Grade 11: the Road to University 2017

Grade 11: The Road to University 2017

Overview

Dear Grade 11 (Juniors),

Over the next several months you will have to decide how and where you want to spend life after high school. We expect you to take to heart the research portion of this search process. This means going beyond a simple ranking sheet and really investigating a place and what it has to offer you. This implies you know yourself and what you are looking for.

In order to get going, we want you to:

1)Review the career research you did in Naviance

2)Complete the UniQuest activity:

Step 1 –Complete the True Colours Survey (see website below)

Step 2 –Research three colleges (one large and one small) based on your True Colours surveys and one other

Step 3 –Respond and Reflect

Junior UniQuest

This assignment will take roughly 3 hours - which equates to 2 Life101 sessions and some homework. Be thoughtful and reflective as you work through this assignment. It is one piece that will help me get to know you and provide valuable advice. To complete this assignment you will need to have access to your Naviance account. If you can’t remember your log-in please see Zoe Tang or your myself.

For the major part of this assignment, you will need the following results:

1)Do What You Are—personality profile results (in Naviance)

2)Career Interest Survey–(in Naviance)

3)VIA Character Strengths results (you did this in grade 9 and you should have a report of your top five signature themes - otherwise do it NOW).

1)True Colours Survey -- Take this online quiz—it is short and sweet. True Colours has a novel way of looking at personality that lends itself to developing a list for colleges. You will be given a result: Orange, Green, Blue or Gold. Do the word sort and rank order your True Colours.

2)Research Your Colleges with You in Mind-- You will see there is a list of colleges on the following website:

You must select at two from your dominant colour. College size can have a profound effect on the student experience on the student experience, so you will research one large and one small college. In total you will be researching three colleges in depth. In this initial phase, your three colleges must come from this list. Although most of the colleges come from the USA, each colour has at least one from Canada, the UK, Australia and somewhere else in the world (Holland Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore etc). These colleges were selected because they meet at least two of the following characteristics:

1. They embody the colour personality
2. They have a strong track record with international students
3. Have a history with International Students from China

Summary of the UniQuest Action Steps

Step / Time / Comment
1) Do True Colors assessment / 5 minutes / Use the word sort and rank order your colors.
2) Review your results from
--Do what you are (in Naviance)
--Career Interest Survey
--VIA Character Strengths / 20-25 Minutes / Just read the summary reports—familiarize yourself with
a.Your learning needs (in Do What You Are)
b.Suggested careers (in Do What You Are and Career Interest Survey)
c.Your signature Strengths (from VIA)
3 a) Research one LARGE college from your primary color list / 45 to 60 Minutes / Go to the True Colours college page, click on your brightest colour.

Review the list of college. Click on one. Use the links to research more in-depth on that college. Answer the Uniquest survey questions
3 b) Research one SMALL college from your primary color list / 45 to 60 Minutes / As Above. Respond to the questions.
3 c) Research a radically different college (maybe in a different colour, or different country) / 45-60 minutes / As above

Note: You do not have to do these activities all at once. We recommend doing one college per sitting.

Useful Research Tools

What are you looking for in the university? What criteria will help you decide which schools you will love? What considerations will shape your choices? Will you simply make your list based on the list published by U.S. News & World Report? Or will you take a more sophisticated look at yourself and your needs and goals and see how each university holds up to your standards? We have culled the internet to seek out some of the best tools we could find to help you learn more about yourself and hopefully match those aspects with a college. To be honest, most college search tools are not useful. They presume you already know what you want, so we picked a few to help you figure out what it is you really might want in a school.

Tool / Country / Comment
U.S. College profile / USA / Wonderful reflections by students for students on their campus experience at over 300 U.S. colleges.
U.S./Canada Majors / USA / College Board’s straightforward guide to majors.
UK Majors / UK / A look at various UK majors.
UK University profile / UK / University profiles, done news style. Scroll through the Guardian’s information to learn more about a particular university. Usually one of the articles is written by a current student.
Canadian University profile / Canada / University profiles with student input and report-card styling

Finding a Major

Tool / Time / Comment
/ 20 minutes / Although designed for students seeking an education in the UK, this can be useful to anyone and everyone, but students applying to the UK or Australia must do it.
/ 10 Minutes / A very nice, simple tool that gives you your Holland Interest types and links those to majors you should consider.

1)Can I choose a university not on the list? We will allow you to substitute ONLY ONE that is not on the list.We have identified a wide variety of colleges in the USA and around the world that can meet your needs.

2)How much time should I expect to spend investigating each university? 45 to 60 Minutes for each college. This will involved reading online and physical texts, watching video clips, and more.

