EDUCATION
couple that passion with leadership oppor- tunities in a music group or volunteer tal- ents at a local senior centre or play at community events for fundraising. Furthermore, make summers matter. Te academic workload for UK students can be heavy, so it’s OK to pursue their passions and seek leadership alternatives during the summer months.
Work works
If a student does not have time for extra- curricular activities because they have a part-time job, there is no need to fret. Universities appreciate that many students do not have the luxury of participating in outside activities because they must work to help support themselves. Just be sure that your child is prepared to succinctly de- scribe how that job has developed their sense of responsibility and leadership qualities.
Keep a record of accomplishments
Students should keep track of what they’ve accomplished by noting down their hob- bies and extra-curricular activities right from the start. Tese notes will be essential for preparing for college interviews and ap- plications. With this information at hand,
college applications and essays will practi- cally write themselves.
Destination USA
What to do next? Research, research and research
Ivy League universities have well-deserved, sterling reputations, which understandably make them a primary goal for international applicants. But the Ivy League does not hold a monopoly on success. Tere are many equally high-quality institutions in the US and one of them could actually be a better fit for your child, so do your re- search.
Creating the long list
So where is the right place to begin that re- search? Te Fiske Guide to Colleges, a leading college guide from Edward B. Fiske, is a great place to start. Te guide provides an objective review of each school’s attributes, strengths, shortcomings and more, and each is accompanied by a fulsome set of student reviews for the top 320 US schools. Despite the book’s formi- dable size, it is worth it for your child to set aside the time to plough through it. It is an impressive concentration of information which I highly recommend using.
22 FOCUS The Magazine November/December 2019
Ideally, once your Fiske guide is dog-
eared and annotated beyond recognition, your child will be prepared to finalise their long list. How long should that list be? As long as it needs to be to capture each school that is genuinely a good fit. Keep in mind that, although US applicants can apply to as many universities as they wish, from my experience, your child will even- tually need to narrow down their long list as they will likely apply to only five to six.
The SAT/ACT dilemma
In the US, standardised test scores often play a big role in the college admissions process. And though your child is likely to be well equipped for the level of compe- tency these exams require, like any stan- dardised exam there are quirks and nuances that must be understood in order to achieve the best score, which tends to mean months of time-consuming practice. Te SATs and ACTs cover a number of
subjects like reading comprehension, writ- ing techniques and maths. If the universi- ties that rank high on your child’s list require one of these exams, then they must take the time to thoroughly prepare. Fulbright Commission recommends that prospective students begin by “...[sitting] several full-timed practice tests, including
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