YCIS Qingdao 2019 graduates achieved fantastic results from International Baccalaureate: our students averaged 34 points in their IB Diploma scores this year, well above the year’s world average of 29.63 points across all schools. As well as this, our students achieved a diploma mean grade per subject of 5.97 – this is again well above this year’s global average of 4.76 and shows how outstandingly our students achieved compared to the rest of the world. They have received 30 university offersincluding offers from world-class universities. As a truly international school with an 87-year history, YCIS not only provides students with a bilingual international curriculum, but also professional university guidance to help students apply to university effectively.

The Role of University Guidance Officer (UGO)

1. One-to-One Course selection and University Guidance

In the upper secondary stage, students will choose courses to learn, including Year 10 and 11s IGCSE courses and Year 12 and 13s IB Diploma courses. Our UGO will analyse each student’s profile, including academic level, personal characteristics, favourite courses, desired universities and their future career development, to conduct one-to-one guidance in course selection and university selection. They will offer professional advice to help students improve their chances of success in university applications.

2. Internship

In addition to academic achievements, CAS (Creativity, Activity and Service) also plays an important role in university applications. YCIS provides students with various activities, including Student Council activities, Yearbookwork, and Service Learning Trips. Our UGO will also provide students with opportunities to complete internships outside of school. This year, Year 11 students, had their first taste of work experience. They visited a broad range of industries including engineering, manufacturing, banking, medical and publishing. As well as receiving somehands-on experience, students were exposed to some of the challenges they will face in the work place. It was overall a profitable experience for them all and it will form an important part in their Personal Statement when applying for university.

3. First-hand Resources for University Applying

Every year, our UGO opens many workshops for parents of different year levels to introduce in detail the application process and information on universities in different countries, so that parents can understand and plan ahead of time to help their children apply to their desired universities. At the same time, our UGO will invite universities in North America and Europe to visit our school, so that students and parents can directly receive university information from the university admissions.

4. Careers’ Day

The UGO organises Careers’ Day for students every year, which is an opportunity for Secondary students to learn more about various careers. The guest speakers, experts in their fields, shared with students the unique career path that they had trodden. In Careers’ Day, students can understand the diversity of work types. It stimulates their enthusiasm for learning, and lays the seed for their future career path.

5. UGO Training

Every academic year, Yew Chung Education Foundation organises training for our UGOs. In June, over twenty University Guidance Officers from near and far, as well as university reps from Japan and Italy, gathered together at YCIS QD campus for an end of year bootcamp. John Liu, the Regional Coordinator for Career Guidance in Yew Chung, and Shiny Wang, the Director of College Counselling at Tsinghua University High School presented helpful sessions on building an effective college counselling program. A profitable time was had by all participants.