Dollar Academy
Description of Dollar Academy
One of the best private schools in Scotland Dollar Academy is located in the same city, near the hilly area Ochil Hills - the road to Edinburgh takes only about 40 minutes, and to the international airport in Edinburgh from the Dollar Academy can be reached by taxi in only half an hour (the distance from Klackmannshire county to London is 652 kilometers).
The city of the Dollar is a fairly well-known and lively tourist center: its main attraction is the ancient Campbell Castle, which annually attracts thousands of people, lovers of history and architecture. The prestigious "neighbours" of the Acadamy Dollar are the university centers of Sterling and St. Andrews: such a student atmosphere gives the students even more comfort and opportunities for persistent, purposeful learning. The educational institution manages to maintain a friendly, calm, chamber atmosphere - from the very first days of stay here, students feel at home.
Dollar Academy is the oldest day school in the world, a boarding school of joint type. The Dollar Academy was founded in 1818: its rich history and traditions are revered by the teaching staff, which, nevertheless, is not afraid to introduce new teaching methods and innovative approaches to education, due to which the school is modern, comfortable, functional and maintains high educational standards. Graduates of the school without special difficulties enter the leading universities in Britain and the world: Oxbridge, Edinburgh University, Glasgow University, Warwick, St Andrews, Durham, UCL, LSE, Bristol and many others. Access is facilitated not only by the highest quality of teaching: the Scottish educational system is highly valued in the world due to the depth of knowledge received by students. An important role is played by developed programs of cooperation and partnership with other students and established programs for student exchange.
Dollar Academy is open for boys and girls from 5 to 18 years old, joint studying is practiced, students from all over the world can apply. The total number of pupils today reaches 1,227 people, of which about 90 are enrolled on a full board basis. The share of foreign students in the school is small - about 20% of the total number. Most students come from China, Russia, Germany, Spain and France.
Dollar Academy is divided into next educational stages:
- Preparatory School for children from 5 to 9 years old;
- Junior (Primary 6 & 7 School) for children aged 9-11 years;
- Senior School for students 12-18 years old.
The Dollar Academy is rightly proud of the academic successes of its graduates - in Scotland their academic performance is in the first place. About 95% of graduates successfully passed the Highers exams in three or more selected disciplines - for example, in 2007 for Scotland as a whole, this parameter was only 22%. Also it is high the percentage of students who successfully enter selected prestigious and advanced universities - especially popular specialties are medicine, business, engineering and law.
Dollar Academy aims to stimulate everyone to high academic achievements, to educate interest in pursuits and enthusiasm, to maximize the strengths of each. Education is built not only with the help of classical academic studies - students attend fascinating seminars, work in scientific laboratories, go on exciting trips and on sightseeing tours. This approach allows international students to increase the level of self-confidence and in discipline knowledge, to raise ambitiousness and at the same time respect for the opinions of others, to awaken the craving for knowledge that students support their whole life. It is particularly valuable that senior pupils are given a sufficiently significant degree of freedom and independence: the teaching staff fully trusts their pupils, does not question their personal and moral qualities, the ability to take responsibility for words and deeds.
In their free time students Dollar Academy expects more than 70 clubs and communities, various groups and studios: this is an excellent opportunity to find a new hobby, to show your abilities and skills. Also, extra-curricular activities, organized by teachers and educators, help children demonstrate leadership qualities, develop communication skills, creativity and originality.
To be enrolled in the Dollar Academy, the entrant is required to pass a competitive program:
- Confirm a high level of English proficiency
- Submit a progress report and a testimonial attested in the previous school
- Pass the math and english test
- Testing for logical thinking
- In some cases, you can go through a personal interview with the director of an educational institution.
Applications can be submitted at any time of the year, but the earlier you send your request, the more chances for successful consideration and enrollment in the ranks of students of the Academy.
Programs and prices, tuition fees in Dollar Academy
Primary school accepts for studying small pupils from 5 to 10 years. At this age, the main thing is not to give the child an extensive knowledge of many academic disciplines, but to instill in him the love of learning, the desire to improve as a person, to grow in personal and academic terms. Students learn the skills of effective and quality independent work, they learn the ability to receive and analyze information, think critically and analytically, work in a team, defend their point of view. Undoubtedly, there is an academic part in the learning process - but the main attention of the teacher is aimed at qualitatively preparing the child for a long and successful further education.
