SJIISS University News

University Information – Wednesday, 8 September 2010

2010-09-06T23:10:00.000-07:00

Visits on Campus (all at 12.50 in Science Lab 6 unless stated otherwise)
• Tuesday, 14 September – Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
• Thursday, 16 September – University of Edinburgh, UK
• Monday, 27 September – Bentley University, USA
• Friday, 8 October – Nagoya University, Japan
• Monday, 11 October – University of Southern California (USC), USA
• Friday, 29 October – Temple University, Japan (8 – 8.30 AM)
• Friday, 12 November – Canadian University Fair (4 – 5.30PM – to be confirmed) - Univ. of Calgary, Carleton Univ., Trent Univ. and York Univ.

Hong Kong Polytechnic University (www.polyu.edu.hk)
Hong Kong Polytechnic University is one of the eight public universities in Hong Kong and offers over 170 undergraduate and postgraduate programs. They are the largest (in terms of student population) public university in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Polytechnic University offers full scholarships to international students, covering both the tuition fee and other living expenses in Hong Kong (including accommodation and basic living costs).

The University of Edinburgh, UK (www.ed.ac.uk/studying/international)
The University of Edinburgh is one of the largest in the UK with over 27,000 students, 25% of whom are international students from over 130 different countries. It is regularly ranked amongst the top 20 universities. A wide range of degrees are available, including over 600 first degree programmes across 119 academic disciplines. Besides a presentation on the university, the representative will talk about writing personal statements.

All students planning to apply to the UK are strongly encouraged to attend, whether or not you are considering Edinburgh.

Bentley University, USA (http://www.bentley.edu/)
Monday, 27 September, 12.50 in Science Lab 6
Bentley is particularly known for its programmes in business and related professions, together with a strong foundation in liberal arts and integrated use of technology. They do have some merit scholarships for international students. These are typically either 1/2 tuition or $10,000 awards; renewable annually. International students are also eligible to be considered for their prestigious full tuition scholarships.

Events Off Campus

Planning for and Paying for College in the U.S.
Monday, September 13, 2010 from 7- 8.30pm at Hwa Chong Institution (College Section) LT2
Mr Barry W. McCarty, Dean of Enrolment Services Emeritus, University of Lafayette, will speak about the competitive admissions process, factors considered, influence of testing, implications for foreign nationals, how to apply for aid, forms used by different colleges still need blind, the likelihood of receiving aid to full need and how your expected family contribution be determined.
Any Grade 12 student interested in attending must email me at tannaz.daver@sji-international.com.sg today to register.
Apologies for the late notice – we only just got notification for this.

The University of Edinburgh, UK (www.ed.ac.uk/studying/international)
Friday, 17 September, 6 – 8 pm, British Council
See the description above. To attend the talk at the British Council registration is required. Register with the British Council or at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/uoe
*** The University of Edinburgh will be at school on Thursday, 16 September at 12.50. ***

AEO Tour, US
Saturday, 18 September, 12 – 4 pm, Pan Pacific Hotel, Marina Square
A variety of US universities and community colleges will be represented at the fair. Many of these are smaller institutions, some are Catholic universities and colleges, and some have more accessible entry requirements and a wide range of majors. Also represented are specialized art and design institutions. Many offer scholarships for international students. See the poster and the flyer on the noticeboard for more details.

Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) Open House
Saturday, 25 September, 11 am – 6 pm, SIM HQ, 461 Clementi Road
Student ambassadors and course coordinators will be available to advise students on the various undergraduate options available at SIM. There will also be programme briefings, a showcase of student activities, performances and tours of the three SIM campuses. For more details see the brochure on the bulletin board or go to www.sim.edu.sg/openhouse

Other notices

SAT Deadline
A reminder that the deadline to register for the October SAT test is this Friday, 10 September.

Studying Music
Anyone interested in pursuing further studies in music should look at www.usaschoolsofmusic.com for information on auditions to be held in Singapore on 22 October. Although you may not be applying this year the information on the auditions will be useful. Also see the noticeboard for information.

University Information – Wednesday, 11 August 2010

2010-08-10T01:04:00.000-07:00

Good luck to all our Grade 12 students in their mock exams!

NYUAD – Thursday, 19 August
New York University Abu Dhabi is planning an information evening for interested students and parents on Thursday, 19 August but details are yet to be finalised. I will get them out to you as soon as possible – please let me know if you would like me to email the details to you when they are finalised.

Visits at SJII

University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada
Friday, 3 September, 12.50 in Science Lab 6
UBC (http://www.ubc.ca/)is a very popular university, claims to have the largest IB student population in the world and offers both financial aid and scholarships.
See https://you.ubc.ca/ubc/vancouver/ib.ezc for information for IB students and https://you.ubc.ca/ubc/vancouver/intlscholarships.ez for international student scholarship information.

Bentley University, USA
Monday, 27 September, 12.50 in Science Lab 6
Bentley (http://www.bentley.edu/)is particularly known for its programmes in business and related professions, together with a strong foundation in liberal arts and integrated use of technology. They do have some merit scholarships for international students. These are typically either 1/2 tuition or $10,000 awards; renewable annually. International students are also eligible to be considered for their prestigious full tuition scholarships.

University Fairs

Diploma to Degree Open Days, Australia
Saturday, 28 August and Sunday, 29 August, 11 am – 5 pm, Orchard Hotel
A number of Australian universities will be represented. See http://www.singapore.idp.com/ for more information and a list of the institutions represented.

AEO Tour, US
Saturday, 18 September, 12 – 4 pm, Pan Pacific Hotel, Marina Square
A variety of US universities and community colleges will be represented at the fair. Many of these are smaller institutions, some are Catholic universities and colleges, and some have more accessible entry requirements and a wide range of majors. Also represented are specialized art and design institutions. Many offer scholarships for international students. See the poster and the flyer on the noticeboard for more details.

The Royal Veterinary College, UK
This year, applicants to the Veterinary Medicine (BVetMed) programme from Singapore will NOT be required to take the Bio-Medical Admissions Test (BMAT) due to clashes with several Singapore examination dates. Note that this only applies to students applying by the 15 October 2010 UCAS deadline for entry in September 2011.

The RVC will examine any potential BMAT issues for future applicants during the next few months.

TestTakers SAT Class
The SAT preparation course offered by TestTakers at school will start on Saturday, 25 September. If you would like to enroll collect a registration form from Mrs. Middleton and send your form and payment directly to TestTakers. Remember that there are many ways to prepare for the SAT and this is only one option. The SAT is required by most US universities and SUTD in Singapore. It is optional for NUS, SMU and NTU but a good score on the SAT is seen favourably.

PSC Scholarships – Grade 12
The application process for PSC scholarships will open on 1 September. You do not need to apply right away but should start thinking about it. PSC scholarships are highly competitive and prestigious. They are open to Singaporeans and PRs who are planning on taking citizenship. You must be interested in working in public service (but this encompasses a wide range of ministries) and in general should have 40+ points with extensive CCA involvement. More information is at http://www.pscscholarships.gov.sg/

Anyone interested in applying is encouraged to read the following http://www.pscscholarships.gov.sg/An+Open+Letter+from+the+Chairman.htm. A copy is also on the bulletin board.

If you are thinking of applying for a PSC scholarship let me know by Friday, 13 August.

BrightSparks Magazine – Grade 12
BrightSparks has sent a copy of their new magazine for all Grade 12 students. It contains a lot of useful information on scholarships as well as information on applying to university in general and different types of courses. Please do not leave the magazine lying around but take it home and read it!

A reminder that I will be away during Grade 12 mocks but will be checking emails.

University Information – Wednesday, 4 August 2010

2010-08-03T01:47:00.000-07:00

Visits
We have two more very popular universities visiting us in the next two weeks. Please note the dates and make an effort to attend their talks. All presentations are in Science Lab 6 at 1pm.
• Friday, 6 August – University College London (www.ucl.ac.uk/international)
Penny Zorbas will speak about study in UCL and talk about writing personal statements. She gives very good advice. Anyone thinking of applying to the UK is strongly advised to attend and should be ready to take notes!

• Tuesday, 10 August – University of Chicago (www.uchicago.edu)
Current Singaporean undergraduate students studying at the University of Chicago will come in to introduce the University of Chicago as well as share their experiences of studying overseas and address any questions you may have concerning issues such as the application process, academics, expenses and school life.

On Friday, 3 September the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada will be here. This is after Grade 12 mocks and before Challenge Week. UBC is also a very popular university, claims to have the largest IB student population in the world and offers both financial aid and scholarships. Note this date in your planner.

UK Applications
• Our buzzword for 2011 applications is on the University Notices board (we are not allowed to publish it on our website). You will need to enter this in UCAS to link your application to the school.

• Let your parents know that UCAS has a section specifically for parents (www.ucas.com/parents) where they can get information on UK applications as well as download the UCAS Parent Guide.

• When doing your research use Unistats www.direct.gov.uk/unistats). This lets you compare courses at different universities and gives the results of the National Student Survey that was just completed this year so you get some idea of what students felt about the quality of teaching on their course. It is a reliable source.

• Grade 12 students planning on applying for medicine, dentistry, vet science or to Oxford or Cambridge must let me know by Tuesday, 10 August.

NYU Abu Dhabi - Information Webinar about NYUAD, Wednesday 4 August and Thursday, 5 August
NYU Abu Dhabi is holding a webinar to give students the opportunity to learn about the NYU Abu Dhabi campus, admissions, financial support, faculty and student life. See the notice on the bulletin board for details on timings and to register. Anyone thinking of applying to NYUAD should try to participate.

US Applications
The Common Application for 2011 entry is now on line. Go to www.commonapp.com . You can register and start filling in basic details.

PSC Scholarships – Grade 12
The application process for PSC scholarships will open on 1 September. You do not need to apply right away but should start thinking about it. PSC scholarships are highly competitive and prestigious. They are open to Singaporeans and PRs who are planning on taking citizenship. You must be interested in working in public service (but this encompasses a wide range of ministries) and in general should have 40+ points with extensive CCA involvement. More information is at http://www.pscscholarships.gov.sg/

If you are thinking of applying for a PSC scholarship let me know by Friday, 13 August.

Please note that I will be away during Grade 12 mocks but will be checking emails. Students who need to see me please do so before.

University Information – Wednesday, 9 June 2010

2010-06-08T00:32:00.000-07:00

Moodle
The University Notices, along with a number of other documents, are now on line on Moodle.
In particular, the following are now on Moodle –
• copies of the handouts from the country specific meetings
• a list of useful websites you can use for your research
• questions you can ask university representatives
• questions you can ask students currently at university
• things to think about when reflecting on work experience or internships
• guidelines for medical school personal statements and interviews

I will keep adding information to Moodle so please check it regularly.

Ranking University Rankings!
See the article from The Straits Times last Saturday (5 June) on ranking university rankings on the noticeboard.

University of Glasgow
Tuesday, 15 June, 6.30 – 8 pm, British Council
Students and parents are invited to attend a presentation by The University of Glasgow. There will be a general talk about the university followed by an opportunity to ask questions and meet staff from the International Office, and the Schools of Biomedical and Life Sciences and Engineering (Electrical & Electronic Engineering). Topics to be discussed include advice on applications and entry requirements, as well as scholarship opportunities from Singapore. Registration is required – see the British Council website for more details (under Events).

Advance Notice
After the holidays we have three very popular universities visiting us. Please note the dates and make a strong effort to attend their talks. All presentations are in Science Lab 6 at 1pm.

Tuesday, 3 August – Hong Kong University (www.hku.hk.) HKU offers a wide range of programmes as well as scholarships specifically for IB students. They also have a number of exchange programmes and joint degrees.

Friday, 6 August – University College London (www.ucl.ac.uk/international). Penny Zorbas will speak about study in UCL and talk about writing personal statements. She gives very good advice. Anyone thinking of applying to the UK is strongly advised to attend and should be ready to take notes!

Tuesday, 10 August – University of Chicago (www.uchicago.edu). Current Singaporean undergraduate students studying at the University of Chicago will come in to introduce the University of Chicago as well as share their experiences of studying overseas and address any questions you may have concerning issues such as the application process, academics, expenses and school life. If you have any specific questions you would like them to address please email me by the end of this month at tannaz.daver@sji-international.com.sg

University Information – Wednesday, 2 June 2010

2010-06-01T01:00:00.000-07:00

Grade 12
Australia Applicants Meeting
There will be a compulsory meeting on THURSDAY, 3 June, at 12.50 in Science Lab 6 to go through the application process. My apologies for the late notice of this meeting but I was waiting for confirmation from IDP, who will attend and present at the meeting. Remember to bring a pen and something to take notes on.

US Applicants
The Common Application will be launched on line on 1 August. However a preview is already available on the Common Application website (www.commonapp.com) so you can start working on your applications.

UK Applicants
Oxford/Cambridge Applicants - A reminder that you need to let me know if you want to apply to either Oxford or Cambridge by the end of this term.

UCAS Apply 2011 – UCAS will go live in the week of 14 June but applications can only be submitted from mid-September. You will be given our new buzzword when we come back to school in August.

Dentistry/Medicine applicants – The UKCAT entrance test is required by 26 medical/dental schools. For 2011 entry you must register by 27 September 2010 and the test must be taken before 8 October 2010. Go to www.ukcat.ac.uk for more information and to register. Remember that the UCAS deadline for dentistry/medicine is 15 October.

Law applicants – registration for the LNAT is expected to open on 1 August. Go to www.lnat.ac.uk for more information (note the website has not been updated for 2011 applications yet).

Grades 11 and 12
TestTakers SAT Reasoning Test Course
Information and application forms for the course offered by TestTakers is available from Ms. Middleton in the Grade Centre. Registration forms should be sent directly to TestTakers at the address specified on the form. Remember that this is only one option and you can prepare for the SAT test in any way you feel most comfortable.

Moodle
The University Notices, along with a number of other documents, are now on line on Moodle. Please check that you can access them before the end of term in case you need help! I will keep adding information to Moodle so check it regularly.

Good luck to all students taking the SAT this Saturday!
Remember to take
• Your Admission Ticket (Sign in to My SAT and click "Print Admission Ticket" if necessary)
• Two No. 2 (HB-2) pencils and a soft eraser. No pens, highlighters
• Photo identification (IC or current passport)
• Calculators (you are allowed to take extra batteries too)
• Watch if you like (with no alarm of any sort. Timers are not allowed)
• Snack for the breaks (it is a long test!)

Do not take –
• Rulers, protractors, etc
• Any kind of timer
• Any kind of photographic equipment
• Mobile phones, MP3 Players, IPODS etc. These are strictly not allowed and the use of them at test centres at any time is grounds for dismissal. Do not take them with you to the test!

But make sure you get a good night’s sleep on Friday night, eat a good breakfast and get to the test centre by 7.45 am.

See http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/testday.html for more information.

University Information – Wednesday, 26 May 2010

2010-05-24T23:00:00.000-07:00

Study in Australia Open Day
Saturday, 29 May and Sunday, 30 May, 11 am – 5 pm, Orchard Hotel Grand Ballroom Level 3

A number of Australian universities will be represented at this fair and will also run seminars relating to specific programmes and courses of study. More details will be available next week and at http://www.singapore.idp.com/.

Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD)
Tuesday, 1 June, 6pm, Glass Hall

If you plan to attend the talk please sign up with Ms. Middleton or email her at lynda.middleton@sji-international.com.sg.

