College Preparation
I. PHILOSOPHY
SPS’ college preparation program is about more than getting into college. Our program is an articulated sequence designed to help students develop the ability to make informed decisions about their future.
In a developmentally appropriate manner at each grade level, beginning Class VIII, the SPS’s college preparation program assists students as they make a profound transition into adulthood. Through the five-year journey (Class VIII-XII), SPS students encounter an atmosphere in which they find their voice through introspection and gain the independence required to articulate the type of college environment needed for the next phase of their formal education.
While parents and teachers walk with the students on this journey, SPS’s college counselling program acknowledges that it is the student who must take ownership of the selection, preparation and application process. Ultimately, the student decides where to apply and which examinations to prepare for. However, by building a relationship over the critical five years, the Dean at Saraf Public School is able to guide, counsel, probe, recommend, refer, suggest, and inform each student as needed.
The college counselling process at SPS hinges upon the individual relationship formed between the counsellor and the student. As there is no single path through the curriculum of the Secondary and Higher Secondary School, there is no single path through the college counselling program at SPS. Each student defies generalization. Each student has a unique story to tell, and different needs to fulfill through the college or career search. Each student engages the process at a slightly different point, and moves through the process at a slightly different pace.
As a result, the Dean provides a coherent program designed for each grade level, and spends majority of the time guiding students along their personal journeys. Students and parents are encouraged to meet with the counsellor and have unfettered access throughout the Secondary and Higher Secondary School experience.
When students are equipped with the tools they need to undergo an honest appraisal of themselves, when thoughtful introspection leads to thorough research, and when careful attention is given to the minute details of the preparation for the examinations required for the opted career, SPS students conclude their Higher Secondary School experience prepared, excited, and confident to join the college or career that best fits their understood and articulated needs.
II. COLLEGE COUNSELLING PROCESS
The right choice of a career is of fundamental importance. From this academic session, we intend to make arrangements for guidance & counselling, advice, vocational, training, encouragement and orientation. Students choose right profession and careers keeping in mind their aptitude, talent, skills, resources etc.. SPS will also organize visits to Factories, Government organizations, Banks, Private firms, Pharmaceutical companies and Research centres, etc.
The process of preparing for college begins the moment students set foot in Secondary School at Saraf Public School. The curriculum at SPS is designed to ensure that students will be able and confident to face the challenges of a rigorous academic program. Our approach to college preparation is in keeping with our school mission to foster a passion for lifelong learning and pursuit of knowledge. At Saraf Public School, college counselling is a highly personalized process focused on assessing the strengths, talents and dreams of each individual and finding the colleges or universities that best fit his or her needs.
Beginning normally in Class VIII, but no later than Class IX, and continuing through college placement in Class XII, college preparation is comprehensive and individualized. Our college counsellors will work with students and parents to share successful strategies for standardized testing, assemble a thorough list of possible colleges, entrance examinations or tests, and offer advice on honing college applications. Students graduating from Saraf Public School join impressive colleges and universities, and the Dean also assists them in choosing the best programs or courses for (under) graduation based for their interests and goals.
In brief, the school wide format is as follows:
Class VIII-X
Short group sessions are held in classes in which students are given tasks to introduce them to the concept of career, as well as facilitate access to the huge array of resources available to students in digital and book form. At times, lectures and interactive sessions by visiting business leaders help in students deciding their career goals.
Prior to the Class X choosing subjects for Class XI, all students are met on a one on one basis to ensure that subject choices are accurate and future career or study pathways are not limited. This is reasonably straightforward at Saraf Public School, as the timetable is structured to generally allow a broad selection of subjects.
All students will have an initial one on one interview with the counsellor during the course of the year. Approximately one hour per student is allocated to this and the process entails formal career profiling techniques developed and evolved through years of research and experience at Eduvisors Centre of Excellence (CoE). Students are encouraged to start investigations into three or four areas of strength and career interest. Students are given specific activities to support this selection process and produce evidence of the progress in this process over Class IX-X.
Each student is expected to have a Careers folder in which material of interest is retained. Prior to the Class X subject choice submission (for Class XI-XII), students are required to indicate their career(s) of interest. Students whose results/subject choices are not consistent with the particular career interests, are re-interviewed to identify any issues that will prevent a student from achieving his/her chosen path.
Class XI-XII
During one study period every week, students will, under the guidance of the counsellor, have the opportunity to fine tune their plans via processing the myriad of information sources available. This is supported, where appropriate, by guest speakers, discussion sessions and brief one on one report back sessions.
For those students taking subjects, a series of meetings is conducted once a term on Wednesday during lunch time. These sessions provide an abbreviated version of what the remainder of the group is doing. The objective of this programme is for students to have narrowed down their options to a main choice and a back-up by the end of the year in Class XI. Correct subject choice/examination results for the following year is essential.
III. TEST PREPARATION – AAKASH INSTITUTE
Over the years, Vidyamandir Classes have become synonymous with success in IITJEE and Saraf Public School has a strategic partnership with Vidyamandir Classes (VMC). VMC organizes classes in the school premises and in regular classrooms for students preparing for IIT JEE.
Vidyamandir Classes teaching is based on the pedagogical philosophy of conceptual clarity leading to structured thinking, further leading to logical problem solving. The key components of their pedagogy are:
- Extensive Classroom Sessions
- Comprehensive and Integrated Study Material
- Learning through Discussions
- Testing & Assessment System based on National Level benchmarking
All the courses of VMC include the below benefits:
- Class Tests (in the form of Surprise Quizzes)
- The Test Series, held at regular intervals
- Analysis of performance and benchmarking with the best performers
- Help in addition to e-mail and end-of-session doubt clearing facilities
- Monitoring system to track class sessions and student feedback
- Access for parents to check their child’s progress
The courses offered by VMC at Saraf Public School are:
- JEE 2017 – One Year Course: Regular Classroom Course (RCC)
- JEE 2018 – Two Year Courses: Regular Classroom Course (RCC)
- Aim-IIT 2019 – Three Year Courses: Aim-IIT Classroom Program
- JEE 2020 – Four Year Courses: Regular Classroom Course (RCC)
Further details on VMC can be obtained at http://www.vidyamandir.com