Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Were very excited! As you read this, your University and Career
Advancement Counsellors are settling into our new suite of oces. (See
picture below.) We are now located two floors up from our previous
location (new 3rd floor), across the hall from the Secondary Library
entrance.
While our new locale may require a little more exertion to reach in terms of
stairs, were confident that our CIS community will be better served by our
enhanced facilities which include:
Quest University
UC Potpourri:
Tips on Communicating
with Universities
Career Fair: Nov. 22nd
Whats a foundation
course?
FAFSA Update
Our New CIS Profile
So please stop by to
have a look, say hi,
and enjoy what we
feel is the best cup of
coee in the building!
Book Review:
Administrative Assistant
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On the other end of the coping scale are those students who equate
their self worth with an institutions prestige, who buy into the myth
that Im only as good as the school I get into. A denial letter for students who have put all their eggs
in one basket can be sharp, bitter and long-lasting. And totally unnecessary.
Its good to remind your college applicant that no school is perfect, no university experience is ideal.
They wont like all of their classes, professors, dorm-mates, activities or cafeteria meals. No university
experience is endlessly joyful and life-enriching both in and out of the classroom. Parents can be a
voice for reality, and by doing so, check some of the distorted thinking that teenagers can be especially
susceptible to.
Some parents are likely to have their own favorites on their students
list of final choices, and we sometimes meet parents who are clearly
struggling with their own dream-school fantasies as well. This kind of
thinking puts students at risk. No path to lifelong success and
happiness leads through a single universitys doors.
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On the other end of the
coping scale is the
experience of a recent CIS
graduate who expressed
gratitude for having gone
through the process of
applying to her dream
school even though it had
ended in a denial. She felt
that what she had gained
from the experience of
applying more than
compensated for the pain
she felt at having been
denied. Thats a mature
perspective for an adult,
never mind an eighteenyear-old.
Closing thoughts
Will students have favourites among the schools they apply to? Of course. But as parents, we can play
an important and helpful role in managing expectations. Our students are blessed with so many options
and so many advantages. It doesnt hurt to remind them. It also doesnt hurt to remind them (and
ourselves) of Sir Mick Jaggers famous song lyric: You cant always get what you want. But if you try
sometime, you just might find you get what you need.
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Before the June 23rd referendum, a flurry of news articles (click here and
here) predicted that a vote favoring Brexit would cost UK universities tens of millions in international
student fees, particularly from EU countries.
Since the vote, however, these dire predictions are no longer in vogue. From the UK university
perspective, adopting a calming response to the many Brexit concerns makes perfect sense. As is true of
the US, Canada and Europe, institutions of higher learning in the UK have become increasingly dependent
on the international student market to diversify their enrolled student body and help balance the books.
Adding to the need for a measured response is the fact that the Brexit vote has caught UK institutions at a
vulnerable time, several of whom having recently incurred debt to upgrade facilities in order to attract foreign
students. It therefore makes no sense to rattle a key market by spreading fear and panic. International
students, currently comprise 14% of non-UK students. There are no caps on international student tuition
fees which are typically significantly higher than those paid by domestic or EU students.
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The short term view
Beyond massaging fears, there are sound reasons not to panic or jump to conclusions according
to the admission representatives we interviewed. No
university has cut back on services; theres been no beltNo UK university has cut
tightening to date. In fact, the general feeling is that there will
back on services; theres
be little Brexit fallout for UK universities in the near term as its
been no belt-tightening to
widely anticipated that the upcoming separation
date. In fact, the general
negotiations will be complex and protracted perhaps
feeling is that there will be
requiring five years or more by some estimates.
A domino effect?
Much of the discussion around the Brexit vote has focused on its implications for EU students
studying in the UK as they comprise 6% of non-UK students currently attending university there.
EU student tuition in the UK is currently capped at 11,900 per year. If the Brexit vote leads to
tuition increases, EU students will be the first to feel their eect and, as a result, perhaps opt to
attend less expensive universities closer to home.
Should EU students pull out of the UK in large numbers, the fear is that it might trigger a domino
eect with increased tuition costs being borne by domestic and international students. Click here
and here for a full discussion.
