Plan Well, Eat Well, Sleep Well, and Other Things : Checklist of Things for High School Students to Do Over the December Holidays

           December break is just around the corner. We know you’re looking forward to sleeping in, catching up with friends and family, and just all in all having a good time. We would like you to rest and relax; we’d also like to give you a few tips in order to ensure are making effective use of your time. We’ve divided the list up by Grade level. Grade 9 and Grade 10 students will be introduced to more tools through Family Connection in term two.


Grade 9 and Grade 10 Students:

•          Ensure your resume is up-to date.
•         Write! Find your “voice.” Reflect on your experiences so far. Write about a particular  significant event at an activity/in class/on the field/in the canteen.
•         Read! Get caught up on personal reading; spend some time exploring topics you enjoy.
•        Look for summer internship opportunities.
•        Stay involved in service projects/activities/ sports that you are passionate about

Grade 11 Students:

•        Set goals for yourself for next term.
•      Watch a play.
•      Complete the Personality Quiz on Family Connection
•        Complete the Career Profiler on Family Connection
•        Practice your music pieces.
• Prepare for SAT through PrepMe.  You can find this through Family Connection.
•     Explore Courses and Universities on UCAS or Family Connection, or through our Resources tab.
•        Continue to develop your art portfolio.
• Complete the Google Form entitled, “Finding the Right Fit University.”
• Update your resume.
• Come up with a list of 1-3 universities and your reasons why you like them.
• Return to your CAS reflections and add more details to them. These reflections will serve you well when you have to write essays for college applications
• Get caught up on any reading that you need to for your courses or read a book for fun!
• Stay involved in service projects/activities/ sports that you are passionate about
• Research internships for the summer/ summer programmes.
• Have frank conversations with your parents about the decisions you are making. Ensure all constraints (financial, geographical, courses/majors) are all clearly laid out on the table. If you and your parents are on the same/similar page it may make decision-making easier.  Remember you are the one going to university for 3 - 4 years. Also remember your parents are the ones paying for you to go to university for 3 - 4 years.
• Look for the calendar invitation for a one-on-one meeting with your university advisor. Accept the invitation.  Set a reminder for your one-on-one meeting time. If you cannot make the scheduled meeting, please let us know ASAP. The invitations will go out early next week, for meetings scheduled for the first week back.  After that, invitations will go out a week before meetings are scheduled.  

It may appear to be a long list, but most of this can be done within a solid hour or two a day (PrepMe and a conversation as a family will take more time and dedication).  Planning and being organised are essential elements to succeed and will make your life a lot easier as you are thrown back into the throes of classes and activities. So plan well, eat well, sleep well, and have a lovely December break!

Tuition Fees: Home Status and Overseas Student Status

After our presentation to Grade 11 parents on the application process in the UK several questions on tuition fees and the fee structure for International students and domestic students have cropped up.  With this post, we hope to point families to some resources as they start researching universities and the fee structure. Please note that policies and fees change, and at the time of writing this post, the details are correct. We encourage families to peruse individual university websites and also to contact university representatives directly, for clarification and up-to-date information.

Broadly speaking, all country destinations have two categories: International and Domestic. Domestic students are termed as those who hold a passport of that country. So you could be an Australian citizen, having lived in Singapore your entire life, and you are still considered an Australian national for university fees. This is also true for Canada, most European destinations, New Zealand, and the US (in-state tuition for State Universities has an additional category; we will speak with students one-on-one about this).  The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has published an e-book, this has a section on tuition fees policies for OECD countries for 2012.

The education department of the UK Government decides the categories of student fees. There are two broad categories however,  UK/EU known as “home” and Non-EU or “Overseas”.  The fees increase in the UK, for domestic students from £3,000 to £9,000 has everyone talking; even British Intellectuals are discussing the increase in tuition fees.  With the increase, families are more concerned about what category they will fall into.

As mentioned earlier, usually universities look at a student’s passport and citizenship. However, in the UK, a student’s citizenship and residency status are evaluated. If you are an EU passport holder or a UK citizen, you may not instantly be considered “home status.” Usually families have to prove that they pay taxes in the UK or an EU country and have records of this for three years prior to a student enrolling in university. In addition, if you already hold citizenship of an EU country or the UK, and a parent works for a UK or an EU-based company, this will benefit the student’s claim for home status. Finally, if the family is only outside of their home in the EU or the UK (for two years or else), this should be highlighted to gain home status.