3)What resources should I use? You are encouraged to use any of the following:

1. The university’s own website—Drill down by department for majors, Career services for outcomes, student life etc.
2. YouTube: Many universities have a decent presence on YouTube that will allow you to explore colleges in depth
3. ITunes: Many universities have a decent presence on ITunes that will allow you to explore colleges in depth
4. Blogs: Many universities have students and faculty blogging to give an authentic voice.
5. Follow them on Twitter and Facebook
6. And this handy chart outlines some of the best generic resources:

USA / Canada / UK / Australia
Brochures
in the counseling center / Brochures
in the counseling center / Brochures
in the counseling center / Brochures
in the counseling center
Unigo.com
/ McCleans
/ Unistats
/ All About Uni

Fiske Guide
Book in the counseling center / Fiske Guide (Limited)
Book in the counseling center / Heap Guide
Book in the counseling center / Rate your uni

CollegeProwler
Books or
/ Unigo.com (limited)
/ UCAS
/ Quality assurance

UCANN
/ Globe and Mail
/ Push

UK University profile
i-student advisor
/ i-student advisor
/ i-student advisor
/ i-stuident advisor

4)Can I contact students currently studying at the university? Absolutely!

5)Do I have to do this?Yes. This is not just a research activity, but an exercise in reflection. We require you to evaluate 3 universities under a structured approach so you can not only learn about the process, but also have a chance to discover universities you may not have heard of before.

6)Will I be graded? No. But we take this research very seriously. Your level of commitment in this tells a lot about you as a person—and this will shape our own report on you to colleges. If you only work for a grade….

7)I have not heard of some of these universities. Are they any good? No, we want you to research bad colleges (*SARCASM*). Seriously, there are on the lists because they are good—even if they are not famous.

8)But I do not think I will apply to any of these colleges. Besides, my parents only want me to apply to highly ranked or well known schools. We understand your concern. But you need to look beyond the obvious. With the most selective colleges accepting less than 10 percent, very few NIS students will find offers in the top ranked schools. Our job is to help you identify colleges that fit you—to go beyond the obvious list. So indulge us…and who knows, you may discover a hidden gem.

9)Will I have to apply to the university I research? No. This is why you research: So you can make an informed decision. By researching specific colleges at this time, we aim to help you identify what criteria is really important to you to find your ideal university.

What is a Junior Interview? (*reminder: sign-up is in December and interviews start in January)

A relatively new NIS tradition is the Junior Interview. This is when you and BOTH of your parents meet with your counselor to discuss your plans for life after high school. In order to be prepared for the interview, you must have completed and turned in the following:

1) Uniquest survey

2) Junior interview survey—in Naviance

3) Parent Information sheet (to be distributed to parents via Naviance)

We want you to think about what criteria you are looking for in a college. With nearly 5,000 post-secondary options out there, you really have the world at your doorstep. Some key considerations:

1)Do you want to go directly to college or take a GAP year?

2)What are you looking for in a university?

3)How quickly do you want to focus on your career/major?

4)Are you likely to go to grad school?

5)Are you ACTUALLY qualified to apply to that particular school?

6)What does “fit”mean to you anyway?

7)Your university choice should allow you to develop and utilise your strengths. Does it?

By the end of the Junior Interview, you should have a clear and specific plan for what you need to do next in terms of the process. We will acquaint you with the resources and make specific recommendations. Our question is: Will you use them fully?

Tips on making the MOST out of Naviance:

1)Complete “Do What You Are”personality type profile and review what it says about you.

2)Put in perspective colleges (my colleges) that you are interested in (note that you can put any college in the world, not just U.S. colleges).

3)Look at the graphs (known as scattergrams) and see how your profile compares to other NIS students who have applied to that school - this is a developing feature.

4)Regularly update your information—schools you are interested in, email address, etc. Also, you can see which college reps are coming to visit NIS. More colleges will be coming in the spring.

5)Check out the maps function. It has listing of groups of colleges like Colleges That Change Lives or the Public Ivies or Where NIS Students Have Gone.

6)Check out college match which allows you to enter your basic profile info and see where NIS students in the past have applied and found success.

7)Check out college search. This is similar to the ones you will see in College Board or Petersons. You can enter any and all of the following variables:

a.Type

b.Location

c.Students

d.Admission

e.Athletics

f.Majors

g.Costs

h.Special Programs

8)Listen to the podcasts

9) Read Shaun McElroy’s blog . (He’s the Counsellor at Shanghai American School - and he knows his stuff!) Read the College Search Tips posts.

This resource should help you answer the criteria Question on the UniQuest survey.

