Observations from the Admissions Office
Over the last fifteen months, I have become most aware that there are various elements of the admissions process which can cause confusion due to differing cultural/educational norms and expectations. The following is a brief list of some of the broad categories and observations therein.
YEAR GROUPINGS:
For families coming from a UK based system (where Year 13 is the final year) into an American based system (where Grade 12 is the final year), parents and students alike can sometimes feel aggrieved if - unfamiliar with the differing numbering systems -feel the student is being placed incorrectly with regards to age/years of schooling completed.
Reviewing report cards from the French system can initially cause confusion. For example, when a family submits report cards indicating that the student completed 4ème in 2016-2017, 3ème in 2017-2018, yet is applying for Grade Ten, there may be bewilderment. However, once armed with the knowledge that in the French system, 6ème is equivalent to Grade Six and thus 5ème, 4ème, 3ème, 2ème, 1ère, and Terminale are equivalent to Grade Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven and Twelve respectively (the number gets higher, rather than lower, as students approach graduation), it all makes sense.
ACADEMIC YEAR:
As a school following an August - June school year, the grade level placement guideline we use is as follows:
As an international school, we have students coming from a variety of school systems whereby the age of enrollment and school years differ. As such the guidelines we have for grade level placement (based on date of birth) are very much an initial guideline. Grade level placement is determined by a variety of factors including date of birth, grade level completed, report cards, recommendation forms, observations, and admissions screening results. The grade level completed is a significant factor and is often a point of discussion (due to to the fact the school year starts between January and April, rather than August or September) for students coming from China, Korea, Japan, Australia, and NZ. When making grade level placement decisions, our ultimate aim is to always place students in a grade level whereby after a smooth transition they may settle well and then flourish in all respects.
REPORT CARDS:
In the US, the UK, Australia and international schools around the world there is a general similarity in the format of the end of term/end of year reports. They have grades, general comments referencing the academic standards as well as comments relating to the individual student in terms of areas of growth and next steps. Reports most often include information relating to a variety of other elements such as work ethic, ability to collaborate with peers, and personal conduct in a separate section or embedded within.
Families from Scandinavia tend to look concerned when they read the item on the checklist referencing the need to submit three years worth of report cards as part of the application process. This is because, unlike many other countries, formal reporting occurs from Grade Six or Seven onwards.
For other cultures, asking for annotated report cards causes confusion as the educational system may focus on simply an end of semester/end of year grade and, in the case of some education systems, information as to the student’s ranking within the school in each and every subject.
TRANSCRIPTS:
The concept of a transcript (a requirement for students entering our high school) causes some consternation amongst those for whom it is, quite literally, an alien concept. We explain to families that students at our school are (presuming they meet graduation requirements) on track to earn two diplomas: The IB Diploma and an American High School Diploma. Thus, if students transfer into high school, they need to submit an official transcript detailing the credits earned previously. These credits in conjunction with those earned on campus will be applied to the American High School Diploma. Despite stating there is not a form we provide for this and sharing a sample of the transcript we give to high school students, we still have many families continually asking for us to send the form for the current/previous school to complete.
TERTIARY EDUCATION:
There is a tendency for families from certain countries to ask about the universities to which our graduating students enrol. We have this information in our High School Profile and share it with all prospective families (regardless of the age of the child applying). While it always seemed incredulous to me that a family would be enquiring about tertiary education when their child is barely out of diapers and about to start PreK Age 3, I have learned it is merely a reflection of the reality that in the home country an individual’s track is defined very early in life.
While the above elements can cause initial confusion due to differing cultural/educational norms and expectations, my experience is that every day in the admissions office is an opportunity for two way learning to occur. By taking the time to meet with prospective families, we are able to guide them through various elements of the process and educate them about our school in terms of philosophy and practice. At the same time, we learn each and every day new information regarding schools, systems, and standards.