However, the classification of “home” fees can be complicated and we recommend that individuals contact specific universities to clear doubts. Families should also visit the UK Council for International Student Affairs website for detailed information on Home status vs. Overseas status

To assess whether someone is viewed as “Home” or “Overseas,” students may be asked some questions and will need to provide some information:

·           Do you have permanent residence in your current country?

·           Give details of countries in which you have lived with the dates.

·           Do you own property / pay taxes / have medical insurance in the UK?

·           Is your father’s / mother’s work contract temporary?

·           Is your father’s / mother’s employer UK / EU based?

Please note that documentary evidence will be required for all claims.

According to Education UK average costs, per year, for International students are:

·         Arts courses: £7,000 to £9,000

·         Science courses:  £7,500 to £22,000

·         Clinical courses: £10,000 to £25,000

 

It is important for families to understand that a university can charge different fees for different courses. It is up to the university to decide what fees it will charge for the courses it offers. However, the Guardian University League Table lists the minimum and maximum tuition fees charged by each university for domestic and International students for the academic year 2012-2013.

The next question may be, is there financial aid available in the UK?  The UK government wants to ensure people are not deterred from enrolling into university because of lack of funds. Bursaries and scholarships are forms of financial help for International and home status students.  Students will have to look at individual universities to see if there are bursaries they are eligible for.

Home status students can also apply for a loan. The Students Loans Company administers all student loans. It manages student loans to EU students from any national UK student finance company. Students must apply to the Student Finance Company that is in the area they are from (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, or Wales).  There’s also information on Student Loan Repayment.

Deciding where to study and what course to enroll in is a difficult task. Add to the mix the complication, for some, on fees category, and the university application process becomes an emotional and financial journey.  We encourage families to find out all information about fees and additional costs (accommodation, transportation, food and so on) as students explore their options. To make it a little less difficult, we ask families to ensure they have open and frank discussions about several factors: location, course of study, and definitely about finances.

Good luck researching university options!

UK or US?

Finding a university that is a good match for you requires not just an understanding of yourself as a person and a learner, but also an understanding of the type of experience that different universities have to offer.  Many of you are considering universities in both the UK and the US.   While both countries have terrific reputations for higher education and are home to some of the most prestigious institutions in the world, the experience of attending university can be quite different in each country.  There are some important distinctions that may make one country a better fit for you than the other, depending on your interests, learning style and aspirations.  Here are some of the key differences between these two university systems.

Commitment to course of study.    In the UK, university applications are subject-specific. This means that when you apply, you must apply to a specific course.  If you are UK-bound, you will need to have a good idea of the direction you would like to head in by the beginning of Grade 12 at the latest.  At US universities, in most cases you will apply for a place at the university, rather than in a specific course, and it is perfectly acceptable to arrive at a university without a clue about what you would like to specialize or “major” in.

Professional and specialized degrees uncommon in US.   The UK allows you to study professional degrees in the first instance, as a Bachelor degree.  Programs such as the Bachelor of Medicine and the Bachelor of Laws are particularly popular.  You will be also surprised by the breadth of offerings in the UK, degrees, with degrees available in specialties as far and wide as Brewing and Distilling, Physiotherapy, Television Production and Puppet-Making.  In contrast, professional and highly specialized degrees are most often offered in the US as Master’s or PhD programs.   It is possible to major in Engineering, Business or Architecture as a US undergraduate, but these programs are not offered at all universities.

Depth vs. Breadth followed by Depth.  In the UK there are generally no distribution or general education requirements.  You will take most of your classes in the area you applied for with a few choices of electives.  As a result, most degrees take only three years to complete, although Scotland requires students to take a wider selection of classes in the first year, and so Scottish degrees take four years.   In the US, Bachelor degrees take four years to obtain; most universities require that students sample courses in a broad range of subjects before specializing or majoring in one subject for the last two years.  This flexibility makes it possible in the US to major in two unrelated subjects, and at some US universities, you can design your own major to suit your particular interests.  While the US liberal arts and sciences approach makes it very easy to change your mind about what you want to study, in the UK it is far less common but still feasible to change your original choice of subject to a related subject.  There are also several combined and dual degrees in the UK that allow study in more than one subject, and liberal arts-type offerings are becoming more available.