The international children from 10 to 14 years old are invited to study. At this age, students have a solid foundation of knowledge, as well as the ability to work effectively independently. A fairly wide list of educational disciplines is being studied: this helps not only to broaden the outlook of a small student, but also to give an opportunity at a young age to determine their interests and preferences. Knowledge of a wide range of disciplines will be enough to choose your own direction at 14 years and continue to study more deeply the chosen disciplines to obtain the desired profession.
At this stage of studying, schoolchildren are expected to be between the ages of 14 and 18. At the age of 16, students take a specialized examination and receive a corporate certificate confirming the receipt of secondary education - an analogue of the British GCSE certificate. Also the final exams that are surrendered at 17-18 years are similar to the British educational system. Higher and Advanced tests are quoted no less than the famous A-level.
Students take examinations in the disciplines (at their own discretion and personal choice) - for study a fairly voluminous and complete list of disciplines is offered:
- Technology and Design
- Painting and Design
- Physics
- Latin and Greek
- Music
- Dramatic art
- History of classical civilizations
- Mathematics (+ Applied)
- Biological and Chemical Sciences
- Foreign languages: Spanish, German or French
- Human physiology and anatomy
- Sport and physical education
- Economics and accounting
- Engineering
- Business management
- History
- Administration
- Geography
- Management of natural resources
- Information Technology and Informatics
- English Language + Literature
- Contemporary Society.
Accommodation, meals, prices
Dollar Academy has equipped three small and cozy residences for a comfortable stay of students, each of which has recently undergone extensive renovation.
- McNabb & amp; Tait House - a men's residence, designed for 49 people. Pupils of lower grades live by two, high school students can claim a separate room. Students are provided with PC, TV and DVD equipment, the atmosphere of comfort is complemented by local pets - affectionate cat and labrador.
- Argyll House and Heyworth House are girls' dorms built in classic Victorian style with a stunning panoramic view from the windows. Schoolgirls of younger age also live on 2-3 persons basis in one room, the pupils of the senior classes in the majority occupy separate rooms. As in the man's residence, there is everything necessary for comfortable rest: PC, wireless Internet, TV, piano, small kitchen and a cozy common recreation room.
All students who live in a boarding school receive full and varied meals. In addition, laundry services are available, such as laundry and ironing. The order in the buildings is provided by educators and curators, as well as student elders who enter the administrative structure of the educational institution - they all live together with students in each of the residences.
Subjects and sports
Advantages
- Excellent quality education: a stable 1-2 place in the ranking of the best schools in Scotland
- The oldest Dollar Academy is featured by a stronghold of history and tradition
- Respect for the person, maximum personal growth, comprehensive support and development of moral and ethical qualities
- Comfortable living conditions
- The functionality and the present of technical equipment, the availability of any required equipment
- The broadest opportunities for sporting activities
- Huge opportunities for the development of creative talents and potential
- Friendly, chamber atmosphere.
Facilities and equipment at Dollar Academy
Dollar Academy proudly highlights its status as the most sports school in the UK. Students of the Acadamy Dollar have great opportunities for sports and active recreation thanks to the combination of the flat and hilly terrain of the region: various hikes and expeditions, horse riding, cross country crosses. The total area of ​​the school territory is 28 hectares (70 acres). There is also free access to the pool, cricket fields, sports and fitness centers. You can play football and golf, do shooting, curling, badminton, athletics, try your hand at shooting, chess, gymnastics, rock climbing. In addition, students can dance and go fishing, surfing and skiing. Cricket, tennis, hockey and rugby are especially popular sports. There are even such exotic types of leisure as helicopter flying and falconry! Sports teams made up of the Dollar Academy pupils often represent the country at national competitions, so the level of sports training of an educational institution is so high.
Artists and gifted children will not be left out: they have mugs and sections for photography, ceramics and sculpture, drawing and animation, and clothing design. Pupils of the Academy regularly win in national competitions, many of them annually enter prestigious colleges of arts, the educational institution constantly holds exhibitions of creative works and achievements.
