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  • News and Updates

News and Updates

Featured State: Michigan

11/8/2019

 
The U.S. offers a wide variety of lifestyles, cultures, cuisines, cities, historic sites, and more. To help you and your students learn more about the different areas of the U.S., each month we will be featuring a different U.S. state where students are placed, and tell you what life in each state is like! 
 
This month's feature is Michigan - the "Great Lakes" state! 
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Quick facts about Michigan

  • Capital city: Lansing
  • Size: 96,716 square miles (250,493 sq. km) - about the size of the United Kingdom!
  • Population: 9.92 million
  • Time zone: Eastern (UTC -5) in most of the state
  • State flower: Apple blossom
  • Michigan has the longest freshwater coastline in the world, and anywhere in the state, you're never more than 6 miles from a body of freshwater
  • Michigan is known for its friendly, Midwestern attitude towards other people - very open and welcoming! 
  • There are three distinct season that exchange students will get to experience: Warm summers with opportunities for outdoor activities like fishing, cool fall temperatures to jump into a pile of leaves, and snow sports in the winter.
  • Michigan is close to Canada - another opportunity to add a stamp  to the passport.
  • Michigan is home to many great CIEE Local Coordinators who greatly value students' experiences - and many host  themselves!

Featured school: Clarkston High School
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Clarkston High School has a large variety of activities - something for everyone! Throughout the year, there are 28 sports teams that play, a 10,000 seat football stadium, full-featured television broadcast studio, 700 computers, 1,000 seat auditorium for plays and more. 

Christina, a world languages teacher at the school, says, "Clarkston High School embraces the culture that international students bring to the academic environment. International student experiences are highlighted throughout the school year with special events and celebrations of the diversity that they bring. Additionally, students in Clarkston High go above and beyond to include these international students in their day to day activities, helping them to feel like a regular part of our community. As an ESL teacher, I love learning from the exchange students and hearing about their different perspectives on the world, especially education. Plus, seeing excited international students watch snow fall from the sky for the first time NEVER gets old!"

CIEE students feel the same way! 
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 ​"Clarkston High School is a great school because it has a welcoming environment, and everyone is willing to help the international students. There are a lot of opportunities for international  students, especially in career preparation and education. Lastly, international students have the chance to be in a clubs, which give students a chance to try something new and meet new friends."
​
- Sabrina, Brazil

Download our fact sheet about Michigan to share with your students & families!

AP Capstone Diploma Program

5/17/2018

 
AP Capstone is a new diploma program that encourages students to push themselves in multiple areas and tie together concepts from each of these classes through research. In this program, students consider and evaluate multiple points of view to develop their own perspectives on complex issues and topics through inquiry and investigation. Where AP courses were lacking the inquiry and investigation aspects of learning, this program forces students to ask questions that spark their own curiosity. This leads to an investigation that challenges and expands the boundaries of one's current knowledge. According to College Board, the AP Capstone program is supported by top universities such as Harvard, NYU, MIT, Yale, Princeton, and many others.

​The diploma has six parts: AP Seminar, AP Research, as well as four other AP courses of the student’s choice. Students typically take AP Seminar in grades 10 or 11 followed by AP Research. Students who earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research and on four additional AP Exams of their choosing receive the AP Capstone Diploma. Students who earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research but not on four additional AP Exams receive the AP Seminar and Research Certificate.
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Students enrolled in AP Seminar explore two to four relevant issues chosen by the student and/or teacher. For example, students might explore the question of whether national security is more important than a citizen’s right to privacy, or whether genetic engineering is a benefit to society. The grading for this class is based on three things: a team project, a presentation, and one end-of-course exam.
 
