FAQ's

What can students do before grade 12 to prepare themselves for the university admissions process and life after GS?


  • Learn to enjoy your education.
  • Always choose challenging courses, not just to get into a university but for yourself.
  • Find balance in your academic choices, as well as in your life. Take time for your family, your dreams and your passions, knowing that universities want to admit real, whole people. The right fit will happen.
  • Find your passions! How? Try new things, ask questions, reflect and be willing to take risks.
  • Create a resume, website and/or e-portfolio and keep it updated. Be aware of your online presence and consider how it represents you to universities.
  • Research universities. Ask where your teachers, parents, and other adults you admire went to school.
  • READ BOOKS as well as local and international newspapers. This is the best way to prepare for the SAT and other exams. Reading a variety of sources helps with vocabulary, reading speed, and critical thinking as well as increasing your depth and breadth of knowledge.
  • Try a university course. There are several ways to do this. You can take an intensive class during a ‘summer session’ at many universities around the world. These are usually designed for students who have just finished either grade 10 or grade 11. If you have a 3.0 GPA, and you are age 16 or over, you can also take a SUN course at GS to get a feel for the academic expectations, additional workload, etc. of a university-level course. You can try an online independent study university course, e.g. through a MOOC provider like edX. It won’t be just like attending university, but it’s a chance to try uni-level classes for free with no risk. These can look impressive to universities where you apply for admission later; or they can save you lots of time, energy and money if you learn that you’re not best-suited to go directly to university after HS graduation.
  • Visit universities of interest. This is a great way to spend some time during the July break before grade 12. If you can, walk on the campus, meet with an admissions officer, and even try a class. If you cannot get to the campus in person, you can still do your research, write to the admissions team, Skype with current students and/or admissions and get a feel for the place. This can save you time, money and stress, especially if you discover that your ‘Dream School’ is actually not the best fit for you.



Am I a domestic or international applicant?

This question is answered differently by schools even within the same country. Your passport matters, as does where you have lived and attended school for the past few years. For some countries, like the UK and Korea, it is very important how many years you have lived and studied abroad. For others, like the USA, some universities consider our American GS graduates as international applicants while others consider them domestic. Some universities treat all applicants the same for the purposes of admissions, but they may make distinctions for tuition and financial aid purposes. Do your research on specific universities of interest early (grade 11) to answer this question, and keep your Academic Advisor informed. Your GS Academic Advisor can be in contact directly with universities to share our GSHS Profile and answer this kind of question for particular students. It is imperative that students and parents share their college list early.


Should I take SAT?

Probably, yes. What have you got to lose? Though our educational ethos at GS doesn’t emphasizing testing (especially standardized testing), the experience of taking SAT may prove valuable. It’s a life experience, like any other, that offers a learning opportunity. You may do better on the test that you expect. However you feel about your scores, they can open doors for you. Some universities require SAT and will only consider your application if you take it. Even low scores can open doors for you there. Some credential based admissions systems will want to see SAT scores in order to compare your application with other international applicants. If your scores are higher, they can open additional opportunities for financial aid as well as admission.

Nearly all universities that consider SAT scores ‘superscore’. This means that they pay attention to the highest score you earned in each area, even if you achieved it on different test dates. You can - and probably should - take SAT more than once. Most students do better on the second and often on the third sitting of the exams. Most students’ scores max out by the third try.


When should I take SAT?

Take your first SAT I (as opposed to SAT II Subject Tests) by semester two of your grade 11 year. This gives you time both to prepare to do your best and to take the test again early in your grade 12 year. Register for SAT at the College Board website. Deadlines for registration are usually about a month before the test dates. SAT is offered in Bali at BIS in Sanur, though not every international test date is offered. Be in contact with your Academic Advisor at GS to know when SAT will be offered at BIS.

You can also opt to take ACT, a different standardized test, that can be helpful for admission especially in the USA at BIS in Sanur. ACT includes Science as well Math and English, and it is scored differently.

If you miss the SAT at BIS, or you are traveling, it is also offered in Jakarta, Singapore and other cities around the world. Check the College Board website for locations, dates and registration.


Should I take a gap year?

Working either for pay or as an intern after graduation can help you focus on what you really want to do or study in the future. It can also be a time of tremendous maturing and open a world of opportunities. A ‘gap year’ is NOT “time off” to do nothing. When you enter the working world or education, they will absolutely want to know what you did with your time and it must have been productive. Think carefully about what you would want to do, create and write a plan for yourself that has goals and stick to them.


What do people do with a gap year? Here are some examples:


  • Agricultural work
  • Voluntary work
  • Working in a restaurant/office/etc.
  • Conservation work
  • Internship
  • Language assistant in schools abroad
  • Working as an au pair
  • Studying a language to perfect fluency
  • Taking pre-uni courses at other international schools
  • Travelling
  • Sailing around the world
  • Playing in a band
  • Perfecting a skill or passion
  • Running or expanding your business

Some of the benefits may include:


  • A break from full-time education
  • Go abroad to learn a language
  • See the culture and lifestyles of another country
  • Earn some money to supplement your college education
  • Doing community work and giving back
  • Learn how to work and be professional


If you want to take a gap year, you should have a PURPOSE and a PLAN. Preparation for your gap year should be taken as seriously as preparation for university. There may be fewer requirements or benchmarks set by others, but YOU set them for yourself. This can be both very liberating and very daunting. If you wish to be supported financially by your parents or others, put together a proposal (like a business plan) that explains your purpose(s), goal(s), plan(s) and budget. This process itself will be a growth experience for you, and the product may earn you financial support, allowing you time and resources to pursue your dream.