What does this uncertain post-Brexit world mean for our CIS community?
For current Year 13s considering admission to the UK, it is safe to assume that tuition increases
are not likely to be substantial in the short term. Beyond that period, particularly for our families
for whom cost will be an important consideration, the wait-and-see approach recommended by
our visiting UK admission tutors is strongly advised.
Further reading
The prospect of financial instability is having an eect on relations between UK universities and
EU partners. Click here and here for a full discussion.
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Another consideration in the trend to abandon the standardised test requirement is the
growing income gap favoring wealthier applicants to highly competitive universities, a
gap that a reliance on SAT/ACT test scores tends to fuel. Its a long-known and welldocumented fact that while standardised tests dont reliably predict university success,
theyre very good at indicating students socio-economic status. Its a well-known fact
that students with means reliably score better than those without as they can more
easily aord test preparation courses. Standardised tests are increasingly seen as
prejudicial to students who cannot aord a test-prep advantage.
Prestige is an extremely valuable commodity in the world of university admissions, one which
institutions are eager to maintain, and if at all possible, enhance. For some schools, theres the
very real concern that giving up standardized tests as an admission requirement will send a
message that the university has become less selective, and that perception, simply put, is
admission poison.
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Why? Remember that college rankings are often derived, at least in part, from average SAT/ACT
scores of accepted applicants. Institutions are hypersensitive to their rankings as they can
aect more than perceptions - they can have a dramatic eect on the bottom line. A ranking
slip of just a few notches can be expensive - so much so, in fact, that marketing pressures have
resulted in some universities doctoring their admission statistics to win the rankings race.
Theres lots of creative ways to advantageously massage these statistics, ways that skirt or
even violate ethical boundaries - yet another reason to view rankings with no small amount of
skepticism.
For the general public, however, theres still the widespread belief that
a standardized test requirement confers a certain degree of scorebased legitimacy to admission decisions. In a holistic admission
process, theyre seen as furnishing less subjective data by supposedly
placing all applicants on the same level playing field. Some
universities may be loath to tamper with an admission formula that the
public has grown comfortable with.
And lets not ignore the fact that ACT and SAT are hugely influential businesses closely tied to
the admissions industry. Lots of pressure can be brought to bear on schools who decide to
abandon standardized tests.
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Further Reading on Standardised Testing
To access a helpful test-optional guide for prospective applicants, click here.
Click here for a discussion on why sitting for the SAT/ACT reasoning tests before Year
12 makes no sense.
From Reuters News Service on recent security breaches:
College Board gave compromised SATs
How the new SAT got hacked
Chinese cheating rings penetrate U.S. colleges
Students and teachers detail pervasive cheating in a program owned by test giant
ACT
Massive security breach at College Board exposes hundreds of questions for
upcoming SAT exams
And click on the following University Counselling website links for in-depth answers on:
Standardized Testing (SAT/ACT)
Standardized Test Preparation
Recommended timeline for completing your standardized tests
Do I need to take the TOEFL?
ACT vs. SAT: Which one is right for me?
The Coalition Application: For CIS Students, Its Much Ado about Not Much
The current admission cycle marks the Coalition Applications debut as an alternative to the Common
Application in US university applications. Were anticipating that questions may be raised by CIS students and
parents as to its implications.
What is the purpose of the Coalition Application?
The Coalition Application was developed by a consortium of US institutions in order to address the fact
that the Common Application (recognized by most US institutions) makes it more challenging for students
of lesser means to effectively compete at the more selective US institutions. These universities are
seeing a growing disparity of opportunity for economically deprived students.
Theres also a concern that Common App has gained a virtual monopoly as the college application
platform of choice. The Coalition Application was developed with the hope of providing a measure of
competition to Common App.
The Coalition Applications main goal is to expose students to a broader range of schools they might not
ordinarily consider or apply to. Its also designed to flatten the playing field for students who may lack
guidance personnel to help shepherd students through the application process.