Once a student completes their AP Seminar coursework, they may enroll in AP Research. AP Research allows students to design, plan, and conduct a yearlong research-based investigation on a topic of individual interest, documenting their process with a portfolio. This class is graded in two ways: an academic paper of 4,000 to 5,000 words and a presentation with an oral defense. Schools still enrolling that have the AP Capstone Program:

  • Lake Mary Preparatory School    (Lake Mary, Florida)
  • Miami-Dade Public Schools (Miami, Florida)
  • Desert Sands Unified School District (La Quinta, California)
  • Chaffey Joint Union High School District (San Bernardino County, California)

Negotiating merit and need based discounts at private schools.

4/10/2018

 
PictureAlex Tolischus, Senior Manager of Institutional Relations
Sometimes the high price tag of private schools can deter budget-conscious families from considering them as an option for their student.

In addition to having higher tuition rates they often are located within more affluent suburbs where the cost of living can be greater therefore contributing to higher host family stipends. However, there are two reasons why you should strongly consider independent schools.

Many private schools have been enrolling international students for many years and are now realizing that the market is shifting. To maintain a strong pipeline of international students, we encourage private schools to look at tuition discounting to attract international students. However, rather than setting a standard tuition discount amount, private schools may choose to negotiate a tuition discount package based on an individual student’s academic or extracurricular strengths.

Private schools have selective admissions processes therefore have the ability to build their student body based on the mission and needs of the school.  If you have a particularly strong student or a student whom you think will fit a particular school exceptionally, well please reach out to your CIEE International Sales Consultant to discuss the possibility. CIEE can work directly with many of the independent schools on our list to negotiate a lower tuition rate on a case-by-case basis.



April Featured Schools

4/10/2018

 

Yarmouth High School
Yarmouth, ME

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KEY SELLING POINTS:

  • Yarmouth High School is an Apple Distinguished School and was named one of America’s best high schools by Newsweek, US News, and the Washington Post;
  • Recently voted the #4 Best Public High School in Maine
  • Beautiful town located along the coast of Maine with access to Portland, Freeport, and Boston (two hours)
  • School offers lots of sports including less common ones like Nordic skiing, sailing, and ultimate frisbee
  • They currently offer 15 AP courses

SCHOLARSHIPS:


  • No scholarships  available

AVAILABILITY:


  • Accepting grades 11 and 12
  • 3.0 GPA required
  • Accepts students from all countries
  • Has four spots open to CIEE

Mercyhurst Preparatory School
Erie, Pennsylvania

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KEY SELLING POINTS:
  • A Blue Ribbon and nationally recognized college preparatory school
  • The school offers a wide range of courses at the college prep, honors, and International Baccalaureate (IB) levels
  • Fantastic residential facilities that are open year round with international and US co-ed 9-12th graders
  • ​Many volunteer, extracurricular, and sport activities students are encouraged to be involved with

SCHOLARSHIPS:
  • $5,000 recurring scholarship for qualified non-Chinese applicants
  • $7,000 one-time lump sum that can be applied either in full, or spread out

AVAILABILITY:
  • Accepting grades 9,10,11
  • 2.5 GPA, but flexible with ELTiS or low GPA students
  • Has many spots available
  • Accepts students from all countries
​

Pacifica Christian High School
Santa Monica, California

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KEY SELLING POINTS:
  • Rigorous arts program, great option for students considering careers in music or film
  • Multi-million dollar renovation project completed within the past year, including state of the art technology for the newly implemented  STEM program
  • Located in the heart of Santa Monica, within walking distance of the beach and the famous Santa Monica pier
  • 10 sports offerings, including beach volleyball in the spring
  • School is quite comprehensive, offering opportunities in student government, spiritual life, community service, and over 18 clubs led and organized by students. Examples include a surf club, and video game design club, a feminist club, and an environmental protection club

SCHOLARSHIPS:
  • Up to 10% off tuition, dependent on student

AVAILABILITY:
  • Accepting grades 9, 10, 11
  • Accepts students from all countries;
  • 3-5 spots available

The Value of International Travel

2/8/2018

 
Engaging with school representatives in country is a great way to provide personalized advice to students and families to consider studying in the U.S. 

