Students of today grapple with an increasingly competitive environment when attempting to secure placement at respected international higher education institutes. In order for them to succeed, now more than ever before, students need critical support and guidance provided by a well-informed, future-focused school. As a matter of fact, every student’s academic future depends on it!
In 2015 we broke new ground yet again, as we inaugurated our first Grade 12 Year Group at ACS Doha. This group of students will graduate in May 2016, as they stride towards a successful future.
In order to help our students successfully gain an international university placement, we elected to teach the IB programmes. Independent research commissioned by ACS over the past 10 years has consistently found that universities say that the IBDP develops the qualities that students need to succeed at university. These qualities include creativity and independent-mindedness, and the IB programmes have proven to be an excellent pathway for students who aspire to realise their potential.
The best-designed programmes, however, are also dependent on the calibre of teachers, and at ACS Doha we are fortunate to have a truly exceptional faculty who have created an environment for our students to thrive in. We hand-pick our teachers through a highly selective process and continue to invest heavily in professional staff training which ensures that our teachers are abreast with the best practices and innovations in education, and in turn enrich our students’ learning experience.
Given the high degree of competition for placement and scholarships at top universities, the advice for students and parents is to plan carefully. This includes studying hard and consistently to ensure both high predicted grades in all subjects along with demonstrating a strong participation in extra-curricular activities. Also, it is important for students to take a proactive approach, and this involves doing in-depth research about the different universities and their courses, university admissions requirements, supporting documents that need to be prepared, and to take full responsibility for their further studies. Students must stay focused and dedicated to the task at hand if they want to reach their full potential and ultimately gain acceptance into their desired university.
At ACS Doha we also have an exceptional college counseling programme in place, which helps to guide our students during their decision making process as they select which university/universities they are applying for. Our teachers are well trained in writing references to universities, which supports students making quality applications for top universities in the US and UK.
Additionally, we conduct parent evenings, publish parent guides, as well as host retreats for Grade 11 students in order to equip and foster resilience and the skills they will need in their university years. While ACS Doha plays an active role in securing our students’ future, each family has a crucial role to play by partnering with the school. This includes having open lines of communication, sharing concerns, the exchange of information, and fully engaging themselves in their child’s progress from middle school to high school, and then all the way through to university.