College Counseling Handbook

Kang Chiao - Linkou Campus No. 55, Xinglin Rd., Linkou Dist., New T aipei City 244, T aiwan (R.O.C)

If you have any question, please contact Counseling and Language Center or send emails to [email protected]

2020. March

1

Contents I. Introduction II. What Colleges are Looking for III. Curriculum Planning

◆ Courses to take in High School ◆ GPA ◆ AP courses and others (College Prep) IV. Resume

◆ Resume introduction ◆ Honors ◆ Summer and winter programs ◆ Volunteer service/extracurricular activities V. Test

◆ TOEFL/ IELTS ◆ SAT/PSAT / ACT ◆ AP VI. Getting Ready to Apply

◆ Application documents ◆ Letters of Recommendation

◆ Types of Admission

◆ Transcript

◆ Financial Statement, passport and miscellaneous VII. Interview

◆ Admission Officer/Alumni/ Third Party Agency

2

◆ FAQ VIII. After Admitted

◆ Confirm /Pay the deposit ◆ Student Visa Application

Additional Resources

Sample Resume & College Application Essays Application Essay Prompts SAT Registration step by step General Information I. Introduction This handbook is aimed at helping IP students and parents to understand the college admission process. The process takes a lot of planning and decision making and this booklet will provide you with comprehensive information and road map to guide students through the college application. Rather than focusing only on the ranking, study abroad is like moving house or changing jobs, so please do not make any impulse decision. You should take consideration of multiple influence factors, such as the local economy, health care service, community safety, and learning environment, etc. The “top-ranked universities” may also not be the best choice because of the weather conditions or locations. This handbook is only a theory based on the application experiences of 1200 KC students who studied in China, Hong Kong, and from 2012 to 2020.

The college counseling at Linkou Campus runs through Grade 9 to Grade 12. We will provide: Individual and Group Counseling ● Workshop for Students ● Individualized Interview ● Meetings with Parents ● Hosting college fairs for students every semester

Students have a lot of chances and paths for college applications. The most important among all is to take concrete actions in order to reach the goals. At the same time, students' motivation and hard work are crucial as well.

The information on this handbook is only for general purposes. because each individual has different needs. The main purpose is to make each student take the initial move and explore different activities. In addition, each college has its own requirements, and students, parents, and counselors plays different roles in making plans and decisions. Therefore, students, parents, and schools should work together throughout the whole application process and communicate with each other.

Responsibilities of the student ● Maintain GPA ● Complete the Interest Assessment and Career Interest Aptitude tests ● Request recommendations letters from subject teachers ● Take the standardized test: TOEFL, IELTS, SAT, SAT Subject Test, ACT, etc; Send official scores from the test organization ● Apply to colleges through application website and keep track of the application process ● Attend college counseling and university workshops.

3

Responsibilities of the parents ● Complete parent questionnaire ● Communicate with your children about the college search process ● Communicate with College Counselors ● Provide financial statement for college application purpose ● Attend school workshops

Responsibilities of the College Counselor ● Guide students through the college admission process ● Provide ongoing guidance ● Write official school letter of recommendation ● Submit official documentation ● Invite college admission officers to come to our school and host relevant lectures ● Host school workshops for parents

II. What Colleges are Looking for The result of each year’s college application is based on the number of applicants worldwide; whether the university admissions office strategy and number rate have changed, this year’s students’ learning ability and exam status, as well as changes in political and economic conditions in various countries all have the possibility to affect the result. It can be said that it is unpredictable. It’s like an arms race; we don’t know the result until it happened, but we can ask ourselves to fully prepare, and achieve the best preparation within four years. Today, overseas colleges are looking at a complete set of (Holistic review), including:

Academic Record Engagement Outside the Classroom ● Grades ● Extracurricular activities ● Rigor of curriculum ● Community service ● Rank ● Work experience Test Scores Institutional Priorities and Hooks ● Exceptional talent ● TOEFL/ IELTS ● Recruited athlete status ● SAT/ACT ● Socio-Economic and geographical ● SAT Subject Tests ● Underrepresented race or ethnicity ● AP/IB ● Legacy connection Personal Qualities ● Donation potential

● Letters of recommendation ● Essays ● Interview report

Colleges expect students can challenge themselves academically. High Schools often offer Honors Classes, Advanced Placement (AP) courses, or International Baccalaureate (IB) program. Strong performance in courses indicates that students can do college-level work quite well. Selective colleges really want to see students can take advantage of the challenging courses offered in the high schools.

III. Curriculum Planning ◆ Courses to take in High School One of the most important part in applying college is handing in your four years transcripts starting from 9th grade to

4

12th grade. Colleges rate students an estimated 60-80% based on academics performance. In this case, we strongly suggest students to take the most difficult courses such as Honors and AP classes if you can handle, with a goal of obtaining A’s or B’s. Most advisors would probably agree that a B in honors, AP, or IB class is better than an A in an easier one. It is unlikely that any college will even accept a class with a D grade or worse.

