As parents who want the best educational facilities for our children, we often go ahead and survey schools for curriculum, academic performance, co-curricular activities, space, infrastructure, safety, and affordability. But an important area that we tend to overlook is the seamlessness of the admission process as well as the facilities offered by the school. Facilities are essential when your child needs to change from an Indian or local school to an international school in Abu Dhabi. Systematic and well-organized admission facilities provided by the school can save you a lot of time and effort.
Let us explore the top 5 admission facilities that every high school should provide!
1. Comprehensive Information on Admission Requirements, Eligibility, and Fees on their website
Gone are the days of flipping through school prospectus and brochures. In today’s highly digitized era, the school website should provide first-hand information on admissions systematically. Before applying, parents need to go through the various admission requirements and eligibility. A list of compulsory documents required (including the number of copies required), such as the list shared below, should be easily available:
academic certificates (pass certificate, mark-sheets, transfer certificates, etc),
birth certificate,
immunization records,
travel documents for outstation and
expat candidates (passport, visa),
identity proof,
photographs.
Furthermore, there has to be an online age placement guide as per the Ministry of Education guidelines. The fees-structure should be properly explained on the website.
2. Wide Range of Scholarships for Meritorious Students
The mark of any good high school is that they offer adequate scholarships for deserving students. And this not only includes academic scholarships – it also includes scholarships for excellence in sports and other co-curricular activities as well. The school authorities should enlist the various scholarships offered and corresponding eligibility, on the website so that parents and students can access them at the time of admission. The best international schools make it easier to apply for both global and national level scholarships during admissions. Particularly for deserving high school students who aspire for premium education, scholarships ease their financial constraints, acts as a catalyst for higher studies and a successful career in the future.
3. Detailed Stepwise Guide to the Admission Process with Deadlines
As parents go ahead with downloading and filling the admission form, there should stepwise instructions on how to proceed. For instance, when they select the academic year for admission, the column to select the grade should be visible along the updated status of admissions at that time should be ideally displayed. Ideally, the form should have fields that are marked compulsory or optional so that it is easier to fill in the required data. Compulsory fields would include the child’s personal, educational and medical background, passport and visa details for outstation students, guardian’s details, and contact information. Optional details would include recommendation letters, specific learning needs, or any special remarks. There should be an option to preview all information filled in and edit if necessary, prior to submitting. Submission deadlines and review dates should be highlighted. Most international schools allow admissions after the academic year has started and this should be mentioned on the admissions page.
4. Ease of Booking Campus Tours and Admission Counseling
A good high school will always have designated Admission Counselors to assist prospective parents and students with the entire process. Especially after an application has been accepted, a notification with dates and other details should be sent to the registered email. There are multiple questions that parents will have and admission processes for which they require assistance. A good admissions counselor can handle queries about test syllabus, qualifying test scores, interview guidelines, school policies, special services, registration fees, tuition fees and so on. Counseling sessions should be available not just in person, but also online or on the phone to benefit parents and students from other cities and countries. The school administration should readily accept online requests for campus tours, physical or virtual. A holistic campus tour is assuring of the fact that your child is being entrusted in good hands.
5. Digital Efficiency, Clear Communication, and Hassle-Free Resolution of Queries
In addition to academic excellence and great infrastructure, digital efficiency has certainly become the hallmark of any good high school today. Instead of handing out or mailing hard-copies, the schools’ e-prospectus should be readily available for download on the website. There has to be proper online support for parents via email, online chat or, telephonic sessions. For outstation students, a large part of the admission formalities should be conducted online. Interviews via video conferencing, Skype/Zoom meetings with prospective parents and online assessment tests have become the norm for all renowned international schools today.
It is time to discard the preconceived notion of school admissions being cumbersome, and time-consuming. Parents do not need to be worried while choosing a good high school in Abu Dhabi if the school offers these facilities at the time of admission.
