SFS High School Counseling
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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

What You Should Have Done by Now

University Research:

  • Researched lots of universities in the countries you are interested in (it is common for students to have up to 20-30 universities on their Long Lists).
  • Added the universities to “Colleges I am thinking about” on Naviance (also called the Long List).
  • Decided if each university is a Reach, Fit, or Star school based on the entry requirements and your personal profile (IB Courses, IB Scores, SAT/ACT Scores)
  • Developed a clear understanding of what majors/programs are offered at the universities you are interested in.
  • Being able to articulate why each university is a good match for you
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Testing and Essays:

  • If needed for your applications, you should have registered for the...
    • ACT (September, October and/or December)  
    • SAT (October and/or December) 
    • SAT Subject Tests (October, November and/or December) 
  • Prepared for the ACT or SAT either on your own, or through a Test Preparation Center
  • Signed up for TOEFL or IELTS if you are not a passport holder of the following countries: USA, Canada, Australia, UK, New Zealand
  • Started working (and preferably completed) your first drafts of the required college essays/personal statement

What Else?

  • Decided on or being close to a decision on any potential early applications (ED/EA/Oxbridge/UK Medicine, etc)
  • Completed your Junior Interview Survey​

Ex-Seniors' Advice

"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

For North-America
  • If you still need to do university research for the US, try some of the search tools shared with you last year, and/or meet with some of the many universities visiting us here at SFS in September/October.
  • Let your counselor know ASAP (by September 14) if you are applying early to the US through Early Action or Early Decision by completing the ​Intent Notification Form for Oxbridge/UK Medicine and US EA/ED. Most university deadlines are November 1, but not all. It is your responsibility to know when your universities deadlines are.
  • Join the Common Application Workshop on August 28 and/or the UC Application on September 3 if relevant (both in the MPR).

For Australia
  • Decide if you are applying based on your predicted grades given in March for July entry, or if you are going to wait for your final IB grades and apply for February entry.​
  • Join the Applying to Australia and New Zealand workshop in the Library Learning Space on September 21.
For the UK
  • Let your counselor know ASAP (by September 14) if you are applying to Oxbridge, and/or medicine related courses in the UK (including dentistry and veterinary medicine) by completing the ​Intent Notification Form for Oxbridge/UK Medicine and US EA/ED. For Cambridge, the SFS Internal Deadline is September 6 if you wish to interview in Singapore or October 1 if you want to interview in the UK.
  • If you are applying to Medical School in the UK: You should have prepared and taken the UKCAT in the summer. If you didn't then don't miss the mid-September deadline so that you can take it early October - www.ukcat.ac.uk It might be that one or more of your universities require the BMAT. If true for you then don't miss the early October deadline. SFS is a test center for BMAT, so please contact your counselor to register for the test.
  • Review The UCAS Personal Statement Guidelines on the UCAS website and start working on your first (or second) draft.
  • Join the UCAS Application Session in the Library Learning Space on August 30.

​

​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

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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. ​

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The next issue of the newsletter will be posted on Thursday September 27.

​Kind regards, 
The High School Counselors


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  • Overview
  • Grade 9
  • Grade 10
  • Grade 11
  • Grade 12
  • Newsletters
    • Freshman >
      • September 2018
      • October 2018
      • November 2018
      • December 2018
      • February 2019
    • Sophomore >
      • September 2018
      • October 2018
      • November 2018
      • December 2018
      • February 2019
    • Junior >
      • September 2018
      • October 2018
      • November 2018
      • December 2018
      • February 2019
    • Senior >
      • September 2018
      • October 2018
      • November 2018
      • December 2018
      • February 2019
  • Forms
  • Competitions/Unique Opportunities
  • Course Information
  • Summer Programs
  • Food for Thought
  • Transitions