The Foreign Service Journal, June 2013

82 JUNE 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT about the “inside story” at many schools, and it used to surprise me to find out how many schools don’t have these values. At some schools, the students are so highly motivated and achievement- driven that they create a culture that is hyper-competitive and filled with pres- sure. The student who responds well in such an environment may find that he or she likes being pushed to achieve. But those with a different temperament may shrink from the fray. It is also important to consider the host-country culture and its influence in the school. Is there a healthy balance between nationalities? Does one group dominate the others? Will your teen find friends, or will your teen be on the out- side looking in? College counseling. Most of the American international schools sup- ported by the Office of Overseas Schools, or accredited by an American accredita- tion agency, offer American-style college counseling. However, many Foreign Service students are enrolled in non- American schools, and therefore may not have access to counselors at all, much less ones who are familiar with the counseling process for U.S. colleges or universities. Since transitioning to the next phase of education is so important, it is benefi- cial for students who don’t have access to college counseling to work with an independent educational consultant who is familiar with students who have lived abroad. The same can be said for students who wish to study outside the United States, those who are seeking a nontraditional postsecondary course of study and, perhaps, special education students seeking to learn more about their options apart from a traditional four-year college. Safety. Students need to feel emotion- ally safe in order to learn. Beyond that, they also need to feel a sense of physical Like any institution, schools have their own cultures. Continued from page 74