Generally, colleges like to see the consistent progression in English, Math, Lab Sciences, and Social Studies plus a non-English (Chinese) language. Colleges would like to see students continue to improve their grades in order to achieve better. It is generally better to take several years of one language, rather than to try a year each of several.

And now you'll ask questions like: "How do I improve my four years of academic performance?" By taking the following steps that you can control, you may easily maximize your grade potential: Such as minimizing absences, sitting near the front of the class, doing all homework, participating actively in class, taking good notes, and getting to know your teachers. Be sure teachers know that you care about your grades.

Kang Chiao International School Graduation Requirements

The School's Graduation Requirements are designed to meet accreditation standards and entry requirements into a wide variety of top colleges worldwide. To be eligible for our KCISEC high school graduation, a student must complete the following minimum requirements:

Earn a minimum of 26 credits Attend 8 semesters of high school in grades 9 to 12(no student can graduate early) Before graduation, you must complete a course with basic credits stipulated by the Ministry of Education Note: If the ninth grade is not enrolled in Kang Chiao, our school will recognize the other schools’ credits as the official version of the school transcript

International Program Students Minimum Credit Requirements: ● English -- 6 credits ● Math -- 3 credits ● Science -- 3 credits ● Social Studies -- 3 credits ● Visual and Performing Arts -- 1 credit ● Chinese Literature -- 3 credits ● PE/Health and -- 4 credits ● Required Electives -- 3 credits

Our school adopts the Carnegie unit; 5 lessons per week for one course. One school year counted the course as 1 credit with 2 lessons a week and 0.5 credits per academic year.

◆ GPA (Grade Point Average) GPA stands for Grade Point Average. It is a standard way of measuring a student's academic achievement at school; calculated by dividing the total number of grade points received by the total number attempted. Kang Chiao International School calculate GPAs following a standard 4.0 scale for standard level courses, for example, an A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1. Some advanced courses, such as Honors courses, Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses, we calculate weighted GPAs, A counts as a 4.5 instead of a 4.0. For example: A = 4.5, B = 3.5, C = 2.5, D = 1.5. Details are listed as follows table:

Grade Percentage Regular Honors/AP A+ 97-100 4.3 4.8 A 93-96 4.0 4.5 5

A- 90-92 3.7 4.2 B+ 87-89 3.3 3.8 B 83-86 3.0 3.5 B- 80-82 2.7 3.2 C+ 77-79 2.3 2.8 C 73-76 2.0 2.5 C- 70-72 1.7 2.2 D+ 67-69 1.3 1.8 D 63-66 1 1.5 D- 60-62 0.7 1.2 F 0-59 0 0

With the GPA conversion table, we are able to find the GPA for each course. Then we can use the below formula to calculate the cumulative GPA for a whole school year. GPA=sum of (Credits*points) / total credits.

For example, G10 Student K study below courses (including two semesters) and the scoreboard listed below:

Course Credit Average GPA

Bio 1 83.5 → 3

Chinese 1 88 → 3.3

Computer 1 90 → 3.7

Fine Arts 1 87.5 → 3.3

*Honor Geometry 1 95 → 4.8

LA 1 85 → 3

Literature 1 90 → 3.7

PA 1 77 → 2.3

PE 0.5 93 → 4

Swimming 0.5 70 → 1.7

History 1 84.5 → 3

Cumulative GPA = (1*3.0+1*3.3+1*3.7+1*3.3+1*4.8+1*3.0+1*3.7+1*2.3+0.5*4.0+0.5*1.7+1*3.0) / (1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+0.5+0.5+1) = 3.295 roughly equals to 3.3

College Prep Course (Advanced Placement) and others

Kang Chiao International School Linkou Campus offers students below academic path options to 6 study: ● Honors Course: Provide higher-level students with elective honors courses, it does not have a college-level standard; it is a higher-level high school level course. ● Advanced Placement: AP College Level Class is the most challenging course in the ’ high school today. AP courses can deduct a considerable amount of college credits when students enrolling in the college, therefore saving students and parents a large amount of college tuition and fees. For college enrollment, the selection criteria are based on the number of pre-university courses high school the students are taking and the performance of the exam. Generally speaking, in the well-known colleges and universities, on average, every admitted student has taken more than five pre-college courses during high school. If the students can meet the challenge of pre-college courses, they must try to choose these courses. In addition, the grade of the AP course appearing on the transcript is more important than simply taking the AP EXAM to get the AP Score. If you have more questions, please contact the International Program Department for assistance.

