Secondary College Counselor

TOPIC: Planning and Preparing for University

In its preliminary phase college and career planning can begin in Grades 9 and 10, and students are encouraged to begin the process of looking forward and conducting preliminary research. However, the intensive phase of planning and preparation, and the culmination of the process, is done in Grades 11 and 12. Students in these two years (sometimes referred to as junior and senior years, respectively) have mandatory meetings with the College Counsellor (on average 2-3 for Grade 11 students, and 5-6 for Grade 12 students).

During the academic year the main focus of the 1st semester is on Grade 12 students and their applications to universities abroad, with attention to the deadlines for applying. Dependent on the university, the Early Decision Deadline is generally October 15th of any given academic year; the Regular Decision Deadline is normally January 15th; however, some universities have later decision deadlines during the spring.

In the 2nd semester of the academic year the focus shifts to Grade 11 students. In meetings with the College Counsellor, Grade 11 students are required to complete their University Long List, of post-secondary (tertiary) institutions to which they will probably make applications during the autumn of their Grade 12 year. In their final meeting with the College Counsellor during the Grade 11 year, students are requested to review their university long list over the summer months with the intention of turning it into a University Short List. Thus, when these students return to school at the beginning of their Grade 12 academic year, they will review the university short list with the College Counsellor. The research phase during Grade 11, vis-Ă -vis discussions with the College Counsellor, ensures that sufficient preparation has been done; as the saying goes, preparation is half the battle! When in Grade 12, students can then focus on the application process during the 1st semester, which is an extremely busy, and sometimes challenging, time for them due to the academic demands of their final year of high school.

I will be sending a message to Grade 11 students to arrange meetings with me during the 2nd Semester. I am indeed looking forward to meeting with them as they begin the exciting journey that will culminate in making applications to university in the autumn of their Grade 12 year. It is a journey that will conclude with receiving university offers and then deciding which one to accept, at the universities where they will continue the next exhilarating phase of their educational lives.

John Potter

College Counsellor

potterj@mefis.k12.tr