For some expat families, moving to a different country is a challenge of epic proportions. For a few others, it’s simply a way of life. According to a 2017 report by the market research company Finaccord, there are 66.2 million expatriates in different parts of the world—roughly 0.9% of the human population. It’s estimated that this number will reach 87.5 million or 1.13% of the population by 2021. About a quarter of these expatriates are individual workers, but there are also retirees and corporate transferees in the mix.
No matter if moving to Singapore is a one-time event for your family or if it’s an essential part of your lifestyle, it can’t be denied that settling down in a place with a different culture and language will always require a lot of adjustments from your family members. One way to make the process easier, particularly for your younger family members, is to enroll them in an American international school in Singapore. These academic institutions are designed to present expat families and students from the US and from other countries with a supportive environment that can help them feel more comfortable in their new location.
Why Consider Studying in an American International School in Singapore?
If you want your children to study in a school that offers an American curriculum, Singapore can provide you with a lot of options. Stamford American International School, for one, uses an American curriculum, all while giving students the option to complete Advance Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or Business and Technical Education Council (BTEC) courses in high school. There are plenty of benefits that come with studying in an American school in Singapore, and these include the following:
Learning in a Familiar Environment
American schools set themselves apart from other types of international schools in Singapore by offering an American curriculum to their students. Note that there’s no ‘standard’ American curriculum; the programs of study that US schools use depend entirely on the state, school district, or affiliation. However, just like schools in the US, American international schools in Singapore use a combination of homework, coursework, and examinations to assess the student’s performance. They also use grade levels that are familiar to students who have studied in American schools. This level of familiarity will help the students feel more comfortable in their new learning environment.
Maximizing Their Chance to Get into US Universities
American schools offer regular high school classes, but they don’t stop at that. There are also schools that use the US curriculum and offer AP and IB classes to their students. Students who choose to undergo these rigorous courses give themselves more options after high school. Those who are able to complete AP classes, for example, can use this achievement to make their applications more attractive to colleges and universities. The AP units they earned can even be credited in college, fast-tracking their tertiary education. On the other hand, students who have successfully completed the IB course have the option to apply to any of the thousands of universities in more than 90 countries that recognize the IB diploma.
Being Taught by Teachers with a Global Perspective
Many parents choose American schools because they want their children to be taught by a native English speaker. English proficiency, however, is not the only edge that teachers in American schools have; they also bring to the table an international perspective. These educators, as well as the staff members of the school, understand the challenges and opportunities that come with moving to a different country. This enables them to respond to the needs of the new students and offer adequate support to every member of their academic community. At the same time, if a family will be moving to other countries or going back home to the US, the educators can offer practical advice and tips that will help their students anticipate and adjust to the changes in their new home.
Networking Opportunities with International Alumni
Finally, studying in an American school presents students with the chance to connect with an international network of alumni. While enrolled in an international school, students are able to interact with global-minded people from different places and cultures. And once they graduate, they’ll be a part of a network of former students who have found their place in different parts of the world. Having this connection with other graduates of the school can even give students the chance to find academic and professional opportunities wherever they choose to live, study, or work in the future.
While American international schools in Singapore provide American and other expatriate families with a familiar framework for educating their children, this doesn’t mean that these schools only cater to families that came from or are planning to migrate to the US. These schools are open to families, expats and locals alike, who want their children to receive quality education with a global perspective. The diverse academic community fostered by these schools plays an important part in setting up an effective learning environment—one that helps learners set themselves up for success no matter where they may choose to live in the future.
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