Public vs. Private, Large vs. Any Size.  The vast majority of the UK’s over 300 higher education options are government-funded rather than private, and are relatively large institutions, catering to both undergraduates pursuing bachelor’s degrees and graduate students in master’s and PhD programs.   The average size of a UK university is 15,000 students, and after the first year many students live independently off campus in their own accommodation.  While the US has many large, well-reputed state universities, funded by American states, most of the over 4,000 higher education options in the US are privately funded and endowed.   Liberal arts colleges, which focus solely on undergraduate education, are often as small as 1,200 students and offer residential living communities for all four years.

Application Procedures.  Applications to UK universities are processed through a central governmental agency known as UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service).  You can only apply to five universities in the UK, and only to four if you are applying to medicine programs.  You can apply to Oxford or Cambridge, but not both.   Because you will only submit one Personal Statement for UK applications, it makes sense to apply for the same or very similar subjects at each institution so that you can write about your interest and suitability in that area.  Applications to US colleges and universities are processed by the individual institution, although there is a private application consolidator known as the Common Application, which has about 400 members, that makes it easy to apply to many popular universities using a single online application, with individual supplemental essays for specific institutions.

Admission criteria.  Admission in the UK is largely credential-driven, with UCAS publishing minimum IB requirements, and offers of admission are made conditional on attaining IB results that are consistent with predicted grades.  UCAS distinguishes between UK and European Union residents and other international students, and admissions criteria and fees differ for these two groups.  The US has a holistic admissions process and considers a large range of factors above and beyond a student’s academic ability (as evidenced by assessment grades since Grade 9, predicted grades and standardized test scores), including how applicants would enhance the diversity of the student body, what special talents or contributions they would make to a learning community, and in many cases, their ability to pay.

Upcoming presentations to Grade 11 will focus on the special features of the UK and US university systems and the procedures, requirements and timing for applying in each country.  Future presentations will cover other countries popular with UWC students, including Canada, Australia and Singapore.  

Self-Assessment and Career Exploration Tools

Students thinking about university often jump right to “Can I get in?” without spending sufficient time on "What do I want from a university experience?” and "Which kind of university is right for me?"   The first step in identifying which universities would be a good match must start with students themselves.  It is important that students invest some time and energy reflecting on their own interests, learning styles and aspirations as they embark on their university search and application process. Students with a higher degree of self-awareness are better able to determine what criteria would make a college or university a good match for them.  This week Grade 11 students will be meeting with University Advisors to learn about some resources to explore their own interests and potential future careers. Here are some of the online tools we will share.  These resources will be made available to younger high school students over the course of the school year.

FAMILY CONNECTION
Family Connection is the university and career website that is used to manage and track all university applications of UWCSEA students.  It provides a self-discovery assessment called Do What You Are an online questionnaire to help students match themselves to careers and majors or courses of study.   Students can take about 30 – 45 minutes to complete the questionnaire and get immediate feedback.  By clicking on the Explore Careers tab in Family Connection, students can search careers by name or keyword and read detailed profiles of specific careers.  Under Explore Interests, students can complete a Career Interest Profile and identify interests based on Holland Occupation Themes, a system of matching personalities to careers.

CAREERSCAPE
Careerscape is a UK-based careers exploration site where students can learn about many different careers and the courses of study recommended as preparation.  Careerscape includes information on all UCAS Higher Education courses (currently around 50,000). This information is organized by career or by a search facility for keyword, region and type of course.

UCAS
UCAS is the online site students will use when the time comes to apply to universities in the United Kingdom.  Under Course Search, students can see the different kinds of courses of study that are available in the United Kingdom and the increasing variety of joint degree combinations.  Students interested in particular careers can see where in the UK a variety of professional degrees are offered.


