A busy week for our University Guidance Counsellor

A busy week for our University Guidance Counsellor Last week the British International School Hanoi hosted ten universities from the Colleges that Change Lives Tour. Throughout the week we also hosted individual schools from the US and the UK.  On Friday we had a large fair of 17 schools with 10 being from Australia and 7 from the US. It was a great opportunity for students to see two very different systems.

Last week the British International School Hanoi hosted ten universities from the Colleges that Change Lives Tour. Throughout the week we also hosted individual schools from the US and the UK.  On Friday we had a large fair of 17 schools with 10 being from Australia and 7 from the US. It was a great opportunity for students to see two very different systems.

The American application process is largely holistic -- they look at grades (as reported on the transcript from Years 10-13), scores on standardized tests, letters of recommendation from teachers and counsellor,  extra-curricular activities and volunteer initiatives. A student applies between November until now depending on whether it is a fixed application date, or rolling application date (it’s important to know which it is). Students will be accepted largely on their predicted grades, which makes their June grades from the end of Year 12 very important, as well as their PCT scores in November of Year 13. Students will generally begin university in September of the year they graduate.  

By contrast, in Australia students will largely apply with their final grades as awarded by the International Baccalaureate Organization or Cambridge International Examinations. Some schools allow conditional acceptances based on predicted grades for students who would like to apply during their Year 13 academic year. Largely the only thing needed for applications is the student’s transcript, however some universities are now requiring letters of recommendation, especially if students want to be considered for scholarships. Some schools continue to require an English proficiency test, though more and more schools are recognizing that four years of education at an international school, especially completing either A-Level English or the IB program, negates the necessity for an IELTS exam – this is still university dependent. 

You can find more information on our BIS Hanoi University Guidance Facebook page.

Ms. Lori Fairbairn, University Guidance Counsellor