Kevin Davy
kevind@isb.ac.th
Grade 9
This week in Freshman Seminar students were taken on mini “freshman university tour”. We do not get into any great detail on process or information but give the students the message that preparing for college starts early. We talk of the good habits and life skills that should be established in 9th grade. It is a tricky balance because we want students to be aware of the importance of getting off to a good start in high school life but we do not want to pile on the pressure. Here is one of the messages we relayed to them, which is the same message I would also relay to parents:
Please do not develop anxiety over what it will take to get into college X.
Sure, work really hard, grow, fail, learn… see yourself develop, and then look at all the paths and options that lie ahead. Give yourself as many options as possible, make the most of your experience and learning at ISB.
When you are sat in your second semester junior year / first semester senior year researching and applying for universities, please look for a university that is a good match for YOU. Consider your personal strengths, your interests, your finances and other factors that your 10 -12 counselor will help you consider. See where you are at that point, hopefully you have taken our advise and started working hard and developing study and life skills early from Grade 9, and have many good options. Try to remember, you are the consumer, you are choosing them, even though it may seem like they are choosing you. There are so many great options for all types of learners and individuals out there. Try not to fit a square cube into a round socket because of external influences around you; this may well lead to frustration and in many cases great disappointment. Be true to yourself.
Grade 10
As the semester draws to a close, students can sometimes get a bit overwhelmed with the assignments that they are responsible for at the end of the term. Happily, our 10th graders have fewer exams this year than in past years; by the same token, some classes have long-term projects that will come due in December. Ask your son or daughter what long-term projects they need to complete and ask how they break down these big assignments into smaller, more manageable chunks. If they can do this successfully, they will find that things don’t all pile up at the end and they’ll be able to get everything done and get to bed at a reasonable hour!
Grade 11
Grade 11 students participated in Junior Seminar #2 yesterday, which focused on researching universities and the various factors that go into the university application process. During the seminar, students were divided into groups of 3 where they were given information on three different universities (But, the names of the universities were not revealed until the end of the exercise). Then, as a group the students had to decide which university they felt was the best fit for their respective group. This activity led to some very enthusiastic discussions, it provided students insight into what students value, and the specific characteristics they are seeking in a university.
At the conclusion of the meeting, students were give two assignments in preparation for their Junior Conferences, which will begin February 1. The students were given a parent perspective, in which parents provide information regarding their son/daughter and a student self-recommendation, where the student writes a recommendation about themselves.
The Junior Conference which begin February 1, is a time for counselors to meet with students and parents to discuss the student’s post-secondary education plans. Once the student has returned the parent perspective and self-recommendation to the HS Counseling Office, the Junior Conference can be scheduled.
Grade 12
This has been a busy week with students turning in transcript requests (officially notifying their counselor and ISB of where they plan to apply) and with students submitting applications to schools (mostly US) with November 30 deadlines.
Please remind your student to schedule an appointment to submit their applications sooner, rather than later. All applications to universities with December and January deadlines need to be submitted with the counselor by Thursday, December 17. We suggest that students applying to Canada submit their applications prior to the December break as well.
As you and your student prepare for this next big life transition, take a look at this site to begin thinking about next steps and avoid waiting until June and July to address the coming change. https://sites.google.com/a/isb.ac.th/isb-hs-university-advising/transitions
Upcoming University Visits
No university visits next week.