IV. Resume ◆ Resume Introduction Resume is a sheet that briefs what you have experienced. It will always be required when you apply for a job or just an internship. Also, when applying to colleges, it is usually required to be included in your materials. What you would need to provide as a high school student may include the name of your schools, GPA, language tests, examinations for college entrance, honors, extracurricular activities, volunteer, summer program, working/intern experiences, foreign languages, and personal or intellectual interests. The style in which a resume should be presented is concision. In most cases, the content should be limited to 1 page. The four pieces of main information are recommended to be list in the order of education background, academic performance/ entrance exam results, honors, and activities. Other items are optional, subject to your need and capacity.

◆ Honors Honors here refers to the awards you have received or the achievement that is worth mentioning. The listed awards can be from inside or outside of the school. No matter where it is from academic subjects, sports, technology, arts, team achievements, model assembly, and even the competition of computer games can all be the sources of your listed honors. Sometimes, the competence itself to participate in a competition is also an honor. For example, if you are the representative from our school or from the city/province, or even from China to an international competition, then the experience should never be neglected, even though you did not really get a medal back.

Some students have a full collection of honors and wonder which ones are to be listed. In these cases, the most challenging and competitive ones are the top choices. Also, the balance should be considered. Don't miss all other aspects though you would do really well in a particular field. Others, in contrast, may be upset for it seems nothing impressive in the whole student life. Of course, honors and achievements don't come to you easily. It is everyone's own duty to find and develop his/her strength, and really devote to it. Your strength may be high relative to your personal interest and aptitude. It is your duty to find them out.

◆ Winter/Summer Programs Winter and summer vacation projects usually refer to activities or course programs organized by

7 academic institutions, which last for two to three weeks or one to two months. If time and circumstances allow, participating in the summer activities organized by the university is a good way to know yourself, develop abilities, and to look forward. Some summer activities are subject to general registration and selection, while others have requirements for hard language performance, school performance, and recommendation letters. Usually the higher the requirements, the more you can increase your competitiveness. Compared with general study tours, if you would like to just learn languages and wander around, the advantages will be less obvious. Courses with good quality (usually also run by prestigious schools) will include an academic plan or practical exploration, and may also obtain a credit certificate. At the same time, it is also one of the beneficial ways to prove students' interest in subjects and schools. If there are already several schools you are interested in enrolling, you may search to see if they are offering summer courses for high school students. Students who are interested can go to the bulletin board in front of the Counseling and Language Center.

◆ Volunteer Service and Extracurricular Activities Activities refer to various activities outside the school. Out of campus, all activities can be called ‘out-of-school activities’. The important key is whether it presents you in a meaningful way. Generally, sports and arts/music activities can explain your physical fitness and your will to cultivate your temperament; these kind of activities don’t need to match the direction of applying for colleges. For other activities, you can choose base on your interests; at the same time, we also encourage students to choose some activities related to ability/personality development, such as specialist research and practice, student council, campus public welfare activities, work internships, and operating inter-school clubs and exhibitions, etc. Long-term investment is an element that guarantees the quality of activities. In general, we recommend that the same activity should be maintained for at least one year of involvement, which will be considered as an effective activity. The easiest way to participate in activities is to join clubs on and off-campus. In the same way, we encourage to selectability and personality development related clubs, including scientific research, debate, humanities, and social sciences, career development, Honor society organizations, etc. Volunteer service, independent from off-campus general activities, stands for something different; It is unpaid and beneficial. The difference between volunteer and other activities is that the center is no longer you; it expands to the relationship between you and the society, even to you and the world. Also, volunteer service indicates goodwill, self-discipline, time management, and your ability to take the actions. You would stand out from those who don't do volunteer service, from the beginning it shows the difference. During the volunteer service, you might be able to understand a different world and a different self. As for the volunteer services types and regions, there are no hard limits. The most important thing is that long-term and continuous effort. It is recommended to take 2 to 4 hours per week as a basic unit in a year, and up to about 800 hours in four years. Our school also provides related opportunities, if students are interested to know more information, please contact the DSA of the Academic Affairs Office.

V. Test ◆ TOEFL iBT / IELTS Both TOEFL iBT and IELTS are English proficiency language tests. The score of TOEFL iBT and IELTS only lasts 2 years, so please make sure your score is still valid when you apply to colleges. Generally speaking, if you plan to apply to colleges in the US or Canada, you should take TOEFL; while in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, or in the UK, please take IELTS. But sometimes college accepts both of the test scores. We highly suggest you should register for 2 or 3 months prior to the test 8 date For the TOEFL iBT, the total score is 120. There are over 50 test dates and 133 test centers in China each year. To register for the test or to get more information, please go to the official site: http://www.toefl.com.tw/ For the IELTS, the total score is 9.0. There are 48 test dates and 57 test centers in China each year. To register for IELTS or to get more information, please go to http://tw .ieltsasia.org/ Note: Due to the large number of people taking the exam, there will be certain tension in the exam position, we will recommend that students start to register at least 1~2 months before the exam date.

