Before the outbreak of war in Sudan in April 2023 put paid to all plans, our college counselling programme at KICS had moved its emphasis from being a two year programme, to taking a four-year High School perspective.
Since establishing our independent educational consultancy (IEC) in 2023, we have enrolled students at each stage of their four high school years, studying a myriad of curricula. As we reflect on the experience gained, one of our clear conclusions is that the earlier we start to work with students, the better support we are able to give them.
From all the students who have enrolled with us since August 2023, the largest proportion, 50%, have joined us in Grade 11/Year 12. The second highest number, 25%, which we dub ‘last-minute’ enrolments, have joined us in their final year of high school, usually in late September! That leaves us with 15% joining us in Grade 10/Year 11 and only 10% have started with us in their first year of high school.
Working with students in Grades 10 (Yr 9) and 11 (Yr 10), involving four individual meetings a year, allows Reem and myself to get to know the students gradually and meaningfully. Seeing a student on Zoom after a two month hiatus, is a genuinely happy occasion, smiles all round and a little chat before we get down to the business at hand. Over those two years, we monitor how they are doing in their various subjects, and in their ECAs or out of school activities. We talk about anxiety before exams, procrastination, any problems they might have sleeping, how their participation in sports or other activities is going, advise about summer courses, internships, campus tours, pre-admissions tests and so on.
One absolutely crucial time for good advice and support, is when choosing subjects for the final two years of high school, whether IB subjects and levels, A levels, APs or whichever other curriculum. To choose well is to have won half the battle.
What does ‘well’ mean?
For us it means that the student is choosing subjects at which they have the capacity to succeed to their highest level. It also means that the student will choose subjects that they genuinely enjoy and find interesting.
For the most academic students, it means that they should select subjects that stretch them and allow them to be competitive for the top institutions or subjects to which they aspire.
The subject choices must also allow access to all the career paths they are considering, and, in the case of those unsure, allow maximum flexibility for a wide range of university pathways. In a rapidly changing world, all the above decisions must also take into consideration the fluctuations and changing trends of the job market.
Maintaining an awareness of our students’ wellbeing and mental health during these stressful high school years is also enhanced when we have a deeper understanding of their personalities, the stressors in their lives and how best to manage pressures or alleviate worries. This understanding is built up slowly, over time and leads to more personalised, individual relationships.
We want to support students at all stages, and in many ways feel a really urgent need to support the latecomers, in sympathy with their predicament. However, in terms of the benefit for the students themselves, the longer timeframe is highly significant. Three or four years of advice about future pathways, careers and building successful student profiles in high school builds trust, rapport and open communications between ourselves and our students. We are there to talk with them about their overall educational experience and career aspirations with no expectations or judgement. Offering expert advice in a safe space as they traverse these incredibly important and challenging years of their lives.
