2012 year 12 parent info night

February 7, 2012 - University Counselling

Year 12 Parent-Student

Information Session

“Sure, I went to college, but I really didn’t need it.”

Available Online at Moongate/University Counselling

• University Counselling Handbook • School Profile• University/Career Counselling Timeline

Distributed and Available on Moongate

- General Information Form - Record Release Form- IB Choice Sheet- Self Evaluation- Parent Observations- University Counselling Calendar- Application & Testing Deadline Sheet- Spring—Important Dates

University Counselling Materials

University/Career Counselling TimelineYear 10 Year 12 Year 13

• Prospero Learning Style Inventory

• Introduction to Careers

• Introduction to Naviance/Career Exploration

• Prospero Learning Style Inventory

• Project Week - Work Experience options

• Do What You Are Personality Style Inventory (Naviance)

• Pathways presentation for parents on prep. For university and life

• Enrichment Days Career Related Activities

Year 11

• InterQuest Career & Educational Assessment- introduction, administration and feedback


• InterQuest administered

• IBDP Presentation detailed presentation for students/parents on IBDP choices and implications for university admission

• Individual meetings with IBDP Coordinator

• IB Diploma subjects selected

• Career Speaker Panel

• Enrichment Days Career Activities

• TimeOut survey-explore Gap Year options


• Prof. and Activities resume writing workshop

• Standardized testing scheduled determined - testing begins

• Meetings with College Reps

• Parent/Student evening session on UC process

• UC Group Seminars

• Individual counseling mtgs.

• US & UK Essay Writing Workshops

• Oxbridge Workshops and Mentoring

• Enrichment Days UC Related Activities

• MindWise Emotional Intelligence Survey

• Interview Workshop

• Internship & Professional Networking skills Sessions

• Finalize University country destinations

• Project Week-Complete EE and prepare University apps

• Individual Counseling on college choices and application process

• University List Finalized

• Alumni Panel on University Experiences (Years 12 and 13)

• Transition to University Workshop

• Enrichment Days UC related activities

Year 12: Fall

September October November December

• Meeting to discuss 2-year standardized testing schedule

• Meet with visiting University representatives

• Individual meetings with university counsellors if desired

• Project Week: work experience

• Take PSAT

• Continue meeting with visiting University representatives


• Take the Chinese SAT II

• Continue meeting with visiting University representatives



Year 12: Spring

January February March

• Parent/Student Evening Session - Formal kickoff to university search process

• Alumni Panel on University experiences

• Students take SAT I for first time

• Seminars on the University Search and Admission Process begin

• Seminars on the University Search and Admission Process continue

• Individual Counselling meetings begin

• Preparation meetings for Oxbridge candidates

• Begin preparing Activities Resume (Year 10 onward)

• Seminars on University Search and Admission Process continue

• Individual Counselling meetings continue

• UK Personal Statement Workshop

• Preparation meetings for Oxbridge candidates

• Submit University Counselling forms including Self and Parent Evaluation

• Submit drafts of Oxbridge Vet Sci/Med related Personal Statement

Year 12: SpringCONT’D

April May June

• Seminars on University Search and Admission Continue

• Individual Counselling sessions continue

• Begin preparing Activities Resume

• Notify UC about applying to Vet/Med and Oxbridge in UK

• Submit 2nd draft of Oxbridge/Vet Sci/Medical statement

• Students take ACT

• Take Oxbridge practice test

• SAT testing-if necessary

• US University Essay Writing Workshop

• Seminars on University Search and Admission Process continue


• Activities Resume completed

• Submit final draft of Oxbridge/Vet Sci/ Medical related statement

• Students take SAT II subject tests

• University Search and Admission Process Sessions conclude


• TimeOut survey - Gap Year concept introduced with StepOne

“Students need ample free time to reflect, to recreate (i.e., to ‘re-create’ themselves without the driving pressure to achieve as an influence) and to gather strength for the school year ahead.…”

(continues…)

“…Perhaps the best way of all to get the full benefit of a ‘time-off’ is to postpone entrance to college for a year. For almost 30 years, Harvard has recommended this option, indeed proposing it in the letter of admission.”