The lessons of the drama club, the production of musicals are very popular - for this purpose the Academy Dollar has its own theater.
The Academy also pays great attention to music lessons: five choral ensembles, three orchestras, two Jazz studios and ensemble of pipers, recognized as the best in Scotland. A special recording studio is opened for children, and a Christmas concert, which includes about 450 participants, is annually held in Edinburgh, in Usher Hall.
Pupils with great enthusiasm are engaged in the Cadet Corps of the Academy - CCF has won three years in national competitions in combat and drill studying, and various awards have been awarded to a brass band and a team of drummers.
All clubs and interest groups in which students can borrow the Academy Dollar in their spare time can not be counted:
- Economics
- Seismology
- Arts
- Japanese
- Ballet
- Philosophy
- Literature
- Puzzles and board games
- The debate
- Child care
- Diving
- Politics
- Cooking
- Multimedia technology
- Recording and creating music
- Entrepreneurship
- Gardening
- Yoga
- Making ornaments
- Journalism and the school newspaper and much, much more.
Admission dates and extra charges
- Preparatory school: tuition = 8703 £, full board = 23994 £, weekly board = 22527 £.
- High school: Tuition = 10008 £, full board = 25299 £, weekly board = 23832 £.
- High school: tuition = 11637 £, full board = 26928 £, weekly board = 25461 £.
The price includes:
- Academic classes according to the program
- When paying boarding house - accommodation and meals, school uniform and bedding
- Use of school infrastructure.
Additional payment:
- Visa fee (in the embassy)
- Deposit: 500 £ = day form, £ 1500 = boarding house
- Registration fee (non-refundable): £ 150 = boarding, 100 £ = day training
- Flight tickets and Transfer
- Medical insurance policy
- School lunches (three course meal = 2.9 £)
- Additional leisure activities at will.
Extras:
- Registration fee (for a programme/course) 150 GBP
- Deposit for a course/programme 1500 GBP
Institution on the map
Residence permits, citizenship and other services
- Guardianship services during the studies
- Student supervision
Review about Dollar Academy
The school is very comfortable, beautiful - at the same time very strict. A 12-year-old son is studying (for the second year already): he has already adapted, he is not lagging anywhere, but it was difficult. In our opinion, a school for disciplined and independent, stubborn children.
Very qualified teachers. We have a special closed online portal: there you can see information on each - work experience, degree, etc. In general, the portal is very convenient: we are there looking at the schedule of classroom / extra-curricular activities, time sheets, photos from events. In addition, every semester you are sent a full report on the child: there are recommendations for what needs to be tightened up, and the options "we advise you to go to such and that circle, because the child is talented".
Studying is difficult, there is a lot of subjects, a large amount of information. Saves the library, where children are engaged (it is open until late), many teachers give additional advice. There are special tutors (such as curators) who the child can turn to, if something does not work, can not make a schedule, etc. In general, it is not easy, yes, but on the other hand, all children help to achieve their goals.
Recommendations on when to apply
| Language courses, schools and children's language camps | Primary and secondary education - private schools | Preparation programmes for entering universities - higher education | Higher education (after completing accredited programs A-level, IB, High School) - Bachelor, Master, MBA |
| - we recommend to apply 6-9 months before the start of the course (some camps and schools offer discounts for early booking or for lengthy study programs) - there are some very popular and high demand children's camps, where the applications need to be submitted 1 year in advance (in particular Switzerland , Great Britain , USA , Canada , Austria) | - we recommend to apply one year before the start of the training program, - some schools have a specific time frame (September-November - please specify an individual school) - some schools require tests in several stages (UKISET, internal tests of the school: English, mathematics, logics, subjects, interview, some require a personal visit) | - we recommend to apply one year before the start of the program, - for Foundation and Pathway programs, IELTS and TOEFL certificates are usually required, respectively | - recommended submission one year before the start of the program, - the deadline normally closes in January, for TOP HEIs and, as a rule, in March in other universities - for a bachelor, a Foundation or Pathway preparatory program a completed A-level, IB, High School + IELTS / TOEFL are required - for Masters you need a graduated higher education, in some cases you need a pre-Masters program - MBA requires completed higher education, work experience preferably at least 2-3 years, etc. |
