Last week Suha Rabah, Head of Admissions at the University of Denver in Colorado, visited Lighthouse, and in her talk, she showed us the opportunities that the opportunities that come with studying at a school like ours; especially when it comes to getting into an international university.
Of all the students admitted to the university each year, 70% of the students are from the IB program, while the remaining 30% come from traditional systems, or British A levels. This is very important for our students, as it confirms what we have been perceiving for some time: the education system, fortunately, is changing, and so are the demands of the leading universities.
Traditionally, to enter an American university, it was mandatory to take the SAT or ACT, which are the equivalent of the EBAU exams in Spain. However, Suha Rabah explains that students like in our school will avoid this exam and present their portfolio, something that is much more enriching, since through these portfolios, students have the opportunity to explain what makes them unique.
But it does not stop here. Generally, students who come from studying in academic rigorous school, have the opportunity to transfer credits. Sometimes even an entire semester. An academic year is divided into two semesters, so a student must take 8 semesters to graduate. It is common for high achieving students to have to take only 7 semesters, an academic and economic incentive.
Denver University is ranked 64th among universities in the USA, offering one of the best engineering, business or music programs in the USA. In addition, its International Studies program is considered No. 2, and offers the possibility of studying for a semester in countries such as Chile or China. Given its prestige and academic rigor, the data it provides for us are very interesting.
Starting with these simple facts can help us to understand that there is much more than MIT or Harvard. The offer is wide and that it is tailored to the needs of each individual. The University of Denver receives more than 22,000 applications per year, and of those interested students, about 50% are admitted.
Our students are still young, and it may seem a little early to start talking about universities. It probably is, but you have to understand that from Spain it is difficult for them to get to know and understand the wide range of universities in the USA.
Only in the US there are more than 4000 private institutions, and our intention is to help our students and their families understand what high school is, how the different international and Spanish universities work and what is expected of them. This way, when the time comes to decide, they will be able to have a little more clarity. Both for our students and for us as an educational center, it is very interesting to receive visits from external professionals who explain to us the reality of what universities demand.
Step by step and without overwhelming our students, we will continue to receive visits from professionals who will help us to gain more knowledge. In this way, our students will be more informed and their environment will be able to give them enriching advice.