SAT / SAT Subject Test/ PSAT / ACT

◆ SAT / SAT Subject Test The SAT tests your knowledge of reading, writing, and math. It takes 3 hours and 45 minutes. The reading section includes reading passages and sentence completions. The writing section includes a short essay and multiple-choice questions on identifying errors and improving grammar and usage. The mathematics section includes questions on arithmetic operations, algebra, geometry, statistics, and probability. The pilot program in Kang Chiao International School adopt have adopted U.S. high school curriculum. World recognized universities require students who graduated from U.S. high school curriculum to submit SAT/ACT score since it provides the college with a benchmark to view whether or not that applicant will be able to keep up academically once on campus.

As for the SAT subject test, each test is one hour long. There are 20 subjects across five general subject areas: history, mathematics, science, English, and foreign languages. You should choose which subject test to take based on your interests and academic strengths. You should also consider whether the colleges you want to apply for require or recommend subject tests. Some colleges will grant an exemption from or credit for a freshman course requirement if a student does well on a particular SAT Subject Test.

For the SAT test, there are 4 times per year. The six test dates are in March, May, October, and December. (August test dates will be opened starting 2020) For the SAT Subject Test, it will be held 5 times per year outside of the United States. The five test dates are in May, June, October, November, December.

Be aware that SAT Subject Tests cannot be taken on the same day as the SAT. Please note that usually, the colleges will check the number of times you take the test, so don't take the test more than 3 times as it may affect the impression the colleges have on you. Check with College Board for more information: https://sat.collegeboard.org/register/sat-international-dates.

You can take the SAT and the subject test in either Taiwan, Hong Kong, or . The test centers in Taiwan:

Test Center Name Test Center Address National Experimental High School at Bilingual Dept,300 Jie-shou Rd, , Taiwan Hsinchu Science Park 216 Siping Rd, Taichung, Taiwan American School No 189 Gaotie 2nd Rd, Hsinchu County, Taiwan American School No. 889 Cuei-Hua Road, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

9

Morrison Academy Kaohsiung 42 Chia-Cheng Road, Kaohsiung Taiwan Kang Chiao International School No. 800 Huacheng Rd., New City, Taiwan Kang Chiao International School Linkou No. 55 Xinglin Road, New Taipei City, Taiwan Campus 320 Lane 165 Sec 1 Tan Hsing Rd, Taichung, Taiwan Taipei Wego Private Senior High School No. 50, Zhuhai Road, Taipei, Taiwan No.307, Section 1, Xinglong Road, Zhubei, Taiwan 31 JianYe Road, , Taipei Taipei Fuhsing Private School 262 Section 1 Dun-Hua South Road, Taipei, Taiwan Washington High School No. 26 Buzaikeng Road, Taiping Dist., Taichung City, Taiwan Taipei Kuei Shan School 200 Mingde Road, Taipei, Taiwan Ming Chuan University-Taipei Campus 250 Zhong Shan N Rd. Sec. 5, Taipei, Taiwan Hong Wen International School No 100 Hong Street, Tanzi District, Taichung, Taiwan

◆ PSAT

The PSAT/NMSQT is a standardized test designed to promote college readiness while preparing students for college entrance assessments. It measures evidence-based reading, writing and language, and mathematics with a focus on reasoning skills, knowledge, and comprehension. These are all skills that are important for college and career readiness. The PSAT/NMSQT is created and managed by the College Board, the same organization responsible for SAT and Advanced Placement (AP) tests. Taking the PSAT/NMSQT test in tenth and eleventh grades helps to prepare students for success with the SAT college entrance test.

◆ ACT ACT is a national college admissions examination that consists of subject area tests in English, math, reading, and science. The ACT includes 215 multiple-choice questions and takes approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes to complete including a short break (or just over four hours if you are taking the ACT with writing). Actual testing time is 2 hours and 55 minutes (plus 40 minutes if you are taking the ACT with writing). ACT is administered 5 times per year: April, June, September, October, and December. It is recommended to take the test in either Hong Kong, Taiwan, or Singapore as there are no test centers inside of China.

ACT test centers in Taiwan: City Center Name & Address Hsinchu National Experimental High School, (No.300, Chieh-Shou road, Hsinchu City) Kaohsiung City I-SHOU International School, (No. 6, Sec. 1, Xuecheng road., Dashu County, Kaohsiung City, 840) New Taipei City Kang Chiao International School Taipei, (No.800, Huacheng road., Xindian Dist., New Taipei City, 231) Taichung Ivy Collegiate Academy, (Lane 165, Sec. 1, Tan-Hsing road., Tan-Tzu Shiang, Taichung, 320)

10

Taichung Morrison Academy, (136-1, Shui Nan Road., , Taichung City, 40679) Tainan City Deguang Catholic High School, (No.106, Deguang st, East Dist. Tainan City, 701) Taipei , (800 Chung Shan North Road, Section 6, Taipei City, 11152) Taipei Taipei European School, (727, Wenlin ROAD, Shilin District, Taipei 11159) Yuchi, Nantou Taiwan Adventist College - TAIS, (39 Chung Wen Lane, Yu Chih, Nantou County, 555)

For the SAT test, when you register for the SAT and for 9 days after you take the test, you can also send out 4 free score reports to colleges and scholarship programs – but you without first seeing your scores.

