One of our high school counseling team's current roles is providing senior workshops, which take place during the first semester of grade 12, to provide college application guidance for all seniors with personalized support.
The topics in senior workshops this year have included balancing college lists, personal statement/essay writing, UCAS/Korean university matriculation support, time management and maintaining wellness.
This week’s senior workshop was a half-day essay writing workshop. The counseling team was joined by members of our English Department to provide one-on-one essay support for all seniors.
“Our philosophy within our high school counseling program is finding colleges that are ‘best fit’ for students,” says Concordia High School counselor Mr. Adam Karsten.
You may be wondering - what does “best fit university” even mean, and how can you choose the right school?
“When I think of the best fit in relation to individual students, it is multi-faceted and is not just a one-size-fits-all approach,” shares Mr. Karsten. A good college fit happens when a school meets the student's wants and needs from academic, cultural, and financial lens.
We encourage students to visit college campuses (virtually or physically) and get a feel for the student body. Ideally, we want students to feel like they will be appreciated and that they look forward to spending the next four years at their chosen school. Academically, students need to find a place that matches their learning preferences and where they will be provided with opportunities that will successfully prepare them for the future. Culturally, they need to feel at home and appreciated in the community. Financially, the schools where a student applies need to fall within the budgetary realities or goals of that family.
According to a study titled “A ‘Fit’ Over Rankings: Why College Engagement Matters More Than Selectivity”, researchers found that students who chose a college based on global rankings did not see higher academic performance, and that a better academic performance indicator was how engaged a student was within campus life.
Students who are unable to enroll in a program that is a good fit for them may under perform academically. They may have trouble acclimating to their new situation and environment, causing them to doubt their ability to succeed.
Concordia Shanghai believes in supporting students to find the college or university that best matches their abilities, interests and ambitions. Our college counseling program guides families in identifying their child’s academic, cultural, and financial needs before choosing a college where they will find the most success.
As the students are just beginning their journey into post-secondary education, who better to guide them through this decision than the high school counselors who have worked closely with them to gain a holistic understanding of their particular needs? With a ratio of one counselor per 110 students (1:110), our counselors are able to provide personalized guidance throughout all four years of a student’s high school education.
See how our graduates applied for their best-fit in our “Road to College” series: