Problems of Current Education

Tyranny of Time

At many international schools in Tokyo, there is simply far too little time left in the day, week or semester for students to work on building an outstanding college application. Traditionally, a student must take core courses from 8am to 4pm, semester after semester. Students blindly overload themselves with extracurricular activities after school, thinking that those will rectify their mediocre college application. They come home late, barely having enough time and energy to work on their homework or study, and weekends are filled with sports events or school-related activities. Students end up not participating in extracurricular activities in upper high school in order to focus on their academics, but for many cases, they don’t have much time left until college applications. More importantly, having to spend so much time in and out of school takes students’ chances to develop their interests or skills that they want to pursue.

Last Minute, Mediocre Resume (College Application)

To be a competent applicant at top schools, good GPA isn’t going to be enough. Only the extraordinary applications will be viewed and considered in top-tier college admissions, and it takes years to build such an application. In a collective learning environment, students blindly do what their peers do, not understanding the importance of personal goal-setting, planning and action-taking. Many students spend their first high school years with minimum school-provided guidance, and end up with a mediocre resume or insufficient application for top level colleges.

Insufficient Personal Care at Schools

Typically, one or two college counselors at an international school in Tokyo will have to watch over at least 30-40 students rising seniors in a given semester plus the rising Gr 9 to 11 students. Number easily adds up to hundreds of students every year. It is impossible to provide sufficient advising to each and every student because of this off-balance, and students consequently don’t receive enough or continued help. Rarely, students do fine without much hands-on guidance, but most fail to maximize and reach their potential due to an insufficient amount of personalized and ongoing academic and college guidance. 

Pacing with Everyone Else

In a traditional lecture-based learning environment, students are expected to keep their learning speed and progress the same as everyone else in the class. No student can be ahead or fall behind, and everyone has to adjust to the pacing that the teacher sets. What if students are allowed to learn at their own speed? Those who can learn fast, will advance through easier materials and spend more time attacking more difficult ones, and go on to the next grade level. This buys students more time at the end of high school, and they can work more on other college application requirements. Those who need more time, will take time to make sure they learn and ensure that their grades don’t suffer. Having to pace with everyone else jeopardizes and limits one’s ability either to advance or achieve better grades.

EOS LRC Tokyo Solutions

1. Not bound by Traditional Hours of School

Even though 8am-3pm is the default school hours at EOS LRC Tokyo, students are free to use their hours during the week to work on what is more worthwhile for them, as long as students meet the weekly progress goals. Teachers and mentors will be in constant communication with the family, to ensure that students do the work even if they cannot make it to the school hours. 

2. Robust Transcript and Resume

EOS LRC Tokyo is a fully WASC and Cognia accredited program, through which students can complete A-G graduation requirements set forth by University of California. EOS LRC Tokyo focuses not only on academic goals but also with college prep including standardized testing and application. EOS LRC Tokyo goal is to build a competitive resume for a student over the years, and no student will end up with a mediocre college application under EOS LRC Tokyo supervision. 

3. Personalized Everything

Elite educational professionals will guide each student according to their goals and needs. No two students have the same academic action plan unless their goals are identical. Intimate learning environment also helps students focus on their work and communicate freely with the staff. Everyone receives sufficient amount of customized academic advising, counseling, and feedback.

4. College Admission Assurance

EOS LRC Tokyo is a member of the Elite Education Group, the most historic and successful college preparatory and K-12 education service provider founded in 1987, with education centers in over 50 locations and 6 countries. For over 30 years, Elite has been guiding students and families of all backgrounds and situations to achieve their college admission dreams. EOS LRC Tokyo students and parents, in the same way, can rest assured that every preparation needed, from standardized test training to college consulting, will be provided with the same dedication and exemplary track record. EOS LRC Tokyo is the only school in Tokyo that can provide an accredited transcript and college prep advising.