Essential University and Future Planning for Year 12 students:

How to choose a university & What you should be doing this year

Secondary Counselors @ NIST Friday 7 September, 2012

Is university right for you?

Other great options: Community college (two years very specific training for a particular kind of work) Apprenticeships that lead directly to work Military Service Gap year with meaningful learning, travel and or volunteer work

PART 1: STEPS IN FINDING THE RIGHT UNIVERSITY

The Challenge
Finding the right university is a challenging process. In order to choose the right school, you have to know a lot about yourself... and you are changing every day! Once you have figured out who you are, and what you are interested in, how do you figure out which colleges you should apply to?

Steps to College

Steps to College

The key is to start early!

Choosing a program or major

Remember the Three Questions: 1. What are you good at? 2. What are you passionate about? 3. What are your priorities?
You have also completed both Do What You Are and The Career Interest Profiler on Naviance. Dont be freaked out if you are not sure what you would like to pursue upon graduation. UniQuest is here to help you! More on that later.

You and Your Family

When choosing a university major or program, you will need to consider what your parents want for you and think about how you will address possible differences in expectations. This is not always easy!

Road Map Required!

You will need to develop a set of criteria your own personal road map to help guide your university search So what is important to you? UniQuest is here to help you!

Whats the deal with Liberal Arts?

Universities in both the USA and Canada (often referred to as Liberal Arts systems) give students a year or more to choose a major after they have started university (There are exceptions!) A true Liberal Arts college is quite a lot like IB in that it requires certain courses and encourages students to be well-rounded in academic studies
Most other systems (Australia/New Zealand, UK/Europe, Asia) ask high school students to apply directly to a course or program

Does the university offer your major or program of interest?

A university might be well respected, but not very strong in the field in which you are interested.

Decide on a geographic location (country, region, city)

You may apply to multiple systems

49 out of 86 Seniors in the Class of 2012 are attending their 1st choice university
Country USA United Kingdom Thailand Australia Canada Hong Kong Taiwan Korea, South Norway Sweden Finland Switzerland Japan Singapore Military Gap Year Total Attending 32 17 8 7 5 2 2 3 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 86

Other factors to consider

Are you considering university in your home country? Did you know that you can apply to multiple systems? (Up to ten universities) What is the distance from home? What will a flight cost? Please be aware that you may not be able to transfer university credits from one country to another It is so important to communicate with your family about your wishes and concerns

Getting real about your academic profile

How do you know if you will get in? What kind of a student are you? What are your IB scores and other qualifications including SAT, SAT Subject Tests, TOEFL/IELTS?
Tools to help students choose universities that are a good fit: 1. Naviance (Go to the admissions tab of each college) or conduct an SuperMatch college search and enter your criteria 2. UCAS and The Good University Guide (Times Online) for UK 3. http://www.uac.edu.au in Australia 4. College Board for students applying to America

SAT Total
1760 2120

25%

50%

25%

Chances of getting admitted

Academic profile of universities what is the range of SAT scores of students who have been offered admission to the universities you are interested in? How selective is the university (percentage of applicants accepted) Example: Percent applicants admitted at Drexel University: 55%

The Campus
Urban, suburban, small town Campus Safety Public vs. Private university Single-sex vs. Coed Religious vs. NonDenominational Enrollment (large, medium or small school)

Fiona Falcons University Criteria

Liberal Arts University in Canada, the USA or an international program in Japan Major: English/Comparative Literature Looking for a campus with ethnic diversity, lots of activities on campus, renowned faculty Would prefer an urban campus in a cool city Price tag: Cannot cost more than 35,000 USD per year Note: Fiona does NOT care about: the size of university, private vs. public, cold weather What are your criteria?

Thinking about the Long List

Cast a wide net Focus on factors that are important to you Continue to narrow your choices based on additional information you gather throughout Year 12

Developing the Long List

Students need to be anthropologists in the strange new world of universities Your task is to gather as much information as possible Dont judge at this point just research and learn

How long is the long list?

Selecting an initial pool of 15 to 20 universities will give you the flexibility to eliminate universities that do not suit you. When you move from your long list to your final (short) list, you will still have a full range of schools to which to apply! Important: Dont forget to classify your schools as Reach, Fit, or Star.

How many Universities can we choose from?

- UK: 100+ Universities - Australia: 41 Universities - Canada: 100+ Universities - USA: 4000+ Universities

Where have our students been accepted?