We recommend that parents start a conversation with their children about their own career paths and share how their thinking about careers and career preparation has evolved over time.  Many of us are not currently in the career that we initially studied for.  The path to a satisfying and fulfilling career is not usually a straight line, and students will be comforted to know that the decisions they make now about which subject to study or where to enroll in university are not final determinants of their potential for success.

The Importance of Attending University Visits

Living and studying in Singapore have many advantages; to begin with we’re part of a very  multi-cultural community.  Singapore is also a modern, clean, and safe country.  The travel opportunities around Asia and the chances to volunteer in different countries in this region all add to the positives of living in Singapore.  However, for those interested in pursuing degrees in North America or Europe, the disadvantage is that we are very far away for students and their families visit to university campuses.  We believe that visiting different universities is an extremely valuable way for students to identify a place that will be a good fit for them.  Walking around campus, meeting current students and sitting in on classes is a great way to get a feel for a particular place.  However, in the absence of an actual visit, another important element of a student’s research and skill-building is the opportunity to meet university representatives who visit UWCSEA East.

It is a testament to the reputation of UWCSEA that even without a graduating class this year, we have been very lucky to have so many university representatives walk through our doors. Representatives have met with students and presented about the university system in their country, how universities make admissions and financial aid decisions, and what is appealing and unique about particular colleges and universities.

Last week we wrote about networking online and this week we are extending that thought.  We encourage Grade 11 students to meet and network with university representatives.  These professionals are looking to generate interest in their institutions.  They come with brochures and business cards, and many welcome student contact after the visit.  We expect that the visitors this year will return next year and several will offer interviews to potential applicants.   Attending presentations by university representatives can give students valuable practice in meeting and interacting with admissions professionals.

While attending the presentations by university representatives, students should be developing a  list of important factors in their ideal university.   We want them to consider their interests, expectations and future plans and how those match with what is on offer at various universities.   It’s important for them to find a place that offers the courses and activities that they would like to pursue.  Location and setting may have an impact; weather may be another factor to consider.  Students should ask representatives, therefore, questions about what student life is like in the broadest sense, and find information about the services and support offered to international students, opportunities for internships and work experience, and prospects for graduate school and employment.

With this in mind, here are some questions students can ask at the next university visit:

• How large are the freshman classes?   How easy is it to get to know professors?
• Are these research opportunities for undergraduates?  What are the most popular majors?
• What type of housing is available?   Are the residence halls co-ed?  What are gender-neutral bathrooms?
• Is it mandatory to sign up for a meal plan?   Are there options for those with food allergies or other dietary restrictions?
• What is the university best known for?  What percentage of the student population/teaching faculty is international?  What kind of advising system is in place?  Where do graduates go after they leave?

Universities differ not only in size and location, but also in political leanings and global orientation.  It is important to dig beneath the surface of glossy brochures and get a sense of what the experience of attending a particular university would be.  When students listen attentively to visitors’ talks, it’s possible to glean a few things that they highlight about their schools.  Much of the information given at university visits can be used in application essays to show an understanding of a particular school and demonstrate genuine interest in it, which is a tipping factor in admissions at some colleges.

Upcoming university visits are listed in the UAC’s Google Calendar on our UAC GoogleSite.  If your family has the chance to visit universities that your child is considering, by all means do so.  If you won’t be able to travel to see university campuses firsthand, or in the meantime, please  encourage your Grade 11 child to start their university research by attending university visits at the UAC.

Social Media: Digital Footprint, Networking, and University Admissions

Over the past few weeks there have been several conversations on campus centered around the Internet, specifically the use of social media.  We, at the University Advising Centre (UAC), thought it was a good idea to chime in on the topic. We’ve made a splash in the world ourselves. We have our GoogleSite, this place on Blogger, we’re even on Twitter. We see the importance and the advantages of reaching out to students and families via the Internet.  Recently, at school, there was a panel discussion on the role of blogging in the classroom. Two of our teachers even blogged about that session: one prior to the event; the other post the event.  It was a timely discussion as students applying for admissions around the world have turned to blogging about their experiences via the New York Times. This proves that there is a network that is created as a result of blogging. This proves that there is a network where students are able to reach out and help each other. This proves that there is a network of peers waiting to be discovered. Reading first hand, through the posts, about the admissions process, adds value to the experience. Students realise that they share so many experiences with others. What better way to gain information than from your peers?

