University Visits from our Upper School in America

Wednesday, 24 July 2019

ISR prides itself on preparing students for life beyond ISR. Two full-time staff members are available to meet with students and their parents to make sure the appropriate course selections are made as Upper School students begin the path to university. In addition to in-school counseling, our University and Career Counselling (UCC) team also visits universities around the world with our students to help them get an on-the-spot impression of various universities.

For this reason, Dr. Dickers, our University and Career Councellor, and four ISR students from grades 9, 10 and 11 spent a week visiting universities and colleges in the US during their summer vacation. The students visited 10 institutions, including Harvard University, Yale University, Columbia University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the University of Pennsylvania, and New York University (NYU).

Each visit included a campus tour, guided by a current student or recent graduate who gave our students an insight into their experiences studying in the US. The students also attended presentations by university admissions staff who discussed the various academic courses offered, extracurricular life, and the application process. The tours and presentations helped the students learn about the unique features of each university and how to choose a university with the right ‘fit’. The ISR group also had the opportunity to stay for a night in a student residence at Boston University and to spend some free time in New York’s Times Square.

As the students were part of a larger tour group, they also had a chance to meet and share experiences with students from other countries including the US, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, the Philippines and the UK. The tour guides, Ray and Ben, who are both college counsellor, led several workshops about the college admission process. They covered topics including: how to research and choose universities (finding the right ‘fit’), using in the US Common Application, and brainstorming and writing the all-important application essay.

All in all, after a week visiting all different types of university, the trip provide our ISR students insight into college life in the US and practical advice for writing successful applications and choosing the right school.