Yew Chung International School of Beijing hosted its annual University Week between the 21st – 25th October, to give students and parents a comprehensive understanding of the university application process. University Week was an effort by our local University Guidance Officer (UGO), Jonathan Mellen, with support from the Yew Chung Education Foundation’s Regional UGO.

The week consisted of an array of activities which included visits from prominent universities such as Whitworth University, Parsons School of Design, Yale NUS (Singapore), University of San Francisco and University of Navarra, Spain to name a few. The decision to select these group of universities was based on the need for multiplicity “I try to get a good mix of universities. And one of the main things I do, is get universities that I believe will be a good fit for our students, but also try to give them a range of universities”  which students wouldn’t normally opt for.

In addition to visits from universities, an exclusive webinar for YCIS and YWIES parents and students was held by the Northwestern University. Facilitated by John Liu, YCIS Regional UGO, the webinar’s purpose was to encourage parent engagement, “Many of the parents are busy and are not always able to physically come to the schools.” The idea of webinars was then born and has evolved into including “experts and admissions officers talking directly with parents.”  said Jonathan.

In an effort to ensuring that all YCIS and YWIES students receive greater knowledge regarding university application processes, a University Fair which housed 150 universities from around the world was also attended by our students. There, workshops on all things preparatory for universities was held. From essay writing to personal statement writing, specific university workshops, etcetera.

Knowledge of events like these is shared by our network’s UGOs. Throughout Yew Chung Foundation, counselors continuously collaborate and meet at least once a month to share the latest trends and systems in the education industry “We have an online meeting once a month, and the meetings are recorded, in a case someone misses it”  Mellen added.

Combined, the YCIS and YWIES UGOs use their know-how to share professional development materials and events with their colleagues. Online training to ensure that all schools’ counselors continue to provide tailored support for students, and events like the University Fair are also a great way for guidance counselors and admissions officers across the city to network and create relationships that will guarantee a smooth application process for students.

East meets West at Tshingua University was another example of such events, Jonathan added that “it was about mock admissions sessions, University of California application process.”  And it allows for UGOs to interact with admissions officers from renowned universities with the goal of receiving the best advice which they will then relay to students.

With university application deadlines approaching, we are confident that our students have the best support to make the best choices that suit them the most and master university applications.