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 application 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.
Sent on the last Thursday of each month, the Counseling Newsletter provides extra guidance and information to assist you during the university application 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.
May 2020
This is the last issue of the Counseling Newsletter.
We have only four weeks left until we can truly say — Congratulations!!
Meanwhile, we are planning some important meetings and sessions for you. We are planning a whole day of transition sessions for the seniors offered by their counselors and teachers on Tuesday May 26. We are also planning to provide a Transition Session for Parents on May 14. We also hope to be able to organize the US student visa application information session offered by the US Embassy. The date is still to be confirmed. More information about these sessions will be shared shortly.
All these things, and more, is discussed in this final issue.
Kind regards,
The High School Counselors
We have only four weeks left until we can truly say — Congratulations!!
Meanwhile, we are planning some important meetings and sessions for you. We are planning a whole day of transition sessions for the seniors offered by their counselors and teachers on Tuesday May 26. We are also planning to provide a Transition Session for Parents on May 14. We also hope to be able to organize the US student visa application information session offered by the US Embassy. The date is still to be confirmed. More information about these sessions will be shared shortly.
All these things, and more, is discussed in this final issue.
Kind regards,
The High School Counselors
Where are the Seniors at right now?
- Many Seniors are making their final university decision at the moment.
- They are making a deposit to their intended US university and they are making their Firm and Insurance choices on UCAS.
- They have finished all their school work. Yeeaaayy!!
- They are all looking forward to Graduation, which we hope will take place on campus on May 29 :-)
This Year in Numbers:
15 most popular universities (highest number of applications - 2019, 2018 in parentheses)
- Our Grade 12 Teachers wrote 209 recommendation letters
- Our Counselors wrote 100+ recommendation letters
- Our Seniors sent 1277 university applications.
15 most popular universities (highest number of applications - 2019, 2018 in parentheses)
- University of California, Los Angeles - 45 (46, 48)
- University of California, Berkeley - 44 (39, 44)
- University of California, Irvine - 42 (27, 35)
- University of California, San Diego - 41 (41, 47)
- University of California, Santa Barbara - 35 (26, 24)
- New York University - 33 (31, 38)
- University of California, Davis - 30 (20, 24)
- Boston University - 30 (23, 32)
- University of Michigan - 25 (24, 40)
- University of Southern California - 24 (35, 33)
- Emory University - 22 (29, 20)
- Cornell University - 21 (27, 24)
- Boston College - 17 (20, 16)
- University of Pennsylvania - 16 (19, 18)
- Brown University - 16 (19, 13)
Deadline to Accept your US University Offer
May 1 is the deadline for you to pay the deposit to the college of your choice. It is usually $500-$1000. Some universities have extended this deadline to June 1.
Contact your counselor if you are not sure how this process works, or if you are waitlisted and you are not sure what to do.
Contact your counselor if you are not sure how this process works, or if you are waitlisted and you are not sure what to do.
Sending Final Transcripts to your Universities
The counselors will send your final transcript to your chosen university first week of June.
The counselors will send your final transcript to your chosen university first week of June.
Have you been Waitlisted?
If you have been waitlisted at your first choice university then please make sure you deposit at your second choice university. If you get off the waitlist then let your counselor know ASAP, so that we can send them your final transcript.
If you have been waitlisted at your first choice university then please make sure you deposit at your second choice university. If you get off the waitlist then let your counselor know ASAP, so that we can send them your final transcript.
Senior Exit Meetings
Most students have met with their counselor for a 30-minute Senior Exit Meeting. These meetings will be completed before the end of May. Please contact your counselor if you haven't completed or scheduled this meeting yet.
Most students have met with their counselor for a 30-minute Senior Exit Meeting. These meetings will be completed before the end of May. Please contact your counselor if you haven't completed or scheduled this meeting yet.
Pre-Departure Orientation Session for Seniors
During the Senior Week, on Tuesday May 26, we will spend one whole day (08.00-15.10) discussing your upcoming transition.
Five topics will be covered: Transition to College, Cross-cultural Kids and Cultural Mapping, Staying Safe, Laundry 101, and Back in the Day (teacher panel). If we are not back in school at this time then the sessions will be offered online using Zoom.
During the Senior Week, on Tuesday May 26, we will spend one whole day (08.00-15.10) discussing your upcoming transition.
Five topics will be covered: Transition to College, Cross-cultural Kids and Cultural Mapping, Staying Safe, Laundry 101, and Back in the Day (teacher panel). If we are not back in school at this time then the sessions will be offered online using Zoom.