Overlaps

What to Avoid
When choosing a university, there are some mistakes that you should try to avoid...
Choosing a college for its prestigious name, without finding out if it's a fit for you Choosing a college because someone you know attends that school and they like it Choosing a college because your friends are going to apply there Choosing a school because family members say it is a great school Choosing a school because a friend told you that the university has a particular program that you didnt research yourself.
All these points have something in common... Choosing a college for any of these reasons is ignoring YOU and your authentic self. UniQuest is here to help you!

Keep moving forward!

We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths. - Walt Disney

PART 2: WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING DURING YEAR 12

Talking with your parents about money

Your must have an honest conversation with your parents about money The question youll need to ask is this: How much money is available each year for four years of undergraduate study? While some entrance and merit-based scholarships are available to international students, it is not safe to rely on them, regardless of how strong a student you are.

Tests
1. What are the tests? IB internal and external assessments Tests for Medical School (UK) SAT/SAT Subject tests for America-bound students (First admin Year 12) TOEFL or IELTS (English Proficiency) Thai University Entrance Tests 2. SAT preparation courses and books
Naviance SAT Test Preparation (Method Test Prep 2.0)

3. Importance of setting goals for improvement

SAT Prep Course at NIST

Year 12 students will be offered the convenience of taking a SAT prep course program here at NIST beginning at the end of September 2012 More information to come soon!!!!

Year 12 Post UniQuest Meeting

January-February 2013 45-minute meeting with your counselor Review completed UniQuest Assignment Discuss your research action plan Preparation for the 3-Way Conference in AprilMay

Meeting with your Counselor

In April/May of Year 12 you will have a Three-way conference with your parents and Counsellor This meeting will be scheduled only after you have completed all of your Naviance benchmarks At this meeting, please advise us if you intend to apply via Early Action or Decision (U.S.A.) or to UCAS by 15 October (Oxford OR Cambridge, medical/veterinary school)

Naviance Milestones (Checklist)

Milestone
1. Academic and Personal Goal setting 2. Do What You Are - Personality Type Test 3. Career Interest Profiler

Year
10 11

11
11 12 12 12 12 13 13

3. Year 11 Career Survey

4. UniQuest Assignment 5. Post UniQuest Meeting with your counselor

6. Long-List of Universities
8. Three-way College Conferences 9. Short-List -Colleges I am applying to
10. Naviance Resume

Extra-curricular Activities
You are not just a student! What other activities are you involved in? This is not just about university applications (where participation in extracurricular activities are beneficial) but also about your health and well-being Balance between academics and life

2010 Alumni Advice

Please work hard on your university research! I have never put so much dedication into anything in my life! But I worked so hard on applying to colleges, doing my research, getting advice...etc. And in the end it is SO worth it. When I look back, I am so incredibly proud of myself and I really hope you can get that feeling too. Do your research, look for schools that you think would fit YOU! Don't just apply for the sake of applying, because you never know where you're gonna get accepted into, make sure you're gonna love all of them!

Research, Research, Research

UniQuest
Connecting Your Strengths and Interests with College Choice

What you need:

Naviance

True Colors

Career Interest Profiler

Preparation for UniQuest

Review and reflect on your results
What do they mean to you? What do they suggest to you about Careers Majors Learning environments

UniQuest Action Steps

Step 1: True Colors Survey

http://www.truecolorscareer.com/quiz.asp

Quick personality quiz Get a descriptor of your brightest color A list of colleges that match your color

Step 2: Research & Evaluate

Research Your Colleges with You in Mind

Focus on your most dominant color Pick three colleges to research in depth Evaluate

Step 2a: Research & Evaluate

Pick the most interesting career suggested in the Career Interest Profilers or DWYA Does your college offer a major that leads to this career?
Career Interest Survey

Is this college strong in this major? (Evidence look at the career services page, department pages, student profiles, etc.)

Step 2b: Research & Evaluate

Your strengths and learning styleto what degree does this college meet your approach to learning?

Step 2c: Research & Evaluate

Pick personal criteria such as location, size, cost, secondary major or minor, activities, student life etc
Other Criteria Important to You!

Evaluate the college on its relative strength

What is one thing that surprised or impressed you about this university?

Repeat
Do the same steps for college 2 and 3 Note: College 2 and 3 can come from the True Colors college list or ANY colleges you are interested inyou just have to answer the questions.

