The Cedar College Viewbook

message from the dean Welcome to Cedar College.

Cedar is an exciting new A Level school with an exceptional breadth and depth of curriculum. Located in Karachi, Cedar College is a pioneer in educational innovation and seeks to change the academic experience in its totality.

Cedar was conceived by a group of extraordinary teachers who wanted to design a school keeping in mind the lessons they have learned over decades of collective teaching experience. It is a school both owned and run by teachers. This makes Cedar unique.

Cedar has a faculty of the highest calibre with over a hundred years of demonstrated experience. We seek to produce students who display not just academic excellence but who are also critical thinking, tolerant and compassionate citizens of the world. Students at Cedar will be exposed to a rich variety of studies and extracurricular experiences that will shape their personalities and identities.

At Cedar, we encourage you to explore, think and discover.

Best wishes,

Syed Nasir Ali Dean of the College

1

EMPOWERING CRITICAL THINKERS TO NURTURE THE WORLD WE LIVE IN.

Imagine for a moment the countless possibilities that lie before you as you walk through the doors of a college. You could be actively involved in making impactful decisions about your future.

Decisions that could shape, not just the next couple of years, but lay the groundwork for your future professional and personal success. You could be chalking out your future with help from inspiring, exceptional minds that possess decades of collective teaching and counseling experience. You could be nourishing your mental faculties with a breadth and depth of curriculum as yet unheard of in the country.

Now imagine for another moment if all these possibilities came together in one place. Imagine if you could wield them, build on them and optimize them to find that perfect balance which fits your needs.

you have arrived at Cedar Nothing better defines the academic experience than the team of educational pioneers at Cedar – brainchild of an engaging group of teachers who wanted to put to good use the lessons they have learned over decades of collective teaching. Teachers who believe in leading from the front, who seek to challenge the conventional and push beyond the flimsy frontiers of knowledge.

And there you have our credo. Cedar seeks in individuals not just academic excellence but the ability to explore beyond the horizons of their knowledge, to think beyond binaries of black and white, and to discover themselves in tandem with the world around them.

Dean of the College Syed Nasir Ali Manager ECA Fatima Khurshid Manager IT Ali Qazi

4

Directors Ahmad A. Karim Ali Anwerzada Bilal Hameed Omair Masood Roque Martin D’Mello Sheheryar Rashid

board of advisors Our Board of Advisors comprises individuals of national and international stature from both the corporate and the academic worlds.

The Board brings its breadth of knowledge and experience to play a key role in the advancement of Cedar’s goals and objectives. It advises the management regarding educational trends, technologies and pedagogical philosophies. The Board members are ambassadors of Cedar and its ethos amongst alumni, friends, associates, and colleagues.

zaheer a. kidvai

noel rodrigues

savio fernandes

nida r. farid

raza kizilbash

5

7

the A Level faculty

ahmad a. karim

ali anwerzada

bilal hameed

dilnaz avari

dr. farooq shaikh

fawad yousuf

hussham arshad

khatija masood

sociology

chemistry

economics

8

business

biology

economics

history

biology

lynette viccaji literature

omair masood accounting

roque m. d’mello physics

12

salman amin

average years of teaching experience

sajjad syed

shahab yaqoob

sheheryar rashid

yasser ahmad

business & psychology

mathematics

mathematics

economics

sociology

9

8

the A Levels Our academic program offers a well-structured and balanced A Level curriculum, with a rigorous and inspiring liberal arts core.

We offer a wide range of A Level subjects with flexibility in subject choice and combinations. Instead of limiting you to a set of fixed subject blocks, we do our best to be as accommodating as possible to ensure a subject combination that is suited to your strengths and career aspirations.

biology

university preferred major a levels Actuarial Science Architecture

chemistry

Biological Sciences Business

further math

sociology

Biology & Chemistry

Math & Physics

Engineering Environment

English Literature Economics & Math Math & Physics Chemistry, Biology & Physics

Law

History & Economics Math & Further Math

Philosophy

Chemistry, Biology & Physics Sociology & History

Physics

Math & Physics

Politics

Sociology & History

Psychology Sociology

economics

Chemistry, Biology & Physics

Mathematics Medicine

business

Accounting & Economics Chemistry, Math & Physics

Dentistry

physics

Math & Physics

Computer Science

Economics

literature

Math & Further Math

Chemical Sciences Creative Writing

accounting

Sociology & Economics Sociology & History

history

math

psychology

11

the liberal arts core What makes you come alive? What is it that makes you tick?

