Surabaya International School

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Please register at College Board.

Test Dates	Registration Deadline
January 22	December 23
May 7	April 8
June 4	May 6

ACT

Test Dates	Registration Deadline
December 11	November 5
February 12	January 7
April 9	March 4
Jun 11	May 6

TOEFL iBT

SIS is an official TOEFL internet based test site. Please register at TOEFL iBT. If SIS is not listed as a test center location, please call 31-741-4300. You will be given further directions regarding registering for the TOEFL iBT at SIS.

Test Date	Registration Deadline	Test Date	Registration Deadline
Saturday, February 14	February 2	Saturday, May 9	April 26
Sunday, February 22	February 10	Saturday, May 16	May 4
Saturday, March 7	February 23	Sunday, May 31	May 19
Saturday, March 14	March 2	Sunday, June 7	May 25

College Admissions is a process that should begin long before a student enters Grade 12. Parents are a very important part of that process, and you should familiarize yourselves with the information in the College Countdown sections below in addition to attending the Junior Information Session which takes place early in the second semester.. Throughout the elementary and middle school years, you have attended Parent/Teacher Conferences, cheered your children as they participated in academic, sports, and school-life activities. You know your child better than anyone else. Collaborate with your child's teachers to identify strengths, weaknesses, and special talents or interests. Help your child to develop good study habits and set the expectation that they will comply with school rules, attend school regularly and on time, and apply their best attitude and effort.

Middle School is a good time to encourage exploration of the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Talking about the skills and responsibilities involved in your job, or those of any occupation, will help your youngster understand that there is a connection between the "real" world and what they are learning in school. Take time on family vacations to visit college campuses, even if it is only just to drive around and look at buildings. When your student enters high school (Grades 9, 10, 11, and 12), the College Countdown begins in earnest!

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COLLEGE COUNTDOWN

Grades 9 and 10

1. Plan a course of study for the entire time you are in high school. This is not a document "written in stone," but a plan for meeting requirements for both your high school graduation and your college admission.

2. Identify, with your parents' help, where you will probably graduate from high school, and where you might be interested in attending college. At least narrow it down to a few continents, and begin to look at the differing entrance requirements for each university. Tailor your high school plan to meet those needs.

3. Explore college and career choices through school activities, reading, interviewing your parents and other adults about their jobs. Meet with your counselor to take interest inventories and personality profiles. Finding out more about you is an exciting task. The SAT and the ACT websites both have great college search and planning information. Every student in grades 9-11 have access to College Quick Start which has an interest inventory and a wealth of information about majors, post secondary institutes and careers.

4. Pretest to learn what college testing programs are all about! PSAT and PLAN are the two college entrance "pre-tests." Both are given here at SIS once at no cost to the student. The PSAT is taken in grades 9-11 and the PLAN is taken in grade 10. This is very helpful for students who need to improve weak testing skills or confront test anxiety. You also learn about your strengths and weaknesses in relation to other college bound students, and you receive valuable career and college planning assistance. Scores are not used for admission purposes, but you do have the opportunity to be placed on mailing lists of college recruiters and scholarship opportunities.

5. Begin building a resume to help you keep track of awards, honors, activities, community service, etc. Set aside a file folder or box in which you can collect papers relating to colleges and careers. When you go on holiday, take every opportunity to visit college campuses wherever you go! When you fill out all those applications your senior year, you will be glad you started early!

6. Visit colleges and university during your winter and summer vacation. If there is a college in the city you will be in, stop by and take a look at the campus, wonder through the buildings, stop and talk to someone, make an appointment for a college visit. Even if you have no intention on attending that university, it is good to get a feel for being on a campus. You will be able to make comparisons later.

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COLLEGE COUNTDOWN

Grade 11

1. Check your academic record (courses you have taken and passed) against the SIS graduation requirements. Be sure you are enrolled in the correct classes for both high school graduation and college entrance. (In order to do this, you need to have developed a list of schools in which you are interested.) If you have attended any other school in grades 9 and above, be sure that the Registrar has an official copy of your record with any necessary translation. Read the College Countdown steps for Grades 9 and 10 to make sure you haven't skipped anything!

2. Review the testing calendar and register for SAT I and II, TOEFL, PSAT, ACT as needed. Don't forget, deadlines apply, and all testing is not available in Surabaya. Please check deadlines for registration with the counselor or on the College Board or ACT websites.

PSAT is given in October only; prep information is available at College Board. All 9-11th grade students will write this test.

3. Actively search for college information. A list of useful websites is at the bottom.

Other good college resources in Surabaya include the Australian Education Centre (298-1324) and The American-Indonesian Exchange Foundation (847-1809 or 298-1320), both located in the International Village at the University of Surabaya. In the same location you will also find representatives from Canada, The British Council, and the German and Dutch University systems.

