<p>Hi! Uhm, this post might be a little out of place as its the Parents Forum, but i'm seeking a little help in convincing my parents to let me apply for UWC. So, i'm from Singapore, and i'm really interested in applying for UWC for the 2013 school year. Now that the application process has begun, I've been stepping up in my efforts to find out my parents' opinion. </p>
<p>I had asked for their opinion last year when i was bent on going to UWC Adriatic and this was their response:
ME: What do you think about me going to Italy to study?
Mom: Ask when you have confirmed that you can go. (This means talk when the date is closer, many things can change in the meantime)
Dad: Italy very dangerous! Alot of Mafias and I hear <strong><em>(some relative)</em></strong> say that there the thieves are very skilled! Somemore, you're a GIRL, going to such a far place alone is not safe! etcetc. Got this newspaper report that in Greece they kidnap alot of girls that go there alone! (I have no idea why a conver about Italy is suddenly related to Greece, but yeah) etcetc
(The conver isn't exact, since we spoke in chinese, but thats the gist. Grandpa & grandma shares the same sentiments as my dad.)</p>
<p>So just now I tried my mum again, this time on the Armand Hammer UWCUSA:
ME: Mummy, the Singapore National Comm didn't offer the Italy one so I decided that the USA one was nice too, what do you think?
Mum: NO. USA very dangerous, everyone have guns, later shoot here shoot there shoot until you then you know.</p>
<p>So these are their responses..... Very stereotypical i know. But thats their mindset, what can I do?
Any one has advice on how to atleast open their minds up to even just let me apply?</p>
<p>I looked at the UWC sites and to be honest, I am not sure what the outcome would be. If you’re well off financially and seek an ‘enlightening’ education, the CC community could suggest lots of colleges, universities, and the like. Once a more mainstream set of colleges was presented, the parents and you together could do a comparison and see what is the likely outcome.</p>
<p>So, try to explain to us what is so special about UWC relative to your goals in life and maybe in the process you can come up with some good arguments to use with your parents. </p>
<p>The college experience is awesome, doing it in another country more so, but you have to have some goals and outcomes. Two of Mrs. Turbo’s nieces study at another ‘new style’ European university in the Adriatic - Some place I never heard of, with decent funding and research. But they’re PhD students and know what they want, and their father has no issue sending them there, or funding the serious amount of Euros needed.</p>
<p>You could also research crime rates and compare them to similar sized cities near you. If they are better then that could help your argument. Also, research (or ask directly) about crime and security on campus.</p>
<p>My kid’s spouse’s sibling–still with me? --went to UWC. He went to Italy. He got a free ride, and even with the transport cost it was cheaper than private school in his home country. He had a truly wonderful experience. </p>
<p>I think your best bet would be to find some Singaporeans who attend UWC. If they have enjoyed it and their parents think it would be a good experience, introduce your parents to these “kids” and their parents. I think talking to others from your own country who have done this and think it’s worthwhile is your best bet.</p>
<p>For others…UWC is more like a secondary boarding school than a college. My kid’s spouse’s sibling went on to the public U in his home nation.</p>
<p>And, yes, I know…this post reveals my ID to some. Have mercy and don’t post it.</p>
<p>In terms of safety at American colleges, each college is required to fill out what is called the Clery Report. You can find a Clery Report on each school’s website, but sometimes you have to dig for it. It gives statistics about crime on the campus. Some American schools are very safe. Some are in bad neighborhoods. We have thousands of colleges. I am not familiar with the specific school you mentioned.</p>
<p>Hi, weavingtrials, would you be satisfied with the honor of being selected yet attending the Singapore college? I’d imagine that experience alone would be a tremendous experience and springboard to international connections. Also, it is often easier for parents to consider bigger leaps after you have actually proven yourself in a competitive process. From the bolded sentence below, I gather placement of Singapore scholars might be a fluid issue–so perhaps this discussion could be allowed to simmer until you have actually succeeded in being selected. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>What are the schools that Singapore scholars are sent to?</p>
<p>The Singapore National Committee has previously sent students to UWC USA, UWC of the Adriatic (Italy), Red Cross Nordic UWC (Norway), Lester B Pearson UWC of the Pacific (Canada) and UWC South East Asia (Singapore). However this hinges on the availability of funding and arrangements made with the respective colleges.</p>
<p>PS–“Overprotective” is a somewhat dramatic characterization of how any parent would feel about a 15 or 16 year old’s request to go to another country to finish high school! There are many valid cautions and concerns to factor into such a big decision. So don’t be too hard on your parents…even if some of the factors they cite sound a bit far-fetched. ;)</p>
<p>OK, it’s a HS, but the question remains - what would a UWC HS offer that a local HS would not?</p>
<p>We had to ponder private vs public HS for our younger one, but unless the end goal is an Ivy type admission i can’t see myself paying college level tuition for a HS kid to attend a prep school…</p>
<p>Maybe bring your parents to the US for some campus visits to see that not everyone in the US owns a gun and for what it is worth, I don’t own a gun, I have never owned a gun, most people I know don’t own guns and the ones that do use them for deer or pheasant hunting, not shooting people.</p>
<p>Why don’t you just attend the UWC in Singapore? It’s the same experience as any other UWC and you can go back home during weekends or breaks or holidays easily. Your parents will be glad too! =)</p>
--went to UWC. He went to Italy. He got a free ride, and even with the transport cost it was cheaper than private school in his home country. He had a truly wonderful experience. </p>