For the ACT test, ACT delivers regular reports to colleges and agencies you've selected depending on their preferred schedule—at least every two weeks. If you use the priority service, please allow at least three to four working days after you make your request.

◆ AP

Advanced courses present students with greater academic challenge and rigor in comparison with the regular courses. CLC recommends every student to take advantage of the challenging curriculums.

As it says in the college board web, AP courses can help students "stand out in college admissions, build college skills, earn college credits, and even skip introductory classes". The highest score of AP is 5 points whereas the lowest score is one point. Please note that students will need to obtain 3 scores in order to pass the basic criteria. If the students would like to waive credits then they need to obtain 4 scores in the AP exam. Each school has a different standard in regard to credit waiver policies.

The AP Exams are usually administered over two weeks in May. AP scores will be released by July 10. When you go online you will be able to see your entire score and score –send history. On the first AP answer sheet, students fill out (the “registration” answer sheet), they can indicate a college or university to receive their score report for free. If you wish to send additional score reports to colleges, universities, and scholarship programs you can do so online for a fee, and please allow at least 15 working days for standard delivery. When you designate a college/university to receive your scores, they will receive your entire score report from all AP Exams you have taken throughout high school unless you have requested score(s) to be withheld or canceled.

Side note: The result of the AP exam presents each grade on your transcript unless you request to withhold your grades prior to the application.

VI. Getting Ready to Apply

◆ Essay

Colleges will frequently require an essay or personal statement as part of the application. The essays will consist of anything from responding to a quote to the most general "tell us about yourself" type. It is a chance for the college to gain insight into you as an individual. This is your one opportunity to tell a story about YOU and try to make yourself stand out.

11

Start your essay: Brainstorm first! Take a blank sheet of paper and let your mind roam freely through your past up to the present and jot down anything that comes to mind. A person, and experience, a hardship, an accomplishment (not already covered), a life lesson learned, etc. The more freely you brainstorm the better.

After brainstorming, go back over your list and try to envision a story around each. Pull out the ones that offer you the most "storytelling potential".

Remember to reread the essay question. Before you get too excited over the great story you came up with, remember that some of your colleges may have worded a very specific question or used a quote. Can your story address that quote? You may be lucky enough to be able to modify one essay to work for several schools. But you may need to develop several separate ones to use for different questions.

It probably goes without saying, but your essay needs to be correct in spelling and grammar. With word processors, reviewers will expect to see near-perfect essays. Do NOT get carried away with trying to use impressive vocabulary words. Express yourself as YOU, not someone you think they are looking for. Extensive use of synonyms will be obvious to the reader. Have teachers, counselors, parents - anyone available - read it over to see if your message comes across.

◆ Letters of Recommendation

Not all colleges require or even take letters of recommendation. If it is required or accepted, please take it seriously. The more competitive the admission process at your target school, the more a letter can make a difference and set you apart from other applicants. Generally, students should ask their college counselor for a letter of recommendation and their Math/Science/English teachers for two other letters. Some colleges might even specify that a recommendation comes from a teacher in a specific subject, though this is not common. Equally important, if the college does not want letters of recommendation, do not provide them. Tips: 1. Ask the teacher first (in person) if he/she would be willing to write on your behalf. Do not assume that the teacher will be comfortable doing a recommendation for you. 2. Allow plenty of time for the teacher to complete the letters. Please remember that giving them a "rush assignment" is hardly fair and reflects poorly on you. 3. Do your homework! Some colleges are requesting recommendations on-line while others want letters. Still, others want a specific form filled out. It is YOUR responsibility to provide your letter writers with the form, the online link, and instructions, or whatever it is that they need to do. Make sure your letter writers know where to mail or email your letters of recommendation. 4. Provide your resume! Give them some material to work with, so their letter can be detailed and list specific accomplishments. This is where all that hard work on your resume pays off. It works perfectly for this purpose. 5. A couple of weeks after handing out your requests for letters of recommendation follow up with a hand-written thank you note to each person. This serves two purposes. First, you owe them a thank you, and you are providing it. That is simple etiquette. Secondly, in the unlikely event that they forgot about it or have not gotten to it, it serves as a gentle reminder. 6. When you are ultimately accepted to some or all of your colleges, be sure to provide these positive results to the people who wrote recommendations for you. They truly want to know and appreciate hearing the good news.

◆ Types of Admission

There are tens of thousands of colleges all over the world. Not all colleges have the same application deadline and admission type. If you want to apply to US colleges, you should understand these three types of admission.