We, at the UAC, see the value of the connections made via the Internet; university admissions departments are also turning to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Blogs. These tools are generally used for marketing and advertising purposes, but there is a trend to use social media more as an asset for admissions purposes.  As we started tweeting about visits from university representatives, university admissions officers re-tweeted us, followed us, and favourited our tweets. As a result, we’ve been able to establish contacts and make connections in a very short span of time. As students and parents follow us or follow admissions pages on Twitter, or as they Like official pages on Facebook, we ask students to be mindful of their digital footprint and to consider the impression that they are making.  While we urge students and parents to use social media for all of its advantages, we also urge caution in order to protect online reputations.

Here are our top five tips to consider as you think about your digital footprint:

1.     Did you create your email address when you were 13? Are you still cuteboy12 or pinkflowers? It may be time to change your email address to indicate your name.

2.     Before you Like a page on Facebook consider your privacy settings. Are your photos or your status updates available to your friends, friends of friends, and to members of the groups you belong to? It’s sometimes hard to do, but please do think carefully before you post photos, change your status update, write on other people’s walls, or comment on people’s photos. If you Like an official page, you will be informed about campus news and happenings. You can ask questions (make sure you don’t ask them something that is easily available on their website). In addition, you can make connections with current students. Recognise that it is a two-way street. You can see the happenings of the university and if your privacy settings are not right, university admissions staff are privy to your doings online too.

3.  University websites generally have a link to their official blogs. We recommend you follow these to gain information and see the current trends at the university.

4.     If you do not use Twitter solely for professional purposes, we recommend you protect your Tweets.  The advantage of Twitter (as we have discovered too) is the ability to follow specific professors and receive campus news. This information may go a long way in helping you write your college essays.

5.   YouTube is a tool that university officers use widely. When you subscribe to university channels you will gain lots of information (keep in mind, it is used for marketing purposes). Please think carefully before you post a comment. Ensure you consider all other videos you have liked or uploaded before you make yourself known to the YouTube channels of universities.

There are so many ways to make connections with students, professors, and admissions officers, to research universities, and to create your own personalised networks.  We want you to use them to acquire all the information you can devour, and to use your online presence to your advantage.  We do, however, also need you to think carefully about your actions online and offline.  

If you were to only take a few things  away from this article, we’d like you to use social media to gain information, to connect with people, and to form communities. Please take this opportunity to look at your digital footprint and analyse the aspects of your life that will become a permanent, public image. Happy, safe surfing and networking.

SATs and Standardized Testing for US Admissions

Many high school parents have been wondering and worrying about the SAT, a standardized test that is part of the admissions process for many US universities.  This information below is intended for Grade 11 students and their parents.  The best thing parents of younger students can do is support their children in focusing the first two years of high school on their academic studies and community life, and not on preparation for standardized admissions tests.  The role of standardized testing in US admissions is evolving, so parents are advised that this information may change from year to year.

Students in Grade 11 who intend to apply to universities in the US should sit down soon and make a plan about which standardized tests they will need to take and when is the best time to take them.  Most US universities will allow students to submit either the SAT or the ACT (with Writing) as part of their admissions requirements. More detailed information about these standardized testing options is found on the Admissions Testing tab of the UAC Google Site.

Most students perform in the same range on both the SAT and the ACT; however some students may find that one test works better for them than the other.   Most students are more familiar with the SAT.  The main difference is that the ACT is more a measure of mastery of curriculum and less of an aptitude test.  While both tests contain reading comprehension, math and writing components, the ACT has a section that tests scientific thinking, and it does not penalize for wrong answers.  The SAT tends to place more emphasis on vocabulary and English grammar rules, and has more questions that measure reasoning ability.  Students who take the ACT more than once are allowed to submit only their best overall score to universities, while students who take the SAT may find that they are required by some universities to submit the results of all of their SAT sittings.

UWCSEA-East will become a private test center for the SAT starting in January 2013.  This means that only UWCSEA students will be allowed to take the test on campus.  Instructions on how to register for this option will be distributed to Grade 11 students in October.  Students must follow UWCSEA’s specific instructions before registering with the CollegeBoard.

