FOR YEAR 12 STUDENTS

Last Thursday of every month! The NIST College Counseling Newsletter provides extra guidance for you. It will be sent to you on the last Thursday of every month until you are done with your applications. Please read each newsletter carefully, and save it in the College/University folder on your tablet, so that you can find it easily, and go back to review important information, dates, and deadlines when needed. This newsletter will also be sent to your parents and teachers. This issue will remind you of what you need to do to get ready for the Three-Way College Conference in April-May. Are you done with your university research? Have a look at what a long-list of universities should look like on page 3. As summer is approaching, we INSIDE THIS ISSUE: also share some hints and tips regarding university visits.

Newsletter

March 28, 2013

Steps to College/University

Inside This Issue:

The Three-way College Conference Long-List of universities on Naviance Whats the deal with TOEFL/IELTS/SAT? Visiting universities during summer Australia and New Zealand University Fair New Online SAT Prep Option Guidelines for SAT registration 2 3 4 5 6 7 8-10

Meet the Counselors

Mr. Joachim Ekstrom (Mr. Kim) jekstrom@nist.ac.th Room 4203 Phone Extension: 353 Mrs. Brenda Manfredi bmanfredi@nist.ac.th Room 4204b Phone Extension: 204 Ms. Jacquelyn Valenzuela jvalenzuela@nist.ac.th Room 4205 Phone Extension: 205

The Three-way College Conference

April 22 - May 22
The Three-way College Conferences will begin when we come back from the Song Kran break. This conference will be led by you with the support of the counselor. We will review your university research and discuss what you should have done by now, and what else you need to do to get ready for the application process that begins early in Year 13. Before registering for the three-way college conference you need to have completed: 1. Do What You Are 2. The Career Interest Profiler 3. The UniQuest Assignment 4. The Post-UniQuest Meeting with your Counselor 5. The Historic Demographic Survey on Naviance (under about me) 6. The Long List on Naviance: Universities Im thinking about 7. The Naviance Resume (only for students applying to US Universities) It is ok if the resume isn't completed. At this meeting, please advise us if you intend to apply to UCAS by 15 October (Oxford OR Cambridge, medical/veterinary school) or via Early Action or Decision by 1st of November (U.S.A.) 1. Register for the conference by sending an email to your counselor with a few preferred days and times. 2. Make sure your parent(s) are really available at this time 3. Your counselor will then confirm your time by email

What should a Long-list on Naviance look like?

This is an example of a good long-list on Naviance. It is ok for you to have 20-25 universities on here if you are applying to universities in North-America or around the world. If you apply only to the UK, or only to Australia, your list would of course be shorter. By August of Year 13, students will have developed a firm list of 6-9 schools to which they are applying with a range of Reach, Safety and Star schools. Students will apply to no more than ten universities. (Please note that the UK universities will count as one choice, as will the University of California campuses.)

If your long-list on Naviance still looks like this, you should be concerned. It might be that you have saved the universities you are interested in on another list. If that is the case, please move the universities over to Naviance. Please note that you will move the universities from your long-list to your short-list on Naviane in the beginning of Year 13. It is very important that you keep your universities on Naviance as your counselor will send the supporting documents to your universities on this list (mostly online through Naviance) when you have completed your applications in Year 13.

Whats the deal with TOEFL/IELTS?

It is quite easy. You should take any of these tests if you dont have a passport from UK, USA, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand

English A1/A2 is often not enough proof of English proficiency. Many universities want to see a standardized test score. Most students dont need to prepare for these tests, and they most often get very high scores (which looks good on your application). Compared to IELTS, it is easier to send TOEFL scores to universities Note: Some Asian nationalities need IELTS (not TOEFL) for their Visa application to Australia.

Whats the deal with SAT?

NIST is a registered SAT Test Center You are better off taking the SAT at NIST as you are used to this environment, but there are other centers in Bangkok as well. You have to register way ahead of time as our test center always fills up and we dont have any reserved spaces for NIST students You need to find out, by screening your universities websites, if they require SAT Subject tests, and if they do, what tests do they want you to take (or can you choose yourself) Also sign up for subject tests on time Register on www.collegeboard.com You need to follow the steps on page 8-9 carefully when you register for the tests You can take the SAT in May (now full at NIST), June, October, November, December Please view the outline on page 10 to see when you should take the SAT tests.

