Class of 2013 University Applications Handbook - UWC Maastricht

Office of Career Guidance & University Applications
Liberal Arts: a program of study that includes academic work in humanities, social sciences
and natural sciences. Liberal Arts education aims to teach students how to think about
complex issues, by building critical thinking skills, effective communication skills, and an
interdisciplinary approach. The goal of this program is to expose the student to a widebreath
of information before focusing specifically in a field of concentration, called a
“major” in the USA. Most students select a major at the end of their first or second year.
Major: a student’s selected area of academic specialization (usually 25% to 50% of all
academic studies will be in this field in a liberal arts program)
Minor: a student may select an additional area of specialization (usually less than 25% of all
academic studies will be in this field in a liberal arts program)
Prerequisite: required courses or exams that must be taken before a student can enroll in a
course.
Rolling Admissions: student’s applications are reviewed as they are received; No official
deadlines.
Room and Board: fees that cover living expenses and meal expenses.
SAT exams: a standardized test required by many USA colleges. This exam is offered at
UWCM in June, October, November and December. Students are encouraged to take this
exam in IB1 if they are at a high level of English proficiency. Otherwise, students should
wait until IB2. The test requires advanced registration through the Collegeboard website.
Transcript: an official record of student academic work, including courses taken, grades
achieved and an explanation of the school’s grading system. Should include an official
stamp or signature from the issuing authority.
Waiting List: a list of students who were not initially accepted to a college, but may be
accepted if a space becomes available after May 1 st enrollment deadline.
What do I want to study?
If you have no idea what you want to study at university level, you are not alone. Many
students in the final years of secondary school do not know yet what their strongest areas of
interest and ability are. One activity that may be helpful is to look through a website or
prospectus guide from a university and make a list of all the courses that sound interesting
to you. From there, you can research more information about what these courses involve.
Another good starting point is to take an interest survey to find out your natural strengths,
learning style and areas of interest. There are many free and fee-based resources available
on the internet. See:
www.bls.gov/k12
http://www.edutopia.org/multiple-intelligences-learning-styles-quiz
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-started/know-yourself
http://www.rileyguide.com/assess.html
9 | P a g e