Regular Decision (RD): This is the standard admission, whereby students submit applications by the college's regular deadline. Usually, January 1st would be the deadline for most colleges within the United States. Students applying under regular admission will generally be notified of the decision in March or April. 12

Early Decision (ED): Early decision is binding; that means if the college accepts you, you MUST attend. Obviously you can only apply under early decision to one college. Usually, you will sign a contract stating that you understand the binding nature of this admission process. Failure to abide by the restrictions can jeopardize your acceptance to that college and others. Some students believe that applying ED can give you an edge at that school, but be very cautious when using that option.

Early Action (EA): Early Action is an opportunity to apply early (usually by some November date) and to be notified by around mid-December or January. Under this plan, you can be accepted early, rejected, or deferred to the regular admission pool. Deferred means they were undecided, but odds of getting in later are generally lower. If accepted under Early Action, you are NOT obligated to attend and you still have until May 1 to make a decision. You may generally apply for Early Action to more than one college; however, some colleges specify that theirs is a "single school Early Action program". This has been true, for example, at Stanford and Harvard. So be sure to research the options carefully as you may be making some sort of promise.

However, not all the students need to apply for the EA or ED. Students should make their own application schedules based on their situation. If students are still confused about these types of admission, please contact your college counselor to request more information.

For students who want to apply for the British universities, please pay attention to the application deadline. Certainly, universities in other countries do have different application deadlines. This is the one thing that every student should bear in mind.

The Application Form College application usually starts from August during the application year. Filling out some application forms is one thing to be done first. Nowadays, most colleges are accepting, or even requiring, on-line application instead of the paper-based application. This move solves the neatness issue and saves a large amount of paper, but can cause other problems. It is easier to make and miss mistakes on an online application. Students should pay attention to the online instructions. If your browser blocks pop-ups, you will need to disable that feature for online application. As the deadlines draw near, the application websites begin to slow down tremendously and this dramatically affects your time spent filling them out. To better avoid this condition, starting your online application early would be a great strategy. It will not only save your time, but it also reduces the probability of making mistakes.

Generally, for US college applications, students will use Common App, UC Application, or the specific on-line application system provided by university itself. The following two links show the Common App and UC application system. http://www.commonapp.org/ https://admissions.universityofcalifornia.edu/applicant/login.htm The Common App goes live on AUGUST 1 of each year. Do NOT start before then, the site is shut down to complete maintenance and upgrades in July, and all accounts will be deleted during this process.

If students want to apply for British universities, they need to go to the UCAS website and start their application. The following link shows the UCAS website. https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/login.

◆ Transcripts

To demonstrate your academic strength, colleges will ask for an official transcript from your high school. Different colleges have different requirements for requesting the transcript. Please pay attention to their instructions. Many colleges do not want the transcript initially but instead will ask for it from accepted students only. Other colleges, especially privates, may want it initially.

Generally speaking, your high school will provide the transcript and send it to the colleges you will apply to via mail

13 or the Internet. For the US college application, the Kang Chiao International School uses the Cialfo system to upload students' transcripts. To request a transcript, students should ask their counselors and inform the colleges you intend to apply to. For the students who do not attend the Kang Chiao International School from Grade 9, they need to request their G9 transcripts from their previous schools and further hand in the G9 transcript to the CLC office.

◆ Financial Statement

Financial statement, this is a word that every International Student needs to understand when they start to apply to colleges oversea. In order to demonstrate you (your family) can afford the tuition and living cost oversea, a financial statement is a dependable evidence.

Before you submit your application, you need to complete a Financial Statement (form) showing evidence of adequate financial support to cover the costs of one full year of study at a college. Also, a financial verification document should be submitted accompanying it. Usually, the bank certificate of deposit will be a kind of document submitted accompanying the financial statement form.

VII. Interview ◆ Interview The college interview is a part of the college application process at many colleges. Not every college requires an interview. Colleges vary in how they set up interviews. Some colleges will encourage students to have a conversation with admission officers or Alumni Interviewers. Some colleges have partnered with the third party to provide an in-person interview opportunity for Chinese applicants. We strongly recommend you should take advantage of an interview, prepare for it, and take it seriously.

Colleges hope to gain from the interviews: Why is the student applying? What are the student's intellectual qualities? How has the student demonstrated commitment and personal motivation outside the classroom? How does the student exhibit character and personal qualities such as initiative, responsibility, resilience, and maturity?

◆ Some Frequently Asked Interview Questions 1. What are you looking for in a college? What attracts you to this college? 2. What are your top two extracurricular activities, and why do you like them? 3. What sort of challenges have you faced in your life so far? 4. What is your favorite subject in school, and why? 5. How would you describe yourself to a stranger? 6. What is your favorite pastime? 7. How did you spend last summer, and how did you grow from it? 8. Can you name a book you have read that left a lasting impression? 9. What have you enjoyed most about high school? 10. Do you have any questions I can help answer? 11. What do you do best? 12. What do you hope to do after graduation? 13. What do you most admire? 14. What is your biggest weakness? 15. What makes you special? 16. What high school experience was most important to you? 17. What subject in high school did you find the most challenging? 18. Who in your life has most influenced you? 19. Recommend a good book to me. 20. What can I tell you about our college?