William FitzsimmonsDean of Admissions & Financial Aid

Harvard University

Year 13: FallSeptember October November December

• Finalized Country Destinations for Universities


• Meetings with visiting University representatives continue

• Oxbridge applications submitted

• Retake SAT I or ACT with Writing if desired


• Project Week - Extended Essay and University Counselling


• UCAS Applications submitted

• Oxbridge Mock Interviews

• Retake SAT II subject tests if desired

• US University list finalized

• US EA/ED applications filed



• Take Oxbridge & Medical written tests

• Regular US applications materials filed

• Complete HK University applications

• Complete Canadian applications

Year 13: SpringJanuary February March

• Prepare for and take IB Mock Examinations

• Prepare for IB Examinations

• Decisions from US institutions begin arriving

• Alumni Panel on University Experiences

• Last opportunity for standardized testing

• MindWise Emotional Intelligence Survey

Year 13: SpringCONT’D

April May July

• Prepare for IB Examinations

• Decisions received from US institutions

• Take IBDP Examinations

• Reply Date for UCAS

• US Candidate Reply Date (May 1)

• Enroll at one school

• Inform UC Office of university enrollment decision

• HS/University Transition Workshop

• GRADUATION

• IB Results released

• Admission Offers Confirmed at UK, HK, Canadian and Australian universities

Group Information SeminarsEnrichment Days

February 2 Intro to University Counselling

February 13 UK Admission Process

March 9 UK Personal Statement Writing Workshop

March 27 Researching US Institutions/Naviance

April 23 Application Process to US Institutions—What is Considered in Admission Decisions

May 21 US Essay Writing Workshop

Date

Application Sequence

•Oxford, Cambridge, UK Medical Schools

•UK Universities

•US Early Decision/Early Action

•US Colleges/Universities

•Canadian Universities

•Hong Kong Universities

•Australian/New Zealand Universities

Matriculations by Region

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

13 in '94

38 in '96

62 in '98

77 in '00

79 in '02

85 in '04

97 in '06

99 in '08

112 in '10

US UK Can Aus/NZ HK Eur/Asia Gap

Country Specific Admission Processes

UK, Hong Kong, Canada, US

UK Higher Education System

•All Universities are publicly-funded except for one

•Over 300 degree awarding institutions--more than 50,000 different degree programmes

Duration

•Range of 3 or 4 year degrees available

•Some incorporating study

abroad or work placements

Quality Assurance

•All publicly funded UK universities are subject to assessment by the Quality Assurance Agency www.qaa.ac.uk

•National Student Survey on Student Satisfaction www.unistats.com

•Government’s “Research Assessment exercise” www.rae.ac.uk

http://www.qaa.ac.uk/

http://www.tqi.ac.uk/

http://www.rae.ac.uk/

The Application Procedure

www.ucas.com

•Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS)

•UCAS process applications – But all decisions are made by the Universities

A wealth of information:

•Course search•Key university information•Apply•Track

The Application Procedure

Students can apply to up to 5 courses at 5 institutions

--Same information is seen by all selectors

--Same personal statement and reference for all courses

•Blind application / Applicant Confidentiality

•No order of preference / Alphabetical Order

•Costs:

--£11 single course application

--£22 fee for multiple course applications

UCAS Application FormatForm comprises four sections:

• Personal Details

General information

Course choices

• Qualifications

Those already achieved

Qualifications yet to be achieved

• Personal Statement

• School’s Reference

UCAS Personal Statement

•Vital part of the Application procedure

•Allows students to:

--Explain why they want to study this course

--Show their motivation and commitment

--Make a good first impression

--Sell themselves to admissions tutors

UK UNIVERSITIES WRITTEN TESTS

•Students who are intending to pursue Law and/or Medicine might be required to take written tests.

--LNAT (National Law Admissions Test)

--UKCAT (UK Clinical Aptitude Test)

--BMAT (Biomedical Admissions Test)

Admissions Decisions

Are based on …

•Grades achieved (e.g.

IBMYP, IGCSE, HKCEE)

•IB Expected Grades

•Personal Statement

•Reference

Outcomes of UCAS Applications•Universities will respond to

student’s in varied times

•Students can check their progress online using UCAS track

•3 outcomes of an application

•Conditional

•Unconditional

•Unsuccessful

Making Your Decision

•Firm – The ‘first choice’ university. This may be the university/course that has asked for the highest grades

•Insurance – The ‘second choice’ university. This choice usually requires lower entry requirement than your ‘Firm’ choice

•Decline – You no longer wish to accept this university/course offer

Applications to Oxbridge

• The colleges of Oxford and Cambridge are collectively referred to as ‘Oxbridge’

• What are the colleges looking for?

--Excellent IBMYP/IGCSE/HKCEE results

--The potential to obtain a minimum of 40 points in the IBDP

--Enthusiasm --Wide range of Interests

Applying for Entry

• Apply directly to a college, not the university

• Must be accepted by one of the constituent colleges

• Apply through UCAS by 28th September 2012

• Cambridge requires an additional application

•Oxbridge Tests

--Law (on-line) – LNAT

--Medicine (paper based) – BMAT

• Oxbridge Interviews

--Held late November/early December for Oxford

--Held early to mid December for Cambridge

HK Institutions

•Chinese University of Hong Kong

•City University

•Hong Kong Baptist University

•Hong Kong Inst. of Education

•Hong Kong Polytechnic University

•Hong Kong University of Science & Tech.

