During the past years, I have seen how my student population has increased. One hundred (plus) brilliant minds have walked through my doors in search of a better future. Recently, I worked on my statistics, and 96% of my students were accepted into one of their three top choices. That is extremely gratifying for me, since it shows how our dedicated effort yielded positive results. Only 1% have transferred and that is another extremely gratifying piece of information.
In the United States, Barron’s profile of American colleges, categorizes universities into different categories according to difficulty of admission and how demanding they are academically. In order of difficulty, the categories are as follows: Most Competitive, Highly Competitive, Very Competitive, and Competitive. On a separate category, we have schools that are categorized as Special, since they are dedicated mostly to Arts, which include Music, Theater, Dance, and Art in any way shape or form. My students attended colleges in the following categories:
- Most Competitive: 29
- Highly Competitive: 19
- Very Competitive: 23
- Competitive: 8
- Special: 10
- Europe and Canada: 3
- Decided to stay in Panama and pursue a local option: 10
Finding the college that best fits a student is a year-long process, since our aim is to match academic profiles with personal qualities. I always tell my students and their parents that the best fit for them, might not be the best fit for someone else. Every student is special and unique in their own way, bringing with them personal family experiences. Along with this, they bring their own personal qualities and talents and what they have been able to achieve both academically and personally. I always encourage them to do their best in the college they attend and find the best educational opportunities offered to them, so that they can maximize the education they are receiving. Every college is also special in their own way and it is important to find those unique opportunities and reap the benefits offered.