Temasek Junior College US Universities Application Guide 2011

Mr Chua will conduct a compulsory briefing as well as a workshop on writing the essay and improving your applications end Sept 2011 after the Prelim exams.
Forms Requirements Please note that forms differ school to school but the vast majority follow the below structure: 1. APPLICATION FORM with your personal statements and essays o Check for supplements from individual schools if you are using the Common Applications 2. SCHOOL REPORT: You can approach any teacher who knows you well. This teacher does not need to have taught you in an academic subject nor be your civics tutor; it could be your PDP tutor o Comprehensive evaluation of your character and ability o Filled up by your School Counselor any teacher who knows you well enough 3. TEACHER EVALUATIONS: These must be filled up by a tutor who has taught you an academic subject. o Assessment of your academic ability 4. MID-YEAR REPORT: to be submitted together with your main application 5. INTERNATIONAL SUPPLEMENT: to be submitted together with your main application 6. FINAL REPORT (selected schools): To be submitted to schools you have accepted once you receive your A level results o If you are applying during NS, you would already have your A level results. Therefore, both the Mid-year report and Final-year report would not be needed; include your A level results within your main application General Flowchart

Students Choose universities

to apply to
Hand forms to tutors by: Early Admissions/Decision: 3 Oct Regular: 17 Oct

Take required SATs

Teachers

Please prepare the necessary to hand to your tutors. Refer to below for material needed. Hand forms to tutors by Deadline for Early Admissions/Early Decision: 3rd Oct 2011, Deadline for Regular Admissions: 17th Oct 2011 Your teachers are not obliged to help you if you miss these deadlines.

College Counselor Report Subject Tutor Evaluation

Fill Application Forms Essays/Personal Statement

Early Admissions/Decision: Nov 2011 Regular: Jan 2012

Interviews
Decisions

Most schools that you will probably apply to use Common Applications, though not all. Flowchart Common Applications (Online) You go online to designate your selected School Counselor and Teacher Evaluator They will be emailed a link to access to fill up their report on you By the above-mentioned deadline, give your School Counselor the following: TJC Form US1: TJC Cover Sheet and Ethical Undertaking approved by Mr Chua TJC Form US2: Applicant Data Sheet (1 copy) Counselor will upload the School Profile and your results/transcripts By the above-mentioned deadline, give your Teacher Evaluator(s) the following: TJC Form US2: Applicant Data Sheet (1 copy) 1 copy per teacher evaluator

Temasek Junior College US Universities Application Guide 2011

Flowchart Common Applications (Paper) AND/OR University-specific (Paper) You have chosen to use the paper version. School Counselor By the above-mentioned deadline, give your School Counselor the following: Stamped envelope(s) 2 per school 1 for Secondary School Report + Mid-Year Report, 1 for Final-Year Report (if required. If not, 1 stamped envelope per school will suffice) With the name & address of the University and your name written at the bottom righthand corner on the front of the envelope. More than adequate postage. Check: http://www.singpost.com.sg/ . It is better to provide more than end up not getting their package delivered. Forms: School Report, Mid-Year Report, Final Report, International Supplement TJC Form US1: TJC Cover Sheet and Ethical Undertaking approved by Mr Chua TJC Form US2: Applicant Data Sheet (1 copy) Certified True Copy of GCE O Level Examination Results Counselor will include the School Profile Teacher Evaluator By the above-mentioned deadline, give your Teacher Evaluator the following: Stamped envelope 1 per school per form Form: Teacher Evaluation Form 1 per school per form TJC Form US2: Applicant Data Sheet (1 copy) 1 copy per teacher evaluator

Frequently Asked Questions 1. What Results to Submit? JC2 Applicants: JC2 Prelims, GCE O Level Results (for TA students, submit your TA1 and TA2 Transcript) NS Applicants: GCE A Level Results 2. What is the difference between the school counselor and teacher evaluator? The school counselor: Fills up the secondary school report, mid-year report and final report Gives holistic assessment of candidate character, academic ability etc Must know you relatively well The teacher evaluator: Fills up the teacher evaluation form Gives an assessment of your academic ability Must have taught you in an academic subject within last four years 3. Who to contact for help? Within TJC o Email: tjusadmissions@gmail.com o Mr Chua CZ Arts Department Tel: 644-8066 ext 133 Respective universities for university-specific questions US Education Information Centre o 12 Prince Edward Rd, #01-03, Podium A, Bestway Building, S(079212) o Tel: 6223-4193, Email: inquiry@useic.org

Temasek Junior College US Universities Application Guide 2011

4. What documents should I submit in my application over and above the required forms? Evidently, these are not REQUIRED. But if you so wish to submit them, you could do so. However, universities have cautioned against painting an overly unbalanced picture of yourself to Admissions Officers (eg: only academically-inclined and without extracurricular activity participation) 5. How many universities should I apply to? Recommended maximum of EIGHT o Two safety likely fall back schools you are extremely confident of getting into o Three mid-range possible schools you are fairly confident of getting admitted into o Three reach and highly competitive universities where your chances are much slimmer 6. Deferment for NS Singapore males who need to serve NS can apply now; private US universities will typically reserve places for them till they have completed their NS, if they have been accepted, though this might not be the case for public ones. Email the Admission Office of the university if they are in doubt. 7. Which universities should I apply to? If you are not an outstanding student, academically, and in co-curricular activities and personal qualities (e.g. leadership), it is unwise to apply for Ivy League and other top US Universities. Talk to Mr Chua for more advice 8. Which are the Ivy Leagues? Refers to a East Coast legacy sports league Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Dartmouth, Pennsylvania, Brown, and Cornell. 9. When are the deadlines for the universities? University applications deadline vary from early November to mid-January. 10. When will I know the admissions decisions? You will know it latest by April or May the following year. Check the universitys website. 11. When must I submit my A level results? Send your A level results to the university as soon as you receive them, via the Final School Report 12. Financial Assistance Students are advised not to bank on it, but there may be grants and scholarships available when they apply. Otherwise, they will have to prepare to pay more than S$65,000 per year They are advised to check the information carefully to see whether grants and scholarships are offered. If unsure, email the university to find out. 13. Interviews You MUST accept the interview. Whether or not a mutually convenient time can be arranged is secondary. But accepting the interview indicates interest in the school and will aid your application. 14. TJCs CEEB code: 687227 Useful Websites/Resources University of Michigans comprehensive application website (highly recommended) http://www.admissions.umich.edu/commonapp/ Writing the Personal Statement: Purdue University provides excellent advice and instructions on writing the personal statement at its Online Writing Lab http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/pw/p_perstate.html