•Lingnan University

•University of Hong Kong

Hong Kong University Application Process

Application Procedure:

•Direct application

•Personal statement required by some universities – recycle the UK personal statement

•Interview

Conditional OffersTiming: A few offers may come in under

the early consideration process (late February/March). Most wait until IB results.

Point Requirements for Popular Programs:

•Medicine & Law: 40+points

•Engineering – 35+ points

•Business – 38-33 points

•Actuarial Science – 39 points excluding bonus

Canadian University Application Process

Application Procedure:

Ontario – a centralised application centre

•Other Canadian university application deadlines vary by institution

•Wrap up all applications by last week of January

•Average conditional offer 32 points with no grade less than a 5

•Conditional offers in February – June

•Offers finalised upon receipt of the IB results

Differences with the UK

•Number of Options

•Way you Apply

•Factors in Admission Decisions

•Time to Earn an Undergraduate Degree

•How Admissions Decisions are Made

•Who Makes the Decisions

•Timing of Decisions

•Law & Medicine – Graduate Programs

US Higher Education SystemVariety

•Public/Private

•Institutional Size (Universities vs Colleges)

•Professional Programs

•Liberal Arts (Pure Subjects)

•Research Institutions

•OK to be ‘Undecided’ at some

•Literally hundreds of options of each

“KNOW YOURSELF. So obvious yet so often overlooked, this self-knowledge is really the first step in the college selection process.”

Robert J. MassaVP for Enrollment, Student Life &

College Relations, Dickinson College

“Like marriage, choosing a college is as much about complex questions of chemistry and fit as it is about abstract attributes that can be measured and summed up…”

William AdamsPresident, Colby College

SelectivityAdmission Rate -- Fall 2011

Harvard 6.2%

Stanford 7.1%

Columbia 6.9%

Yale 7.4%

MIT 9.6%

Deep Springs 6.0%

Factors in Selecting Colleges

•Programs/Academics

•Degree of Structure

•How You Learn Best

•Goals/Aspirations

•Extracurricular Interests

•Social Environment

•People

Tools for Selecting Institutions

•Institutional Publications/Web Sites

•College Guides (Publications and Electronic)

Objective

Subjective

•Campus Visits

•Human Resources (Admission Officers, Counsellors, Parents, Friends)

•Rankings

“Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.”

Albert Einstein

Factors in Admission Decisions

•Academic Record/Transcript

•School/Counselor Recommendation

•Teacher Recommendations

•Standardized Tests (SAT I, SAT II, ACT, TOEFL, IELTS)

•Essay

•Extracurricular Activities/Interests

• Interview

• Institutional Needs

“You’re kidding! You count SATs?”

Application Plans

•Regular Admission--Single Notification

Date--Rolling

•‘Early’ Plans--Early Decision--Early Action--Single Choice Early

Action

Application Methods

•Paper Application

•Electronic/Online Application

•System-Wide Application

•Common Application

Financial Assistance

•Need-Based Financial Aid (Package -- Loans, Grants, Work)-Based on Financial Situation of

Family

•Merit Based Awards (Scholarships)

-Based on TalentAcademicAthleticMusical

Role of Parents…

Role of ParentsRole of ParentsBe Supportive Not Directive

•Understand That This is a Stressful Time

•Allow Son/Daughter to Take Ownership of Process

•Don’t be Critical or Judgmental

•Take an Active Role

•Participate in the Process

•Share your Ideas/Limits

•Don’t View the College Process as a Hunt for Prestige

•Don’t Blame Others if Things Don’t Go As Planned

Be Supportive Not Directive

•Understand That This is a Stressful Time

•Allow Son/Daughter to Take Ownership of Process

•Don’t be Critical or Judgmental

•Take an Active Role

•Participate in the Process

•Share your Ideas/Limits

•Don’t View the College Process as a Hunt for Prestige

•Don’t Blame Others if Things Don’t Go As Planned

Role Of ParentsRole Of Parents

View the College/University Search process as an exercise in helping your child decide what he/she wants out of their post-secondary education, and assisting your son/daughter in finding and considering the full range of institutions that can meet his/her educational, social and personal needs.

View the College/University Search process as an exercise in helping your child decide what he/she wants out of their post-secondary education, and assisting your son/daughter in finding and considering the full range of institutions that can meet his/her educational, social and personal needs.

“I thought they responded to these college applications by letter.”