Pre-Departure Orientation Session for Senior Parents
On Tuesday 14 May, 9.15-11.00 am, the counselors will offer a Transition Session for Senior Parents. During this session we will talk about the emotional part of the upcoming transition, but we will also look into the logistics of going to university, such as what to do if there is an emergency, how to stay in contact, budgeting, housing, etc. The session will be offered online using Zoom, and an email will be sent to parents shortly with information on how to register.
On Tuesday 14 May, 9.15-11.00 am, the counselors will offer a Transition Session for Senior Parents. During this session we will talk about the emotional part of the upcoming transition, but we will also look into the logistics of going to university, such as what to do if there is an emergency, how to stay in contact, budgeting, housing, etc. The session will be offered online using Zoom, and an email will be sent to parents shortly with information on how to register.
Student Visa Application Information Session by the US Embassy
We are trying to organize our traditional session where a representative from the US Embassy come and talk with students and parents about the visa application process. More information will be sent shortly.
We are trying to organize our traditional session where a representative from the US Embassy come and talk with students and parents about the visa application process. More information will be sent shortly.
University Applications Sent After Graduation
Students applying to universities in countries where the application process begins after you have graduated from SFS such as Australia and New Zealand, please let your counselor know what your plan is, and stay in contact with him or her during the summer.
We will be able to send emails and electronic documents during the summer vacation as necessary.
Students applying to universities in countries where the application process begins after you have graduated from SFS such as Australia and New Zealand, please let your counselor know what your plan is, and stay in contact with him or her during the summer.
We will be able to send emails and electronic documents during the summer vacation as necessary.
Possible Scenarios on IB Results Day - for UK Applicants
Are you wondering what will happen to your conditional offers when the IB results are released to universities on July 5?
If yes then please read through the Possible scenarios on IB Results Day carefully, and save the link so that you can go back to it when the day comes. Please reach out to your counselor by email ASAP if you need any support or guidance when your results come out. We are more than happy to help out.
Are you wondering what will happen to your conditional offers when the IB results are released to universities on July 5?
If yes then please read through the Possible scenarios on IB Results Day carefully, and save the link so that you can go back to it when the day comes. Please reach out to your counselor by email ASAP if you need any support or guidance when your results come out. We are more than happy to help out.
Will Parents Pay?
- By Scott Jaschik April 27, 2020
- By Scott Jaschik April 27, 2020
Survey finds they are skeptical of online-only options available now -- and perhaps in the fall -- and don't want to pay regular tuition rates.
Many parents of high school seniors and current college students are skeptical of the quality of remote instruction offered by colleges since the coronavirus came to the United States. And some of these parents would not send their children to college in the fall if instruction is online.
These are the results of a Tyton Partners survey conducted this month.
The survey was conducted on Facebook and answered by 464 parents. Gates Bryant, a partner at Tyton, acknowledged that Facebook surveys are not the most reliable tools. But he said Tyton valued the timeliness of the survey. In addition, the flaws in a Facebook survey -- probably a sample that is wealthier and whiter than the general population -- make the survey sample more indicative of those populations.
Of the sample, only 57 percent said they would continue their child's education at the same institution if it offers only online education in the fall. Seven percent said they definitely would not return to the same college. And 35 percent said they were unsure.
The skepticism of online education was greatest among those parents whose children are seniors in high school. Of those, about 10 percent said they would not send their children to a college offering only online education.
The parents were also asked to rank the quality of the remote instruction students are now receiving, and on a scale of one to 10, they ranked it only 5.6.
Asked why, they mainly cited three reasons. The first was that remote learning is of lesser quality than in person. Typical quotes were “The content seems very poor. Mainly it is the student reviewing online content then taking quizzes and tests. I'm concerned my student will not receive the same quality of education in this format as compared to actually being on campus.” And “She’s a science major and has three difficult labs. The recorded labs are not done well, and she has no real access to professors or teaching assistants. It’s very frustrating to her and doing the lab homework takes a long time to figure out.”
Other reasons were that instructors are unprepared and that valued parts of the student experience are missing. Typical quotes were “Inconsistency of delivery of instruction. Per my child. The professors with limited technology skills and knowledge are not instructing. They are only providing reading assignments without any lecture, requiring students to take an exam and show their work without any guidance.” And “My child attends a small, private university. We chose this school collaboratively so that he could partake in getting to personally know his professors and fellow students. This is impossible to achieve online. Therefore, collaborative learning in his passionate classes is stunted.” The survey also found that the parents were less likely to pay the same tuition rates as have been charged before the coronavirus.
What Should Colleges Do?
The question for colleges is what to do about this skepticism. Adding to the complexity of their decision, colleges are just starting to announce -- or to seriously consider -- their plans for the fall.
Bryant, from Tyton Partners, said he sees the results "as a strong statement of dissatisfaction" with the status quo. "Something has to change."
He said that Tyton didn't necessarily advocate one solution for colleges, but offered three possible approaches.