Double major / Double major. Any program in which a student completes the requirements of two majors concurrently.
Senior thesis or capstone / A senior thesis is a large, independent research project that students take on in the senior year of college to fulfill a graduation requirement. For some students it is a requirement for graduating with honors.
Students typically work closely with an advisor and choose a question or topic to explore before carrying out an extensive research plan. A thesis will be the culminating work of your studies at a particular institution and it will represent your ability to conduct research and write effectively.
Special freshman experience / Freshman Seminar Program or The First Year Experience is a program that is instituted at many Americancolleges and universities which is designed to help students prepare for the transition from high school to college. Depending on the school, the course could last anywhere from two weeks to one full school year. Some larger universities go as far as to reserve sections of Dorm Rooms as well as the university itself and creates a "small college" feel in a large university setting by allowing all freshmen to do their first year courses in one section of the university
Study abroad / Study abroad. Any arrangement by which a student completes part of the college program--typically the junior year but sometimes only a semester or a summer--studying in another country. A college may operate a campus abroad, or it may have a cooperative agreement with some other U.S. college or an institution of the other country.
Coop (work program) / Cooperative education. A program that provides for alternative class attendance and employment in business, industry, or government. Students are typically paid for their work. Under a cooperative plan, five years are normally required to complete a bachelor's degree, but graduates have the advantage of about a year's practical work experience in addition to their studies.
ROTC / Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC). Programs conducted by certain colleges in cooperation with the United States Air Force, Army, and Navy. Naval ROTC includes the Marine Corps (the Coast Guard and Merchant Marine do not sponsor ROTC programs). Local recruiting offices of the services themselves can supply detailed information about these programs, as can participating colleges.
Internships / Internships. Short-term, supervised work experiences, usually related to a student's major field, for which the student earns academic credit. The work can be full- or part-time, on- or off-campus, paid or unpaid. Student teaching and apprenticeships are examples.
Freshmen seminars / Freshman Seminar Program or The First Year Experience is a program that is instituted at many Americancolleges and universities which is designed to help students prepare for the transition from high school to college. Depending on the school, the course could last anywhere from two weeks to one full school year. Some larger universities go as far as to reserve sections of Dorm Rooms as well as the university itself and creates a "small college" feel in a large university setting by allowing all freshmen to do their first year courses in one section of the university
Honour courses / Honors program. Any special program for very able students that offers the opportunity for educational enrichment, independent study, acceleration, or some combination of these.
A strong department in / You decide.
A specific extracurricular activity in / You decide.
Big intercollegiate sports / Sports played competitively between colleges, such as Basketball, Soccer, Football, Swimming etc. Great for building school spirit.
Fraternities/sororities / Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students, present mainly at colleges and universities in North America, although they are present in other areas of the world, especially Europe, where they go under the name corporation. There are also analogous, but less common, organizations for secondary school students.
Typically, fraternities are single-sex, initiatory organizations and membership is considered active during the undergraduate years only (although a notable exception to this are historically black sororities and fraternities and professional fraternities, in which active membership continues, and into which members are often initiated, years, and even decades, after the completion of their undergraduate degrees). Fraternities may sometimes be considered mutual aid societies, providing academic and social activities. Some groups also maintain a fraternity house, providing residential and dining facilities for members.
A geographically diverse student body / Students coming from many different areas of the planet as well as the host country.
A culturally diverse student body / Efforts are made to have a wide range of cultures and ethnicities on campus as well as socially diverse students.
A prestigious name / You decide.
Small classes / You decide.
A close student/faculty relations / You decide.
Strong pre-professional programs in / Pre-Professional specifically refers to Medicine, Dentistry, Business (MBA), Law, Architecture etc.
A strong fine arts program in / You decide.
Primarily residential college where virtually all students live on campus / A residential college is an organizational pattern for a division of a university that places academic activity in a community setting of students and faculty, usually at a residence and with shared meals, the college having a degree of autonomy and a federated relationship with the overall university.
Liberal arts core / Liberal arts. The study of the humanities (literature, the arts, and philosophy), history, foreign languages, social sciences, mathematics, and natural sciences. Study of the liberal arts and humanities prepares students to develop general knowledge and reasoning ability rather than specific skills.
Great books program / The Great Books Program is a curriculum that makes use of this list of texts. The undergraduate program as implemented at St. John's College involves a four-year set course of studies consisting of four classes:
* Science—Natural science from Aristotle to Einstein
* Mathematics—from Euclid to Einstein
* Language—Translation of Greek and French texts and study of logic and poetry
* Seminar—Twice-weekly two-hour discussion of a work of philosophy or literature
As much as possible, students rely on primary sources. They are encouraged to conduct classes themselves, with guidance from a tutor.
Open curriculum / The Open Curriculum is a program designed to enable students to develop their own programs of study with the guidance of faculty advisers. It provides students with an opportunity to pursue a course of study more compatible with individual background, preparation and interest than is afforded by the regular lower division curriculum. The program is intended to help students obtain a broad liberal arts training, but with more freedom of choice than is allowed with the current divisional structure. Open curriculum is not designed to allow students to fulfill graduation requirements early or to facilitate multiple majors. Also, Open curriculum should not be confused with independent study or as a way to design a major. Generally, Open Curriculum students are motivated students who wish to have some added flexibility in planning their course work to develop their particular strengths and interests.
Must be a city / You decide.
Undergraduate research opportunities / Students working directly with professors on real research projects in their chosen fields.
Honours college / Honors program. Any special program for very able students that offers the opportunity for educational enrichment, independent study, acceleration, or some combination of these.
Other / You decide.
Other / You decide.

UniQuest 20151