About SUTD
SUTD is the fourth autonomous university in Singapore and is being established in collaboration with MIT in the US and Zhejiang University in China.

SUTD will admit its first intake of students in April 2012. The university’s programmes are based on four focus areas leading to separate degree programmes, with design as an academic discipline cutting across all programmes.

Architecture and Sustainable Design – leading to positions in architectural design, construction, and real-estate management and development.

Engineering Product Design – leading to industrial positions in engineering and product development.

Engineering Systems and System Design - preparing you for positions as system analysts or project leaders in a wide range of private and public sectors, careers in consulting.

Information Engineering and Design - preparing you for positions in software development and as IT engineers, careers in consulting.

Students will not be required to choose their focus area until after 1.5 years of a common curriculum.

University Information – Wednesday, 19 May 2010

2010-05-18T02:31:00.000-07:00

NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Open House
Saturday, 22 May, 11am – 6pm, Shaw Foundation Building, Blk AS7, 5 Arts Link.
The Open House will give you an opportunity to learn about what the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at NUS has to offer. The day includes a series of socially relevant talks as well as exhibits that showcase the departments and programmes. Faculty members, students and alumni will also be present to answer questions. For more information see the posters on the noticeboard or go to www.fas.nus.edu.sg/prospective.

Study in Australia Open Day
Saturday, 29 May and Sunday, 30 May, 11 am – 5 pm, Orchard Hotel Grand Ballroom Level 3
A number of Australian universities will be represented at this fair and will also run seminars relating to specific programmes and courses of study. More details will be available next week and at http://www.singapore.idp.com/.

Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD)
Tuesday, 1 June, 6pm, Glass Hall
SUTD will admit its first intake of students in April 2012. The university’s programmes are based on four pillars leading to separate degree programmes: Architecture and Sustainable Design, Engineering Product Design, Engineering Systems and System Design, and Information Engineering and Design. Design as an academic discipline cuts across all programmes. Associate Provost, Professor Pey Kin Leong, from SUTD (www.sutd.edu.sg) will speak about SUTD’s objectives, curriculum and admissions criteria. This is open to students and parents in Grades 9 – 12.

SUTD has requested approximate numbers they can expect. If you and/or your parents plan to attend please let Ms. Middleton know or email her at lynda.middleton@sji-international.com.sg, with your name, grade and number attending.

Grade 12 – US/UK Applicants
If you were absent for the meetings last week, did not get a handout or did not sign the attendance list please see Ms. Middleton as soon as possible.

Grade 11 and 12 - Jakarta Medicine Internship
All students interested in finding out about the Jakarta medicine internship programme initiated by a group of our students last year please meet in my office in the Grade Centre on Friday, 21 May at 1:15.

www.i-studentenquiry.com
The i-student group that run the useful i-student advisor website (http://www.i-studentadvisor.com/) have launched a new free search service to help students find institutions and courses for further study.
Go to www.i-studentenquiry.com, select “undergraduate”. You are required to fill out a registration form detailing your academic results, the countries you would like to study in and the courses that interest you. i-studentequiry will then begin a search and the institutions that match your requirements will contact you directly. That means you must be prepared to get a lot of emails from the institutions.

This is a new service and there is no way of knowing the quality of the service until you try it. Please give me any feedback. Many students have found their other website (i-studentadvisor.com) useful.

University Information – Wednesday, 12 May 2010

2010-05-11T01:19:00.000-07:00

DATE CHANGE – Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD)
Tuesday, 1 June, 6pm in the Glass Hall

To allow more time for the Blood Donation Drive SUTD have agreed to change their presentation to June 1. Please note the new date and let your parents know.

SUTD will admit its first intake of students in April 2012. The university’s programmes are based on four pillars leading to separate degree programmes: Architecture and Sustainable Design, Engineering Product Design, Engineering Systems and System Design, and Information Engineering and Design. Design as an academic discipline cuts across all programmes. Associate Provost, Professor Pey Kin Leong, from SUTD (www.sutd.edu.sg) will speak about SUTD’s objectives, curriculum and admissions criteria. This is open to students and parents in Grades 9 – 12.

SUTD has requested approximate numbers they can expect. If you and/or your parents plan to attend please let Ms. Middleton know or email her at lynda.middleton@sji-international.com.sg, with your name, grade and number attending.

Grade 12 – US Applicants
• If you did not get a handout at the meeting yesterday please collect one from Ms. Middleton.
• If you were at the meeting but did not sign the attendance list please see Ms. Middleton to register.

Grade 12 – Meeting for UK applicants
A reminder of the meeting this Friday, May 14 at 12.50 in Science Lab 6. Bring your lunch with you and something to write with.

Grade 11 - University Briefing and Challenge Week Evening
A reminder of the presentations on Tuesday, 18 May at 6pm in the Glass Hall.

NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Open House
Saturday, 22 May, 11am – 6pm, Shaw Foundation Building, Blk AS7, 5 Arts Link.
The Open House will give you an opportunity to learn about what the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at NUS has to offer. The day includes a series of socially relevant talks as well as exhibits that showcase the departments and programmes. Faculty members, students and alumni will also be present to answer questions. For more information see the posters on the noticeboard or go to www.fas.nus.edu.sg/prospective.

US College Visits
College Visits runs tours to US universities in June, July and August. There schedule is now out – see the noticeboard for details or www.college-visits.com. Remember that you should not miss any school to attend something like this.

University Information – Wednesday, 5 May 2010

2010-05-03T22:40:00.000-07:00

Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD)
Tuesday, 25 May, 6pm in the Glass Hall
Associate Provost, Professor Pey Kin Leong, from SUTD (www.sutd.edu.sg) will speak about SUTD’s objectives, curriculum and admissions criteria. Students and parents in Grades 9 – 12 are invited to hear his presentation.

SUTD will admit its first intake of students in April 2012. The university’s programmes will be based on four pillars leading to separate degree programmes: Architecture and Sustainable Design, Engineering Product Design, Engineering Systems and System Design, and Information Engineering and Design. Design as an academic discipline cuts across all four pillars and will be the framework for the research and educational programmes.

SUTD has requested approximate numbers they can expect. Register with Ms. Lynda Middleton at lynda.middleton@sji-international.com.sg, with the student’s name, grade and number attending.

Grade 12 - Meetings for US and UK applicants
A reminder of the meetings next week. Both meetings are at 12.50 in Science Lab 6. Bring your lunch with you and something to write with. These are not optional! If you cannot make them let me know as soon as possible.
• US applicants – Tuesday, May 11
• UK applicants – Friday, May 14

Grade 11 - University Briefing and Challenge Week Evening
A reminder of the presentations on Tuesday, 18 May at 6pm in the Glass Hall.

Grades 11 and 12 - Internships/Work Experience
There was a lot of information on internships and work experience in last week’s University Information. See the information on the Senior School website or on the noticeboard if you missed it last week.

Science in the Café
The Science Centre Singapore organizes talks and presentations with universities at regular intervals. These are open to the public but registration is required. There are two presentations this month:

• Thursday, 6 May, 7pm in Hall B at the Science Centre – “Reading Rocks: Uncovering the Secrets of the Past” by Professor Patricia Vickers-Rich, Director of the Monash Science Centre, Monash University, Australia.

• Thursday, 13 May, 7pm in the Newton Room at the Science Centre – “Decoding Reality: The Universe as Quantum Information” by Dr. Vlatko Verdal, Principal Investigator at the Centre for Quantum Technologies at NUS.

More information on both talks is on the noticeboard.

SAT Dates for 2010-11
SAT dates for 2010-2011 have been confirmed: 9 October, 6 November, 4 December, 22 January, 7 May and 4 June.

Article on university rankings
See the article from the Straits Times on the noticeboard on proposed changes to the Times Higher Education university rankings. It discusses some of the many questions and concerns about rankings and possible ways to address these.

ProjectFUN Video Game Programming: Level One Workshop
DigiPen Institute of Technology Singapore will be conducting ProjectFUN Video Game Programming: Level One Workshop (for students in grade 8 and above) during the June school holidays. This introductory workshop is for students aspiring to software engineering careers in the game industry and aims to help students develop problem-solving skills and enhance their thinking processes. In addition, students discover the roles of mathematics, physics, and art, and realize the importance of integration of these academic topics into the field of software engineering.

The course runs from 14 June to 25 June, Monday through Friday, 1pm – 6pm, (note- session 1 is not during our holidays) and costs $425. The workshop will be held at the DigiPen Institute of Technology Singapore, Pixel Building, 10 Central Exchange Green #01-01. Register at https://singapore.digipen.edu/projectfun-workshops/ and for more information email projectfun.sg@digipen.edu or call 65771900.

Off Campus

Hospitality Education Fair
Saturday, 8 May, Suntec Convention Centre, Level 3, MR308, 2pm – 6pm
Representatives from six institutions in Switzerland and Australia that specialize in hospitality management will be available to talk about the programs at their institutions. See the poster on the notice board for more information.

Flinders University, Australia
Saturday, 8 May, Overseas Education Resource Library, Ministry of National Development Complex Annex B, #02-100, 11am – 5pm
Representatives from Flinders will talk about the law courses they offer. Note that the LL.B and LL.B (Honours) degrees from Flinders are recognized in Singapore. Registration is required for this presentation – call 62270380 or email singapore@aused-unied.com.

University Information – Wednesday, 28 April 2010

2010-04-26T22:57:00.000-07:00

Notices – Grade 12
There will be very few university representatives visiting from now until June but visits will start again in August/September. However, this is the time you should be doing your own research and starting to make a list of universities you are interested in and programmes you are interested in pursuing. Once you come back in August your attention will need to be on your mock exams and final exams, not on doing this research. Unfortunately there are no shortcuts to this process and no one can give you a list of places to apply – you have to research this yourself. It does take time but keep in mind this is quite possibly the first major decision you are responsible for! And only you are qualified to identify what you are interested in, suited for and what is a “good fit” for you.

Essays/Personal Statements for US and UK applicants
If you are thinking of applying to the US or the UK you will need to start working on your essays and/or personal statement in the June/July holidays. In order to help you get started note the following meetings –

• US applicants – Tuesday, May 11
• UK applicants – Friday, May 14

Both meetings are at lunch time in Science Lab 6. These are not optional! If you cannot make them let me know as soon as possible.

Work Experience/Internships:
Any “real world” experience is helpful in your applications to universities. However, if you are thinking about pursuing studies in a professional field (medicine, dentistry, vet science, law, teaching, etc) it is increasingly important that you do an internship or get some work experience in your field. This shows that you have a real interest in the profession, not just a theoretical one, and that you are committed to it. It also helps you know if this is the right career for you. Your experience can also form an important part of your personal statement and interviews.

Part of the learning process is finding such placements yourself. This is also another way to demonstrate your commitment. Your parents may have contacts to suggest, but you should approach them and do the work to set something up yourself. However, avoid working with family members since part of the experience is being in an environment that is unfamiliar.

Most hospitals in Singapore have placement programs and many clinics and private practices will take interns. Law firms are also usually willing. The June/July holiday is a good time to do such an internship, but you must start organizing it now. Keep in mind that at this stage there will be limits to what you can actually do, but you are there to learn about the work environment and the skills necessary to be successful in that profession. Most such placements are for about a week but of course, the longer the better.

It is important that you keep records of what you did in your internship and that you reflect on your experience. The following are some guiding questions:
• What were the most positive/encouraging things you saw or experienced?
• Was there anything negative that you saw or experienced?
• Was there anything that you saw that challenged you? Surprised you? Made an emotional impact on you?
• Is there anyone in the organisation that really made an impact on you?
• What common qualities did you see in the doctors/lawyers/…? What qualities do you think a good doctor/lawyer/… should possess? Do you see these qualities in yourself?
• What challenges did you see doctors/lawyers/… face? How did they face these challenges?
• What was your image of a doctors/lawyers/… at the start of this week? Has that changed through your experiences and if so, how?
• What did you learn about yourself through this experience?

Student Information Forms:
Update your Student Information Form (or start it if you have not done so already!). Remember your Tutor will need this information when they write your references in a few months, and the more information you can give them about yourself the better.

Notices – Grade 11
• Make sure you have written the University Briefing and Challenge Week Evening into your diary for May 18 at 6pm and have told your parents about the change in date!

• Please see the notice about internships and work experience in the Grade 12 section above. You may also want to use part of your June/July holiday to get some work experience.

Events Off Campus

Hospitality Education Fair
Saturday, 8 May, Suntec Convention Centre, Level 3, MR308, 2pm – 6pm
Representatives from six institutions in Switzerland and Australia that specialize in hospitality management will be available to talk about the programs at their institutions. See the poster on the notice board for more information.

University Information – Wednesday, 21 April 2010

2010-04-20T01:20:00.000-07:00

Notices – Grade 12
As you start one of your final CAS checks with your Tutor it is a good time to update your Student Information Form (or start it if you have not done so already!). Remember your Tutor will need this information when they write your references in a few months, and the more information you can give them about yourself the better.

Notices – Grade 11
A reminder to Grade 11 students that the University Briefing for Grade 11 students and parents has been moved from May 6 to May 18. This is to avoid a clash with Grade 11 Parent/Teacher Conferences. Please make a note of the date and remind your parents – we will start at 6 pm in the Glass Hall. All Grade 11 students should be there and all Grade 11 parents are invited. If you cannot make it you should see me well in advance. The briefing will be followed by an introduction to Challenge Week for your parents at 7pm.

Visits to school

Talk on Studying Psychology
Friday, 23rd April, 12.50, Science Lab 6
Dr Kristen Pammer from the School of Psychology at the Australian National University (ANU) will give an overview of the study of Psychology, in particular pointing out the difference between studying Arts Psychology and Science Psychology, and potential career pathways. This talk is appropriate for all students considering studying Psychology, whether or not they are planning on going to university in Australia. It will also be an opportunity for non-psychology students to find out more about ANU, which is Australia’s highest ranking university.

Menlo College, USA (www.menlo.edu)
Tuesday, April 27, 12.50, Science Lab 6
Menlo is a small, highly specialized college located in California in the middle of Silicon Valley. It has a very strong focus in undergraduate business courses with strong links to businesses in the area. It also offers a small number of liberal arts and mass communication majors. It calls itself “Silicon Valley’s Business School.” Menlo also offers financial aid and scholarships to foreign students.

Events Off Campus

University of Chicago, Dartmouth College, Duke University, Stanford University, Wellesley College and Yale University
Raffles Junior College, Friday 23 April 2010, 7.00 - 9.00pm.
All six universities are among the most selective US universities (you need a minimum of 39 points to apply and students who have been accepted to these universities are generally in the 42-45 point range.). Their presentation will focus on admission to highly selective US universities as well as the academic offerings and residential life at each of the institutions. All students and parents are welcome to attend. Registration is not required but this talk is very popular and fills up very fast – try to get their early if possible. See the poster on the Notice Board for the exact address of RJC.

Hospitality Education Fair
Saturday, 8 May, Suntec Convention Centre, Level 3, MR308, 2pm – 6pm
Representatives from six institutions in Switzerland and Australia that specialize in hospitality management will be available to talk about the programs at their institutions. See the poster on the notice board for more information.

University Information – Wednesday, 14 April 2010

2010-04-13T01:34:00.000-07:00

Notices – Grade 12
• Make sure you have given Ms. Middleton copies of your Grade 9/10 records and exam results if you were not at SJII and have not already done so.