Elizabeth Johnson, chairman of SimpsonScarborough, said that the results of the new survey rang true to her. SimpsonScarborough sponsored a survey this month that found that one in 10 high school seniors who had planned to go to a four-year college prior to the coronavirus is likely to change direction as a result of the outbreak, and another 4 percent are very likely to do so.
"Yes, over the years, our research has found that student and parent opinions rarely differ all that much. So doing a sniff test based on what we know about students makes a lot of sense," she said.
Many parents of high school seniors and current college students are skeptical of the quality of remote instruction offered by colleges since the coronavirus came to the United States. And some of these parents would not send their children to college in the fall if instruction is online.
These are the results of a Tyton Partners survey conducted this month.
The survey was conducted on Facebook and answered by 464 parents. Gates Bryant, a partner at Tyton, acknowledged that Facebook surveys are not the most reliable tools. But he said Tyton valued the timeliness of the survey. In addition, the flaws in a Facebook survey -- probably a sample that is wealthier and whiter than the general population -- make the survey sample more indicative of those populations.
Of the sample, only 57 percent said they would continue their child's education at the same institution if it offers only online education in the fall. Seven percent said they definitely would not return to the same college. And 35 percent said they were unsure.
The skepticism of online education was greatest among those parents whose children are seniors in high school. Of those, about 10 percent said they would not send their children to a college offering only online education.
The parents were also asked to rank the quality of the remote instruction students are now receiving, and on a scale of one to 10, they ranked it only 5.6.
Asked why, they mainly cited three reasons. The first was that remote learning is of lesser quality than in person. Typical quotes were “The content seems very poor. Mainly it is the student reviewing online content then taking quizzes and tests. I'm concerned my student will not receive the same quality of education in this format as compared to actually being on campus.” And “She’s a science major and has three difficult labs. The recorded labs are not done well, and she has no real access to professors or teaching assistants. It’s very frustrating to her and doing the lab homework takes a long time to figure out.”
Other reasons were that instructors are unprepared and that valued parts of the student experience are missing. Typical quotes were “Inconsistency of delivery of instruction. Per my child. The professors with limited technology skills and knowledge are not instructing. They are only providing reading assignments without any lecture, requiring students to take an exam and show their work without any guidance.” And “My child attends a small, private university. We chose this school collaboratively so that he could partake in getting to personally know his professors and fellow students. This is impossible to achieve online. Therefore, collaborative learning in his passionate classes is stunted.” The survey also found that the parents were less likely to pay the same tuition rates as have been charged before the coronavirus.
What Should Colleges Do?
The question for colleges is what to do about this skepticism. Adding to the complexity of their decision, colleges are just starting to announce -- or to seriously consider -- their plans for the fall.
Bryant, from Tyton Partners, said he sees the results "as a strong statement of dissatisfaction" with the status quo. "Something has to change."
He said that Tyton didn't necessarily advocate one solution for colleges, but offered three possible approaches.
- Do something with September. One approach might be to turn September into a block class period, like some colleges do for January, with students taking only one intense class. "What's so valuable about September?" he asked. He suggested this as an approach for all undergraduates, not just freshmen. The class would need to be online, but colleges could plan a full semester starting in October. (Some colleges, like Beloit College, are already doing this with a split fall semester, so that students can take the first half online and the second half in person.)
- Take the financial pressure off. Davidson College did this by letting anyone affected by COVID-19 delay fall 2020 tuition payments by a year. While Davidson is a relatively wealthy college, Southern New Hampshire University is offering a full-tuition scholarship for one year to all who enroll at the university's traditional campus.
- Use this time to jump into online education in a meaningful way. Many colleges were caught off guard by the coronavirus and needed to prepare very quickly for the transition, Bryant said.
Elizabeth Johnson, chairman of SimpsonScarborough, said that the results of the new survey rang true to her. SimpsonScarborough sponsored a survey this month that found that one in 10 high school seniors who had planned to go to a four-year college prior to the coronavirus is likely to change direction as a result of the outbreak, and another 4 percent are very likely to do so.
"Yes, over the years, our research has found that student and parent opinions rarely differ all that much. So doing a sniff test based on what we know about students makes a lot of sense," she said.
This is your last Counseling Newsletter.
Dear students,
Good luck with your future endeavours.
Please remember to come back and visit us.
All the best,
The High School Counselors
Mrs Gilmore, Mrs Mayo, Mrs Holcomb, and Mr Ekstrom
And.... congratulations in advance :-)
Dear students,
Good luck with your future endeavours.
Please remember to come back and visit us.
All the best,
The High School Counselors
Mrs Gilmore, Mrs Mayo, Mrs Holcomb, and Mr Ekstrom
And.... congratulations in advance :-)