flexible approach since it is non-binding.

For regular decision US applicants, there is obviously more time for students to research and select universities and prepare application documents, as these are typically not due until the new year. But students need to be aware of regular decision application deadlines at specific schools of interest. We recommend that students formulate a timeline (including university deadlines and application requirements) to help them manage the application process in a timely and reasonable manner. US applicants should also understand SAT/ACT requirements for prospective schools and have a plan for their completion. Now is the perfect time for students to request teacher recommendations if they have not already done so. Specialized programs may accept more than two teacher letters of

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recommendation, but most US universities will only accept two. Students should consult with their university counselor if theyʼre unsure whom to ask for a teacher recommendation letter.

Applying to the UK?

At this time, all UK applicants should be completing their 650 word (4000 characters with space) UCAS personal statement and completing research on their chosen universities.

The university research component is extremely important for two reasons: first, students need to understand that UK universities can differ significantly in terms of housing, population, admissibility, location, etc. Secondly, students also tend to overlook the fact that individual university programs can differ significantly in terms of requirements, courses, and expectations.

Having a thorough understanding of the program students plan to enroll in will also pay benefits in the writing of the personal statement. UK admissions tutors see the personal statement as a means of verifying the studentʼs enthusiasm for a particular program and as a gauge for measuring if the student understands what the program entails. This canʼt be accomplished without research.

Oxbridge (Cambridge and Oxford), Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science applicants should be finalizing their UCAS statements and their university choices. All Oxbridge admissions written tests (Thinking Skills Assessment, Biomedical Admissions etc.) will be registered by Mrs. Dawson. The registration for UKCAT or LNAT is the responsibility of your child. Our internal deadline for completion of applications is 27th September.

Prospective Law applicants should be mindful about when to take the LNAT (www.lnat.ac.uk). Our recommended internal deadline for completion of UCAS application is 31st October 2012. While the UCAS official deadline is 15th January 2013 we strongly advise your child to apply early. Your child will be advised appropriately if they need to submit the UCAS application ʻlateʼ (late November/early December).

Applying to HK?

Application to the Hong Kong universities is completed via direct entry application rather than through the Joint University Programmes Admissions System scheme (JUPAS) designed for local students. All universities now have on-line applications for non-jupas applicants. It is the responsibility of your son/daughter to lodge his/her application to meet deadlines ranging from the middle of November to late February. We recommend that HK applicants become very familiar with application deadlines and requirements for individual HK universities.

All non-jupas applicants are required to write a personal statement on what they want to study and why. If your son/daughter has written one for the UK and s/he is still applying for the same undergraduate programme, it is efficient to recycle the UCAS statement but adapt it slightly. It might be helpful to give a couple of reasons about why s/he want to study in Hong Kong.

Additionally, the CIS University Counseling Office has arranged for CUHK, HKUST and HKU to give a formal presentation to interested students on Wednesday 10th October at 3:15 pm. Both HKU and

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CUHK have agreed to continue their early application rounds. The full details have yet to be published on their websites.

We highly recommend that students complete their HK applications on or before 14th December. Please note that HK universities do not require IB applicants to submit their standardized test scores (SAT or ACT with Writing). If your child indicates his/her SAT test scores on the online application(s) the test scores MUST be submitted directly via the College Board.

Applying to Canada?

With the exception of institutions located in the province of Ontario (such as University of Toronto), all applications to Canadian universities are completed on-line via individual university websites. For Ontario applicants, an electronic application is completed via the OUAC website (www.ouac.ca). We recommend that your son/daughter complete his/her Canadian applications by the 14th of December. (Deadlines: McGill U – 15th Jan ʼ13, others vary from 15th Jan – 1st June ʻ13). Canadian citizens and/or permanent residents of Canada must provide us with a good photocopy of their Canadian passport or landed paper to be submitted along with the academic credentials.

Applying to Singapore?

Application to the three local universities in Singapore is direct. Each university sets its own admissions requirements and procedures. The application period also varies slightly (October 2012 – late March/early April 2013). Below are the three public funded university websites.

National University of Singapore (NUS) Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Singapore Management University (SMU)

Applicants serving the compulsory National Service (NS) for the Republic of Singapore can apply for admission first.  Those who gain admission will have the places reserved for them until they complete their NS.

If your son/daughter is interested in applying to other countries that are not mentioned above, please feel free to contact us for specific admission procedures and deadlines.

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Why wait for the 2nd child to get this process right? Learn from the experts: what parents tell counselors they wish they had known

No parent can go through this process armed with perfect knowledge, judgment and balance. But we can learn from those millions of intrepid souls who have experienced it and survived! Below is a sampling of what parents typically tell university counselors after theyʼve been through the college process for the first time.