That compels you to discover, to explore, to learn.

“Don’t ask what the world needs.

Ask what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

Howard Thurman

Each human being is different. We must experiment to discover what it is we love; that makes us come alive. The Core at Cedar provides you the space for this experimentation…to widen your horizons, to inflame and unsettle your mind and to discover who you are by allowing you to choose from a variety of disciplines and encouraging you to think holistically.

The Core at Cedar therefore has one purpose: exposure. It exposes students to new ways of thinking and being, to a common vocabulary of ideas and skills, to interdisciplinary learning, to arts and sciences, to music and theatre, to issues of culture and identity, to philosophy and to self-discovery.

The Core includes courses as diverse as “The Human Journey”, “The Roots of War” and “The Grand Universe.“ The Core at Cedar is a selection of courses that all students are required to complete before they graduate.

Students must complete a minimum six courses from the Core over a period of two years which must include at least one course from each of the following three areas: “the Arts and Humanities”, “the Social Sciences and Business” and “the Natural Sciences and Math”.

Each Core course lasts two months with two classes scheduled every week. Students complete the Core with a heightened appreciation of various disciplines and a better understanding of themselves and society while sharpening skills in critical thinking and analytical writing.

12

14

yasser ahmad

ahmad a. karim

ali anwerzada

omair masood

social sciences & business

the arts & humanities

dr. farooq shaikh

bilal hameed

roque m. d’mello

sheheryar rashid

natural sciences & math

liberal arts faculty

distinctive projects The Distinctive Project a is one-year intellectual journey that students undertake with the guidance of a faculty advisor. A distinctive project can be the backbone of a memorable educational experience away from the familiar classroom setting. Through self-guided work, students are allowed to explore their passions, often revealing surprising life skills and potential by studying topics of personal interest. Students pursuing a Distinctive Project are held to a high standard: their proposals are reviewed and approved by the Curriculum Committee; they are required to report on a regular basis to their faculty advisor, and to formally present their work at the end of term.

There are numerous possibilities for students to work on. Some suggested projects include: - Creating a Google Earth map of your neighbourhood with oral histories from your community embedded within it.

- Initiating a small business unit from inception, through implementation to deployment, while recording and documenting all aspects of the business unit, including its formation, legal documentation and accounting.

- Identifying areas of conservation and improvement of processes to ensure efficient consumption of resources in Pakistan.

- Composing an original score for a theatrical production.

- Surveying and cataloging a history of historic buildings, the inhabitants (if possible) and the history that transpired around it.

15

academic assistance The Academic Assistance Program aims to provide support to students in addition to scheduled class hours. It comprises three key elements:

academic advisors Each first year student is assigned a faculty member as an academic advisor. Advisors provide guidance for developing and achieving meaningful educational goals and help identify and understand career options.

advanced academic writing Writing is a critical skill that requires constant work which is why we have writing coaches who assist students with college essays, personal statements and studying objectives. Coaches work with students and help them with the structure of essays, with editing and proof reading assignments, as well as with citations and referencing for research purposes.

peer tutoring The Peer Tutoring program is managed by second year students under the guidance of teachers. Second year students with outstanding academic performances and strong command over their subject material are selected as Peer Tutors to provide academic support to first year students.

16

community service Our connection with our environment and the city is not limited to the confines of our campus.

Cedar attracts doers. We cannot sit idle and wait for tomorrow, when we are fully aware that our talents and passions can effect change today.

It is no wonder that volunteering and community services are central to our program. “Nurturing the world we live in� is an essential part of Cedar’s vision and we strive to meet this challenge head-on.

There are many opportunities for community service available at Cedar.