14

Interview Checklist ● Make sure you know interview time and location ● Do a mock interview with your teachers, friends or family if possible ● Review materials which are required; prepare a resume to give to the interviewer ● Think about the answers to the possible questions ● Dress appropriately ● Be nice to everyone you meet ● Be confident and maintain eye contact throughout the interview ● Send a thank-you note in a few days

VIII. After Admitted ◆ Confirm/Pay the deposit When you receive Acceptance Letter After application, often colleges will offer online notification websites with passwords. If offered, you can check frequently during notification time. If accepted to a college, you will receive the coveted letter or packet informing you of this. Pay special attention to the information in these letters, as it will contain deadlines and housing forms. Weigh your decision carefully by talking to your parents, counselors, and anyone else with insight that might be helpful.

Checklist for Admitted Students The following checklist should help ease your transition and connect you to the resources you will need to start your academic career. 1. Pay Enrollment Deposit

USA Students ought to send the statement of Intent to Register to the university based on its requirement, otherwise, your admission qualification will be canceled. Each student is only allowed to send one statement of intent to register to one university. When you are admitted, you need to pay Enrollment Deposit no later than May 1, or else their offer of admission may be canceled. Once you pay your enrollment deposit, you’ll be guaranteed a space in your class. You will also be able to access your email account and sign up for orientation and housing. UK Students will receive notification from UCAS in succession since March. Students will not receive the acceptance letter from email or real mail. Instead, the acceptance letter will appear on Track (https://track.ucas.com/ ) ， please scrutinize your acceptance letter carefully. Please clarify whether if you obtain a conditional offer or unconditional offer when you read through your offer. The unconditional offer refers that you already reach the school's admission requirement. As a result, you can register the university directly. Nevertheless, you might need to provide the Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS check), financial statement, and medical record in the meanwhile. Therefore, please ensure whether if you need to provide additional documents while reading your offers On the other hand, if you get the conditional offer then you must reach specific academic criteria before you receive the official admission offer. Moreover, students who receive all confirmation letters before March 31st then they need to reply to these offers before May 4th. In addition, students ought to reply to all the offers prior to June 30th if they receive all offers before June 8th. If you failed to reply to these offers then your admission qualification will be canceled as a result. Remarks: Many universities request applicants to pay for a certain amount of deposit with a deadline and specific payment methods. In addition, most of the universities do not return deposits as a norm.

Australia 15

Students need to use the account and password they obtained from their application to log in to the school system in order to update the admission status to "Accept Offer" after they receive the unconditional offer letter. The international students might need to provide English Proficiency exam results or official transcripts from their high school based on each school's requirement. This registration deposit amount appears after you update the "Accept Offer" status according to Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) 's requirement. Please pay the deposit as soon as possible in order to secure your admission. 1. Request Your Final High School Transcript Your admission to college is contingent upon college's receipt and review of your final high school transcript. Let your counselor know to send your final transcript to your college upon graduation. (Send electronically for faster processing.)

2. PASSPORTS AND VISAS: To be eligible to enter the countries your college locates in, international students need to do obtain 1)a Valid passport and 2) a Student Visa.

◆ Student VISA Application Students who enter Australian colleges, after you pay your deposits, your school will issue you with an electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE), with which you can further apply for your Australian Student visa. To apply to the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection, you may refer to http://www .border.gov.au/.

If you are entering the UK for Foundation course or University, you need to apply for a Tier 4 visa. Do this three months prior to the course start date online at the Visa4UK website . For more information, please talk to your counselor.

For international students who enter the United States, you need to apply for an F-1 Student Visa from a United States Consulate or Embassy. For Embassy information, you can refer to www.usembassy.gov.

Before applying for F-1 Student Visa, you need to submit the 1)Enrollment Deposit, and also 2)provide your college with the Statement of Financial Proof and supporting bank statement. If you have received an I-20 from your college, you should apply for an F-1 visa stamp. There are four steps in the process. Step One: Pay SEVIS Fee When you have your visa interview, you have to show your payment receipt for the SEVIS fee. So take care of this right away. Step Two: Schedule a VISA Appointment at the U.S. Embassy Contact the U.S. embassy nearest you as soon as possible to set up an appointment. Step Three: Get Your Documentation Ready The checklist for VISA application: ● I-20 ● Valid passport ● A SEVIS payment receipt printed from your online payment confirmation ● DS-160 forms ● Current financial documentation that lists the sources and amounts of financial support you have secured for the upcoming two academic years. It must match the information listed on your I-20. And also financial and any other documents you believe will support that you have access to funds sufficient to cover all expenses while you remain in the United States. You may also refer to the embassy’s website that will outline other specific documents that you should bring. Step Four: Prepare for Your Interview Since you are applying for a nonimmigrant visa, you will need to prove to the consular officer that you do not intend to immigrate to the United States. In other words, you need to show him or her that you have definite plans to return home after college.