Theres also a concern that Common App has gained a virtual monopoly as the college
application platform of choice. The Coalition Application was developed with the hope of
providing a measure of competition to Common App.
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In summary, the Coalition Application was not designed with CIS
students in mind. The Common Application continues to be the most
appropriate application platform for students like ours, an application
which has served our students well over the years.
Featured University
BLOCK PLAN
Unlike conventional universities where students take several classes simultaneously in a semester, at
Quest students focus on single block courses that run for 3.5 weeks. The Block Plan allows students to:
FOCUS Continue course discussions and activities from one day to the next without
interruptions, allowing for deep and meaningful learning.
EXPLORE Want to go to Hawaii to study volcanoes for two weeks as part of a geology class? Or
take an all day trip to the Vancouver Art Museum for an art class? The Block Plan ensures that
students can participate in course activities fully without competing interests.
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CLASSROOM
Students engage in discussion-based
classes that are capped at 20 and take
place around a single table. All
classes are guided by distinguished
faculty members called tutors,
because their role is not to profess
but rather to foster personal and
intellectual growth.
FOUNDATION
All degrees begin with 16 courses for
the first two years covering the
landscape of the liberal arts and
sciences. Students gain a variety of
intellectual tools as they explore
subjects in the Foundation Program.
Real world problems
are complex and messy the Foundation Program encourages students to identify links among
different academic disciplines and prepares them to design creative solutions for the challenges of the
21st century.
QUESTION
In the second year, students will develop an individualized Question instead of choosing a major, for
example: What is dark matter? or What conditions optimize a sense of belonging? The Question
isnt necessarily meant to be answered think of it as a vehicle for intellectual exploration. This is their
chance to study big ideas that transcend traditional academic boundaries, all in a way that fits the
students interests and aspirations. The Question guides their choice of courses and readings in the
Concentration Program and will eventually inspire their Keystone Project.
CONCENTRATION
In the Concentration Program, students will choose courses and readings to support a meaningful
exploration of the topics related to their Question. Theyll have the freedom to pursue their academic
passions in the way that makes sense to them, unconstrained by the limitations of majors or
departments. Working with a faculty mentor, theyll develop ideas, select courses, and design
enriching experiential learning opportunities. They will also develop a Keystone Project, a
comprehensive thesis related to their Question. Though all Keystone Projects contain a written
component, the format of the final product will reflect the students academic path.
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
Experiential learning opportunities allow students to pursue their Questions outside of a classroom
setting. Experiential Learning blocks, which might include Internships, Research, or Volunteerism,
emphasize hands-on knowledge and the connections between knowledge and practical application in
different contexts.
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TRANSFERABLE SKILLS
Quests Curriculum is designed to prepare students to become leaders and problem solvers in a
globalized world facing complex challenges. Quests mission is to produce graduates who are
international in outlook, skilled in communication, inherently trans-disciplinary in their approach to
problems, technologically literate, instinctively collaborative, and engaged in their local and global
communities.
ALUMNI
The versatility of the Quest degree prepares students to excel in graduate programs and thrive in a
wide variety of careers in todays dynamic employment landscape. Graduates have gone on to follow
their passions in a variety of ways, including:
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Of the 700 students, 46% come from Canada, 37% come from the US, and 17% come from 61 other
countries. As part of its commitment to a global classroom, international students are equally eligible
for all Quest scholarships and financial aid. Tuition fees are also the same for all students, regardless
of country of origin.
A HOME AWAY FROM HOME
Live on campus for all four years
6 Campus Residence Buildings (3 styles of residence)
A strong sense of community is at the heart of Quest
Volunteer & Leadership opportunities on and off campus
40 Clubs ranging from radio production to outdoor adventure, chess to knitting, and food to
debate
ADMISSIONS
Quest University Canada is currently accepting applications for the 2017/2018 academic year. For
information, applications, deadlines, scholarship and financial aid information, please visit http://
www.questu.ca/.
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COSTS, SCHOLARSHIPS & FINANCIAL AID
2017-2018 Tuition Costs: $34,000 CAD
Housing: $12,250 CAD/year
Quest University Canada Scholarships: $2000-$16,000 CAD/year
Financial Aid: available for students who demonstrate financial need
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Whats a foundation course?