4. Talk with your parents about College Finances. If you are a U.S. citizen, you should plan on filling out a FAFSA form and submitting it as soon as possible after January 1 of your senior year. If you are an International Student, financial aid is very limited. See the counselor for more information about schools and scholarships. International students will be expected to provide a letter of guarantee from a financial institution showing that the funds are available to cover at least the first year of college. (Some schools require more extensive information.) These are official and dated documents which must be presented at the time of application, and often again at the time of visa application.

5. Honors and Awards; Activities; Sports; Community Service. College application forms will ask you to list your participation in these areas for each year of high school. If you are not already involved in some of these, seek them out. Volunteer for leadership roles, whether at the committee or class office level. Keep a list of your participation to help you fill out those forms next year.

6. Narrow your choices to a manageable list of four to eight schools by the end of your junior year. Contact the schools to receive catalogues and view books during the school year. Determine whether you can use their online application if available, and collect everything you need before school starts your senior year. Remember, it doesn't hurt to dream, but make sure that some of the choices on your list are realistic as well. See how many of the schools in which you are interested will accept the Common Application form and save yourself some time by applying to multiple colleges with one form.

7. Take an honest look at your transcript. College admissions is a very competitive process. Can you improve your G.P.A., or increase the number of college preparatory classes you take? Have you developed good relationships with teachers who will be able to write positive letters of recommendation for you? Are your study and testing skills as good as they can be? Have you done any preparation for writing a college essay? Now is the time!

8. Visit colleges during your summer and winter vacations. See grade 9-10.

9. Take part in a summer program. Many university offer programs during the summer for high school students. Students live on the campus, attend classes and meet new people. It will give you a taste of university life.

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College Countdown

Grade 12

1. Check your academic record (courses you have taken and passed) against the SIS graduation requirements. Be sure you are enrolled in the correct classes for both high school graduation and college entrance. If you have attended any other school in grades 9 and above, be sure that SIS has an official copy of your record with any necessary translation.

2. Review the testing calendar and register for SAT I and II, TOEFL, and ACT as needed. Colleges will continue to accept updates on your scores even after the application deadline, so re-test if necessary. Watch those deadlines and plan accordingly. Not all testing is available in Surabaya, and some languages with listening tests are only given once a year. Check the test bulletin board, announcements in the weekly Chatterbox, and meet with your counselor to be sure everything is in place!

3. Evaluate the college information you have gathered and create your final list of prospective schools. www.collegeboard.com and www.c3apply.org both provide excellent college search programs. The guidance office has college information from around the world, so see your counselor! Other good college resources in Surabaya include the Australian Education Centre (298-1324) and The American-Indonesian Exchange Foundation (847-1809 or 298-1320), both located in the International Village at the University of Surabaya. In the same location you will also find representatives from The British Council, the German and Dutch University systems and a representative for studies in Canada.

4. Talk with your parents about College Finances. If you are a U.S. citizen, you should plan on filling out a FAFSA form and submitting it as soon as possible after January 1 of your senior year. If you are an International Student, financial aid is very limited. See the counselor for more information about schools and scholarships or search the web. www.Fastweb.com is a popular search engine for scholarships. International students will be expected to provide a letter of guarantee from a financial institution showing that the funds are available to cover at least the first year of college. (Some schools require more extensive information.) These are official and dated documents which must be presented at the time of application, and often again at the time of visa application.

5. Honors and Awards; Activities; Sports; Community Service. Update your list of things in which you have participated. Do a good job with your activities and studies, but most of all, manage your time wisely. Senior grades do count! Any offer you receive is contingent upon finishing your diploma requirements and graduating in good standing.

6. Start filling out applications! Remember, it doesn't hurt to dream, but make sure that some of the choices on your list are realistic as well. See how many of the schools in which you are interested will accept the Common Application form and save yourself some time by applying to multiple colleges with one form. Arrange to have all test scores forwarded to the colleges on your final list if you did not do so at the time of testing.

7. Get help with writing your essays and request recommendations from at least two teachers who know your work well. Many schools will have their own recommendation form.

8. Keep a checklist of what needs to be done for each application. Be sure you have completely filled out and signed and attached all required documentation including fees in the required form if completing a paper application. Most applications can be completed online. Make copies of everything! Submit each application to the counselor for review two weeks before mailing. Don't forget to give the Counselor your "mid-year report" requests when you turn in your applications!

9. Educate yourself about visa application requirements and laws regarding military service in your home country. Update your passport and medical records as necessary.

10. Plan on attending the Departure Orientation given by the Superintendent and Counselor at the end of the year. Last minute tips on "Culture Shock," packing lists, and "Do's and Don'ts" will prepare you to begin your life abroad!

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HELPFUL LINKS

RESEARCHING SCHOOLS AND PROGRAMS

Australia

Australian Education Network

United Kingdom

www.ucas.com

Canada

Study in Canada

Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada

Korea

National Institute for International Education Development

http://www.duke.edu/~myhan/c_blku.html

http://www.henny-savenije.pe.kr/links4a.htm