Visiting universities during the summer break

Visiting a college/university campus during the summer break is an invaluable experience: it is a way to verify your assumptions about that school, city, region, or country; to ask important questions; to let the school know of your interest to attend there; and, to try to get a sense of your comfort level there. Dont just drive around campus and look at the buildings and trees. Here are some ideas of some activities that might help you get a feel for the school: Take a tour. Arrange this ahead of time. Remember that some tour guides are enthusiastic and dynamic; others are not. Dont use this as your only measure of the school. Attend an information session if offered. This will provide you with a well-rounded foundation for decisions and help to distinguish features of the school. It might also provide some tips for admissions. Eat a meal. It may not be the best cuisine, but you will get an idea of how you will survive if you attend that school. Notice the ambianceis it friendly, how much diversity do you see? Stay overnight in the dorm if possible at your top choice schools. This will give you an opportunity to meet students and ask questions. Be sure to call well in advance to schedule this. Attend a class or two. Choose to see one of the large lecture style classes and a smaller seminar class if possible. Again, ask to set this up in advance. During the class, take note of the level of involvement of the students in the class. See if you can determine if the professor is actively engaged with the students or just going through the motions. Visit with students in the academic setting. If possible, meet some students enrolled in the area of study in which you are interested. Ask about academic and extracurricular activities. Arrange an interview with an admissions officer. Read the university newspaper. Get an idea of what is going on around campus and the community. Search for controversial issues to discuss with students or faculty. Check out the bulletin boards around campus. This will help to identify the activities that are available in the area and may imply something about the student body in general. Write down your impressions, especially if you are visiting more than one campus! The impressions of one can easily get jumbled up with others. Pay attention to your gut reaction. Take note of things that strike you as interesting, positive or negative. How would you describe this school to someone who had not had the chance to visit it? Remember to dress appropriately as you may have the chance to meet an admissions counselor while on campus. It is necessary to phone ahead to set up campus tours and interviews. Do your homework! Read the college catalog and prepare questions for the interviewer and tour guides. If you are interested in or will need financial aid, set an appointment with a financial officer to find out what is available and what guidelines need to be followed.

Australia and New Zealand University Fair March 30-31, 2013

www.thailand.idp.com

New Online SAT Prep Option for Students

Here is a quick video on why TestRocker was created: The TestRocker Story and one on: How the TestRocker SAT program Works. For more information visit www.testrocker.com
Next NIST College Counseling Newsletter will be in your inbox on

Thursday April 25th

Have a great Song Kran Break!!

Kind regards, The Secondary Counselors

A guide for two important steps of the SAT registration on www.collegeboard.com

Although this is not a complete SAT registration guide, if you follow these steps carefully you will certainly be able to sign up as a NIST student, get access to our reserved seats, and get the chance to write the SAT at NIST. First, you need to make sure the system knows that you are a NIST student. This is done under the Tell Us About Your High School (1) section of the registration. When you are asked for the name of your high school, press Find your School (2).

When you press Find your School a new window will appear. Tick Outside the United States (3). Type in the NIST High School Code (695270)(4) and press Search for High School (5). NIST will appear in the list below. Press Select (6).

5 6

The second important part is where you select the center at which you want to write the SAT. Press Search by School Name or Code (7).

When you press Search by School Name or Code a new window will appear. Tick Yes (8), and type in the NIST TEST Center Code (71108) (9). Press Search for My Test Center (10). NIST will appear on the list. Press Select (11).

10

11

12
Congratulations! You have completed the most important parts of your SAT registration. In this case it says that a seat is available (12). If it says that the test is full, please contact Mr. Kim and he will try to help you sort it out.

When should I write the SAT and when should I register?

Year 12
Registration deadlines are always about a month before the test date. It is not possible to do any standby or late registrations at NIST.

October

November

December

January

May

June

Take the PSAT at NIST in October. Many students have already taken the PSAT in Year 11, and try to improve their scores in Year 12. The results will show where your strengths and weaknesses are. You can also use the scores when you research universities on Naviance. Contact your counselor for more information on the PSAT.

Students may take SAT preparation courses during the first semester of Year 12 and write the SAT for the first time in December or January.

May and June are ideal test dates to take the SAT again or to sit for Subject Tests.

Year 13

October

November

December

January

May

June

October and November are test dates where many students will sit for a third and final SAT 1. You may also write SAT subject tests if they are required or recommended for your university applications. November is the only test date that includes Language tests with Listening. December is the last chance to write the SAT for most students applying to US colleges. Remember to register during summer as these test dates fill up quickly.

January might be a possible test date for some students applying to US universities (not highly selective ones). It is also a possibility for students applying to universities in Asia where the application deadlines are later on in the school year.