16

1. Vaccination Requirement Students new to a college and/or all students residing in university housing must meet vaccination requirements. For more information, you can visit the website: http://www.sithc.com/MEC/login. 2. Apply for University Housing For many schools, most undergraduates are required to live on campus their first year, which is good news because it’s the best way to plug into a community of people and start making friends. We suggest you start to apply for housing as soon as possible, your housing preferences will be given priority based on the date your application is received.

17

Additional Resources

Sample Resume

18

[http://ddce.utexas.edu/schoolpartnerships/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Expanded-Resume.pdf]

Essay To help you start your essay, let us see the real topics or questions that the Common Application provided.

2020 - 2021 Essay Prompts 1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. 2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? 3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome? 4. Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma - anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution. 5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. 6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more? 7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

From: 2020-2021 Common App Essay Prompts

University of California prompts From: Personal insight questions Questions & guidance

19

1. Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time. Things to consider: A leadership role can mean more than just a title. It can mean being a mentor to others, acting as the person in charge of a specific task, or taking the lead role in organizing an event or project. Think about what you accomplished and what you learned from the experience. What were your responsibilities? Did you lead a team? How did your experience change your perspective on leading others? Did you help to resolve an important dispute at your school, church, in your community or an organization? And your leadership role doesn’t necessarily have to be limited to school activities. For example, do you help out or take care of your family?

2. Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem-solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side. Things to consider: What does creativity mean to you? Do you have a creative skill that is important to you? What have you been able to do with that skill? If you used creativity to solve a problem, what was your solution? What are the steps you took to solve the problem? How does your creativity influence your decisions inside or outside the classroom? Does your creativity relate to your major or a future career?

3. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time? Things to consider: If there’s a talent or skill that you’re proud of, this is the time to share it. You don’t necessarily have to be recognized or have received awards for your talent (although if you did and you want to talk about it, feel free to do so). Why is this talent or skill meaningful to you? Does the talent come naturally or have you worked hard to develop this skill or talent? Does your talent or skill allow you opportunities in or outside the classroom? If so, what are they and how do they fit into your schedule?

4. Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome the educational barrier you have faced. Things to consider: An educational opportunity can be anything that has added value to your educational experience and better prepared you for college. For example, participation in an honors or academic enrichment program, or enrollment in an academy that’s geared toward an occupation or a major, or taking advanced courses that interest you — just to name a few. If you choose to write about educational barriers you’ve faced, how did you overcome or strive to overcome them? What personal characteristics or skills did you call on to overcome this challenge? How did overcoming this barrier help shape who are you today?

5. Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement? Things to consider: A challenge could be personal, or something you have faced in your community or 20 school. Why was the challenge significant to you? This is a good opportunity to talk about any obstacles you’ve faced and what you’ve learned from the experience. Did you have support from someone else or did you handle it alone? If you’re currently working your way through a challenge, what are you doing now, and does that affect different aspects of your life? For example, ask yourself, “How has my life changed at home, at my school, with my friends or with my family?”

6. Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom. Things to consider: Many students have a passion for one specific academic subject area, something that they just can’t get enough of. If that applies to you, what have you done to further that interest? Discuss how your interest in the subject developed and describe any experience you have had inside and outside the classroom — such as volunteer work, internships, employment, summer programs, participation in student organizations and/or clubs — and what you have gained from your involvement. Has your interest in the subject influenced you in choosing a major and/or future career? Have you been able to pursue coursework at a higher level in this subject (honors, AP, IB, college, or university work)? Are you inspired to pursue this subject further at UC, and how might you do that?

7. What have you done to make your school or your community a better place? Things to consider: Think of community as a term that can encompass a group, team, or a place — like your high school, hometown, or home. You can define community as you see fit, just make sure you talk about your role in that community. Was there a problem that you wanted to fix in your community? Why were you inspired to act? What did you learn from your effort? How did your actions benefit others, the wider community, or both? Did you work alone or with others to initiate change in your community?

8. Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California? Things to consider: If there’s anything you want us to know about you, but didn’t find a question or place in the application to tell us, now’s your chance. What have you not shared with us that will highlight a skill, talent, challenge, or opportunity that you think will help us know you better?

UCAS As an international student, there are a few extra things you should mention: 1. Why you want to study in the UK. 2. Your English language skills, and any English courses or tests you’ve taken. 3. Why you want to be an international student, rather than study in your own country. https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/applying-university/how-write-ucas-undergraduate-personal-state ment Finally, one thing you should bear in mind is that NEVER copy or plagiarize the essays, or ask someone else to write the essays for you. Plagiarism will drastically devastate your whole college application.

21