From tutoring primary and middle school low income communities with the PhonicsforAll Society, to a variety of one day volunteering projects at various established institutions, to our multi-day quarter break community trips to places like Khaplu, Skardu and Kaghan.

The community programs within Cedar aim to establish and strengthen long-term connections and partnerships between the College and its community members. We aim to provide students with opportunities to participate in social, educational, and cultural activities on and off campus.

18

clubs and organisations Cedar houses a large number of clubs and societies. As an active member of any student club or society, you will learn important leadership and management skills as you participate in a variety of programs.

This may include planning campuswide elections for the student council, academic, cultural, art appreciation, religious or social events, as well as working on various aspects of student publications, professional recording of music compositions, compiling photography portfolios, competing in athletic competitions or debate and declamation contests, chess and bridge tournaments, setting up small business entities, attending leadership seminars, and organising community service projects.

Some of the clubs on campus include, but are not limited to, the Student Council, the enterprise club, the rooks (chess club), the exploration society, the photography club, cedar beats (music production society), the history society, debate team, model UN, quiz bowl team, the anime club, the comic book club, expeditions (the adventure society) and absolute zero (the science club).

19

sports Sports at Cedar encourage collaboration and development and are central to learning. The Cedar Knights represent a culture of chivalry, courtesy and professionalism. A Knight knows how to lead and be led. He is modest in victory and gracious in defeat.

We host 3 major school tournaments: table tennis, badminton and 4-on-4 futsal. The tournaments are held on campus annually and take place in the Commons, a multipurpose space for high intensity exercises and drills. All members of school teams must participate in scheduled weekly drills and practice sessions.

Varsity and interhouse sports include, but are not limited to, football, futsal, cricket, basketball, throwball, hockey, badminton, table tennis, tennis, squash, rowing, swimming and horseback riding.

21

WHERE P POTENTIAL MEETS POSSIBILITIES P

college counseling At Cedar, college counseling is a collaborative process. While focusing on the student’s academic ability and their financial concerns, it is important for all of us - parents, students and counselors - to work together towards the college application.

The Office of College Counseling supports and counsels students as they navigate the many university options available and short list ones that best fit their academic and personal profile. We share the responsibility for meeting deadlines, researching universities, choosing majors, registering for universities admission tests, preparing for interviews and completing applications.

At Cedar, career counseling is individualised, as the process extends beyond helping students find a suitable college. It also provides students with an opportunity to reflect, grow and learn about who they are, as they develop skills which will prove to be invaluable beyond their college years.

24

college counseling timeline

Q2

Second Quarter • German and French language classes begin • Students research for universities is encouraged • Second one-on-one meeting with the counselor, including parents, to review the action plan, given academic performance and affordability • College essay seminar: how to write powerful essays for college applications

first year

n o v a u g

s ep

d e c

Fourth Quarter • Prepare for the CIE

may

jan

o ct

First Quarter • First College counseling seminar • Departmental career seminar • Completion of information questionnaire by students and parents • First one-on-one meeting with the counselors • In-house classes for students appearing for SAT I in Jan 2016 begin

Q4

feb

mar

jun

apr

Third Quarter • Appear for SAT I in Jan • Third one-on-one meeting with the counselor to discuss and finalize the list of universities • Language classes continue

Summer • Fourth one-on-one meeting with the counselor to chalk out the task for summer break: college essays, CV, recommendations, in-house SAT I and SAT II preparation and key deadlines for different regions

Q3

Q1

26

jul

SM

Q1 First Quarter • Completion of first draft of the college essay • In-house SAT I and II classes continue • Request letters of recommendation • Fifth one-on-one meeting the counselor: discussion of the second draft of the college essay, as well as important dates and deadlines • First deadline for UCAS for the universities of Oxford, Cambridge and most courses in medicine, veterinary medicine/science and dentistry • Seminar: student preparation for university interviews n o v a u g

s e p

d e c

Q3 Third Quarter • UCAS application for most courses • Common Applications for regular decision for US universities • Appear for SAT I and II in Jan • Applications for LUMS • IBA admission process begins jan

fe b mar Second Quarter • Finalize essays and letters of recommendation for applications to the US for early decision and early action • Send applications for early decision to US universities • Finalize application packages before winter break • Appear for SAT I and II • Mock interviews for universities to be conducted

o ct

second year

may

SM Summer • AKU test (mid Jun) jun

jul

apr Fourth Quarter • IBA test and application process • Application for AKU

Q4

Q2

27

our technology student information system The Student Information System (SIS) allows our faculty and administration to collaborate with each other and to assess the student’s academic performance and participation in extra-curricular activities.