• As Mr. Christian reminded you in assembly yesterday, it is time to start researching your university options seriously if you have not already done so. Please email me (tannaz.daver@sji-international.com.sg) or see me to make an appointment so we can start discussing options and looking at resources.

• A number of Grade 12 have spoken to me about registering for the June 5 SAT Test. Remember that you need to register on line at www.collegeboard.com and that our school CEEB code is 687006. The deadline for registering is at the end of the month but test centres in Singapore fill up very fast (and the June test is usually a very popular one) so you should register as soon as possible.

• The University College London (UCL) prospectus for 2011 is now available on line at http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prosp-students/prospectus/. UCL is offering new four year programmes in 2011 in Information Management for Business, Neuroscience, Pharmacology and Mathematical Computation, as well as additional programmes in Economics, Biological Sciences and History.

Visits to School

St. John’s University, USA (www.stjohns.edu)
Friday, April 16, 12.50pm, Science Lab 6
SJU is a Catholic university that “prepares students to be ethical leaders in today's global society”, encouraging students to use their knowledge and skills to make our world a better place. SJU offers a wide range of academic programs and strong and well developed local and global service programs. They also have financial aid and scholarships available for foreign students.

Events Off Campus

James Cook University Singapore, Open Day 2010
Saturday, April 17, 11am-4pm, 600 Upper Thomson Road
JCU Singapore is hosting its first ever open day and the schedule includes information about JCU, the campus facilities and courses. There will be displays, sample lectures and presentations by staff and students aimed at giving a better understanding of what the university offers, as well as opportunities to meet with professors, staff, students and alumni, tours of the campus and the operating Psychology Clinic, and a complimentary “Aussie BBQ”. JCU will also provide a free shuttle bus service at 15 minutes intervals from Ang Mo Kio MRT Station (Exit B) from 11am to 4pm. See the poster on the Notice Board or www.jcu.edu.sg/Open_day.htm for more information.

University of Chicago, Dartmouth College, Duke University, Stanford University, Wellesley College and Yale University
Raffles Junior College, Friday 23 April 2010, 7.00 - 9.00pm.
All six universities are among the most selective US universities (you need a minimum of 39 points to apply and students who have been accepted to these universities are generally in the 42-45 point range.). Their presentation will focus on admission to highly selective US universities as well as the academic offerings and residential life at each of the institutions. All students and parents are welcome to attend. Registration is not required but this talk is very popular and fills up very fast – try to get their early if possible. See the poster on the Notice Board for the exact address of RJC.

University Information – Wednesday, 18 November 2009

2009-11-16T23:25:00.000-08:00

Please note that next week I will be in on Wednesday, 25 November only.

In the holidays I will be in on Tuesdays and Thursdays for part of the day to work with Grade 12 students on their applications. Grade 12 students who need to see me should email me first to confirm a date and time.

Grade 11 students: remember to make sure the school has copies of your Grade 9/10 reports and exam results. If you need to get them from your previous school please do so this holiday. It is a good idea to scan these for yourself as well, so you always have a copy.

Any student interested in the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and their IB scholarship opportunities, should see me. Details are also available at www.ust.hk/international and on the noticeboard.

At SJII:
Tilburg University, The Netherlands
Tuesday, 24 November – 1 pm in Science Lab 6
Tilburg University (www.tilburguniversity.nl) offers international Bachelor programmes in Economics, Econometrics and Operations Research, International Business Administration, and Liberal Arts. The curriculum is taught entirely in English and they have a strong focus on global issues. They require IB diploma with Math Standard or Higher and they select students based on their international background and education, and motivation.
Students interested in studying in Europe are strongly encouraged to attend this talk.

Off Campus:

Rice University, USA (www.rice.edu)
Tuesday, 17 November, 7 – 8.30pm, Shangri-La Hotel, Orange Grove Road
Keith Todd, Director of Admissions at Rice University, will speak about the academic programmes, student life, and admissions process at Rice. Rice is highly selective and is consistently ranked amongst the top universities in the US. They offer a wide range of majors, including political science and economics. The talk is open to students and parents. You may register in advance at admit.rice.edu/info_session.html but registration is not required.

Coventry University, UK (www.coventry.ac.uk)
Thursday, 19 November, 6 – 8 pm, British Council, Room 309, 30 Napier Road
Sarah Jephcott from Coventry will speak about the university and the city it is located in. She will be able to assess your qualifications for entry to Coventry University and offer advice on study in the UK. Visit the university website for more information or contact sarah.jephcott@coventry.ac.uk.
Registration is required – email ukstudy@britishcouncil.org.sg to register

Opportunities for Athletes at US Universities
Friday, 20 November, 7–8.30 pm, American Chamber of Commerce Auditorium, 1 Scotts Road #23-03/04 Shaw Centre
The United States Education Information Center (USEIC) is holding a talk by Ms. Judy Freudenberger, the leading EducationUSA authority on international student athletes and sports scholarships, about opportunities for athletes at U.S. Universities. Topics will include sports available, scholarship opportunities and regulations, and information on how to contact US coaches. Registration is required – register by November 18 at http://sportsscholarship.useic.org.

University Information – Wednesday, 11 November 2009

2009-11-10T00:13:00.000-08:00

LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY VISIT TODAY CANCELLED
Apologies from Caroline Wade at Loughborough but she is ill and has had to cancel her trip so will not be here to present today. She will reschedule to early next year if possible. Students are welcome to get in touch with her by email – see me if you would like to do so.

Grade 12 students planning to apply to the US (including boys doing NS first!)
If you have not seen me to discuss subject teacher references please do so as soon as possible. Teachers will not write references if we have not discussed this first. Remember that these references need to be written soon, even if you are applying later, before teachers leave the school and before they forget you!

Have you read about the new Singapore University of Technology and Design (SU)?
SU is expected to have its first intake of 500 undergraduate students in 2011. It will offer degree programmes in Architecture and Sustainable Design, Engineering and Product Design, Engineering Systems and System Design, Information Engineering and Design. See the article from the Straits Times on the Notice Board.

Visits at school this term
All presentations are at 1pm in Science Lab 6

• Wednesday, 11 November – Loughborough University, UK - CANCELLED
• Thursday, 12 November – University of Manchester, UK• Tuesday, 24 November – Tilburg University, The Netherlands

University of Manchester (www.manchester.ac.uk)
Manchester is the largest university in the UK and has the largest engineering school in the UK. It is a very popular university and aims to be one of the top 25 universities in the world by 2015. Fran Halliwell, Senior International Officer, will speak about the programmes at Manchester. All students interested in studying in the UK should try to attend this talk.
See Mr. Madurga if you would like first-hand information about Manchester.

Tilburg University (www.tilburguniversity.nl)
Tilburg University offers international Bachelor programmes in Economics, Econometrics and Operations Research, International Business Administration, and Liberal Arts. The curriculum is taught entirely in English and they have a strong focus on global issues. They require IB diploma with Math Standard or Higher and they select students based on their international background and education, and motivation.

Visits off campus this term:

Pomona College, USA (www.pomona.edu)
Thursday, 12 November, 7 – 9 pm, Hilton Hotel, Orchard Road
Pomona College is a very highly selective undergraduate institution in the US. The Dean of Admissions, Bruce Poch, is one the top speakers on US admissions policies and practices. He has written a number of articles on admissions – some are on the notice board along with a description of Pomona and the College Profile for 2009-2010. Students thinking of applying to the US are strongly encouraged to attend this talk. Parents are invited, registration is not necessary.

Rice University, USA (www.rice.edu)
Tuesday, 17 November, 7 – 8.30pm, Shangri-La Hotel, Orange Grove Road
Keith Todd, Director of Admissions at Rice University, will speak about the academic programmes, student life, and admissions process at Rice. Rice is highly selective and is consistently ranked amongst the top universities in the US. This event is open to students and parents. You may register in advance at admit.rice.edu/info_session.html but registration is not required.

Coventry University, UK (www.coventry.ac.uk)
Thursday, 19 November, 6 – 8 pm, British Council, Room 309, 30 Napier Road
Sarah Jephcott from Coventry will speak about the university and the city it is located in. She will be able to assess your qualifications for entry to Coventry University and offer advice on study in the UK. Visit the university website for more information or contact sarah.jephcott@coventry.ac.uk.
Registration is required – email ukstudy@britishcouncil.org.sg to register

Other Notices

US College Tours in the June 2010 Holiday
TS College Tours (www.tscollegetours.com) runs tours only for international students in the June holiday visiting universities in the US and Canada. These tours are purposely kept small and spaces are limited so register early if you are interested. In the day you visit universities, in the evening you work on essay writing, practice interviews etc. Dates and details are on their website and the flyer is on the noticeboard. Note that you should not miss school for these tours - do not register for the California tour!

DigiPen December Holiday Workshop
DigiPen Singapore is running an introductory workshop for students interested in learning about video game programming and the video game production process. The workshop will help participants develop and enhance their problem solving and analytical skills, as well as discover the roles of computer programming, mathematics, physics, arts and the integration of these academic topics in game engineering and development. The workshop runs from 30 November to 11 December, 10 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday, and costs S$775.
For more information and to register go to https://singapore.digipen.edu/projectfun-workshops/ or email projectfun.sg@digipen.edu

University Information – Wednesday, 4 November 2009

2009-11-02T23:27:00.000-08:00

Note: I will be in on Friday, 6 November, and not on Thursday, 5 November, this week.

Grade 12 students planning to apply to the US (including boys doing NS first!)
If you have not seen me to discuss subject teacher references please do so as soon as possible. Teachers will not write references if we have not discussed this first. Remember that these references need to be written soon, even if you are applying later, before teachers leave the school and before they forget you!

Scholarship Opportunities
The International College of Hotel Management (www.ichm.edu.au) in Adelaide, Australia offers 3 scholarships for international students. The application for July 2010 and January 2011 is now available. See me if you would like to apply.
ICHM allows you to get a Swiss Hotel Association Diploma as well as a Bachelors Degree. Their newsletter “OnCourse” is on the noticeboard.

Visits at school this term
All presentations are at 1pm in Science Lab 6
• Friday, November 6 – Durham University, UK
• Tuesday, 10 November – Swiss School of Tourism, Switzerland
• Wednesday, 11 November – Loughborough University, UK
• Thursday, 12 November – University of Manchester, UK
• Tuesday, 24 November – Tillburg University, The Netherlands

Durham University (http://www.dur.ac.uk)
Ms Victoria Donnelly, International Officer at Durham will talk about studying at Durham. Durham University is a highly ranked university and has a collegiate system, with colleges providing residential, social and welfare facilities for their student members, and creating a sense of community for staff and students together. Its academic teaching and research programmes are delivered through departments contained within three broad faculties: Arts and Humanities, Science, and Social Sciences and Health. All students interested in studying in the UK should try to attend this talk.

Swiss School of Tourism (www.ssthalumni.org)
The Swiss School of Tourism, located in Chur, in the Swiss state of Graubünden (which is known as the Holiday Corner of Switzerland”) offers a 4 year Bachelors degree in a traditional-modern Swiss hotel with state-of-the-art infrastructure complemented by well experienced faculty and accredited by prestigious universities worldwide. Santhosh K, an alumni of the SSTH will speak about their programmes.
Students interested in hotel management, the hospitality industry, etc are encouraged to attend.

Loughborough University (www.lboro.ac.uk)
Loughborough was initially known for its sports teams but is now getting increasing recognition for its academic programmes and student satisfaction. It is quickly becoming a very attractive and popular choice. Caroline Wade, International Officer at Loughborough, will speak about their programmes. All students interested in studying in the UK should try to attend this talk.

University of Manchester (www.manchester.ac.uk)
Manchester is the largest university in the UK and has the largest engineering school in the UK. It is a very popular university and aims to be one of the top 25 universities in the world by 2015. Fran Halliwell, Senior International Officer, will speak about the programmes at Manchester. All students interested in studying in the UK should try to attend this talk.

Visits off campus this term:

Pomona College, USA (www.pomona.edu)
Thursday, 12 November, 7 – 9 pm, Hilton Hotel, Orchard Road
Pomona College is amongst the most highly selective undergraduate institutions in the US. The Dean of Admissions, Bruce Poch, is amongst the top speakers on US admissions policies and practices. He has written a number of articles on admissions – some are on the notice board along with a description of Pomona and the College Profile for 2009-2010.
Students thinking of applying to the US are strongly encouraged to attend this talk. Parents are invited, registration is not necessary.

The School of Pharmacy, University of London (http://www.pharmacy.ac.uk/)
Monday 9 November 2009, British Council, Napier Road, Room 308, 6.30– 8.00 p.m.
Representatives from the School of Pharmacy at the University of London will provide an overview of their degree programmes and research and answer questions relating to their programmes. Prior registration is required - register at
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=DGswPdl3CL6w8rpKWjAwVQ_3d_3d

UK University Fair
Tuesday, 10 November, 2 – 7.30 pm, 101 Cecil Street #18-02, Tong Eng Building
OAL is organizing a UK University Fair with representatives from Loughborough University, University of Leeds, University of Liverpool, University of Southampton as well as representatives from some foundation courses. Admission is free and prior registration is not required. For more information, please contact OAL at +65 62244775
NOTE the representatives from Loughborough and Manchester will be at school on Wednesday, 11th and Thursday, 12th.

Other Notices

US College Tours in the June 2010 Holiday
TS College Tours (www.tscollegetours.com) runs tours only for international students in the June holiday visiting universities in the US and Canada. These tours are purposely kept small and spaces are limited so register early if you are interested. In the day you visit universities, in the evening you work on essay writing, practice interviews etc. Dates and details are on their website and the flyer is on the noticeboard. Note that you should not miss school for these tours - do not register for the California tour!

DigiPen December Holiday Workshop
DigiPen Singapore is running an introductory workshop for students interested in learning about video game programming and the video game production process. The workshop will help participants develop and enhance their problem solving and analytical skills, as well as discover the roles of computer programming, mathematics, physics, arts and the integration of these academic topics in game engineering and development. The workshop runs from 30 November to 11 December, 10 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday, and costs S$775.
For more information and to register go to https://singapore.digipen.edu/projectfun-workshops/ or email projectfun.sg@digipen.edu

University Information – Wednesday, 28 October 2009

2009-10-27T00:03:00.000-07:00

Good luck to all Grade 12 students in the IB exams starting next week!

Visits at school this term:
All presentations are at 1pm in Science Lab 6
• Friday, November 6 – Durham University, UK
• Tuesday, 10 November – Swiss School of Tourism, Switzerland
• Wednesday, 11 November – Loughborough University, UK
• Thursday, 12 November – University of Manchester, UK
• Tuesday, 24 November – Tillburg University, The Netherlands

Durham University, UK (http://www.dur.ac.uk)
Friday 6 November, 1pm, Science Lab 6
Ms Victoria Donnelly, International Officer at Durham will talk about studying at Durham. Durham University is a highly ranked university and has a collegiate system, with colleges providing residential, social and welfare facilities for their student members, and creating a sense of community for staff and students together. Its academic teaching and research programmes are delivered through departments contained within three broad faculties: Arts and Humanities, Science, and Social Sciences and Health. All students interested in studying in the UK or at Durham in particular should try to attend this talk.

