CCP Application Form – 2008/2009
There are many determined and talented students in Malawi who lack only financial resources and access to information to better their educational futures. For the third year, the United States Embassy, Public Affairs Section seeks to identify highly academically qualified and motivated students in Malawi to join the United States’ Competitive College Program (CCP). CCP’s mission is to assist highly-talented and determined Advanced Level students to negotiate the admissions process for colleges in the United States with the aim of producing highly-skilled and widely-educated leaders for tomorrow’s Malawi.
The Advising Center works closely with the CCP students through an intensive workshop (April 28th-May 23rd), regularly scheduled seminars, and application workshop to assist students through the application process to colleges and universities in the United States. CCP expects a commitment of students to give back their energy and time to the program and to their communities. Although we do not limit the program geographically, students MUST be able to reach our offices in Lilongwe for the workshops and on a regular monthly basis during the year. Students will work with our educational advising staff over this year to secure places and financial assistance to begin study in the US in August 2009. The costs for joining the program will be MK 14,000 and the students will be expected to pay for their own testing.
ENTRANCE INTO THIS PROGRAM IS NO GUARANTEE OF A SCHOLARSHIP OR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO STUDY IN THE UNITED STATES.
To apply to CCP, you must be a highly-determined and hardworking student who has completed the MSCE, or have written the "A" level examinations. To be eligible for consideration, you must have a VERY strong academic record, be active in co-curricular and community activities as well as show well demonstrated financial need. Please complete this application form and return it by post or in person with the required documents listed at the end, no later than Monday, March 31st, 2008. We will respond to the student on April 7th if the applicant warrants an interview. Interviews will be conducted April 14th-17th with results available on April 18th. Results will also be posted on our website http://lilongwe.usembassy.gov/advising_services.html
Post to:
Educational Advisor
U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section P.O. Box 30016 Lilongwe, Malawi Or hand-delivered to
Education Advisor U.S. Embassy- PASOld Mutual BuildingCity CenterLilongwe, MalawiPersonal Information:
Full Name:
Home address where you reside when you are not at school:
Contact telephone (s): Email address, if any:
Birthdate: Gender:
Mother’s current occupation and workplace (Be specific, even if self-employed):
Father’s current occupation and workplace (Be specific, even if self-employed):
If parents are deceased, state name, relationship, occupation and workplace of your guardian:
Number of siblings and their ages:
Number of dependent people currently living with and supported by your family and their relationships to you:
Church/Religion, if any:
Amount of your secondary school fees (inclusive of boarding fees, if applicable) paid per term in 2007 (or the last year of your secondary schooling):
Who currently pays for your school fees? Are you on any bursary/scholarship? If so, how much does the bursary cover?
For those outside of Lilongwe, only:
If you are from outside of Lilongwe, do you have someone you can stay with in Lilongwe during the holidays and after your exams? Please state person’s name, relationship to you, physical address and contact telephone number.
If accepted, how will you finance transport to come to Lilongwe at least monthly during the year for CCP Meetings?
Academic and School Information:
MSCE or IGSCE or A level School Name and Mailing Address:
School Telephone Number: Headmaster/Headmistress’ Name:
Subjects you are taking. Please circle your strongest subject:
What exams are you taking at your school? Scores?
When did you write your exams?List below all schools you have attended and which forms you did at each school:
School Location Forms Completed
1.
2.
List the extra-curricular clubs, sports and activities that you participate in at high school and in your community and/or church. Circle the one to which you devote the most time and energy.
Please describe which one of these activities has the most meaning for you and why.
Do you hold any leadership positions at school? Please list them here and in which forms you held these positions (i.e. class monitor, prefect, head girl/boy, president of a club, captain of a team, etc.)
Short answer questions:
Feel free to use additional paper if the space if insufficient, please put your name on any additional paper used.
What do you hope to study at university? What is your planned career and why? Feel free to mention more than one potential field of study and career path. US education offers many new opportunities, so think widely – beyond medicine, pharmacy, engineering, actuarial science, business and accounting.
Outside of your planned career path, name several things you would like to learn just for the pure joy of learning – what do you have a burning desire to know more about?
List all prizes, honors or awards you have received during secondary and high school.
What else should we know about your background, your family and financial condition? Feel free to use an extra sheet of paper if this space is too small.
Very few people are chosen to participate in our Competitive College program – only about 1 out of 10 people who apply. Why should we select you over other highly qualified Malawian students? What makes you unique?
Dream a little. What impact do you want to make on the future of Malawi? Assuming that you will return home after completing your studies in the USA, how will you contribute positively to your home community and country?
Please describe your work ethic. Give an example of a project that you have started and completed and the steps you took to ensure success.
You must attach:
1) A photocopy of your MSCE stamped by your current school or a copy of your O level and/or A Level results. If you do not have your MSCE certificate please write the scores.
2) A letter of recommendation attesting to your character, talent and skills by a teacher, headmaster, pastor or community leader who knows you well. Please do not include a basic testimonial that does not talk about you as an individual.
3) A copy of both your end-of-year report from your Form Three year and of your first term report from Form Four. If you have not received your MSCE scores, please submit a copy of your full Form Four Year. If taking A levels, a copy of your end of year report from Lower Sixth and a copy of your first term report from Upper Sixth.
4) Write/type two essays, one from Group A and one from Group B, each at least one page long. Please write/type your name on all pages.
Group A – Choose one only
Colleges and universities in the United States will want to get to know you as a person, both in and out of the classroom. Use this essay as an opportunity to let us get to know you, how you think and what’s important to you. As we want to get to know you and not look for the most dramatic tale, is essential that all experiences related in these essays are a true and accurate depiction of your life.
A1. Sociologists argue that individuals must be defined in the context of both their families and their communities, and anthropologists add that this is particularly so in the communal settings of Africa. How do you personally define community and family and to what extent do they have an impact of your growth and development? Write specifically about a positive impact you have you made in your family and in your community.
A2. Describe a situation where your opinion was unpopular and you were thus in the minority. How did you make yourself heard and how did you deal with the response to your decision or opinion? What can you learn from this experience to apply to your future? (Please tell a true experience from your own life.)
A3. Explain a risk that you have taken that has influenced your life greatly, either positively or negatively. What have you learned about yourself and about risk taking from this experience? What do you think is the value of taking risks?
Group B – Choose one only
No matter whether you have studied science, commercial or arts subjects at A level, if you attend college or university in the US, you will be exposed to and will take a wide variety of subjects from the humanities, social sciences, and pure sciences. With this liberal arts education in mind, please answer one of the following questions to demonstrate your intellectual strengths.
B1. Discontent often leads to action. Use evidence from your studies, your knowledge of current affairs and you experience to write a paper agreeing or disagreeing with this statement.
B2. If you were on a committee to give an award for an unsung hero who has positively changed the world, that is someone who society has not yet recognized for the valuable contribution they have made, who would you nominate and why? Include your definition of a hero when making your decision.
B3. What is the greatest scientific discovery so far in the history of humankind? Describe its positive and potentially negative impact to justify your choice. Now if you could make one scientific discovery in your life, what discovery would you want to make and why?
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