If you are researching colleges in North-America only, you need to choose:

1. One small, residential liberal arts college 2. One Large research university (public or private) 3. And one other that matches any of the following criteria: Specialty school if you are thinking business, engineering, art or music. Rural, if both of the above two are in the city. Urban, if both of the above two are in the country side
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Step 3: Reflect and Respond

Now that you have completed researching three universities in detail, we would like to reflect on the process. Answer the questions in the UniQuest Survey on Naviance

Reminders
Answer all questions fully and completely in the UniQuest survey on Naviance Expect to spend approximately 5 hours on this assignment: 45 minutes to 60 minutes per college You MUST evaluate three universities based on the personality instruments

Tools and Resources

Blogs

Internet

College Library

Excellent Research tools for universities worldwide

4356 universities worldwide Rankings, Reviews, Information, Pictures and Forums

Research Tools for Australia

Comprehensive and independent information source about tertiary education pathways in Australia.

Australian University Ratings by students

University and course search for Australian universities. Guide to studying and living in Australia.
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Research Tools for the UK

Research tool for UK Universities and Courses

UK University Search Tool based on

the National Student Survey

University and Subject League Tables. UK universities are ranked on nine quality factors

Use a psychometric questionnaire to find your most suitable UCAS degrees and diplomas.

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Research Tools for North-America

Reviews, videos, and photos created by students at colleges in US/Canada

College reviews written by current students. Guide to every aspect of campus life with thousands of unbiased student reviews and ratings.

Explore hundreds of private colleges and universities in the US.

College Search Tool for US Colleges

School research and rankings for the 376 best colleges in the US

UniGo A Snap Shot

UCan A Snap Shot

Whats coming up
October 4: PSAT Tips and Strategies Workshop October 17: PSAT at NIST December 3: Deadline for the UniQuest Assignment January 10: Follow-up workshop on University Research January: Lunch hour workshops on university research for various national systems January-February: Post UniQuest Meeting with your counselor April-May: 3-Way College Conferences between student, parent and Counselor Prepare for and attend college fairs and university visits they are here for you! Read NIST College Counseling Newsletter last Thursday of every month Read the emails from your counselors

Workshop on Study options in Australia

20th September 2:30-3:30pm

In the College Library Presented by Montakan ONeill from Insight Education Consulting > Overview of Australian universities > Entry requirements > Alternative pathways into programs > Fees > Application processes
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US Mock Application Session

at NIST 14 September 3-5 pm

Given by Rice, Chicago and Vanderbilt Helps you understand the application process behind the scene In groups, you will review 3 mock applications. Each admission committee will discuss each candidate and choose to admit one, waitlist one and deny one. Together with the admission officers, you will then compare each groups decisions and talk about the process
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Ivy League Universities

September 9 (This Sunday) 7 pm at Bangkok Patana We will leave NIST at 6 pm Register with Khun thongkorn

Duke University Columbia University Princeton University Georgetown University Northwestern University

University Fairs 2012/2013

September 14 US Mock Application Session at NIST 3-6 pm September 16- Japanese University Fair Central World September 20- Study in Australia Info Session@ NIST 2.30-3.30 September 25- CIS US College Fair at ISB - leaving NIST 9 am September 30 US College Fair at Landmark Hotel October 8 Study in Canada Info Session@ NIST 2.30-3.30 pm October 18 Thai University Fair at NIST 2.30-3.30 pm October 27-28 - OCSC International Education Expo at Paragon November 10-11 IDP Australian University Fair at Sheraton March Australian University Fair at NIST
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U of Washington
UBC

UC Berkeley

UCLA U of Southern California

U of San Francisco UC Davis Stanford U

U of San Diego

CCA

Loyola U of Oregon Marymount U

Seattle U

Pepperdine U

UC San Diego

I guess the most important thing about university is visiting your favorite universities during the summer holiday. I visited several universities, and I immediately knew I belonged in William and Mary . When you visit a college, you'll be given a tour by a tour guide (usually a college student) and you'll be able to ask them all these questions. What's great about this is that the tour guides are students so they'll understand what you're looking for.
Kim

UK: February 24 - March 2

(February Break)

Registration Deadline: October 24

USA: March 31 - April 7

Registration Deadline: November 30

Advice from Year 13 Parent (2012): A college visit, though costly, is very useful and we can visualize the real college life at that particular campus easily.

 Discuss with your parents this weekend. Due Monday September 10th