As part of our programs supporting students’ academic and career pathways, the Shanghai French School’s Guidance Department kicked off a month full of guidance activities with an impressive College Fair yesterday, Monday, October 28!
Our senior (12th grade) students first enjoyed one-on-one meetings with representatives from top preparatory programs (CPGE) in France. They then attended insightful presentations on topics such as preparing for college life, career paths in engineering, and an introduction to the French preparatory class system (CPGE).
Following this, students from grades 9 through 12 explored the College Fair, where 70 schools and universities were on hand to answer all their questions. Both parents and students were deeply engaged in this exceptional event, sharing their thoughts with us:
« I really appreciate this event because it lets me connect with the schools I’m interested in, and it’s easier to get information here than online. I can ask all the questions I had in mind. »
« Inviting students as early as 10th grade is a great idea. It gives them a head start and helps them start thinking about their future. In that sense, I find the event very useful. »
«This event is so helpful for high school students! Thanks to last year’s event and today’s meetings with the prep programs, I already know what I want to do. »
« I’m so impressed by this event, which brings these schools so close to us, even though many are 10,000 km away. It’s also a big help in understanding the French application systems, like Parcoursup and Sesame, for parents like me who are learning about it for the first time with our eldest child. »
« At first, I planned to stay in China for college, but after this fair, I’m also considering going abroad. It’s incredibly useful to get information directly from international universities. »
« I came for my daughter, who’s still exploring her options and often changes her career plans. As a French parent, even I find it challenging to navigate the French education system, and it’s the same for my Chinese wife. This event clarifies so much, especially the presentation on preparatory classes, which was very straightforward! There’s a great mix of prestigious schools, and there’s no commercial angle—it’s truly representative. »
Representatives from prestigious schools were equally impressed by our students and shared more about what they look for:
« The students we met show confidence; they have many ideas and are interested in either our Bachelor program or, many of them, in our language program! We’re looking mainly for students with excellent results, especially in Maths, as our Maths courses are very high-level. If they have interesting extra-curricular expertise on their application file, it’s also always interesting for us! »
« The students here seem very mature and focused, with lots of good questions. My advice to them is to be bold! We look for well-rounded profiles with strong performance across all subjects, including science. We assess grades, class rank, and overall class averages, and we read teacher comments carefully because we’re looking for students with potential who can grow with us. »
« The students I met are curious and internationally minded, and the conversations with them and their parents were top-notch. We’re looking for this kind of profile—highly motivated students with a passion for top-level hospitality and hotel management! »
« We represent seven top engineering schools and participate in this fair each year to help international students at the Shanghai French School interested in engineering. Many students ask about the admissions process for our schools since they aren’t post-baccalaureate, so we offer advice on preparatory classes and other pathways. We’re looking for students who adapt and learn quickly, show maturity, have career ideas, and of course, have a strong background in Math and Physics. »
A heartfelt thank you to all our partner schools and universities, whose time and dedication made this event possible for our Shanghai French School students. We are thrilled and proud to maintain these valuable connections with prestigious institutions from around the world!
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Upcoming Guidance Counseling events:
– November: 100% virtual – Online conferences will be held for students at 6:30 PM.
– December 9–13: AEFE Virtual College Fair – link to be shared soon.