The SIS allows students to: - access their individual timetables, - manage their study plans and calendars, - keep up with Cedar’s social feeds and events.

Parents can also use the SIS to: - stay up to date with their child’s academic and extra-curricular progress - request meetings with faculty and administration.

technology in the classroom Cedar uses the iPad as its educational contentdelivery device. All students are given iPads for a hands-on, customizable learning experience in a familiar digital ecosystem. Students can use the iBooks app to download textbooks and customized class content directly into their iPads. The iPad allows students to dive into a dynamic timeline about the Second World War, rotate a 3D plant cell, or take an interactive chapter review quiz in Physics. Definitions, when they are needed, are one-click away. Students can highlight text and make quick notes. Studying with the iPad thus becomes an immersive experience that goes well beyond the words on the page.

At Cedar, we develop our own interactive material and organize and deliver lessons to the students’ iPads. Students can download lessons for their chosen courses, read their teachers’ notes and discussions and stay up to date with assignments and tests.

28

our facilities Students may access the lab facilities at any time, before or after scheduled classes. At Cedar, we encourage students to take initiative and utilize the wide variety of facilities available for their experiments, with the help of qualified lab assistants who are present at all times.

our labs

the commons The Commons is a versatile space, conducive to collaboration. It is a “home base� for students during their time on campus.

The campus has 13 purpose-built classrooms which are well-lit, air conditioned and well equipped with WiFi, projectors and sound systems.

our classrooms

the library The library is an open, inviting, technology-friendly space with an extensive collection of texts and is designed for quiet reflection and study.

31

admissions Choosing an A Level school is an exciting, but daunting task. When applying to an A Level school, it is important to ensure that the school has the program, resources and faculty you need to meet your personal and academic needs. It’s also important to understand what the school expects from you.

At Cedar, you are more than your O Level grades and school transcripts.

The Cedar Office of Admissions reviews each application on a holistic basis. We consider a candidate’s entire application: academic and extracurricular records, essays, letters of recommendation, O Level results and interview.

We believe Cedar offers some of the best academic and studentservices programs in Pakistan and we invite you to discover this for yourself.

Use the website to learn about our admissions procedure: how to apply, when to apply, admission cycles, their deadlines, our scholarship program and much more about what it takes and what it would be like to be a student at Cedar.

34

admission cycles Cedar offers two cycles of admissions Early and Regular Admission. Students may choose to apply for the Early or the Regular Admission cycle. Applying Early does come with benefits since Cedar has limited seats and there are many applicants.

early admission The Early Admission cycle begins from Jan 25, 2015 and ends on Feb 25, 2015.

Applications received after the deadline will only be considered in the Regular Admission cycle, which will take place once the Early Admission process is over and all the offers of Early Admissions have been made.

Cedar College is very selective in its admissions.

In order to improve the chances of admissions, it is recommended that students apply early. A large proportion of admission offers will be made in this round. The Early Admission cycle allows outstanding students with outstanding academic records throughout their secondary schooling to obtain admissions before their O Level results are out.

early admission deadline

feb 25

regular admission deadline

aug 20 regular admission Those students who did not apply during the Early Admission cycle can do so in the Regular Admission cycle.

The Regular Admission cycle begins once the Early applications are reviewed and offers have been made. As a result, there are fewer seats available in the Regular Admissions cycle. Regular Admission, however, continues till August 22, 2015 after which no further offers will be extended.

35

EXPLORE. THINK. DISCOVER.

designed by daniel haidermota