Visits off campus this term:

Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London, UK
Wednesday 28 October 2009, National University of Singapore
University of London’s Central School of Speech and Drama (Central) is holding interviewing for its BA (Hons) Acting: Musical Stage three-year, full-time undergraduate course. It is one of the UK’s top centres for drama with alumni that include Laurence Olivier, Judi Dench, Harold Pinter, Cameron Mackintosh, Gael Garcia Bernal and Carrie Fisher. Students are taught by practitioners in the industry; follow highly-specialist courses; and have access to brand-new facilities.
Prior registration is required – email admissions@cssd.ac.uk to register.

University of Waterloo, Canada (www.uwaterloo.ca)
Friday, 30 October, 5 – 7 pm, Canadian Ed. Centre, 09-04 Parklane Mall, 35 Selegie Road.
The University of Waterloo is one of Canada’s top universities. They are also the people involved in the making of the Blackberry handphones! Students interested in applying to Waterloo should try to attend this presentation. Parents are also invited. See the poster on the notice board for more information.

The School of Pharmacy, University of London (http://www.pharmacy.ac.uk/)
Monday 9 November 2009, British Council, Napier Road, Room 308, 6.30– 8.00 p.m.
Representatives from the School of Pharmacy at the University of London will provide an overview of their degree programmes and research and answer questions relating to their programmes. Prior registration is required - register at
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=DGswPdl3CL6w8rpKWjAwVQ_3d_3d

UK University Fair
Tuesday, 10 November, 2pm – 7.30 pm, 101 Cecil Street #18-02, Tong Eng Building
OAL is organizing a UK University Fair with representatives from Loughborough University, University of Leeds, University of Liverpool, University of Southampton as well as representatives from some foundation courses. Admission is free and prior registration is not required. For more information, please contact OAL at +65 62244775
NOTE the representatives from Loughborough and Manchester will be at school on Wednesday, 11th and Thursday, 12th.

Other Notices

We Apply With You – US universities applications help
Some students heard Anand Gopalan speak about Wesleyan University and the Freeman Asia Scholarship in July. Anand has launched a new project called “We Apply With You” together with a team of US university graduates from Singapore and South East Asia to assist students from Asia who are interested in applying for colleges in the US. The service is run completely by volunteers and is free. It includes a peer network program that pairs students with recent graduates or current college students. For more details and to register go to www.weapplywithyou.com or see the poster on the notice board.

British Council Student Decision Making Survey
The British Council would like to learn more about the opinions, views and motivations of people who are considering studying overseas. If you would like to participate in the survey go to http://www.britishcouncil-eumd.org/sdm/singapore/generic.html. They are offering prizes such as an Xbox 360, Apple Macbook, vouchers etc if you do so before 31 October.

Grade 11 SAT Reminder
The deadline to register for the December SAT test is Friday, 30 October, and the preparation course offered by Testtakers at SJII will start on Saturday, 31 October. Registration forms for the course are available at Reception and forms should be sent directly to Testtakers. It is not too late to register for the course but students who are interested should send their forms in this week.

Grade 12 University of California Applications
A reminder that the online applications for all the UCs are open from 1-30 November only. Go to www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions to apply and make sure you tell me you are applying.

University Information – Wednesday, 14 October 2009

2009-10-13T01:51:00.000-07:00

Grade 11 SAT Reminder
The deadline to register for the December SAT test is Friday, 30 October, and the preparation course offered by Testtakers at SJII will start on Saturday, 31 October. Registration forms for the course are available at Reception and forms should be sent directly to Testtakers. It is not too late to register for the course but students who are interested should send their forms in this week.

Grade 12 Saint Joseph’s University, USA
A reminder that applications are due in mid- November for students applying for a scholarship or to participate in the essay competition at SJU. More information is available www.sju.edu/admissions under the “International Students” section.

Visits and Fairs during the holidays…

Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne (EHL)
Saturday, 24 October, 6 – 9.30 pm, Raffles Hotel
EHL is one of the top universities in hospitality and tourism management. See http://www.ehl.edu/eng for more information on the institution and their programmes.
EHL have invited interested students and parents to a presentation during our October holiday. Registration is required – register at www.ehl.edu > Study at EHL > Meet us off campus > Information Sessions or http://www.ehl.edu/eng/Study-at-EHL/Meet-us/Rencontrez-nous-hors-campus/By-type-of-event/Information-sessions/Asia-Pacific/Information-session-in-Singapore

Study in Australia Open Days 2009
Saturday- Sunday, 24- 25 October, 11am – 5 pm, Orchard Hotel Grand Ballroom
More than 40 Australian universities will be represented at this fair. There is also a series of seminars over the two days on studying in Australia - the schedule will be published in the Straits Times on Monday, 19 October. See the poster on the notice board or go to www.singapore.idp.com for more details and a list of participating universities.
• Grade 11 students thinking about studying in Australia are strongly recommended to attend this fair – it is one of the biggest. Parents are welcome to attend.
• Grade 12 students who are planning to apply to universities that will be at the fair can apply at the fair itself – take your latest assessments and GCSE O-Level certificates (original and photocopies). Many universities will waive the application fee if you apply at the fair and application forms will be available at the fair.

Coming up after the holidays…

At school:
• Tuesday, 10 November – Swiss School of Tourism, Switzerland, 1pm in Science Lab 6
• Wednesday, 11 November – Loughborough University, UK, 1pm in Science Lab 6
• Thursday, 12 November – University of Manchester, UK, 1pm in Science Lab 6
• Tuesday, 24 November – Tillburg University, The Netherlands, 1pm in Science Lab 6

University of Waterloo, Canada
Friday, 30 October, 5 – 7 pm, Canadian Education Centre, 09-04 Parklane Shopping Mall, 35 Selegie Road.
The University of Waterloo (www.uwaterloo.ca) is one of Canada’s top universities. They are also the people involved in the making of the Blackberry handphones! Students interested in applying to Waterloo should try to attend this presentation. Parents are also invited.

UK University Fair
Tuesday, 10 November, 2pm – 7.30 pm, 101 Cecil Street #18-02, Tong Eng Building
OAL is organizing a UK University Fair with representatives from Loughborough University, University of Leeds, University of Liverpool, University of Southampton as well as representatives from some foundation courses. Admission is free and prior registration is not required. For more information, please contact OAL at +65 62244775
NOTE the representatives from Loughborough and Manchester will be at school on Wednesday, 11th and Thursday, 12th.

University Information – Wednesday, 7 October 2009

2009-10-06T01:35:00.000-07:00

Grade 12 NS
A reminder that there is a meeting for all Grade 12 boys doing NS on Thursday, October 8 in Science Lab 6 at 1pm. If everyone is on time this should be a short meeting. If you cannot make the meeting you must see me or email me before.

Grade 12 – Hong Kong University
Applications for Hong Kong University opened in September and will remain open until January 29, 2010. If you are interested in applying you should do so soon and then send your final results when you get them in January. When applying you are strongly advised to include a personal statement (Part D), even though it is optional and even if you are not applying for a scholarship.
Students who had a preliminary scholarship interview in early August and want to apply to HKU must complete the application form. If you do not apply HKU will assume you are no longer interested. You are advised to apply well before the January deadline.

Visits and Fairs

Monash University, Australia
Tuesday, 13 October, 1 pm, Science Lab 6
Representatives from Monash will give a presentation on their undergraduate programmes, including law. Although this falls during Grade 11 exams and the last week of classes for Grade 12, students interested in studying in Australia or in Monash in particular should try to attend this talk. Monash is very popular with international students.

Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne (EHL)
Saturday, 24 October, 6 – 9.30 pm, Raffles Hotel
EHL is one of the top universities in hospitality and tourism management. See http://www.ehl.edu/eng for more information on the institution and their programmes.
EHL have invited interested students and parents to a presentation during our October holiday.

Registration is required – register at www.ehl.edu > Study at EHL > Meet us off campus > Information Sessions or http://www.ehl.edu/eng/Study-at-EHL/Meet-us/Rencontrez-nous-hors-campus/By-type-of-event/Information-sessions/Asia-Pacific/Information-session-in-Singapore

Study in Australia Open Days 2009
Saturday- Sunday, 24- 25 October, 11am – 5 pm, Orchard Hotel Grand Ballroom
More than 40 Australian universities will be represented at this fair. There is also a series of seminars over the two days on studying in Australia - the schedule will be published in the Straits Times on Monday, 19 October. See the poster on the notice board or go to www.singapore.idp.com for more details and a list of participating universities.
• Grade 11 students thinking about studying in Australia are strongly recommended to attend this fair – it is one of the biggest. Parents are welcome to attend.
• Grade 12 students who are planning to apply to universities that will be at the fair can apply at the fair itself – take your latest assessments (original and photocopies). Many universities will waive the application fee if you apply at the fair.

Coming up after the holidays…
• Friday, 30 October – SAT registration deadline for the December test
• Tuesday, 10 November – Swiss School of Tourism, Switzerland, 1pm in Science Lab 6
• Wednesday, 11 November – Loughborough University, UK, 1pm in Science Lab 6
• Tuesday, 24 November – Tillburg University, The Netherlands, 1pm, Science Lab 6

University Information – Wednesday, 30 September 2009

2009-09-28T23:50:00.000-07:00

Grade 12 Meetings
There are two very important meetings next week for Grade 12 students. We will meet in Science Lab 6 at 1pm. If everyone is on time they should be short meetings. If you cannot make the meetings you must see me or email me before.
• Tuesday, October 6 - Singapore university applicants for 2010 and after
• Thursday, October 8 –Grade 12 NS Candidates

THIS WEEK – Grades 11 and 12

University of San Francisco, US
Thursday, October 1, Science Lab 6 at 1pm
Jason Opdyke, Associate Director of International Admission at USF, will talk about the programmes and admissions at USF.
USF (http://www.usfca.edu/) is a Jesuit university in San Francisco. They view the IB as the most challenging preparation for American-style university education and the average score for students offered admission is around 34 points.
Students interested in studying in the US should try to attend this talk.

USEIC-USA University Fair
Thursday, October 1, Carlton Hotel, Empress Ballroom Level II, 5 – 9 pm
Admissions officers from a few US universities will be available to answer questions and talk about their institutions and programmes. See the poster on the notice board or go to www.useic.org

UK Universities and Colleges Session organised by AS EduCentre
Saturday 3 October, Suntec Convention Centre, Level 2 MR 202, 2.00 - 7.30
Representatives from Bellerbys College, Brittin College, INTO Partnerships, Middlesex University, London, and Northumbria University will be visiting Singapore and would like to meet prospective students interested in pursuing higher education at their institutions for the Jan 2010 and Sept 2010 intakes. For more information, contact AS EduCentre at 6100 9800 or go to http://www.asedu.net/.

NEXT WEEK– Grades 11 and 12
The School of Oriental and African Studies (http://www.soas.ac.uk/)
Tuesday 6 October, British Council (Room 308), 30 Napier Road 6.30–7.30
The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) is one of the world’s largest centres for the study of Asia, Africa and the Middle East and amongst the most respected institutions in the world.

A representative from SOAS will talk about their undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. She will be able to give specific advice on subjects offered by SOAS such as Economics, Finance, Law and Development Studies.

Registration is required – email ukstudy@britishcouncil.org.sg or call 6473-1111 to register. Provide your name, the institution you are currently studying at (i.e. SJII), subject interest and level (i.e. undergraduate or postgraduate), email, telephone/mobile number.

Advance Notice– Grades 11 and 12

Monash University, Australia
Tuesday, 13 October, 1 pm, Science Lab 6
Representatives from Monash will give a presentation on their undergraduate programmes, including law. Although this falls during Grade 11 exams and the last week of classes for Grade 12, students interested in studying in Australia or in Monash in particular should try to attend this talk. Monash is very popular with international students.

Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne (EHL)
Saturday, 24 October, 6 – 9.30 pm, Raffles Hotel
EHL is one of the top universities in hospitality and tourism management. See http://www.ehl.edu/eng for more information on the institution and their programmes.

EHL have invited interested students and parents to a presentation during our October holiday. Registration is required – register at www.ehl.edu > Study at EHL > Meet us off campus > Information Sessions or http://www.ehl.edu/eng/Study-at-EHL/Meet-us/Rencontrez-nous-hors-campus/By-type-of-event/Information-sessions/Asia-Pacific/Information-session-in-Singapore

Study in Australia Open Days 2009
Saturday- Sunday, 24- 25 October, 11am – 5 pm, Orchard Hotel Grand Ballroom
Academic and Admissions staff from more than 40 Australian universities will be available to discuss programmes and applications. There is also a series of seminars over the two days on studying in Australia but the schedule will only be published in the Straits Times on Monday, 19 October. See the poster on the notice board or go to www.singapore.idp.com for more details and a list of participating universities.
• Grade 11 students thinking about studying in Australia are strongly recommended to attend this fair – it is one of the biggest. Parents are welcome to attend.
• Grade 12 students who are planning to apply to universities that will be at the fair can apply at the fair itself – take your latest assessments (original and photocopies). Many universities will waive the application fee if you apply at the fair itself.

Loughborough University, UK
Wednesday, 11 November, 1 pm, Science Lab 6
A representative from Loughborough will talk about their undergraduate programmes and admissions. Loughborough is an increasingly popular choice for students. Although her visit coincides with the Grade 12 IB exam period, students who are interested in applying to Loughborough or to the UK are strongly recommended to attend.

University Information – Wednesday, 23 September 2009

2009-09-22T01:35:00.000-07:00

THIS WEEK

Newcastle University, UK
Wednesday 23 September, British Council (Room 308), 30 Napier Road, 6.00-7.30
A reminder that representatives from Newcastle University will give a presentation on the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes offered at Newcastle today at the British Council. Registration is required – register at http://www.britishcouncil.org/singapore (go to“Search our Events Calendar”).

Newcastle finds that the IB Diploma provides an excellent academic preparation for university and in recognition of this offers 10 scholarships worth £3,000 a year to IB students. In addition individual schools within the university offer scholarships and financial aid of £1,500. Details are at http://www.ncl.ac.uk/international/finance/scholarships.htm

“Making university choices”
Thursday, 24 September, Science Lab 6 at 1pm
A former student from ACS International who is just completing his NS and going to start at Rice University in the US in January has offered to talk to students about how he made his university decisions and his experiences in NS. He has just returned from taking part in the Orientation programme at Rice.

NEXT WEEK

University of San Francisco, US
Thursday, October 1, Science Lab 6 at 1pm
USF (http://www.usfca.edu/) is a Jesuit university in San Francisco. USF views the IB curriculum as the most challenging preparation for American-style university education and the average score for students that are offered admission is roughly 34 points. USF awards 10 university credits for each IB HL exam score of 4 or higher. Therefore an IB diploma graduate could graduate in 3 years, rather than the normal 4 years. International students are not eligible for financial aid or scholarships but can save a year's worth of fees by completing the IB Diploma. Jason Opdyke, Associate Director of International Admission at USF, will talk about the programmes and admissions at USF.

USEIC-USA University Fair
Thursday, October 1, Carlton Hotel, Empress Ballroom Level II, 5 – 9 pm
Admissions officers from a few US universities will be available to answer questions and talk about their institutions and programmes. See the poster on the notice board or go to www.useic.org

UK Universities and Colleges Session organised by AS EduCentre
Saturday 3 October, Suntec Convention Centre, Level 2 MR 202, 2.00 - 7.30
Representatives from Bellerbys College, Brittin College, INTO Partnerships, Middlesex University, London, and Northumbria University will be visiting Singapore and would like to meet prospective students interested in pursuing higher education at their institutions for the Jan 2010 and Sept 2010 intakes. For more information, contact AS EduCentre at 6100 9800 or go to http://www.asedu.net/.