We recommend that students take the SAT for the first time in January or May of Grade 11; the ACT is offered in April and June; if students feel it would be worthwhile to try a second time, both tests are offered again in October of Grade 12.   We discourage students from taking these standardized tests prior to Grade 11.  Taking the test too early or too often can be counterproductive and negatively affect students’ grades, which are definitely more important to American universities than standardized test scores.

Studies have shown that familiarization with these standardized test formats may modestly improve students’ scores.  There are several methods of preparation to suit different learning styles:

• Study guides are available for purchase in Singapore bookstores or can be reviewed in UWCSEA’s library.
• There will be a commercial SAT preparation course offered by Testtakers on campus starting in mid-November for several Saturday afternoons prior to the January 26th SAT test.
• Starting next month, all Grade 11 students will have access to a school-based online subscription called PrepMe for SAT test preparation at no cost.  PrepMe allows students to practice on their own online, at times convenient to them, with immediate feedback.

About 30 colleges and universities have additional testing requirements beyond the SAT Reasoning Test.  SAT Subjects Tests focus on a single subject.  Some universities will accept the ACT with Writing in lieu of both the SAT Reasoning Test and SAT Subjects Tests; it is important that students check the websites of each university they are considering to determine which tests are accepted.   We advise students to plan to take SAT Subject Tests, if needed, in June of Grade 11, or October or November of Grade 12.

Several studies have suggested that standardized testing is not a strong predictor of success at university.   More than 800 US colleges and universities do not use standardized testing in their admissions process.   However, students who apply to these institutions should be aware that if they do not submit scores, there will be a heavier weighting on their grades and teacher references, so it will help to have a strong academic profile.

When US universities consider standardized testing in their admissions process, it is only one of many parts of a holistic application review.  Universities do not have published minimums or cut-offs for scores.  Students should not focus on SAT preparation at the expense of their IB subjects or commitments at UWCSEA.   Planning ahead can help make this aspect of US admissions more manageable.   University Advisors are here to answer any questions students might have.

Liberal Arts Education: What is it Good For?

There are a lot of myths surrounding the Liberal Arts.  George Forsythe the President of Westminster College addresses the advantages of a Liberal Arts education.  He asks:

What can you do with a degree in classics? How are you going to get a job with that degree? Many people still fail to understand what a liberal arts education is and how it translates into success in the job market. This attitude raises a fundamental question about undergraduate education in the 21st century: Are we preparing students for careers, or educating them for a lifetime of learning? A better question is: why do people continue to believe these are two separate things?

The article is thought-provoking and we recommend that you read it.

Roles and Responsibilities in the University Admissions Process

As students settle into the first term of this school year, we wanted to let you know about happenings in the University Advising Centre.  We have already had several visits from representatives of Canadian, US and UK universities.  The visits were well-attended and Grade 11 students are starting to learn more about the different academic offerings in different countries.  Upcoming assemblies to Grade 9 and 10 will highlight the factors that universities consider when selecting applicants and what younger high school students should be doing as they look ahead to university.  An introductory assembly for Grade 11 this month will be followed by a talk in early October by Jeremiah Quinlan, Admissions Dean of Yale-NUS College here in Singapore, on “Why Go to University?” which should spark some interesting conversation around the dinner table.

It is worthwhile at this early stage to reflect on the roles and responsibilities of students, university advisors and parents throughout the process.  We see the university admissions process as a natural extension of our students’ growing self-awareness and self-development.  Students will be expected to conduct their own research into those places that would be a good match for them both academically and socially and target their applications accordingly. It is each student's responsibility to be aware of, understand and meet the requirements and deadlines of each university.  UWCSEA will also have internal deadlines to facilitate the processing of a high volume of applications.  Students are of course assumed to be the sole authors of their application essays, and to conduct themselves with honesty and integrity in all dealings regarding university applications, financial aid and scholarships.

University Advisors are here as resources to provide the background context of university considerations that allow students to make informed decisions throughout the process.  Advisors will assist in all aspects of the application process, including discussing goals and future plans, refining university lists, identifying testing requirements, providing essay feedback and advice, processing all supporting documents, advocating for students with university representatives and troubleshooting as needed.  University advisors promote UWCSEA at international conferences and keep abreast of trends and developments that might be valuable our students.

