Putting Students in the

Driver’s Seat
How to Ensure Your Students Have Control of
Their University Search

2019 CIS-EARCOS Institute on International Admission & Guidance

Who we are and our schools

Berta Liao
Hsinchu International School
Heather Hendrickx TAIWAN
American International School berta.liao@hdis.hc.edu.tw
HONG KONG
hhendrickx@ais.edu.hk

Sean McAuley
GEMS World Academy
SINGAPORE
S.McAuley@gwa.edu.sg
 Turn and Talk
When is your first interaction with your
students, and what does it look like?
 Vocabulary
• Senior Year/Grade 12/Year 13 = last year of high school
• O - Level/GCSE = end of grade 10 exams (commonly found in
Commonwealth systems)
• A-Levels (2 year British qualification) ≈ IB Diploma / G11 and G12 ≈
AP (Advanced Placement) = US university-level classes
• Sixth Form College = in the UK, the last two years of secondary school
• School = in the USA, an educational institution
(e.g. high school, college, law school, or university)
• College = in the USA, a 4-year undergraduate institution
• TCK = Third Culture Kids
American International School
US High School Diploma/ Advanced Placement

● 238 Students in High School (Grade 9-12)

● 41% of students from the class of 2019
applied to more than one country
● 11 different countries applied to in 2019

2 holistic counselors by alpha split

● 88 minute Advisory every other day

● 3rd year using post-secondary student-led
conferences

Predominantly ESL parent community

Hsinchu International School
US High School Diploma/Advanced Placement
● ~80 Students in Grades 9-12
● 25% of students from the class of 2019
applied to more than one country
● 11 different countries applied to in 2019
Split counseling model
● Weekly counseling classes in G9 & 10;
twice weekly in G11 & 12 taught by
College Counselor
● Family meeting in spring of Grade 11 led
by the student
Predominantly ESL parent community
IB World School with IB Diploma and Careers Related Program
● Secondary School with 250 students 6-12
● 3rd graduating cohort this year (36 students)
● Very international, with few Third Culture Kids
● Students applying to over 12 countries
● Only 4 of 36 looking at the USA this year*
*Major shift from my previous experiences
 Session Objectives
• Learn specific policies and practices that empower
students to take control of the university application
process

• Learn to align the career and university search process to

your school’s learning outcomes and learner profile

• Share tips to effectively, and sensitively, deal with parents

from cultures where children are not usually empowered
to make decisions.
 Audience Poll
What do you do with your students for university
preparation?
• whole grade presentations?
• country-specific presentations?
• dedicated curriculum time?
• parent-specific sessions (e.g. Parent Night, Coffee
Mornings)?
• family meetings?
 Student-Led
Post-Secondary
Presentation
My Post-Secondary Plan

(Student Name)
 My Academic Profile

Cumulative GPA: GPA: Highest Testing SAT II’s Highest AP Courses AP Exams (taken or
GPA (9-10) Grade 11 Grade 11 (SAT/ACT) TOEFL/ (include pending)
Tri 1 Tri 2 IELTS anticipated
for
2019-2020)

EBRW:

Math:

Essay:
Criteria to Consider: “Fit”
Please rank your top 5 most important factors in narrowing your university list, which could include but not limit
the following:
Living, Cost, Size of School, Student Body, Sports Programs, Social Atmosphere, Academic Atmosphere, Academic Program,
Extracurricular Activities, Geographic Location, Religious Orientation)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Where In the World?
List the countries you will apply for university admission. Please list in order of
preference.
 Cost?
Please indicate the one or more of the following:
Cost is a major factor of my decision
Cost is a factor of my decision
Cost is strongly correlated to the ranking of the school
Cost is not a factor of my decision

As a family, the following is how much we would feel comfortable paying PER YEAR
for university.

$0-50,000 HKD

$50,000-150,000 HKD

$150,000-300,000 HKD

$300,000-500,000 HKD

Cost is not a factor or limitation in university selection.

Colleges I Am Thinking About

(Please include screenshot of university list from Maia Learning account.)

