Grade 12 Counseling Newsletter
Sent on the last Thursday of each month, the Counseling Newsletter provides extra guidance and information to assist you during the university research process. Please read each issue carefully. The newsletter is also shared with your parents and teachers, and it can be used to help create more dialogue about your future.
September 2018
In this issue will have a look at what you should have done by now, and also what else is coming up in the university application process. It is our job to help you make an informed decision, and we know that the more time and energy you put into this process, the better the outcome. Keep on walking, a step at a time, and we will be here to support you.
Kind regards,
The High School Counselors
Kind regards,
The High School Counselors
What You Should Have Done by Now
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University Research:
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Testing and Essays:
What Else?
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Ex-Seniors' Advice
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"Start writing the application essays early, do not cram them in the last week (of December) before the internal deadline at school. Many assignments will be due during the same time. (and perhaps also mocks). Don’t put it off, but don't stress about it either. It's easier than you'd think. Just stay calm, it will all be okay".
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"It was easier for me because I had a clear idea in my head which university I wanted to get into. Don’t get other people to write your college essay. It isn't honest and most universities can probably tell when its written by a professional. Don’t let what other people say affect your choices.
TIME MANAGEMENT: Making a schedule early and balancing between schoolwork and university work is very difficult especially in the first couple months of Grade 12. During that period, students are flooded with work so they may lose focus on the university work". |
What’s Coming Up
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For North-America
For Australia
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For the UK
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What else?
- Start working on your online university applications, and inform your counselor by email when you have completed any application.
- Let your counselor know if you attended another school in Grade 9, 10 or 11, so that we can locate your transfer transcript.
- If you are using the Common Application then sign the FERPA agreement and add your common app number to Naviance (contact your counselor if this doesn't make sense)
- Review the SFS University Application Timeline 2018-2019 and take note of important dates.
- Keep on reading the Counseling Newsletters (each issue), and take note of the things that are relevant to you. Some of the information in the newsletters will not be shared with you elsewhere.
Senior Check-in Meetings
Your counselor will schedule a 30-45 minute meeting with you between August 22 and September 12. In this meeting we will go through what you have done over the summer to get ready to send your applications, and what you should be doing over the next couple of months.
Senior Application Workshops (13.15-13.55 pm) Register here.
- August 28: The Common Application - MPR
- August 30: The UCAS Application - Library Learning Space
- September 3: The UC Application - MPR
- September 11: Applying to Korean Universities by Yonsei University - Library Learning Space
- September 13: European Applications (non-UK) - Library Learning Space
- September 17: Applying to Asian Countries (non-Korean) - Library Learning Space
- September 21: Applying to Australia and New Zealand - Library Learning Space
- September 27: The Coalition App - Library Learning Space
- October 5: Applying to Canada - Library Learning Space
Coming up in September Seminars with the Counselors
In September, students will work on their university applications and college essays/personal statements in small groups with the help and support from the Counselors. Times and venues will be announced beforehand.
Deadlines to remember (lots of them this month)
- Remember to collect your High School Transcript from Mrs Koh. and confirm your courses and grades on September 5.
- Parent Brag Sheet and the Junior Interview Survey are due on September 10
- The Intent Notification Form for Oxbridge/UK Medicine and US EA/ED is due on September 14
- Your Final Short-List (“Colleges I’m Applying to”) is due on Naviance on September 19
- The SFS University Application Agreement needs to be signed by you and your parent and returned to your counselor by September 19
Kind reminder of October 1 Internal Application Deadline for universities below:
- Oxbridge/UK Medicine
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- University of Georgia
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- North Carolina State University
- University of South Carolina
How to move universities from "Colleges I'm thinking about" to "Colleges I'm applying to" on Naviance
A note on Teacher Recommendation Letters:
If you are applying to the US then you will ask two teachers to write for you. The only exceptions would be if you are applying to some Art or Drama related programs in addition to other more academic programs or if you are registering on NCAA for athletic reasons. If that is true for you then please talk with your counselor about requesting a third letter. Universities prefer to hear from teachers that have taught you recently (Grade 11-12) and they prefer to hear from core teachers (Math, English, Econ, Physics, etc). Some times (really not often) do universities specify what subject teachers they want to hear from (for example Math and English teacher at MIT, and math/science teacher and humanities/social science/art teacher at Harvey Mudd College) and then you don't really have a choice anymore. If you are applying to universities in Australia and/or UK only then you don't need to ask any teachers to write for you (if counselor doesn't say that it is needed for your particular course). If you are applying to Canada only then you can ask for one letter (some programs do require a letter). If you are applying to any university that have a specific recommendation letter format/form that they want your teacher to use then please contact your counselor and we will guide you through that process. Please contact your counselor if you are still confused about what teachers to approach with your letter request. Here is more information on how to decide on which teachers you want to ask to write for you from Vanderbilt University. Most other US universities would give you the same or similar guidelines.
If you are applying to the US then you will ask two teachers to write for you. The only exceptions would be if you are applying to some Art or Drama related programs in addition to other more academic programs or if you are registering on NCAA for athletic reasons. If that is true for you then please talk with your counselor about requesting a third letter. Universities prefer to hear from teachers that have taught you recently (Grade 11-12) and they prefer to hear from core teachers (Math, English, Econ, Physics, etc). Some times (really not often) do universities specify what subject teachers they want to hear from (for example Math and English teacher at MIT, and math/science teacher and humanities/social science/art teacher at Harvey Mudd College) and then you don't really have a choice anymore. If you are applying to universities in Australia and/or UK only then you don't need to ask any teachers to write for you (if counselor doesn't say that it is needed for your particular course). If you are applying to Canada only then you can ask for one letter (some programs do require a letter). If you are applying to any university that have a specific recommendation letter format/form that they want your teacher to use then please contact your counselor and we will guide you through that process. Please contact your counselor if you are still confused about what teachers to approach with your letter request. Here is more information on how to decide on which teachers you want to ask to write for you from Vanderbilt University. Most other US universities would give you the same or similar guidelines.
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