We know that parents can find it stressful to anticipate their child’s university admissions process.  We therefore have a few recommendations:

•Let your child have the driver’s seat on this journey.  While parents can support and encourage their children, sometimes too much parental involvement may not be the best thing in the long run. Students who take ownership of and experience some measure of autonomy in the application process are better equipped to succeed independently once they get to university.   

•If you have financial, geographic, or other constraints on your child’s search, discuss them early on before your child gets too invested in a particular destination. 

•Encourage your child to see university as a match to be made, rather than a prize to be won.  Students should research universities for good fit, where they will be happy, appropriately challenged and grow as individuals. 

•Try to help your child resist applying to certain universities just because his or her peers are.  It is important that students need to imagine themselves as successful in a variety of settings.  As most parents are aware, decisions made at the age of 17 rarely determine where adults find themselves in mid-career.  

•Help your child maintain perspective and see the university search and application process as simply the first step of a life-long process of self-discovery.  

Parents, let your child know that you believe in their ability to navigate the university admissions process.   Hold on to your hats, and enjoy the ride!

Welcome!

I am delighted to have the opportunity to head the University Advising Centre at East.  Originally from New York, I practiced law in San Francisco before moving to Asia nearly 20 years ago to found a small international school in Phuket, Thailand.  I came to Singapore in 2008 and shortly thereafter joined UWCSEA’s University Advising department at Dover.  Having raised two daughters in a multicultural environment, I feel strongly aligned with UWC’s mission and believe in the transformative power of education.

I am privileged to work with a team of dedicated professionals.  Shruti Tewari comes to UWCSEA from Jakarta, Indonesia where she worked for the past two years as a College Counselor and as an IB MYP and DP English teacher. Prior to that, Shruti worked at UWC Mahindra in India for three years as the Director of College Guidance and an IB DP English teacher. She began her career in a school in New Jersey, USA where she was an Upper School English teacher for five years. She’s an Indian national who grew up and studied in the UK, Hong Kong, India, and the US.  Shruti is excited to be back in the UWC fold and is looking forward to working with students, parents, teachers and mentors throughout the application process.

We are lucky to have Irene Mok, Senior Secretary for University Advising, transfer over with me from the Dover campus where she spent four years in the University Advising department.  Irene brings an enormous amount of expertise in processing university applications and organizing university-related events.  She joined UWCSEA after working in the corporate world for over 30 years.  Having brought up two children of her own, Irene still enjoys the company of young people and is very invested in helping students obtain their goals.

This month has been a time of many firsts for high school students on East campus, and we have just had our first visit from a university representative from the University of British Columbia.  Students learned about the programs and offerings available at UBC and can look forward to visits from many more universities around the world over the coming year.  While most high school students attend university in the country in which they were born, UWCSEA students are in the privileged position of thinking about options for their tertiary studies all over the world.  This is an exciting, but also daunting prospect, and the University Advising program for IB students is designed to help support, inform and guide students as they navigate the university admissions process in their chosen destination.

Through assemblies, mentor group visits, individual consultations and their own research, students will gain information about universities around the world, areas of specialization and pre-professional training, scholarship opportunities, testing and other admissions requirements.  University Advisors will help students identify appropriate universities and present themselves to those universities in a manner that highlights their strengths.  We have recently visited all Grade 11 mentor groups to ask students to consider the subject choices they have made in light of potential IB-course pre-requisites that may exist.  In the coming months, we will initiate a series of assemblies for Grade 11 students on the unique features of university systems in different countries.

Over the course of the year I will write about different aspects of the university admissions process across the globe, and pass on articles and resources that may be of interest to students and parents.  Our University Advising Google Site will be up and running shortly, and will become the central clearinghouse for all information and events related to University Advising.  Future University Advising presentations, workshops, lunchtime talks and visits from university representatives will be marked on the High School calendar.  Unless otherwise indicated, these are intended for students and are noted for parents to be aware of.

We are excited to be a part of building a high school culture and community, and look forward to working with your children.