“Unfortunately, we assumed our son knew that we only wanted him to attend a college where he would be successful and happy, rather than a name college where he might be unhappy while we basked in the glow of its reputation.”

“We did not understand that the great majority of (US) private colleges provide greater amounts of private aid than their public counterparts. Donʼt be swayed by the sticker price. Many US unis offer scholarship grants regardless of the parentsʼ financial circumstances. If you donʼt ask, you wonʼt know.”

“We didnʼt realize that college admission officers want parents to participate in campus tours and information sessions.”

“For our daughter, we didnʼt have to be ʻtigerʼ parents for this process to be successful. For our son, it was a somewhat different story.”

“We didnʼt understand early action and early decision application plans and how they can affect the application and admission process.”

“We just assumed our daughter would only get into a prestigious graduate school if she attended the most prestigious undergrad program. Whatʼs true of high schools is also true of colleges: doing well in challenging courses is what gets you to the next level.”

“We never realized how much other parents could wind us up! As with our son, we had to establish boundaries with our friends so that this didnʼt become a 24/7 obsession. We even instituted “no college talk” dinner parties!”

“We eliminated a number of good-fit prospective colleges because our sonʼs test scores didnʼt exactly match the average score in the guidebooks. We now know that strong grades in challenging courses along with special talents carry more weight in this process than SAT scores.”

“We thought numbers (GPA and SAT scores) were the critical determiner of admissibility. We didnʼt have a clue what ʻholisticʼ application evaluation meant.”

“We always thought that a student had to be ʻroundedʼ and participate in lots of different activities and sports. We didnʼt realize that colleges are looking for “pointy” kids, students who show sincere dedication to a couple of activities and assume some leadership roles. We also learned that itʼs the rare athlete who gets into college on the basis of his/her athletic achievements.”

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“We pushed our son too hard and controlled too much of the admissions process. He could have benefitted in so many ways had we given him more responsibility.”

“Initially, we didnʼt realize the importance of formulating a balanced list of well-researched schools. Reach schools tend to get all of the attention and generate a lot of the angst.”

Researching Universities

Your university counselors encourage students to “look behind the label” and comparison shop. The more deeply they delve, the more they realize that colleges/universities differ from each other in sometimes subtle and often profound ways. This is hardly a comprehensive list of all the factors to consider, but these would be some of the more obvious and critical components we want our students to research when firming up their prospective lists.

We caution parents to avoid using this as a quiz or yardstick where the student needs to score all 4ʼs by a particular date. We see this more as a tool to help parents guide discussion. Typically, students havenʼt thought very deeply about these questions prior to Year 13, so donʼt be surprised if what they say on Monday changes dramatically by the following Tuesday. Remember that 17 year-olds are still very much trying to understand whatʼs right for them. Patiently helping them find THEIR answers is the wisest approach.

We are also aware of the fact that students love to lavish research time on their dream schools, and are often reluctant to apply the same attentiveness to schools in which they have less interest. While itʼs normal to find some schools more attractive than others, help them understand that all of the schools on their list are equally important and deserving of their best research skills.

Finally, we understand that the criteria listed below have more applicability to the US than UK universities as there are considerably more schools in the US and, therefore, a wider range of options to weigh and research.

How to tell if youʼve researched a university well.Rate how well youʼve researched the following for the schools on your prospective list:1 = Never considered researching this2 = Not sure where to find information on this 3 = Iʼve looked into this for some schools4 = I have a solid knowledge of this factor for each of my prospective schools.

I can pinpoint the location of my school on a map. I know where it is in relation to large cities and closest airport. I understand travel time and logistics to and from the school. I understand what the weather will typically entail.

I understand the social scene of each school, what kids do for entertainment, what they do when theyʼre not studying.

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Iʼve researched the programs that my prospective schools offer in areas of interest. Iʼve looked at course offerings and understand course and core requirements for each school.

I am honest in assessing my compatibility for each school on my prospective list. I realize that no school is a perfect match, and I can identify aspects of each school that might not be perfect for me.

I understand what each school on my prospective list offers in terms of student support services including freshman orientation, academic support, career counseling and placement.

For each of my prospective schools, Iʼve researched professor accessibility, teacher-student ratios, and the institutional educational philosophy. Iʼve researched what students have to say about the overall quality of the educational experience and the quality of individual programs.

I understand what each of my prospective schools offers in terms of extra-curricular activities and organizations as well as which ones I might be interested in joining. If service or study abroad programs are important to me, I know what each university offers.

