After Bac results are
released, Chez Alpha Books is often besieged by students who are desperately
seeking to begin their studies at a university abroad in September. With
less than two months before the application deadline, it is often a mission
impossible when these students have not thought about their university
admissions process before receiving their results.
Year after year, we
encourage students who plan to study abroad to begin the application process
early. When we say early, we mean in “seconde” or
“première”.
Students dreaming of studying in an English-speaking institution
that requires the SAT/ACT or TOEFL must understand that the earlier they began
to prepare for these exams the better. By starting early students also
have time to re-take the exam if they do not meet their desired
results. In reality, “terminale” is much too challenging a year for a student
to also have time to focus on these tests.
In the French higher
education system, most universities will accept a student when they have
successfully completed the Bac even with a “passable” result. North
American universities or colleges in addition to the Bac will probably ask for
2-3 years of “ relevè de notes”. For this reason, we urge students to
understand that merely completing the Bac with a “passable” is not enough to
be admitted to their first choice university. Students should focus
on earning good results throughout secondary school.
Starting early may not
guarantee 100% success however it can provide students with the time
needed to work efficiently towards the desired results.
