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Guiding graduates to their desired future
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GRADUATION is an exciting time for students and parents alike. As graduates are preparing for “college life,” they have already made many big decisions, from selecting a university, to often even selecting a major. These are massive choices, which usually require a great deal of “homework,” as students weigh the country, city, university environment, and educational program that is best suited to their interests. This preparation is normally a group endeavor, supported by parents and by the school. In addition to providing a well-rounded education, it’s important for schools to present students with a solid understanding of the options available for their future, well before graduation. One international school, Yew Chung International School of Shanghai (YCIS), includes college and career planning as part of its integrated curriculum.
At YCIS, students are given a full support system to help them determine their own collegiate paths. In addition to being academically prepared through the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, a holistic mix of liberal arts and science, students are given specialized support from the on-campus University Guidance Counselors. These counselors offer personal coaching, inside and outside of the classroom, to help students make informed college choices based on their interests.
Integrated curriculum
John Liu, a University Guidance Counselor at the school’s Gubei Campus, provides a run down of the integrated college and career curriculum. He says, “In Year 12 and 13, YCIS students attend one university guidance class a week. Starting in year 12, students use a college and career readiness software, ‘Naviance,’ as well personality tests, to determine their aptitude for certain career paths. Later in the year, students choose three careers of interest, and we then meet on a one-to-one basis and talk through their choices, evaluating the student’s desired career paths. Once we understand their interests, we are able to look at specific colleges that are a good fit for both the student and their family. After that, the university application process is introduced, and in Year 13, students are guided toward building and finalizing their college applications, and begin to experience what the transition will be like, with guest university professors coming on campus to give students a feel for what a real college lecture is like. Next year, we are excited to expand on this idea, with a series of transition classes. This will help students focus on the many transitions ahead, including skills to work with roommates, and to prepare for collegiate classwork expectations.”
In addition to the integrated classroom guidance, YCIS ensures students have the chance to talk to people with firsthand knowledge regarding various careers. In addition to hosting visits from a vast number and range of colleges and universities throughout the school year, YCIS holds a series of “College and Career Planning Workshops” for students and parents, open to the public for all Shanghai Secondary students. These workshops feature successful executives in various industries, including medicine, business, and design, giving students professional insight. By talking with these professionals, YCIS students have even secured summer internships, which also helps define and clarify their career interests.
A well-rounded curriculum helps keep students’ career options open, and students are also naturally guided toward certain areas of post secondary study as a result of their experience and learning in High School. This year, Caroline, a Year 13 student at YCIS’s Gubei Campus, applied to and was accepted by a top design school, Rhode Island School of Design, because of her achievements in and passion for design, which was developed by her participation in YCIS’s Design & Technology (D&T) classes. Caroline’s interest in using both creative and practical applications to problem solve will leave her with open opportunities in many careers. Her classmate, Isabelle, has been very active in numerous activities at the school, and has found her passion in musical theater. In November, she will be auditioning for a renowned performing arts college in Australia. She reflects, “I wanted to pursue a career in musical theater, and it was the encouragement from all the staff at YCIS that helped me pursue my dream.”
Well-rounded approach proves successful
Specialized guidance and a well-rounded curriculum may help some students determine exactly what they want to do, but for other students, insight into what they don’t want to do can be just as important. The guidance counselors at YCIS realize that not every graduating student will have a definitive idea of their career path, so they help students understand a range of options. Miles, a Year 13 student at YCIS’s Century Park Campus, will be attending Poloma University, a leading liberal arts school in the US, and he plans to explore several major options during his first year. He says that the one-on-one attention he received at YCIS guided him to choose a college with a similar, intimate feel.
This guided, well-rounded approach has been proving to be successful. Kelly Flanagan, the University Guidance Counselor at the school’s Century Park Campus, says, “Several students received extremely substantial scholarships this year, including a full scholarship to Hong Kong Polytechnic University, solely based on merit. This reflects how well-rounded our students are, in addition to their strong academic scores.”
College is inevitably full of surprises, and it’s impossible to prepare for every turn. However, by building academically strong and well-rounded graduates, and by providing the guidance students’ need to make their own college and career decisions, YCIS prepares graduates to take charge of their exciting futures ahead.
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