GRADE 11

Introduction to University Applications
The presentation on the Introduction to the University Process from last week is available on Moodle, under "Careers and University" and then "Careers General Information". The weekly University Notices are also available on Moodle.

SAT
A reminder that Grade 11 students who are planning to study in the US are recommended to take the SAT Reasoning Test on December 5. That leaves Grade 12 for a retake and/or the SAT Subject Tests if necessary. The registration deadline for the December test is October 30 but test centres in Singapore fill up fast so you should register as soon as possible to ensure you get a convenient centre. Note that December 5 is in our holiday and if you will not be in Singapore but still want to take the test you can select a test centre overseas.

You need to register for the SAT yourself at www.collegeboard.com. The SJII CEEB code is 687006.

If you want to take the TestTakers SAT preparation course at SJII collect a registration form from Angeline Wong at Reception and send your registration directly to TestTakers. Note that this is only one option – you are advised to prepare for the SAT Reasoning test but it is not necessary to take this or any other class. Prepare in any way that suits you best.

Grade 12

2010 Canada Applications
If you did not attend the meeting on the 22nd for all students planning to apply to Canada see me as soon as possible.

UBC International Leader of Tomorrow Scholarship
To be considered for this scholarship you must be nominated by the school. If you meet the criteria and would like to be considered you must let me know by Wednesday, September 30 in writing or by email. Note that UBC sets restrictions on the number of students we can nominate and we may not be able to nominate all students who are interested and meet their criteria.

University Information – Wednesday, 16 September 2009

2009-09-15T01:48:00.000-07:00

This Week - Grade 11 Introduction to University Applications
All Grade 11 students and parents are invited to an introduction to university decisions and applications on Thursday, 17 September, from 6 to 6.45 pm. This will be followed by the Challenge Week presentations the same evening. Please remind your parents.

Grade 12 – 2010 Applications
Most applications for 2010 are now open. Make sure you keep track of your deadlines and do not miss any. Universities do not take kindly to missed deadlines and may not accept your application after the deadline. You should see me to
• discuss the list of universities you plan to apply to
• discuss subject references required for US universities (you need to discuss this with me before seeing your teachers)
• go through personal statements, essays, etc
• clarify documentation needed from the school (tutor reference, predicted grades, etc)

Grade 12 – Canada Applicants
There is a very important meeting for all Canada applicants (including students planning to take a gap year or do NS) on Tuesday, 22 September in Science Lab 6 at 1pm. If you cannot make it you must have a very good reason and see me before the meeting.

2010 Freeman Scholarship at Wesleyan University
Information on applications for the Freeman Scholarship for 2010 is now available on line. There is no longer a paper application and this year they will only be able to award one scholarship per country/region. Information and application materials are available at www.wesleyan.edu/admission/international/freeman.html
Please see me if you are thinking about applying for this scholarship.

Saint Joseph’s University 2010 Admissions and Scholarships
Information on applications and scholarships for 2010 is now under “International Students” at www.sju.edu/admissions. All applicants who take the SAT or ACT are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships. Students from the Asia-Pacific region who are admitted to SJU prior to February 1, 2010, are eligible for the annual essay writing competition held at the US Embassy in Singapore. The top essay competition winner is granted a full tuition scholarship for four years of study at SJU and the second place winner is granted a 2/3 tuition scholarship for four years of study at SJU. Winners of the competition will be announced in mid-March.
Please see me if you are interested in applying.

University Visits – Grade 11 and 12

University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Tuesday, 22 September, 4 – 7pm, USEIC, 12 Prince Edward Road, #01-03 Podium A Bestway Building
UNL is amongst the top public universities in the US. They offer scholarships to international students and IB credits (see http://admissions.unl.edu/advanced/ib) . Representatives will talk about the programmes and scholarships offered at UNL. Registration is not required – see the poster on the notice board for more details.

Newcastle University, UK
Wednesday 23 September, British Council (Room 308), 30 Napier Road, 6.00-7.30
Representatives from Newcastle University will be in Singapore to give a presentation on undergraduate and postgraduate programmes offered at Newcastle. Newcastle University is one of the UK's leading universities. They currently have more than 2,400 international students from over 100 different countries.

The following is from the Head of the International Office at Newcastle:
Newcastle University is delighted to welcome applications from students who have studied for the International Baccalaureate Diploma as the programme provides an excellent foundation for university.
For the most up to date information about our IB requirements please visit our website: www.ncl.ac.uk or more specifically www.ncl.ac.uk/undergraduate/index.phtml (From here, enter a subject in the course finder box, click ‘Go’, select a programme and then use the ‘Entry Requirements’ option to bring up the IB grade detail.)
In recognition of the high standards of IB students, we are offering a scholarship scheme for IB students looking for 2010 entry. At £3,000, the Newcastle University International Baccalaureate Scholarships (NUIBS) are twice the value of our regular Undergraduate scholarships. There are 10 NUIBS available annually. For students to be eligible, they must score at least 3 points above the offer made to them by the university and submit a Personal Statement along with their university application.

Prior registration is required to attend this event. Register at http://www.britishcouncil.org/singapore (go to“Search our Events Calendar”)

“Making university choices”
Thursday, 24 September, Science Lab 6 at 1pm
A former student from ACS International who is just completing his NS and going to start at Rice University in the US in January has offered to talk to students about how he made his university decisions and his experiences in NS. He has just returned from taking part in the Orientation programme at Rice.

University of San Francisco, US
Thursday, October 1, Science Lab 6 at 1pm
USF (http://www.usfca.edu/) is a Jesuit university in San Francisco. USF views the IB curriculum as the most challenging preparation for American-style university education and the average score for students that are offered admission is roughly 34 points. USF awards 10 university credits for each IB HL exam score of 4 or higher. Therefore an IB diploma graduate could graduate in 3 years, rather than the normal 4 years. International students are not eligible for financial aid or scholarships but can save a year's worth of fees though by completing the IB Diploma. Jason Opdyke, Associate Director of International Admission at USF, will talk about the programmes and admissions at USF.

UK Universities and Colleges Session organised by AS EduCentre
Saturday 3 October, Suntec Convention Centre, Level 2 MR 202, 2.00 - 7.30
Representatives from Bellerbys College, Brittin College, INTO Partnerships, Middlesex University, London, and Northumbria University will be visiting Singapore and would like to meet prospective students interested in pursuing higher education at their institutions for the Jan 2010 and Sept 2010 intakes. For more information, contact AS EduCentre at 6100 9800 or go to http://www.asedu.net/.

The School of Oriental and African Studies (http://www.soas.ac.uk/)
Tuesday 6 October, British Council (Room 308), 30 Napier Road 6.30–7.30
The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) is one of the world’s largest centres for the study of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Students can choose from more than 350 undergraduate degree combinations in the social sciences, humanities and languages – all with a distinctive regional focus and global relevance, and taught by world-renowned teachers in specialist faculties.
The representative from SOAS will talk about their undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. She will be able to give specific advice on subjects offered by SOAS such as Economics, Finance, Law and Development Studies.
Registration is required – email ukstudy@britishcouncil.org.sg or call 6473-1111 to register. When registering you must provide your name, the institution you are currently studying at (i.e. SJII), subject interest and level (i.e. undergraduate or postgraduate), email, telephone/mobile number.

University Information – Wednesday, 9 September 2009

2009-09-08T01:51:00.000-07:00

PSC Scholarships
Applications for 2010 PSC Scholarships are now open. Register at http://www.pscscholarships.gov.sg/. Applications can be completed on line but all supporting documentation must be sent within 10 days of submission of your application.

Columbia University, Georgetown University, Northwestern University, and Princeton University, USA
Wednesday, 9 September, 7 – 9 pm, Raffles Junior College, 10 Bishan Street 21
Students and parents are invited to an information session hosted by Columbia University, Georgetown University, Northwestern University, and Princeton University. Representatives will provide an overview of their undergraduate programs, admission procedures, and financial aid. Registration is required – register at http://www.ugadm.northwestern.edu/session/

Study USA – The AEO Tour
Saturday, 12 September, 12 – 4 pm, Pacific Ballroom, Pan Pacific Hotel, Marina Square
Twenty universities and community colleges will be represented at the fair. Many of these are smaller institutions, some with more accessible entry requirements and a wide range of majors. Also represented are specialized art and design institutions. Many offer scholarships for international students. See the poster and the flyer on the noticeboard.

Saint Mary’s College, California, USA
Saint Mary's College of California is a Lasallian 4-year liberal arts college in the San Francisco area. SMC offers Lasallian Scholarships to students who graduate from a Lasalle school as well as other merit-based scholarships to international students. See www.stmarys-ca.edu/international for information and entry requirements.
Representatives from Saint Mary’s College will be at the AEO Tour on 12 September and are keen to meet SJII students who are interested in applying independently of the tour.

Grade 11 Introduction to University Applications
All Grade 11 students and parents are invited to a presentation on the university systems in different countries on Thursday, 17 September, from 6 to 6.45 pm. This will be followed by the Challenge Week presentations on the same evening. Please remind your parents.

UK University information and Psychology Supplement
The latest issue of the i-studentadvisor, an online magazine on international education, focuses on study in the UK. It has profiles of institutions, and information from the British Council, Universities UK and the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. This issue also features a special psychology supplement, which may be useful for anyone interested in the social sciences. Go to www.i-studentadvisor.com

www.i-studentlife.com
i-studentadvisor (see above) have launched a new site, www.i-studentlife.com. It contains blogs written by students about their experiences as international students in the USA, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.

LaSalle College of the Arts Performances
There are three productions by LaSalle students this month. See the posters on the notice board.

University Information – Wednesday, 26 August 2009

2009-08-24T23:13:00.000-07:00

There are still some brochures and registration forms for the SAT, the IELTS English test, and on Study in France in my office. Please collect copies if you are interested.

Good luck to all Grade 12 students who have university interviews over the next two weeks!

Grade 12 Oxford or Cambridge applicants
Your UCAS application is due to me by Monday, 7 September, immediately after the holiday. Remember to check requirements carefully, as well as additional forms required by the universities and requests for interviews. You must see me in school on Tuesday, 8 September to ensure everything is completed and with me. We will not be able to get your application sent on time if you do not meet this deadline – the university deadline to request interviews in Singapore is 20 September.
Make sure your tutor is aware that your reference must be in immediately after the holidays as well.

Saint Mary’s College, California, USA
Saint Mary's College of California is a Lasallian 4-year liberal arts college in the San Francisco Bay Area. See www.stmarys-ca.edu/international for information and entry requirements. SMC also offers Lasallian Scholarships to students who graduate from a Lasalle school as well as other merit-based scholarships to international students. Representatives from Saint Mary’s College will be at the AEO Tour on 12 September (see below) but have also offered to meet SJII students who are interested in applying independently of the tour. See me if you would like to arrange a meeting.

International College of Hotel Management, Australia
ICHM offers a hotel management degree programme recognized by the Swiss Hotel Association. They offer a number of scholarships to Australian and New Zealand citizens, as well as international students. A minimum of 26 points in the IB Diploma are necessary to apply. See www.ichm.edu.au
ICHM have sent copies of the 2010 prospectus – please take one from my office if you are interested.

Grade 11 Introduction to University Applications
All Grade 11 students and parents are invited to a presentation on the university systems in different countries on Thursday, 17 September, from 6 to 6.45 pm. This will be followed by the Challenge Week presentations on the same evening. Please let your parents know!

Medical Exposure Programmes
A reminder that registration forms for the Jakarta medical exposure programme in December are due to Sandesh or Na by Monday, 7 September (immediately after the holidays). Email Sandesh at sunsambhi@gmail.com or Na at dabbywuyen81092@hotmail.com for more information or a copy of the registration form.
If you are considering medical studies it is critical that you participate in this or similar exposure programmes. All hospitals in Singapore also offer exposure programmes – contact them directly for details.

Visits

· study in Canada – UBC on 27 August
· study social sciences in Paris – Sciences Po on 28 August
· workshop on game design and development – 29 August
· Columbia Univ., Georgetown Univ., Northwestern Univ., and Princeton Univ., USA – presentation on 9 September
· US university fair – AEO Tour on 12 September

University of British Columbia, Canada
Thursday, 27 August, 1pm in Science Lab 6
Håkan Björn will speak about the programmes and scholarship opportunities at UBC. UBC is one of the more popular Canadian universities. Information on programme specific IB requirements is at https://you.ubc.ca/ubc/vancouver/ib.ezc. Scholarship information for international students is at https://you.ubc.ca/ubc/vancouver/intlscholarships.ezc.

Sciences Po
Friday, 28 August, 6–8pm, Alliance Fancaise de Singapour, Seminar Room 4 Fl., 1 Sarkies Road
Sciences Po Asia Pacific Centre and Campus France are organizing a presentation on educational opportunities in social sciences at an international centre in Paris. To register for this session or for further information email study@ambafrance-sg.org or call 67386605.

Game Design and Development
Saturday, 29 August, 10 am – 1 pm, DigiPen Institute of Technology Singapore, Pascal Classroom
Students are invited to a free workshop to provide an overview of the multi-disciplinary nature of game development. To sign up contact Ms Caroline Tan at catan@digipen.edu or 65771913.

Columbia University, Georgetown University, Northwestern University, and Princeton University, USA
Wednesday, 9 September, 7 – 9 pm, Raffles Junior College, 10 Bishan Street 21
Students and parents are invited to an information session hosted by Columbia University, Georgetown University, Northwestern University, and Princeton University. Representatives will provide an overview of their programs, admission procedures, and financial aid, allowing time for questions at the end. Registration is required – register at http://www.ugadm.northwestern.edu/session/

Study USA – The AEO Tour
Saturday, 12 September, 12 – 4 pm, Pacific Ballroom, Pan Pacific Hotel, Marina Square
Twenty universities and community colleges will be represented at the fair. Many of these are smaller institutions, some with more accessible entry requirements and a wide range of majors. Also represented are specialized art and design institutions. Many offer scholarships for international students. See the poster and the flyer on the noticeboard.

University Information – Wednesday, 19 August 2009

2009-08-18T00:53:00.000-07:00

The SAT, the IELTS English test and Study in France have sent some brochures and registration forms. Please collect copies from my office if you are interested.

· Australia – “Diploma to Degree Open Days” on 22-23 August
· Canada - Humber on 25 August and UBC on 27 August
· a degree programme with more accessible entry requirements – Humber on 25 August
· study social sciences in Paris – Sciences Po on 28 August
· workshop on game design and development – 29 August
· Oxford or Cambridge applicants –your application is due to me by Monday, 7 September. See also information on the Jardine Foundation Scholarship below and on the noticeboard
· Columbia University, Georgetown University, Northwestern University, and Princeton University, USA – presentation on 9 September

Australia Degree to Diploma Open Days

Saturday, 22 August – Sunday, 23 August, 11am – 5pm, Orchard Hotel Grand Ballroom

45 institutions will be represented at the Degree to Diploma Open Days. See http://www.singapore.idp.com/ for more information and a list of the institutions represented.

Humber Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning, Canada
Tuesday, 25 August, 1pm in Science Lab 6
Humber offers degree programmes in a number of areas and has more accessible entry requirements - minimum IB Diploma scores of 24 will be considered, but scores of 28 or higher are recommended. See www.humber.ca for more information. Note that Humber has more accessible entry requirements.