​Early this January Alex Tolischus, Senior Manager of Institutional Relations and a former boarding and independent school Admission Director traveled throughout China with Senior Sales Consultant Jack Xiong to meet with Chinese educational agencies, prospective students and schools.
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During the trip Alex and Jack presented to large groups of students at public high schools and interviewed students in agency offices.   ​Alex presented on current pedagogy in U.S. schools including topics such as 21st century skills, Design Thinking, Maker Spaces, highlighting her recent experiences teaching and working with faculty engaging in these new trends in teaching and learning.
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Alex also provided admission “tips” to Chinese students about how to be your best during a Skype interview as well as what to expect in the classroom upon arrival to  the U.S.

February Featured Schools

2/5/2018

 

Algonquin High School
Northborough, Massachusetts

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KEY SELLING POINTS:
  • Large public school with beautiful facilities in an affluent suburb outside Boston
  • US News & World Report Silver Medal School
  • Extensive AP program and ivy league college placements
  • Sports include rugby, skiing, hockey, golf, tennis and swimming
  • Clubs include business, robotics, Speech & Debate, Honors Society

SCHOLARSHIPS:
  • No discounts offered

AVAILABILITY:
  • Algonquin accepts grades 10-12, all countries except China
  • 10 spots

Rocky Hill School
East Greenwich, Rhode Island

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KEY SELLING POINTS:
  • 100% of Seniors are accepted into a college or university of their choice;
  • Rocky Hill's Deckhands Theatre Company has a partnership with Trinity Repertory Company. This allows theatre students the opportunity to work with professionals in performing arts right on campus. They do three shows a year including a musical;
  • The campus is located in a beautiful New England town right on 84-acres of waterfront. They utilize their waterfront for wellness classes and coursework and even have a sailing team!
  • Rhode Island is located close to Boston and there is a commuter train nearby to this school that students take into Boston.
 
SCHOLARSHIPS:
  •  Yes! In order to receive the discounts, students must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. For China and Taiwan, there are no discounts offered. All other countries ranges will be between $11,000-$16,000/year and $5,500-$8,000/semester off the tuition.

​AVAILABILITY
:
  • Accepts students from all countries;
  • Accepts students in grades 10, 11, 12, and PG;
  • First round decisions go out mid-March, then admissions roll until June 1st, 2018.
  • 3 spots

Camden Catholic High School
Cherry Hill, New Jersey

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KEY SELLING POINTS:
  • Very close to Philadelphia;
  • Sports include: basketball, soccer, tennis, wrestling;
  • Clubs include: STEM club, model united nations, political club, social activism, and volunteering opportunities;
  • Camden Catholic has strong offerings for every interest, athletics, scholastic, arts;
  • Dorm housing available-limited spaces. Contact your ISC for pricing.
 
SCHOLARSHIPS:
  • Yes! There is potential for discounts and scholarships but on an individual basis; Typically, scholarships will be for students outside of the Chinese market.

​AVAILABILITY:
  • Accepts students from all countries;
  • Grades accepted are 9,10,11;
  • Check out a great promotional video they used for their open house this fall. It does a great job showcasing the school: Camden Catholic Video.

January Featured Schools

1/9/2018

 

Hopkinton High School
​Hopkinton, Massachusetts

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KEY SELLING POINTS:
  • Hopkinton High School is one of our most affordable and highly ranked high schools
  • Highly ranked in all areas: US News & World Report Gold Medal School, #175 National rank across all Public High Schools in the US in 2017, #3 Public High School in Massachusetts
  • The facilities were recently renovated, including an updated fitness and recreation room
  • They are growing their Engineering and Technology Program for 18/19 to include: robotics, team robotics, honors sustainable engineering, honors engineering and technology, and a Fab Lab which includes 3-D design and fabrication. They also noted that the number of young women interested in STEM careers has grown at the school and are taking more science related courses
  • For 18/19 they will offer 20 AP courses