Iʼve researched the schoolʼs compatibility for international students as well as their programs for successfully integrating them into campus life.

I understand what each of my prospective schools offers in terms of extra-curricular activities and organizations as well as which ones I might be interested in joining. If service or study abroad programs are important to me, I know what each university offers.

Iʼve researched the schoolʼs compatibility for international students as well as their programs for successfully integrating them into campus life.

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Whoʼs coming to CIS? Where do I access the university counseling calendar?

See the list of universities visiting CIS in October and November. We strongly encourage parents to attend meetings of interest.

Please remember that you can access the calendar of visiting colleges/universities on the Moongate Calendar. Moongate is also your resource for checking our university planning calendar.

DATE UNIVERSITY

Wednesday, October 3 (lunch)

Mount Holyoke College & NYU Shanghai

Monday, October 8 (break)

University of Sydney

Wednesday, October 109:40 – 11:00 am

Dean of York University speaking to Yr 12 VA students Topic: Studying Visual Arts at University

Thursday, October 11 (break)

York, Carleton, Trent, Dalhousie, Calgary & Western

Sunday, October 14

Auditions:Boston School of Music, Boston UniversityManhattan School of MusicIthaca School of Music, Ithaca CollegeOberlin College Conservatory, Oberlin CollegePeabody Conservatory, Johns Hopkins UniversityAppointment: Jo FaulmannEmail: [email protected]

Monday, October 15 (break)

University of Virginia

Monday, October 15 (lunch)

Cornell, Hong Kong University, IE, Bocconi and Jacobs

Wednesday, October 17 (break)

Bentley University

Wednesday, October 17 (lunch)

Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne, Gilon & Les Roches

Thursday, October 18 (break)

Franklin College Switzerland

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DATE UNIVERSITY

Thursday, October 18 (lunch)

Pomona & Hong Kong University (Medicine)

Monday, October 29 (lunch)

University of Southern California & University of Colorado Boulder (tbc)

Wednesday, October 31 (break)

Quest University

Friday, November 2 (lunch)

McGill University

Monday, November 12 (lunch)

Queenʼs University

Thursday, November 22 (lunch)

University of Toronto

Friday, November 30 (lunch)

International Christian University(Tokyo)Sophia University(Tokyo)Waseda University(Tokyo)

Friday, November 306:30 – 7:30 pm

Japanese universities information session:SILS, Waseda University International Christian University(Tokyo)Sophia University(Tokyo)Waseda University(Tokyo)*brochures : Akita International University(Akita) and Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University(Kyushu)

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A final word… Year 13 Parents and STRESS

The eminent school psychologist Michael Thompson recently said to our CIS community, the final high school year is an important turning point in the lives of our Year 13ʼs as well as their parents.

Another wise man said that in every challenge, there is opportunity.

While some measure of stress is undeniably a component of the college process for most parents, it doesnʼt need to dominate the final year of high school. It may be helpful to think of this year as part of your own growing process as a person and as a parent.

In our experience, parents who work at improving their communication skills while enhancing their coping skills are the parents who come through this process best. Try to remember that 90% of effective communicating is listening. Fully engaged, empathic listening is the most powerful tool parents possess.

Additionally, we can all learn to enhance our coping skills which oftentimes entails taking simple steps to take care of ourselves. Try to be open to exploring new coping mechanisms. Maybe now is the time to take that yoga class youʼve been putting off. Perhaps something as simple as the occasional after dinner stroll can make an incremental difference in your stress level and overall health.

Believe it or not, but you are still the major role model in your childʼs busy life. We encourage you to view this coming year as an opportunity to model the communication and coping skills you want your child to take with him/her to college.

A final note: teenagers are a lot of fun! Their energy, zest for life and resilience are contagious. Catch the bug!!

Best wishes to all of our CIS parents for a successful and healthy year.

For in-depth reading on stress of all kinds and successful coping mechanisms, we recommend the following website:

http://www.google.com.hk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=LdZHWxB_V3IC&oi=fnd&pg=PR6&dq=Managing+parental+college+stress&ots=oWzGn5c5UP&sig=S3mI9Scze7BdnK667xCunATHaHU&redir_esc=y - v=onepage&q=Managing parental college stress&f=false

“Two peoples separated by a common language.” George Bernard Shaw

The careful reader may have noticed that this newsletter employs both US and UK spellings depending upon the contributor. The word “program,” for example, is spelled “programme” in some instances. The word “counselor” will have one ʻlʼ in the US version and two in the British form. You may have also noticed an occasional US or UK slant in word choice or phrasing.

Usage is not always an indicator of favoritism… or is that spelled favouritism?

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