 Admission Criteria:
Please be prepared to explain your choices in terms of your academic Criteria and “FIT”. If you see your
chances of admission as being quite low, Explain your plan for improving your Statistical chances .

Reach Schools
School Averag SAT/A Requir Required % Cost/ Required Notes
Name e GPA CT ed SAT TOEFL/ Accept Scholarshi AP’s
II’s IELTS ed p
Reach University #1
(Insert screenshot of scattergram from MaiaLearning)
Application Timeline
Do you wish to apply to your universities either Early Action or Early Decision? If you are applying or
considering applying early you MUST notify your counselor by the start of September and have completed
the assigned tasks. Failure to do this, will impact when your AIS materials are ready to send.

Yes, I would plan to apply to one or more of my schools early.

Maybe, I’m undecided right now.

No, I plan to apply to all my universities through regular decision.

Letters of Recommendation
After you have researched your university, the criteria, and identified your major,
list the teachers you plan to ask for letters of recommendation.

1) Teacher #1
2) Teacher #2

Please do not ask your teachers for recommendations until you have discussed
your decision with your counselor and have been instructed to do so.
Our
Experiences
Adapting the
Student-led
Conference
Model
Adding in Student Values
adapted from Steven Antonoff’s College Planning Values Assessment Worksheet
Self-Survey for the College-Bound
My score
1. School Enthusiasm 72 Analysis
2. Participant Learner 72
3. Affection for Knowledge 72 I am really looking forward to college and am
4. Basic Academic Skills 66 enthusiastic about learning in general. I love to
5. Independence 69 learn in class discussions.
6. Career Orientation 72
7. Social Consciousness 72
8. Self Understanding 69
9. Academic/Social Balance 69
10. Eagerness for College 72

based on Steven Antonoff’s

Self-Survey for the
College-Bound worksheet
 My Personal Strengths
Think back to the Gallup Strengthsfinder survey you did at the beginning of
grade 11. List your top 5 strengths, and give examples of each of these in your
life

Strength Examples in your life

How would your friends describe you
List 20 words your friends might use to
describe you.
Discussion (Pair & Share)

If you are considering implementing something similar at your school….

1. What would be the need at your school?

2. What would be the learner outcomes you would hope to achieve?
3. What are potential challenges and/or limitations?

If you have implemented something similar at your school….

1. What motivated you to implement this at your school?

2. What are your learner outcomes?
3. What have been challenges and/or limitations?
 Beyond
Student-Led
Conferences
 Starting With Your Mission

personalized counseling
realize educational & career goals
thrive and grow academically & personally
 HIS Student Learner Outcomes
Critical Thinkers & Active Effective Community Persons of High
Problem Solvers Learners Communicators Contributors Character

Rankings Curious and Formal written Actions reflect Integrity in

Websites open-minded communication positively on the applications
Marketing Personal research Formal oral community Respect the time of
Student knows Student schedules communication Actions benefit the helpers
strengths meetings Personal community Perseverance
Student knows goals Student leads presentation Celebrate the Self-regulation
Self-advocacy meetings success of the Gratitude
Student applies community
Contact with
university rep
Changing the Language
Top of the Applicant Pool
Middle of the Applicant Pool
Bottom of the Applicant Pool
Issues and Challenges
Communication With Parents

Email communication:

“Allow me to introduce myself. I am Jane Doe, and we are very excited about our university
applications! I look forward to meeting with you and have lots of questions about her
application process. Can we please arrange a time to meet. I am free at 8:30 or 9:30
tomorrow morning. Let me know which one works best, and I’ll be there. -Jane’s mom”

Solutions?
Resources

● One Student Lead Template

● Another Example
● Steven Antonoff’s surveys, assessments, and questionnaires
● Have students (not counselor) write emails summarizing meetings to parent
● MIT is very transparent with its admissions statistics

Ideas Shared During Session Discussion:

● Have student name 2 positives and 2 negatives (not including weather and
location) for each institution
● Have students develop their own personal mission statement as it relates to
their college goals
● Do a visual resume
● Morrisby Fast Tomato online careers guidance and education