SCHOLARSHIPS:
  • No scholarships as this is a public high school

AVAILABILITY:
  • They accept students in grades 9, 10, 11, and 12, and offer a diploma in one year for new 12th graders
  • In 2017-2018, they brought on 5-6 new agencies to help recruit students and have already filled 11 spots

CIEE will be offering a special discount to any agents that submit “School Ready” applications before 2/1 in the amount of $1,000

Algonquin High School
Northborough, Massachusetts 

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KEY SELLING POINTS:
  • Large public school with beautiful facilities in an affluent suburb outside Boston
  • U.S. News & World Report Silver Medal School
  • Extensive AP program and ivy league college placements
  • Sports include rugby, skiing, hockey, golf, tennis and swimming
  • Clubs include business, robotics, Speech & Debate, Honors Society

SCHOLARSHIPS

  • No discounts offered
 
AVAILABILITY:
  • Algonquin accepts grades 10-12, all countries except China

Shipley School
Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania 

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KEY SELLING POINTS:
  • Elite Prep Day School outside Philadelphia
  • A+ Niche.com rating
  • 52 Honors Courses, including 10 in Arts
  • 27 athletic teams including crew, golf and squash

SCHOLARSHIPS:
  • No discounts available

AVAILABILITY:
  • The Shipley School enrolls students for August 10 month only and accepts grades 9,10
  • They do not currently accept students from China
  • As a highly ranked prep school they require SSAT and TOEFL for admissions

Pacifica Christian High School
Santa Monica, California

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KEY SELLING POINTS:
  • Starting in the summer of 2017, Pacifica Christian began a one million dollar renovation. As part of this renovation, Pacifica will offer state-of-the-art science labs, brand-new equipment and classrooms, all new bathrooms and student lounges, and a re-imagined outdoor space for students to study and spend time with their friends.
  • The school is well known for athletics and film. Several alumni have been accepted into the USC Film School, #1 in the US
  • They offer a great discount for all students

SCHOLARSHIPS:
  • The school offers up to 20% off tuition;
  • Students must be in 9, 10th, or 11th grade;
  • They must be advanced with English and will not be given access to ESL support if awarded this scholarship.

AVAILABILITY:
  • Pacifica enrolls grades 9, 10, and 11 and accepts students from all countries
  • The application deadline is 4/30/2018 for August and 12/1/2017 for January
  • They can enroll up to 20 students. Placement is difficult in this area so the sooner you apply the better.

Multi-year enrollment strategies

5/18/2017

 
Multi-year enrollments allow students to stay in the same area, empower them to make stronger connections with their host families and friends, earn a diploma if that is something they want, all while fostering a deeper exchange experience.

Looking at schools as packages, and combining private day/boarding schools with public schools allows us to work together to customize an enrollment plan that works best for your student. When you meet a student for the first time, we want you to be strategic in how you’re advising them to select schools.

One main consideration is what grade level the student is starting in. F-1 students can only attend a public high school for one year. Therefore, if a student is planning on studying in the U.S. for multiple years, you should consider what other private day or boarding schools are nearby. For example, a great option in Massachusetts would be to start at Marian High School in Framingham (private day), and finish at Hopkinton High School (public high school) for a diploma.
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Marian High School, Framingham, MA
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Hopkinton High School, Hopkinton, MA
We want to create public and private school enrollment plans for students so that students can stay with the same host family even if they change schools, and CIEE will work with you to find host families in areas that can accommodate this type of plan.

At public schools, CIEE must place students within a specific school district. At private day schools, there are no rules regarding the cities or towns students must live in. If we know in advance that a student wants to stay in a certain area, we can be strategic in where we pull families from.

For example, in Florida, a student can start at a Miami-Dade County public school, and finish at Divine Savior Academy (private day). In this example, starting at a public high school would be advantageous to the student if they wanted to improve their English to be more successful at a private day or boarding school.
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Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL
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Divine Savior Academy, Doral, FL
Please contact your International Sales Consultant with any questions about multi-year enrollments! 

