Parent Information

College Admissions is a process that should begin long before your child enters Grade 12. Parents are a very important part of that process, and you should familiarize yourselves with the information in the College Countdown sections below. Throughout the elementary and middle school years, you have attended Parent/Teacher Conferences, cheered your children as they participated in academic, sports, and school life activities. You know your child better than anyone else. Collaborate with your child's teachers to identify strengths, weaknesses, and special talents or interests. Help your child to develop good study habits and set the expectation that they will comply with school rules, attend school regularly and on time, and apply their best attitude and effort. Middle School is a good time to encourage exploration of the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Talking about the skills and responsibilities involved in your job, or those of any occupation, will help your youngster understand that there is a connection between the "real" world and what they are learning in school. Take time on family vacations to visit college campuses, even if it is only just to drive around and look at buildings. Explore museums and historical sites together. When your student enters high school (Grades 9, 10, 11, and 12), the College Countdown begins in earnest!  
 

College Countdown: Grades 9 and 10

1. Plan a course of study for the entire time you are in high school. This is not a document "written in stone," but a plan for meeting requirements for both your high school graduation and your college admission.

2. Identify with your parents' help where you will probably graduate from high school, and where you might be interested in attending college. At least narrow it down to a few continents, and begin to look at the differing entrance requirements for each university.
 
3. Explore college and career choices through school activities, reading, visiting with your parents and other adults about their jobs. Finding out more about yourself is an exciting task. The SAT website has great college search and planning information.

4. Begin a College and Career Scrap Book!  Start collecting information relating to colleges and careers. When you go on holiday, take every opportunity to visit college campuses wherever you go! When you fill out all those applications your senior year, you will be glad you started early!

College Countdown: Grade 11

1. Check your academic record (courses you have taken and passed) against the KAS graduation requirements. Be sure you are enrolled in the correct classes for both high school graduation and college entrance. (In order to do this, you need to have developed a list of schools in which you are interested.) If you have attended any other school in grades 9 and above, be sure that the office has an official copy of your record with any necessary translation.

2. Review the testing calendar and register for SAT I and II, TOEFL, as needed. Don't forget, deadlines apply. Please check deadlines for registration with the office or on the Collegeboard website.

3. Actively search for college information. www.collegeboard.com and www.c3apply.org both provide excellent college search programs. For links to schools in Korea, Hong Kong, China and other countries, try www.braintrack.com.

4. Talk with your parents about College Finances. If you are a U.S. citizen, you should plan on filling out a FAFSA form and submitting it as soon as possible after January 1 of your senior year. If you are an International Student, financial aid is very limited. International students will be expected to provide a letter of guarantee from a financial institution showing that the funds are available to cover at least the first year of college. (Some schools require more extensive information.) These are official and dated documents which must be presented at the time of application, and often again at the time of visa application.

5. Honors and Awards; Activities; Sports; Community Service. College application forms will ask you to list your participation in these areas for each year of high school. If you are not already involved in some of these, seek them out. Volunteer for leadership roles, whether at the committee or class office level. Keep a list of your participation to help you fill out those forms next year.

6. Narrow your choices to a manageable list of four to eight schools by the end of your junior year. Contact the schools to receive catalogs and view books during the school year. Determine whether you can use their online application if available, and collect everything you need before school starts your senior year. Remember, it doesn't hurt to dream, but make sure that some of the choices on your list are realistic as well. See how many of the schools in which you are interested will accept the Common Application form and save yourself some time by applying to multiple colleges with one form.

7. Take an honest look at your transcript. College admissions is a very competitive process. Can you improve your grades? Have you developed good relationships with teachers who will be able to write positive letters of recommendation for you? Are your study and testing skills as good as they can be? Have you done any preparation for writing a college essay? Now is the time!
 

College Countdown: Grade 12

1. Check your academic record (courses you have taken and passed) against the KAS graduation requirements. Be sure you are enrolled in the correct classes for both high school graduation and college entrance. If you have attended any other school in grades 9 and above, be sure that the office has an official copy of your record with any necessary translation.

2. Review the testing calendar and register for SAT I and II, and TOEFL as needed. Colleges will continue to accept updates on your scores even after the application deadline, so re-test if necessary. Watch those deadlines and plan accordingly. 

3. Evaluate the college information you have gathered and create your final list of prospective schools. www.collegeboard.com and www.c3apply.org both provide excellent college search programs.

4. Talk with your parents about College Finances. If you are a U.S. citizen, you should plan on filling out a FAFSA form and submitting it as soon as possible after January 1 of your senior year. If you are an International Student, financial aid is very limited. International students will be expected to provide a letter of guarantee from a financial institution showing that the funds are available to cover at least the first year of college. (Some schools require more extensive information.) These are official and dated documents which must be presented at the time of application, and often again at the time of visa application.

5. Honors and Awards; Activities; Sports; Community Service. Update your list of things in which you have participated. Do a good job with your activities and studies, but most of all, manage your time wisely. Senior grades do count! Any offer you receive is contingent upon finishing your diploma requirements and graduating in good standing.

6. Start filling out applications! Remember, it doesn't hurt to dream, but make sure that some of the choices on your list are realistic as well. See how many of the schools in which you are interested will accept the Common Application form and save yourself some time by applying to multiple colleges with one form. Arrange to have all test scores forwarded to the colleges on your final list if you did not do so at the time of testing.

7. Get help with writing your essays and request recommendations from at least two teachers who know your work well. Many schools will have their own recommendation form. Ask for letters well in advance of when you need them.

8. Keep a checklist of what needs to be done for each application. Be sure you have completely filled out and signed and attached all required documentation including fees in the required form. Make copies of everything!

9. Educate yourself about visa application requirements and laws regarding military service in your home country. Update your passport and medical records as necessary. As of now, all student visa applications for the USA require an interview in Cairo if you Sudanese. Plan accordingly.


Admissions Process in the USA, Canada, Australia and the UK:

USA
Collegeboard is the official website for SAT testing programs such as SAT I and SAT II, program. Test prep materials,school searches and links to Universities and Colleges are also found here.

TOEFL is an important link for non-native speakers of English. At this site, you can register with a credit card for the Computer-Based version of the TOEFL test. If you prefer the Paper-Based test, follow the "paper-based" link on the TOEFL website for information about registering by mail. Be aware that deadlines apply for both tests, and that paper-based testing in Khartoum is limited.

Common Application is a site that allows you to fill out one application on a form that is accepted by over 240 selective colleges and universities. If you are applying in the U.S., check out the list of schools participating with the "Common Application" form, and save yourself some time!

Study USA Guide for International Students who wish to study in the U.S.A. is a must read as well as USA visa requirements for international students.

Canada
An excellent alternative to the United States is Canada. Fees can be considerably lower for an excellent quality education. For Ontario, try the Ontario Common Application system. Different processes apply for each province. Do you homework carefully.

Study in Canada.com is a good website for information.

Australia
IELTS is the preferred test of English proficiency for study in Australia. It is also accepted by schools in many other nations. Like Canada, individual states in Australia have their own common application system. Be sure to research which state you want to study in first. Remember, the college system in Australia (TAFE) is not the same as the US meaning. Again, do your homework!

Be sure to visit the Australian government website for international students.

United Kingdom
You must register with UCAS if you are considering a British university.

Korea, Malaysia and China
Visit Braintrack for information regarding universities around the world.