University of British Columbia, Canada
Thursday, 27 August, 1pm in Science Lab 6
Håkan Björn will speak about the programmes at UBC as well as scholarship opportunities at UBC. UBC is one of the more popular Canadian universities.
Information on programme specific IB grades and subjects required for UBC can be found at https://you.ubc.ca/ubc/vancouver/ib.ezc. Scholarship information for international students is at https://you.ubc.ca/ubc/vancouver/intlscholarships.ezc.

Sciences Po
Friday, 28 August, 6–8pm, Alliance Fancaise de Singapour, Seminar Room 4 Fl., 1 Sarkies Road
Sciences Po Asia Pacific Centre and Campus France are organizing a presentation on educational opportunities in social sciences at an international centre in Paris. To register for this session or for further information email study@ambafrance-sg.org or call 67386605.

Game Design and Development
Saturday, 29 August, 10 am – 1 pm, DigiPen Institute of Technology Singapore, Pascal Classroom
Students are invited to a free workshop based on an interactive hands-on approach to provide an overview of the multi-disciplinary nature of game development. The aims are to
· motivate students to learn foundational software engineering concepts such as programming, algorithms and data structures;
· motivate students to understand and discover the role of academic subjects such mathematics, physics, art and the integration of these subjects in the field of software engineering;
· improve problem-solving, analytical, project management and presentation skills of students using project-based, hands-on approach that requires students to design and implement their own games;
· inspire and encourage creative attributes of students and to manifest these creative ideas in playable computer games; and
· educate students to various exciting career opportunities and paths in IDM.

To sign up, contact Ms Caroline Tan at catan@digipen.edu or call her at 65771913.

Oxford and Cambridge Applicants 2010
· A reminder that your applications are due to me on Monday, September 7.
· Jardine Matheson offers a scholarship for study in selected colleges at Oxford and Cambridge. Applications are now open for 2010. See www.jardine-foundation.org or the noticeboard.

Columbia University, Georgetown University, Northwestern University, and Princeton University, USA
Wednesday, 9 September, 7 – 9 pm, Raffles Junior College, 10 Bishan Street 21
Students and parents are invited to an information session hosted by Columbia University, Georgetown University, Northwestern University, and Princeton University. Representatives will provide an overview of their programs, admission procedures, and financial aid, allowing time for questions at the end.
Registration is required – register at http://www.ugadm.northwestern.edu/session/

University Information – Wednesday, 12 August 2009

2009-08-11T01:08:00.000-07:00

Dates for your Diary
• NUS or for business anywhere – NUS Business School on 13 August
• the UK – UCL on 18 August
• writing personal statements – UCL on 18 August
• Canada - Humber on 25 August and UBC on 27 August
• a degree programme with more accessible entry requirements – Humber on 25 August
• Oxford or Cambridge applicants – a reminder that your application is due to me by Monday, 7 September (immediately after the holiday)

Thursday, 13 August, 1 pm in the Glass Hall- NUS Business School. Representatives from the NUS Business School will give a presentation on their programmes and pursuing business as a discipline. They offer a variety of undergraduate programmes and concurrent Masters programmes. See http://bschool.nus.edu.sg/ for more information.

Tuesday, 18 August, 1pm in Science Lab 6 – University College London, UK. Penny Zorbas, who spoke at school last year as well, will talk about UCL as well as give advice on writing personal statements in general. She has promised to show examples of what to avoid in personal statements. You may want to take notes in this talk – bring a pen and some paper with you.

Tuesday, 25 August, 1pm in Science Lab 6 – Humber Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning, Canada. Humber offers degree programmes in a number of areas and has more accessible entry requirements - minimum IB Diploma scores of 24 will be considered, but scores of 28 or higher are recommended. See www.humber.ca for more information. Note that Humber has more accessible entry requirements.

Thursday, 27 August, 1pm in Science Lab 6 – University of British Columbia, Canada. Håkan Björn will speak about the programmes at UBC as well as scholarship opportunities at UBC. UBC is one of the more popular Canadian universities.
Information on programme specific IB grades and subjects required for UBC can be found at https://you.ubc.ca/ubc/vancouver/ib.ezc. Scholarship information for international students is at https://you.ubc.ca/ubc/vancouver/intlscholarships.ezc.

Kenyon College, US
Kenyon (www.kenyon.edu) is a small, more competitive liberal arts and sciences college in Ohio. They are particularly known for their programmes in English, Drama, Political Science and the sciences. Classes are small (average class size is 14) and the college has a reputation for being academically challenging but not competitive. On average they would be looking for IB points in the mid to upper 30s and SAT scores of around 1900-2100.

Kenyon is offering interviews in Singapore on Saturday, 29 August to Grade 12 students interested in applying. You do not have to have applied to be interviewed but you should be planning to apply. They ask that students email them directly for interview appointments - if you are interested email Kim Totman at totman@kenyon.edu for an appointment.

US Universities
Forbes.com have just released their 2009 ranking of US universities. You may find it helpful to use this as a guide in your research, but remember that no ranking is absolutely reliable and you should not make decisions about where you apply based on a ranking. However, the list and related articles make for interesting reading. See http://www.forbes.com/2009/08/02/best-colleges-ratings-opinions-ranking-2009_land.html

You may find the following related articles useful:
• “Screener – What’s the Best College For You?” (http://www.forbes.com/2009/08/05/best-colleges-ranking-screener-opinions-colleges-09-tool.html)
• “Focus On What You Do Best” (http://www.forbes.com/2009/08/02/choosing-the-right-college-opinions-pete-peterson.html)
• “Searching for Curiosity” (http://www.forbes.com/2009/08/02/alumni-interviews-college-opinions-marcus.html)

Good luck to our Grade 12 in their Mock Exams over the next two weeks…
Remember to keep checking the University Notices on both on the Senior School Website and on Moodle for updates during exams.

University Information – Wednesday, 5 August 2009

2009-08-03T23:11:00.000-07:00

Careers in Diplomacy – Thursday, 6 August, 1pm in the Glass Hall
Mr. Yo-Jung Chen, the Deputy Consul, Press Attaché and Head of the Press and Commnication Department at the French Embassy in Singapore will speak about his career. Mr. Chen has a Taiwanese father and a Vietnamese mother, and was educated in Mandarin in Taiwan and later in Japanese at Keio University in Tokyo. He became a French citizen while working at the French embassy in Tokyo and now works for the French Foreign Service. He will talk about his experiences in diplomacy, with the press, and on multilingualism and intercultural issues
All students in Grades 9 – 12 are invited to hear his talk. It should be of particular interest to anyone considering a career in media or public service.

Higher Education Studies in France – Tuesday, 11 August, 12.55pm in the Glass Hall
The Head of CampusFrance, Singapore, and the Attaché for the Promotion of French Language at the French Embassy will speak about Higher Education studies in France (including programmes in English) and holiday French courses. All students in Grades 7 – 12 and parents are invited to attend.

SAT Reasoning Test
Information about the SAT Reasoning Test was sent to Tutor Groups last Friday. The registration deadline for the 5 December test is 30 October but it is best to register early to ensure you get your choice of test centre. Note that the test date is at the end of the first week of the December holidays so check your travel plans carefully! Registration forms for the TestTakers course at school are available from Angeline Wong at Reception. And a reminder that this is only one option – prepare for the test in the way that suits you best.

Trinity College Young Leaders Holiday Programme
Trinity College at Melbourne University runs a programme for 15 – 17 year old students in our December holidays. The curriculum focuses on developing leadership skills, including public speaking, better problem solving skills, and team building skills, as well as the opportunity to choose an “Elective World”. The programme this year runs from 6 - 19 December and applications are due by 6 October. See http://www.trinity.unimelb.edu.au/young_leaders for more details and application forms.

Dates for your Diary
With Grade 12 Mock Exams and Grade 11 Challenge Week around the corner, please take note of the presentations until the half-term break and plan ahead. Unfortunately university admissions representatives have their own schedules, which clash with ours at times but there are some presentations you should not miss.

If you are thinking of applying to
• NUS or for business anywhere – NUS Business School on 13 August.
• the UK – UCL on 18 August.
• Canada - Humber on 25 August and UBC on 27 August.
• a degree programme with more accessible entry requirements – Humber on 25 August.
• Oxford or Cambridge applicants – a reminder that your application is due to me by Monday, 7 September (immediately after the holiday)

Thursday, 13 August, 1 pm in the Glass Hall- NUS Business School. Representatives from the NUS Business School will give a presentation on their programmes and pursuing business as a discipline. They offer a variety of undergraduate programmes and concurrent Masters programmes. See http://bschool.nus.edu.sg/ for more information.

Tuesday, 18 August, 1pm in Science Lab 6 – University College London, UK. Penny Zorbas, who spoke at school last year as well, will talk about UCL as well as give advice on writing personal statements in general. She has promised to show examples of what to avoid in personal statements.

Tuesday, 25 August, 1pm in Science Lab 6 – Humber Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning, Canada. Humber offers degree programmes in a number of areas and has more accessible entry requirements - minimum IB Diploma scores of 24 will be considered, but scores of 28 or higher are recommended. See www.humber.ca for more information. Note that Humber has more accessible entry requirements.

Thursday, 27 August, 1pm in Science Lab 6 – University of British Columbia, Canada. Håkan Björn will speak about the programmes at UBC as well as scholarship opportunities at UBC.
Information on programme specific IB grades and subjects required for UBC can be found at https://you.ubc.ca/ubc/vancouver/ib.ezc and scholarship information for international students is at https://you.ubc.ca/ubc/vancouver/intlscholarships.ezc.

University Information – Wednesday, 29 July 2009

2009-07-27T19:53:00.000-07:00

Wesleyan University – Thursday, 30 July, 1 pm in the Glass Hall
Anand Gopalan will speak about Wesleyan, the Freeman Asia Scholarship and his experiences studying in the US.
Wesleyan University is among the most selective US universities. For the 2009 entry its acceptance rate was 22%. For more details on the make-up of the students accepted for 2009 see http://www.wesleyan.edu/admission/Profile2013.pdf

Hong Kong University – Sunday, 2 August, 10.30-11.30 am and 4-5 pm, Hullet Room, Level 4, Raffles City Convention Centre
Hong Kong University is among the top universities in Asia and has an extensive range of programmes. They also have generous scholarships. Although it varies by programme and year, in general 30+ IB Diploma points are required for consideration along with IB English requirements (see http://www.hku.hk/admission/nonjupas-uer.htm#ibdiploma).
The information sessions will focus on the programmes at Hong Kong University and the scholarship scheme. The university will also be conducting preliminary interviews for scholarship applications between the information sessions. To register for an interview send your full name and contact details to international@hku.hk. Also let me know you are registering so I can follow up on your interview. See the poster on the noticeboard for more details.

PSC Scholarships
Mr. Eddie Teo, Chairman of PSC, has published a detailed letter explaining how the PSC selects scholars. It is very important reading for anyone intending to apply for any scholarship, PSC or other. The full text of his letter can be found at http://www.pscscholarships.gov.sg/An+Open+Letter+from+the+Chairman.htm
An edited version was in Saturday’s Straits Times and a copy is on the noticeboard.

Careers in Diplomacy – Thursday, 6 August, 1pm in the Glass Hall
Mr. Yo-Jung Chen, the Deputy Consul, Press Attaché and Head of the Press and Commnication Department at the French Embassy in Singapore will speak about his career. Mr. Chen is the son of a Taiwanese father and a Vietnamese mother. He was educated in Mandarin in Taiwan and later in Japanese at Keio University in Tokyo. He became a French citizen while working at the French embassy in Tokyo and now works for the French foreign service. He will talk about his experiences in diplomacy, with the press, and on multilingualism and intercultural issues
All students in Grades 9 – 12 are invited to hear his talk. It should be of particular interest to anyone considering a career in media or public service.

NUS Business School
You can now follow the NUS Business School on Twitter at http://twitter.com/nusbba
At our request NUS Business School have updated their entry requirements on their website to include a section on IB requirements. See
http://bschool.nus.edu.sg/NUSBBA/Admissions/EntryRequirements.aspx
A reminder that NUS Business School will make a presentation on Thursday, 13 August, 1pm in the Glass Hall.

University Information – Wednesday, 22 July 2009

2009-07-20T23:59:00.000-07:00

Reminder:
There are two very important meetings for Grade 12 students to go through the application process. This includes students who intend to take a gap year or are first going to complete NS. If you cannot be there you must have a very good reason and talk to me/email me before. Bring a pen and something to write on.
• Applying to the UK – Thursday, 23 July, 1pm in Science Lab 6 to go through the UCAS application process, deadlines and writing personal statements.
• Applying to the US – Tuesday, 28 July, 1 pm in Science Lab 6 to go through the application process, essay writing, deadlines and tutor/subject references.

PSC Scholarships
The selection exercise for PSC Scholarships will open in early September 2009. Information on scholarships types is on the PSC website at www.pscscholarships.gov.sg. Interviews will take place from January to May 2010 and typically candidates will be informed of the outcome within 2 weeks of the interview.

NUS Business School has confirmed a presentation on 13 August. Please see next page.

US University Website
The Peterson Guide ( http://www.petersons.com/ Colleges and Universities under Quick Links) has a good search facility and listings of colleges and universities by subject.

US University Fair – Experiences 2009, Sunday 26 July, Suntec City Concourse 3, 10am – 5 pm
This fair is organised and run by overseas Singapore students who are currently studying in the US to provide information to prospective students who wish to study in the US. It is endorsed by the US Embassy. 40 U.S. universities, 5 from Canada and the UK, as well as scholarship organizations will be featured. There is also a parallel seminar series on topics such as visa applications by the US Embassy, financial aid, health and travel talks, SAT test strategies, and choosing the right university. Admission is free, and all students and parents are invited to attend. See the bulletin board or www.experiences-sg.com for more information.

BrightSparks Scholarship Information
The BrightSparks magazine has arrived and should be ready for distribution in Tutor Group today. They have sent one copy per student. Even if you are not applying for scholarships there is quite a bit of information you may find useful.
To register at the BrightSparks website for scholarship information go to http://brightsparks.com.sg/ , select “All Other Students” under Students, register and select St Joseph’s Institution International from the drop down menu of Schools. Note that a lot of the scholarship information is still for 2009 and has not been updated for 2010 yet.

University Visitors – Grades 11 and 12
Unfortunately some of the university visitors travel dates this term clash with Mock Exams, IB Exams and our holidays but it is very important that you try to meet the representatives if you are thinking of applying to their institutions. If you cannot make their presentation please see me and I will try to arrange an alternate meeting for you. If you do not make the effort to meet the representative they will question how serious are you about their university and why they should give you a place. This applies to students planning a gap year or doing NS as well.

Thursday, 30 July, 1pm – Wesleyan University, USA. Anand Gopalan will speak about Wesleyan, the Freeman Asia Scholarship and his experiences studying in the US. Anand is a student at Wesleyan and a Singapore Freeman Scholarship recipient. He completed the IB Diploma and NS before going to Wesleyan. You are strongly advised to attend this session if you intend to apply to the US.

Thursday, August 13, 1 pm - NUS Business School. Representatives from the NUS Business School will give a presentation on their programmes and pursuing business as a discipline. They offer a variety of undergraduate programmes and concurrent Masters programmes. See http://bschool.nus.edu.sg/ for more information.

Tuesday, 18 August, 1pm – University College London, UK. Penny Zorbas, who spoke at school last year as well, will talk about UCL as well as give advice on writing personal statements in general. She has promised to show examples of what to avoid in personal statements. You are strongly advised to attend this session if you intend to apply to the UK.

Tuesday, 25 August, 1pm – Humber Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning, Canada. Humber offers degree programmes in a number of areas and has more accessible entry requirements - minimum IB Diploma scores of 24 will be considered, but scores of 28 or higher are recommended. See www.humber.ca for more information.

Thursday, 27 August, 1pm – University of British Columbia, Canada. Håkan Björn will speak about the programmes at UBC as well as scholarship opportunities at UBC.

Thursday, 22 October – Saturday, 24 October – Canadian universities
Representatives from Trent University, Carleton University, University of Calgary, York University and the University of Victoria will be in Singapore. Unfortunately their trip is during our October holidays so they will not visit us at school. However, they have offered to arrange individual appointments for students interested in their institutions and have also invited us to their presentation at the International School Singapore (ISS) on Thursday, 22 October from 12:15-12:55. See me if you would like to arrange an individual appointment or attend the presentation at ISS.

University Information – Wednesday, 15 July 2009

2009-07-14T00:16:00.000-07:00

Welcome back! Hope you had a relaxing and productive holiday. Grade 12 students applying to university for 2010 should now have a short list of universities and programmes and be getting ready to start their applications. Remember to keep me informed of your short list and plans, so I can help you finalise your decisions and begin your applications.

There are two very important meetings for Grade 12 students to go through the application process. This includes students who intend to take a gap year or are first going to complete NS. If you cannot be there you must have a very good reason and talk to me/email me before. Bring a pen and something to write on.
· Applying to the UK – Thursday, 23 July, 1pm in Science Lab 6 to go through the UCAS application process, deadlines and writing personal statements.
· Applying to the US – Tuesday, 28 July, 1 pm in Science Lab 6 to go through the application process, essay writing, deadlines and tutor/subject references.

University of Loughborough, UK, and Wesleyan University, US
Any Grade 12 students thinking of applying to Loughborough or Wesleyan see me or send me an email this week.

US University Fair – Experiences 2009, Sunday 26 July, Suntec City Concourse 3, 10am – 5 pm
This fair is organised and run by overseas Singapore students who are currently studying in the US to provide information to prospective students who wish to study in the US. It is endorsed by the US Embassy. 40 U.S. universities, 5 from Canada and the UK, as well as scholarship organizations will be featured. There is also a parallel seminar series on topics such as visa applications by the US Embassy, financial aid, health and travel talks, SAT test strategies, and choosing the right university. Admission is free, and all students and parents are invited to attend. See the bulletin board or www.experiences-sg.com for more information.

University of Melbourne Music Auditions
Auditions will be held on Tuesday, 4 August for intake into Semester 1 and 2, 2010. See the flyer on the notice board. If you are interested in studying music at Melbourne you will need to audition. See me for more details.

Apologies from the British Council - Cancellation of the Education UK Roadshow 2009
The British Council had to cancel the university fair scheduled on 10 July because of the H1N1 virus. They have sent apologies.

BrightSparks Scholarship Information
BrightSparks is sending a magazine for all Grade 11 and 12 students with scholarship and university information. It will be available in Tutor Group sometime next week.
To register at the BrightSparks website for scholarship information go to http://brightsparks.com.sg/ , select “All Other Students” under Students, register and select St Joseph’s Institution International from the drop down menu of Schools. Note that a lot of the scholarship information is still for 2009 and has not been updated for 2010 yet.

University Visitors – Grades 11 and 12
Unfortunately some of the university visitors travel dates this term clash with Mock Exams, IB Exams and our holidays but it is very important that you try to meet the representatives if you are thinking of applying to their institutions. If you cannot make their presentation please see me and I will try to arrange an alternate meeting for you. If you do not make the effort to meet the representative they will question how serious are you about their university and why they should give you a place. This applies to students planning a gap year or doing NS as well.

Thursday, 30 July, 1pm – Wesleyan University, USA. Anand Gopalan will speak about Wesleyan, the Freeman Asia Scholarship and his experiences studying in the US. Anand is a student at Wesleyan and a Singapore Freeman Scholarship recipient. He completed the IB Diploma and NS before going to Wesleyan. You are strongly advised to attend this session if you intend to apply to the US.

Tuesday, 18 August, 1pm – University College London, UK. Penny Zorbas, who spoke at school last year as well, will talk about UCL as well as give advice on writing personal statements in general. She has promised to show examples of what to avoid in personal statements. You are strongly advised to attend this session if you intend to apply to the UK.

Tuesday, 25 August, 1pm – Humber Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning, Canada. Humber offers degree programmes in a number of areas and has more accessible entry requirements - minimum IB Diploma scores of 24 will be considered, but scores of 28 or higher are recommended. See www.humber.ca for more information.

Thursday, 27 August, 1pm – University of British Columbia, Canada. Håkan Björn will speak about the programmes at UBC as well as scholarship opportunities at UBC.

Thursday, 22 October – Saturday, 24 October – Canadian universities
Representatives from Trent University, Carleton University, University of Calgary, York University and the University of Victoria will be in Singapore. Unfortunately their trip is during our October holidays so they will not visit us at school. However, they have offered to arrange individual appointments for students interested in their institutions and have also invited us to their presentation at the International School Singapore (ISS) on Thursday, 22 October from 12:15-12:55. See me if you would like to arrange an individual appointment or attend the presentation at ISS.

University Information – Wednesday, 3 June 2009

2009-06-01T21:55:00.000-07:00

Applying to Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US for 2010 Entry
Applications will be open by the time we return from the holiday and you will have to begin applying soon after, before you get busy with mock exams and IB exams. Take time this holiday to complete your research and narrow down the list of universities and courses you hope to apply to. Check requirements and deadlines very carefully.
• There is a list of useful websites on the noticeboard and the Senior School website. Please use it!
• Make sure you have kept your Tutor informed of your plans.

BrightSparks Scholarship Website
BrightSparks provides extensive scholarship and career information. To access most of the information and to allow scholarship providers and universities to contact you, you need to register.

BrightSparks has added SJII to the drop down list for user registration. Go to http://brightsparks.com.sg/ , select “All Other Students” under Students, register and select St Joseph’s Institution International from the drop down menu of Schools. Unfortunately they cannot add our logo to the front page because our numbers are too small!

If you have difficulties registering or using the website either check the forum pages for a solution or email brightsparks@jobsfactory.com.

Since this is the first time we are using this site please let me know if you have any feedback on how useful it is.

Education UK Roadshow 2009
The British Council is organizing a university fair on 10 July:

2pm to 5pm at the NUS High School

6pm to 8pm at the British Council’s Professional Development Centre

Some of the participating universities are Durham University, University of Glasgow, University of Warwick, The University of Birmingham, University of Leicester, Loughborough University, Middlesex University, The University of York, The School of Pharmacy (UOL) and Staffordshire University.

More details will be available on the British Council website www.educationuk.org.sg closer to the date. Check it during the holidays for updates and further information.

Durham University, UK
Students and parents are invited to a presentation by Dr James Blowey, Director of Undergraduate Studies, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Durham University, on Friday, 12 June at 6pm in Room 308 at the British Council. Dr. Blowey will talk about undergraduate studies and life at Durham University, living and studying in the UK and applications to Durham’s undergraduate programmes.

Durham is the third oldest university in the UK (after Oxford and Cambridge) and is consistently ranked in the top 10 universities in the UK.

To confirm attendance e-mail UKStudy@britishcouncil.org.sg with your name, contact number and name of school.

Note that Durham University will also have a representative at the Education UK Roadshow on 10 July.

Have a great holiday!

University Information – Wednesday, 27 May 2009

2009-05-26T00:53:00.000-07:00

Studying and Practicing Law
Mr. Kenneth Tan will speak about studying and practicing law tomorrow, Thursday, May 28, at 1pm in the Glass Hall. All students in Grades 9 -12 are invited to hear his presentation.

Mr. Tan has practiced law for 25 years, specializing in dispute resolution. He studied at St Michael's (now SJI Junior), SJI, and then Catholic Junior College, before going through NS and then graduating with a 1st Class Honours from the NUS Law Faculty. He worked in major local law firms, making partner, and started his own partnership, Kenneth Tan Partnership, in 1997.

Study In Australia Open Day
The Study In Australia Open Day will be held on Saturday, 30 May and Sunday, 31 May at the Orchard Hotel Grand Ballroom from 11 am to 5 pm. Over 30 Australian universities will be represented. See the poster on the notice board, or www.singapore.idp.com/. A list of seminars relating to specific programmes will be published in the Straits Times on Friday, 29 May.

Durham University, UK
Students and parents are invited to a presentation by Dr James Blowey, Director of Undergraduate Studies from the Department of Mathematical Sciences, Durham University, on undergraduate studies and life at Durham University, living and studying in the UK and applications to Durham’s undergraduate programmes. Durham is the third oldest university in the UK (after Oxford and Cambridge) and is consistently ranked in the top 10 universities in the UK. The presentation is on Friday, 12 June at 6pm in Room 308 at the British Council. E-mail UKStudy@britishcouncil.org.sg to confirm attendance, with your name, contact number and name of school.

Grade 12 students applying to Australia, the UK and the US for 2010 Entry
Applications will be open by the time we return from the June/July holiday. Make sure you take time this holiday to complete your research and narrow down the list of universities you hope to apply to. Check requirements and deadlines carefully. You will have to begin applying soon after the holiday, before you get busy with mock exams and final IB exams.
There is a list of useful websites on the noticeboard and the Senior School website. Please use it!
Your tutors will also be working on your references. Make sure you keep them informed of your plans.

What do you think of “homework help” websites like Cramster?
Is the use of them ethical or even beneficial? See the article “Psst! Need the Answer to No. 7? Click Here.” on the notice board or go to http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/18/education/18cram.html?_r=2&em

University Information – Wednesday, 20 May 2009

2009-05-19T00:24:00.000-07:00

Studying and Practicing Medicine
Dr. Edward Wong will speak about studying and practicing medicine this Friday, May 22, in the Glass Hall at 1pm. All students in Grades 9-12 are invited to hear his presentation.

Dr. Wong studied at St Anthony's Boys School at Victoria Street, SJI, and then National Junior College, before graduating from the NUS Medical Faculty. He had further training with the Singapore Armed Forces and the Singapore Navy, as well as the Australian Navy, specializing in hyperbaric medicine. He is now a practicing GP and the Medical Director for Hyperbaric Medical Services at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

Menlo College, Atherton, California, USA
Representatives from Menlo College in the US (www.menlo.edu) will speak on Tuesday, May 26, at 1 pm in the Glass Hall. Menlo College is a small (under 700 students) undergraduate college in the Silicon Valley area in California with a focus on business management. They also award scholarships and have an extensive internship programme.

Studying and Practicing Law
Mr. Kenneth Tan will speak about studying and practicing law next Thursday, May 28, in the Glass Hall at 1pm. All students in Grades 9 -12 are invited to hear his presentation.

Mr. Tan has practiced law for 25 years, specializing in dispute resolution. He studied at St Michael's (now SJI Junior), SJI, and then Catholic Junior College, before going through NS and then graduating with a 1st Class Honours from the NUS Law Faculty. He worked in major local law firms, making partner, and started his own partnership, Kenneth Tan Partnership, in 1997.

Off Campus Events
DigiPen Institutue of Technology Singapore (http://singapore.digipen.edu) is holding an open house on Friday, 22 May at 7pm at the DigiPen Campus. See the poster on the notice board for more details.

The Study In Australia Open Day will be held on Saturday, 30 May and Sunday, 31 May at the Orchard Hotel Grand Ballroom from 11 am to 5 pm. Over 30 Australian universities will be represented. See the poster and list of universities on the notice board, as well as the Straits Times on Friday, 29 May for a list of seminars relating to specific programmes.

Further Study in Hong Kong
There are eight universities in Hong Kong, offering a wide range of degrees in English. They also award a significant amount of scholarships and financial aid, some specifically for IB students. A good place to start your research is http://studyinhongkong.edu.hk. The “Universities and Programmes” page also has a comprehensive search facility.

Further Study in Japan
There are a few undergraduate programmes in Japan taught in English and both scholarships and financial aid for foreign students. See the list of undergraduate degree courses offered in English on the notice board. Good places to start your research are http://www.studyjapan.go.jp/en/toj_stope.html and http://www.jasso.go.jp/index_e.html.

University Information – Wednesday, 13 May 2009

2009-05-11T22:24:00.000-07:00

The Sydney Conservatorium of Music at the University of Sydney (www.music.usyd.edu.au) is accepting applications for 2010. They will be in Singapore on Saturday, 23 May. See the poster on the notice board for more details.

DigiPen Institutue of Technology Singapore (http://singapore.digipen.edu) is holding an open house on Friday, 22 May at 7pm at the DigiPen Campus. See the poster on the notice board for more details.

OSC runs IB revision courses for Grade 12 students sitting the November IB exams in the June/July holiday. The courses are held in Australia. Remember to check the dates carefully - these are holiday revision courses and you should not miss any school. See www.osc-ib.com/ib-revision-australia/ for more details.

Websites that may help you in your university research

2009-05-11T21:54:00.000-07:00

Australia

www.gooduniguide.com.au – this is an excellent place to start with an extensive search facility

www.unilodge.com.au – information on housing at Australian universities

www.singapore.idp.com – IDP Singapore

www.studyinaustralia.gov.au – official Australian government website on studying in Australia

http://www.immi.gov.au/students/ - for information on student visas

www.studiesinaustralia.com – information for international students on courses in Australia

www.goingtouni.gov.au – Australian government website for Australian citizens only

Canada

www.studycanada.ca/singapore/ - Canadian Education Centre Singapore

www.cicic.ca – Canadian Information Center for International Credentials. Has useful links.

www.aucc.ca/ - Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. Has a good search facility under “Canadian Universities”.

http://oncampus.macleans.ca/education/ - lots of information on Canadian universities. Includes student survey results

www.ScholarshipsCanada.com – comprehensive information on scholarships in Canada.

New Zealand

www.newzealandeducated.com – information on all courses offered at all New Zealand universities, scholarships, etc.