Understanding U.S. News & World Report Rankings

5/10/2017

 
24 CIEE schools and districts were  recently recognized in the  2017 Best School List published by U.S. News & World Report.   This week, we’re going to teach you more about the public high school ranking system and what U.S. News & World Report uses to measure performance at schools. There are dozens of state and nationally ranked public high schools in our catalog, so please contact CIEE to learn more about these prestigious options for your students!

 U.S. News & World Report surveys high schools constantly and provides consumers with a snap shot of all of the public high schools in the U.S. They collect extensive amounts of data and rank high schools in four tiers:
  • Gold Medal
  • Silver Medal
  • Bronze Medal
  • National Recognition

In addition to these distinctions, they also provide a numerical rank:
  • A Gold Medal school is one that is a top 500 school in the U.S. in terms of preparing students for college and meeting other criteria.
  • A Silver Medal school is what they call a  “high performing” school falling just below the Gold Medal line.
  • A Bronze Medal school is a high performing school based on how students perform on state exams.
​
Earning any of these three distinctions is an enormous honor for a high school, as there are thousands of schools in the U.S. vying for a spot on this list. Looking at the distribution of these honors, U.S. News & World Report recently released a survey showing that only 2.4% of all high schools in the U.S. earned a Gold Medal distinction, 10.3% earned the Silver Medal distinction and 16.8% for the Bronze Medal distinction. Schools that did not earn a medal accounted for 70.5%.

U.S. News & World Report  also disclosed further information about how they determine these annual awards, based on four unique steps:
  1. Step One looks at the reading and math results for each state, but also considers  what factor of students are attending the school that are economically disadvantaged (and may score lower).
  2. Step Two looks at how disadvantaged students perform at the school as compared to state wide results.  
  3. Step Three assesses graduation rates at schools compared to country wide graduation rates. Schools that had graduation rates of 75% or lower were not considered for these top distinctions.
  4. Step Four accounts for the rigor of the curriculum (for example, how many AP classes are offered and pass rates on exams). At CIEE, when we ask high schools to work with us to enroll international students, we consider all of these factors!

We are proud to carry some of the best high schools in the U.S. and offer top notch experiences for your students. ​We carry several Gold Medal schools which rank at the top 2.4% in the country.  Some examples of our top Medal schools include:
  • Miami-Dade County Public Schools
  • Falmouth High School
  • Hopkinton High School
  • Montpelier High School
  • Concord Carlisle High School
  •  Paradise Valley Unified District 
  • Los Angeles Unified School District
  • Scottsdale Unified School District

To learn more about rank and searching for public high schools, you can visit U.S. News &World Reports website  or read the full article announcing the 2017 rankings. 

Tap into school resources

4/17/2017

 
Applying to an American university can be a difficult process for any student.  CIEE is here to help guide your students through the process and educate you on valuable, free resources, all students should take advantage of while they’re studying here in the U.S. 

One of the most valuable, free resources available to your students are the guidance counselors at their  school. Here are a few facts about  guidance counselors that will help your student take advantage of all the services they have to offer.

  • Most high schools have designated guidance office  or department  focused on college preparation. This office or department is staffed by guidance counselors whose primary goal is to assist students with writing resumes, practicing mock interviews, and applying to college.  These services can greatly improve the quality of a college application.  
  • Guidance counselors help students to select colleges and universities that align with both interests and academics, and proofread college applications.
  • Often, guidance counselors will invite  admissions counselors from colleges to conduct mock interviews or provide free information sessions to students. Students should stop by  the guidance office regularly to see when colleges that they’re interested in will be visiting. Any connections that students can make with a school before they apply can have major payoffs.
  • If a school regularly sends students to a particular college, such as Harvard, the college will recognize the high school name. This may provide another “in” for students, helping their applications rise to the top of the review list.

At CIEE, we work with some of the top-ranked high schools in the country. Many of these schools place students at Ivy League colleges and have strong connections. Guidance counselors can provide students with a list of recent college acceptances to help show them what colleges they might have the strongest connections with. In this competitive market, any advantages help!
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