In the UK, a foundation course has traditionally been defined as a bridge to an
undergraduate degree for students who did not fulfill their secondary school
requirements. For international students who have not completed 13 years of education,
the foundation course can fill in the gaps necessary to pursuing an undergraduate
degree.
Foundation courses can prepare the student for a variety of subjects such as:
Business, Finance & Management; Computing; Law; Art and Design; Engineering;
Social Science; Medicine; Science and Pharmacy; Media; and Humanities.
Some universities will furnish what are called foundational courses for students
who have been accepted in a degree program. In this instance, foundational
courses may serve as a tool to help students determine which specialty they
might want to focus on in their undergraduate degree. For instance, an art school
may offer foundational courses to help students more precisely determine their
area of focus.
New FAFSA application date: October 1st
For US citizens, residents or green card holders, the Free Application for Federal
Student Aid is the US government portal for financial aid applications. Formerly, FAFSA
applications could not be made before January 1st. The new date, October 1st, was
established to better align with the college application cycle. Click here for an article
explaining the new deadline and its implications for filers as well as other FAFSA
updates.
Our Updated 2017 School Profile
All secondary schools with US applicants (including CIS) publish an annually updated
school profile which provides university admission personnel with a picture or profile of
the applicants secondary school. The profile helps place the students academic
experience in context with applicants from other institutions.
US admissions personnel rely on our CIS profile to help them better understand and
assess our academic structure, how our students perform academically as well as on
standardized tests (including SATs, ACTs, and IB Exams.) Our profile also lists all of the
universities that CIS students have matriculated to in the past three years not just in the
US but the world over.
When updating our profile, we regularly have visiting representatives review it to make
sure its providing the information they need to fully understand our students. You might
be happy to know that our profile has been deemed highly informative and helpful!.
Click here for a look at our 2016-2017 profile.
Book Review:
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Home
UK
Practical advice from the Guardian for those considering the UK - As the Guardian
publishes its 2017 university guide, our experts answer those vital questions on
unconditional offers, entrance exams and how to pick a course.
Which UK universities offer the most financial support? - Worried about how youll meet
your living costs at university? Use our handy guide to find out which universities offer
the best bursaries.
EU/World
European universities to be part of UCAS admissions - High standards of teaching and
lower fees make studying for a degree in Europe an attractive option for many UK
students.
Which countries have the cleverest graduates? - These figures, based on test results
rather than reputation, show a very different set of nationalities from the usual suspects.
US
Why college rankings are a joke - Shortly before the newest U.S. News & World Report
college rankings came out last week, I got a fresh glimpse of how ridiculous they can be
and of why panicked high school seniors and their status-conscious parents should
not spend the next months obsessing over them
Whats made US research universities so great and what might be threatening them Since the 19th century, the institutions thinkers have discovered a dazzling array of new
knowledgeyet attacks on academic freedom mean all their potential is now at risk.
Honors college, honors program whats the difference? - After a lengthy analysis of
staffing, class schedules, and honors curriculum in preparation for our new book to be
released this Fall, we can say that there are significant differences between honors
colleges and honors programs.
The Long March: What mainland Chinese students go through to get to the Ivies - Brook
Larmer discovers what Chinese students go through to get into top American
universities.
The unnecessarily mysterious cost of college - Despite an array of calculating tools,
comparing financial-aid packages is still an incredibly dense and circular process.
How much does living off campus cost? Who knows? - In setting allowances for offcampus living, the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn decided that about $18,500 should cover it.
Two blocks away, St. Josephs College determined that $10,000 would suffice.
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General
How to research a university - When researching colleges, many families gravitate to
what they call great schools without having any idea of whether these institutions merit
their reputations.
Business majors need a liberal arts education - Their degrees may help them secure
entry-level jobs, but to advance in their careers, theyll need much more than technical
skills.
The college visit every female applicant should make - Why visit a womens college?
Because experiencing the culture may change some misconceptions and lead to
finding a perfect fit.
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