I’m new here, so I hope this is under the right topic.
I’m currently a junior in NY, and I have good grades and have taken the SATs once in December. I am aiming to take my second and final SAT this month (march) as I know that my family is going to move away to China next year. I’m pretty sure we are leaving in the middle of summer, and school will begin nearly a month earlier over there. Initially, I was actually devastated upon hearing the news because I really don’t want to leave my friends, but I kind of just convinced myself that the school in China would be better than my current school (my school is so small, close-minded and limited in choices), so it would open up more academic and social opportunities.
Anyways, I’m a little unsure about when to tell my friends and the teachers that I’m leaving next year; when I should ask my current teachers for recommendation letters (assuming that I won’t be able to get to know any of my new teachers within a few months); how much would it affect how I do/send in my application.
I also know that the new school have much more interesting service opportunities/clubs that I am interested in. Currently I am not doing much in terms of being in a consistent community service club… I’m more focused on STEM clubs and soccer. Would colleges see this as an inconsistency if I suddenly joined numerous service clubs in my senior year?
I’m sorry for asking so much. I just don’t have anyone to ask in our school since my parents don’t want me telling anybody before they receive the full confirmation in April. They’re 95% sure that we’re moving though.
Also, I am Chinese, and the school will be an international school.
The teachers at the international school are used to writing letters of recommendation for students in your situation. Your current teachers will be able to write letters for you provided you let them know before you move. Just make sure to get everyone’s email addresses. And stay in touch with your current guidance counselor because you will need to have official copies of the transcript sent from your current school as well as the one from the international school.
Hang in there. Even if you can’t finish making arrangements before you move, things will work out.
Plan to take subject tests in May or June, and hopefully your parents can schedule a departure after the summer (July?) Session so that you have one more shot on the sat if need be.
Prepare for a very different environment. Even if it’s an international school it’ll be totally different from your current school due to cultural differences. Depending on how familiar you are with Chinese school culture, you might want to read ‘Little soldiers: an American boy, Chinese school’.
Do ask for recommendations in April and explain your situation. Start your common app as soon as it opens (in fact your account is supposed to roll over so you could start now).
Look into the different ways Chinese young people try to bypass censorship (for example, look up ‘winnie the pooh’) and remember that you can get in trouble for stuff you write in emails/chats etc. Look into ways to keep in touch with your US friends since some popular networking sites (Facebook…) are banned there.