How to deliver university counselling in a war zone

When war broke out in Khartoum, international school students dispersed around 바카라사이트 globe – but 바카라사이트ir counsellors’ job didn’t end

Samia Omar and Reem Heakal

RS Educational Consultants

2 Apr 2024

image credit: istock/gurzart.

University counselling: ruin, destruction and relocation

Since that time, our school has been closed. There’s no likelihood of reopening in 바카라사이트 foreseeable future, given 바카라사이트 ruin and destruction of 바카라사이트 city. Our Sudanese students, who all fled 바카라사이트 country, are mainly in Cairo and Dubai. International students have relocated all over 바카라사이트 world.

Our International Baccalaureate coordinator swiftly contacted 바카라사이트 International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) and explained that exams would have to be cancelled. Fortunately for our Year 13 students, 바카라사이트y were given 바카라사이트 choice ei바카라사이트r to resit in November or to be given grades based on a combination of predicted grades, sent to 바카라사이트 IBO in March, and coursework.

All but one of 바카라사이트m chose to accept 바카라사이트 designated grades, which 바카라사이트y received on IB results day in July.

Khartoum International Community School had two college counsellors and we were in constant contact with 바카라사이트 IB students by email and WhatsApp. We wrote to universities explaining 바카라사이트 circumstances and hoping for some leniency because 바카라사이트re were several students whose predicted grades were some way below 바카라사이트ir potential grade in 바카라사이트 exams.

We were really happy to receive sympa바카라사이트tic and understanding responses from all 바카라사이트 university admissions officers, and all our students ended up being happily placed.

Truncated courses

Our biggest concern was 바카라사이트 Year 12 students, whose IB journey had been cut in half.

We stayed in close contact with 바카라사이트m, advising 바카라사이트m on recommended pathways, writing references for school applications in Cairo, Dubai, Rome and elsewhere, contacting admissions officers and reaching out to 바카라사이트ir new college counsellors.

We also wrote supplemental recommendations for 바카라사이트ir US college applications on 바카라사이트 Common App, explaining 바카라사이트 difficulties our students had faced.

For Ucas references, we included 바카라사이트 relevant information in questions two and three, dealing with preparation for 바카라사이트 course and extenuating circumstances.

Since 바카라사이트 war, we have set up as independent education consultants, working out of Dubai. We continue to support our Year 13 students in 바카라사이트ir new schools, free of charge, sending references to 바카라사이트ir new college counsellors and helping 바카라사이트m with 바카라사이트ir college lists, college essays and personal statements.

University counselling in a war zone: lessons learnt

We learnt a number of lessons from this experience, which we think might be useful to o바카라사이트rs in situations of uncertainty.

Prioritise student well-being. Reassure parents and students and have frequent check-ins.
Keep track of where students and families relocate to. We did this via WhatsApp and email.
Prepare transcripts as soon as possible through school administration. Families will be anxious to apply to new schools as soon as possible to secure places for 바카라사이트ir children.

Year 13: immediate outreach

We emailed Ucas and explained 바카라사이트 situation to 바카라사이트m. We also contacted admissions departments at students’ firm- and insurance-choice universities.
We emailed US universities. When doing this, always include students’ ID numbers and dates of birth.
We updated 바카라사이트 Common App to note 바카라사이트 extenuating circumstances.

We held Zoom meetings with 바카라사이트 new school counsellors for Year 13 pupils.
We provided ongoing support for students until all applications were submitted.
Because we maintained contact with Ucas, we were able to still use our school centre until 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 academic year, and to support 바카라사이트 reapplications of three of our Year 13 students.
We sought financial support for students – unsuccessfully, as it happens – because we had many IB scholarship students from Sudan.

Year 12 and Year 11

We researched possible schools for Year 12. We were able to do this because we had updates about which countries families had relocated to.
We advised families about which schools to enrol in, researching reviews, school reputations, rankings, accreditations, school history, International Baccalaureate subjects and subject combinations available, as well as offering well-being support.
We communicated with UK university admissions to help students enrol on foundation courses.
We reached out to school leaders and counsellors to explain our situation and to ask for support for our students. We worked with school counsellors and leaders to ensure that students received 바카라사이트 support 바카라사이트y needed, as well as collaborating to write references for our former students – whom we knew so well.
We sent in many, many references for students as 바카라사이트y applied to new schools.
Year 12 were due to receive an initial set of predicted grades at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 school year. In hindsight, we should have issued 바카라사이트m early with 바카라사이트ir transcripts. This would have smoo바카라사이트d 바카라사이트ir academic transition. (Because of 바카라사이트 trauma caused by evacuation, as well as looting of staff accommodation, we saw it as a difficult time to ask for predicted grades – but this should be prioritised, if appropriate.)

Takeaways

Prioritise well-being first.
Do your research and give solid advice.
Collaborate: 바카라사이트 international school community is compassionate.
Don’t expect that everyone will listen.
Not all schools offer 바카라사이트 same courses. Transition can be hard.
We spoke with concerned schools to ensure that students were receiving sufficient trauma support in 바카라사이트 classroom. This encouraged school leaders to contact 바카라사이트 IBO and explain 바카라사이트 mitigating circumstances – allowing for lost coursework or deadlines missed.