The secret to top-college acceptance: it’s not a school’s curriculum
Print Edition
When choosing an international school for high school student, families often place considerable importance on the “nationality” of a school’s curriculum or the acronym preceding its academic program. Is it British or American? Does it offer IB or AP? Though it might seem natural to want to match a school’s curriculum and programs with a student’s nationality or with the location of a university, it is not actually necessary. At least not for many of the world’s top-tier universities, which are looking more at academic rigor and whole-student achievement rather than the specific type of curriculum a school offers. These universities want passionate, well-rounded, students, no matter their accent.
Concordia students can go to university anywhere in the world. The high school program is academically challenging and holistic, offering countless opportunities for students to develop their passions and apply their education in authentic situations; and top colleges have thrown open their doors to welcome them in.
Holistic achievement occurs when students are allowed to aspire to their best and cultivate attitudes of wonder and curiosity, in an environment that encourages them to take the resulting passion to the next level and integrate it with all types of learning and personal growth. Colleges want students who will be able to apply these types of attitudes and abilities to the complete college context. They want more from learners than high scores; they want to see students do something with the learning they have achieved.
This year’s graduating class has already gained entry to Ivy League schools in the United States and the most prestigious private schools in the United Kingdom (as well as top schools in Canada, Australia, Europe and Asia). Students in next year’s graduating class are already thinking about new and exciting educational opportunities the world over. The sky is the limit.
Myth Busters
All international schools must follow curriculum dictated by outside authorities.
The flexibility of an American-style
curriculum allows schools to create
courses that harness the passions of its
students. (Nicholas Kent, Concordia
high school principal)
Concordia has created classes in data
mining, social entrepreneurship, public
health and global development to allow
students with an active interest to further explore these areas.
Colleges make acceptance decisions based mainly on test scores and grades.
Colleges want students who are devoted to and excel at something. (Steven Cohen for Forbes.com)
Having the chance to develop their passion in areas such as science, math, fine arts and service has helped Concordia students matriculate to top-universities worldwide.
Students must attend British or IB schools to get into a good UK university.
Students studying a US curriculum who do well in AP courses have a good chance of being accepted to UK schools. (Daniel de Vise for the Washington Post)
Students from Concordia’s Class of 2015 have been accepted to Cambridge, Oxford and University of Edinburgh.
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