Singapore

www.moe.gov.sg/corporate/post_secondary.htm - MOE site for post-secondary education in Singapore

www.nus.edu.sg – National University of Singapore

www.smu.edu.sg – Singapore Management University

www.ntu.edu.sg – Nanyang Techonological University

www.lasalle.edu.sg – Lasalle College of the Arts

https://singapore.digipen.edu/ – DigiPen Singapore

UK

www.ucas.com – information on all courses offered at all UK universities, application procedures, etc.

www.educationuk.org.sg – British Council in Singapore

www.unistats.com – extensive search facility, reliable information

www.push.co.uk – advice on a variety of topics by students

www.ukcosa.org.uk – non academic information for international students

www.ukcat.ac.uk – UKCAT test, required by many medical and dental schools in the UK

www.bmat.org.uk - BMAT test, required by some medical schools in the UK

www.lnat.ac.uk – LNAT test, required by many law schools in the UK

www.hotcourses.com – has a useful search function

http://education.guardian.co.uk/guides/ - university ranking that allows you to change the weighting of the criteria to reflect your priorities

http://www.newmediamedicine.com/ – guide to UK medical schools and medical practice

US

www.collegeboard.com – general information, SAT registration and preparation

www.edupass.org – information for international students on study in the US

www.useic.org - United States Education Information Center (USEIC), Singapore

www.unigo.com – student generated reviews of US universities

www.petersons.com – has a useful search facility

www.usnews.com – US university ranking with various articles in the Education section

www.princetonreview.com – ranking of US universities, the “Explore Colleges” search is useful

www.commonapp.org – US university Common Application

www.abet.org - the recognized accreditor for college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering, and technology in the US

Ranking

www.arwu.org/ - worldwide academic university ranking by Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Scholarships

www.internationalscholarships.com – database of scholarships worldwide

www.scholarschoice.com.sg – lists of scholarships in Singapore

www.brightsparks.com.sg – searchable database of Singapore scholarships

www.pscscholarships.gov.sg - Public Service Commission Scholarships for Singaporeans and Singapore PRs only

Student Loans

Citibank – www.citibank.com.sg – go to Loans, Education Loans

University Information – Wednesday, 6 May 2009

2009-05-04T23:37:00.000-07:00

Oxford University, UK
All students and parents are invited to a presentation by Paul Teulon, Head of Recruitment, Oxford University, on Friday, 8 May, from 7 – 9 pm, at LT5 Blk B Level 3, Raffles Institution (JC section, formerly RJC), 10 Bishan Street 21, Singapore 57401.

Because of mandatory temperature taking as instructed by the MOE, the organisers have asked that you and your parents
• collect a form from the noticeboard and take that with you to the talk
• take your thermometer to the talk
• arrive early to facilitate temperature taking

Studying in Australia
Grade 12 students who are planning to apply to Australian universities for the February 2010 intake should be narrowing down their list of universities to apply to in the next few weeks. The application process for most courses opens in September.

Besides the university websites, these are good sites:
www.gooduniguide.com.au – this is an excellent place to start with an extensive search facility.
www.unilodge.com.au – information on housing at Australian universities
www.singapore.idp.com – IDP Singapore
www.studyinaustralia.gov.au – official Australian government website on studying in Australia

Remember to check the requirements for the courses you are thinking about applying for carefully –
• Can you apply with predicted grades or do you need to wait until your IB grades are out in January? Is that too late for 2010 entry? Will you have to look at 2011 then?
• Do you need to take any other exams (MCAT, IELTS for example)?
• Are there specific course requirements besides overall IB points?
• What are the costs (Australia is a big country and costs vary a great deal)?

If you are thinking about applying for the July intake rather than February do your research now as well – not all courses have a July intake and some do not accept international students in July.

The Student Visa
Depending on your nationality you may be required to take IELTS, show financial statements etc for your student visa to Australia. Some of the visa requirements can take quite a bit of time and you should research the requirements for your nationality now. Use the Australian Government Department of Immigration website - http://www.immi.gov.au/students/ - go to Student Visa Options – Higher Education – and select your nationality for more information.

Thinking about studying Psychology?
The British Psychological Society website (www.bps.org.uk) has a useful section on Careers and Qualifications. Although much of the specific university information is UK based, a lot of the information on careers is valid anywhere in the world.

Information specific to psychology in Singapore can be found under the Careers section in the Singapore Psychological Society website (www.singaporepsychologicalsociety.org).

Studying Medicine or Dentistry in the UK
If you are thinking about studying medicine or dentistry in the UK you will probably be required to sit the UKCAT. See the document regarding the test on the noticeboard. Note that registration opened on 1 May.

US College Tours
College Visits (www.college-visits.com) is one of many companies that runs tours to US universities in June. If you are interested see their flyer on the noticeboard or their website. Note that the July tours are not in our holidays and you should not miss school for this.

University Notices - April 29, 2009

2009-04-27T19:10:00.000-07:00

University Information – Wednesday, 29 April 2009

On Campus TODAY
Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne, Switzerland, (www.ehl.edu/eng) is one of the top programmes in the world for hotel management. In a 2007 industry survey of international hospitality management schools providing university-level programs École hôtelière de Lausanne was chosen as the world's best hotel school. They offer a 4 year Bachelor of Science in International Hospitality Management. The minimum entry requirements for IB Diploma students is approximately 28-30 points, but points alone do not guarantee entry. Mr. Chen from the Student Affairs Department will be at school on TODAY at 1pm in the Glass Hall. If you are interested in hotel/hospitality management try to attend his talk. Note that graduates in Hotel/Hospitality Management are increasingly in demand and this is a growing industry.

Applying to Oxford or Cambridge Universities, UK
Any Grade 12 student thinking of applying to Oxford or Cambridge should have got an email from me. If you did not get an email it means you did not add your name to the list! Email me as soon as possible to let me know.

Studying Medicine or Dentistry in the UK
If you are thinking about studying medicine or dentistry in the UK you will probably be required to sit the UKCAT. See the attached document regarding the test. Note that registration opens this Friday.

Good luck to all students taking the SAT this weekend! Remember
• Get a good night's sleep before the test and get to your test centre early.
• Eat breakfast and bring a snack.
• Remember to take a Photo ID, your SAT Admission Ticket, No. 2 pencils, a good eraser and a calculator. Mechanical pencils and pens are not allowed.

THE UKCAT (UK Clinical Aptitute Test)
www.ukcat.ac.uk

What is the UKCAT?
Applicants to most medical and dental programmes in the UK are required to take the UKCAT.

The UKCAT is designed to test aptitude rather than academic achievement. It does not contain any curriculum or science content. The test is meant to assess a wide range of mental abilities and behavioural attributes identified by medical and dental schools as important.

What is the format of the test?
For candidates sitting the examination in 2009, the UKCAT consists of five subtests:

• Verbal reasoning - assesses candidates' ability to think logically about written information and to arrive at a reasoned conclusion.
• Quantitative reasoning - assesses candidates' ability to solve numerical problems.
• Abstract reasoning - assesses candidates' ability to infer relationships from information by convergent and divergent thinking.
• Decision analysis - assesses candidates' ability to deal with various forms of information, to infer relationships, to make informed judgements, and to decide on an appropriate response, in situations of complexity and ambiguity.
• Non-cognitive analysis - identifies the attributes and characteristics of robustness, empathy and integrity that may contribute to successful health professional practice.

The test takes 2 hours. Each of the subtests is multiple-choice and is separately timed.

When and where do you take the UKCAT?
The UKCAT is only valid for applications to universities in the year in which the test is taken (i.e. in 2009 for 2010 entry). Thus, candidates intending to apply in 2009 for entry to university in 2010 or for deferred entry in 2011 are required to take the UKCAT in 2009, before 9 October 2009.

Testing in Singapore is administered by Pearson Professional Centers in International Plaza (tel: 6225-2027). You can register for the UKCAT from 1 May to 25 September and you are strongly advised to register as early as possible. Testing occurs between 9 July and 9 October, and the dates for 2009 will be published on May 1. Note that you must use your official name when you register because you will be required to show identification when you sit the test.

How do you prepare for the UKCAT?
There is no curriculum content to study for the UKCAT. However you would be wise to familiarise yourself with the format of the test and the types of questions asked. Examples of questions can be accessed in the 'Preparation' section of the UKCAT website and on many online sites.

Adapted from www.ukcat.ac.uk

University Notices

2009-04-21T00:45:00.000-07:00

Please see the Forum pages for older University Notices. More recent notices are included below.

University Information – Wednesday, 22 April 2009

2009-04-21T00:08:00.000-07:00

On Campus Next Week
Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne, Switzerland, (www.ehl.edu/eng) is one of the top programmes in the world for hotel management. In a 2007 industry survey of international hospitality management schools providing university-level programs École hôtelière de Lausanne was chosen as the world's best hotel school. They offer a 4 year Bachelor of Science in International Hospitality Management. The minimum entry requirements for IB Diploma students is approximately 28-30 points, but points alone do not guarantee entry. Mr. Chen from the Student Affairs Department will be at school on Wednesday, April 29 at 1pm in the Glass Hall. If you are interested in hotel/hospitality management try to attend his talk. Note that graduates in Hotel/Hospitality Management are increasingly in demand and this is a growing industry.

Canada Scholarship Information
www.ScholarshipsCanada.com offers very comprehensive information on scholarships for Canadian universities. You need to register on line (it’s free) and enter some information to narrow down the search criteria.

IB June Holiday Revision Course – Grade 12 Only
OSC offers a holiday revision course to help students revise for the November IB exams. The course is held in Sydney during our July holiday. (Note there is another session in Melbourne in September but we do not have holidays then.) More information, including registration, at http://www.osc-ib.com/ib-revision-australia/

Applying to Oxford or Cambridge Universities, UK
Any Grade 12 student thinking of applying to Oxford or Cambridge must see me or email me by the end of this week. Note that both are extremely competitive: you should only consider applying if you are achieving 6s and 7s and a minimum of 38 points without bonus points, as well as being fully involved and highly motivated. Both require interviews and often require further entrance tests.

Off Campus Presentations

DigiPen Institute of Technology
Thursday, 23 April, 7pm, 10 Central Exchange Green, Pixel Bldg. #01-01
DigiPen is holding an information session on their degree programmes. They offer a Bachelor of Science in Real-Time Interactive Simulation, a Bachelor of Science in Game Design, a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Production Animation, and a Bachelor of Arts in Game Design. They will also showcase student artwork, animation and game projects and give a campus tour. See http://singapore.digipen.edu or the flyer on the noticeboard for more details.

University of Chicago, Duke University, Wellesley College and Yale University
Friday 24 April, 7 – 9 pm, Raffles Junior College, Lecture Theatre 4, Block B, Level 3, 10 Bishan Street 21
All four universities are amongst the most selective US universities (you need a minimum of 39 points to apply and students who have been accepted to these universities are generally in the 42-45 point range.). Their presentation will focus on admission to highly selective universities in the US as well as the academic offerings and residential life programs at each of the institutions. If you are in the 38+ point range and are thinking of studying in the US you should try to attend this talk. Parents are also invited to attend.

Ever thought about university study in Spain?
IE University (http://www.ie.edu/) in Spain offers Bachelors degrees in Architecture, Communication, Business Administration, Tourism Management, Law, Art History, Psychology and Biology, taught entirely in English. They also offer substantial financial aid and scholarships. See their website for more details or the brochure on the noticeboard.

Dates to Note

April 23 DigiPen Institute of Technology Information Session, 7pm, 10 Central Exchange, Pixel Building #01-01

April 24 University of Chicago, Duke University, Wellesley College and Yale University, 7 – 9 pm, Raffles Junior College, Lecture Theatre 4, Block B, Level 3, 10Bishan Street 21

April 29 Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne, Switzerland, (www.ehl.edu/eng).
1pm in the Glass Hall

University Notices - April 15, 2009

2009-03-02T23:44:00.000-08:00

Applying to Oxford or Cambridge Universities, UKAny Grade 12 student thinking of applying to Oxford or Cambridge must see me by the end of next week. Note that both are extremely competitive: you should only consider applying if you are achieving 6s and 7s and a minimum of 38 points without bonus points, as well as being fully involved and highly motivated. Both require interviews and often require further entrance tests.

On Campus

PSC Scholarships
Thursday, 16 April, 5.30 pm in the Glass HallRepresentatives from the Public Service Commission (PSC) will be at SJII to talk about the structure of Public Service, scholarships and career opportunities immediately after the holidays. This talk is open to all students and parents in Grades 11 and 12, but note that only Singapore Citizens and Singapore Permanent Residents are eligible for PSC Scholarships. More details can be found at http://www.psc.gov.sg.

Off Campus

University of Queensland, Australia
Friday, 17 April, The Shangri-La Hotel, 2.30pm to 4.30pm.
The University of Queensland will hold an information session focusing on Teaching & Learning, Science & Technology and Engineering & Architecture at the University of Queensland. Note that this session starts at 2.30pm on Friday. If you are interested in attending you must see Mr. Wong or Ms. Daver by Thursday to request permission to miss classes. Registration is required – email Liz Simmonds at international.visits@uq.edu.au

Durham University, UK, School of Law
Tuesday, 21 April, 6pm, British Council Room 303Mr Tufyal Choudhury, Lecturer and Undergraduate Admissions Tutor at Durham Law School, will hold a presentation on studying undergraduate Law in the UK, followed by a short introduction to Durham University and a question and answer session. Students and parents are welcome to come along to find out more about living and studying in the UK and to enquire about current or future applications to Durham’s LLB programme.
Durham University is continuously ranked in the top ten UK universities, and Durham Law School was recently ranked 4th Law School in the UK in the 2008 RAE. Founded in 1832, Durham University is England’s third oldest university after Oxford and Cambridge.
The British Council requires registration - e-mail UKStudy@britishcouncil.org.sg, with your name, contact number and name of school.

University of Chicago, Duke University, Wellesley College and Yale University
Friday 24 April, 7 – 9 pm, Raffles Junior College, Lecture Theatre 4, Block B, Level 3, 10 Bishan Street 21 All four universities are amongst the most selective US universities (you need a minimum of 39 points to apply and students who have been accepted to these universities are generally in the 42-45 point range.). Their presentation will focus on admission to highly selective universities in the US as well as the academic offerings and residential life programs at each of the institutions.

Hotel/Hospitality Management
Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne, Switzerland, (www.ehl.edu/eng) is one of the top universities in the world for hotel management. They offer a 4 year Bachelor of Science in International Hospitality Management. The minimum entry requirements for IB Diploma students is approximately 28-30 points, but points alone do not guarantee entry. Mr. Chen from the Student Affairs Department will be at school on Wednesday, April 29 at 1pm. If you are interested in hotel/hospitality management try to attend his talk.

The International College of Hotel Management, Australia, (www.ichm.edu.au) offers a Bachelor’s Degree in International Hotel Management. They also offer scholarships to international students. See the 2009 Prospectus and Scholarship Information on the notice board.

The Institut Paul Bocuse, France, (www.institutpaulbocuse.com) is a Culinary Arts & Hotel Management school that accepts a limited number of students every year. It offers a Bachelors of Science Degree in Culinary Arts Management, as well as a Bachelors of Science Degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management. See the poster and brochure on the notice board for more information.

DigiPen Institute of Technology Project Fun – June Holiday Workshop
DigiPen Institute of Technology, Singapore, is running courses for students on 3D Animation and Game Programming in the June holiday. The courses are limited to the first 40 qualified applicants. See https://singapore.digipen.edu/projectfun-workshops/#c5673 or the brochure on the noticeboard for more details. Note that you can only register for Session 2 since we are still in school for the first week of Session 1.

University Events

2009-03-02T23:38:00.000-08:00

Apr 16 Public Service Commission Scholarship Presentation (5.30 pm in the Glass Hall)

April 17 University of Queensland, Australia, Shangri-La Hotel, 2.30pm to 4.30pm. If you are interested in attending you must see Mr. Wong or Ms. Daver by Thursday to request permission to miss classes. Registration is required – email Liz Simmonds at international.visits@uq.edu.au

April 21 Durham University School of Law, UK. 6pm, British Council Room 303. E-mail UKStudy@britishcouncil.org.sg, with your name, contact number and name of school to register for this presentation.

April 24 University of Chicago, Duke University, Wellesley College and Yale University, US, 7 – 9 pm, Raffles Junior College, Lecture Theatre 4, Block B, Level 3, 10 Bishan Street 21

April 29 Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne, Switzerland, (www.ehl.edu/eng). 1pm in the Glass Hall