News from University Counselors

Debbie McDowell
debbiem@isb.ac.th

Grade 12

Seniors are plowing through their work leading up to submitting their applications. Please continue to encourage them to meet with their counselor for essay and application review and to set appointments well before the deadlines to submit their applications with their counselor.  

All applications with a deadline before 1 February should be submitted before the winter break. University counselors will not be available over the break as they will be focusing on spending time with friends and family while rejuvenating for the second semester. 

Senior Seminar #6 will be on Monday, 28 November. This is the last seminar for the semester. Seniors should meet with their university counselor to finalize all their application plans for this semester. 

The next big deadline looming is the 30 November, University of California deadline! Students should have already reviewed their four Personal Inquiry Questions and application with their university counselor before submitting this week. Students should not wait until the deadline to apply! The UC website has repeatedly crashed the last few years the day before the deadline. To be safe seniors were instructed to submit applications by today, Friday, 25 November. 

Also, all UCAS applications must be submitted to the university counselor by 1 December!

Grade 11

Junior Seminar assignments were due last week and this week. Students should have submitted their Personal Mission Statement last week and the Priorities and Preferences assignment was due on 24 November. Your 11th grader should have interviewed you for the Priorities and Preferences assignment. If you are a grade 11 parent, please ask your child about these!

The next Junior Seminar will be on 9 December.

SAT on Saturday, 5 December

The final paper and pencil version of the SAT will be administered at ISB on Saturday, 5 December. Students must have already registered for that test to be able to take it. Check-in will begin at 7:30 AM outside the MPB and the test is scheduled to start at 8:00AM. All students must bring the following items with them to be admitted to campus and the test rooms:  School ID, National ID (passport or Thai national ID card), printed admissions ticket. Students are allowed to have a clear water bottle with them during testing but no food can be consumed in the testing room. Students may only bring pencils, erasures and acceptable calculators into the test room. If you have any questions about the SAT, please reach out to Ms Shrestha in the HS Counseling Office. 

SAT Update

Beginning in March, the SAT will go digital.  All tests will be taken on the student’s own laptop in the testing room at ISB.  Registration is now open for test dates during semester two. Students can register here. Please remind your child to follow the instructions found on the ISB University Counseling website to be able to sign up for the test at ISB.

Upcoming University Visits @ ISB 

Thursday, 1 December: Bard College (USA), 3:00-3:30 @ HS Conference Room

There are many virtual and off campus university events taking place which our students are invited to attend. Check the Virtual and Off Campus University Events spreadsheet frequently to know what’s available. Please note that pre-registration is needed for some events.

Please check the ISB University/College Counseling website for loads of information. You will find university research tools, transition resources for students and parents, recordings and slide shows from Parent Coffees and family presentations, virtual and off campus university visits, information about testing and how to sign up for the SAT at ISB, a list of summer programs about which the counselors have been informed, and the ISB School Profile.

Kindly, 

Debbie