We admit students as integral beings

When a new student joins the German School of Medellin, he/she is not alone. He/she gets to a family that will accompany him/her in a 14-year journey. Thus, the decision of joining our school is not to be taken lightly: on one hand, parents must be convinced that this is the best place for their children to grow up and develop themselves and, on the other hand, we must know the candidates, their family and their surroundings very well in order to make their adaptation to the educational model and the value proposal, easier.

The admissions process is taken seriously and, even though activities such as the guided visit to the school´s facilities can anticipate such process, with the candidate child, it begins when he/she has turned 2 years old. We are convinced that this is the time necessary for a family, regardless of its structure, to interact with the child enough to understand his/her priorities, tastes, personalities, and behavior very well. We know that, during this time, not only the children are ready, but also the family has been able to consolidate itself, understand the dynamics and relationships between parents and children, which will be fundamental in the years to come.

We are certain that the selection of a school is a transcendental step and thus, we want to help find the answer to one of the questions that parents ask themselves: Will my child be happy in this School? Nevertheless, we consider that a decision like this one should involve all the family, so we believe that peace of mind and happiness should be not only for the child but also for the whole family.

We have come up with and admissions process that nowadays is a benchmark for other institutions in the city and in the country. It has been carefully thought for families to have an idea on the everyday life at our campus, know the teaching methodology and understand that, when choosing the German School of Medellin, they choose a school with emphasis in the learning of three languages (Spanish, German and English) and that beyond the academic process, the children and teenagers shall live an intercultural experience.

It is the moment for a family to begin imagining a future with its children. Everything begins with a visit to our school facilities, in which the tour guides are our students, to have a direct contact with the ones who can give the best testimony of their experience, their critical thinking, and their formation as citizens of the world. Besides, it is interesting to get to know the story of each one of the members of the candidate families and how it merges with our

School´s proposal in terms of the institutional philosophy; thus, we invite parents to an interview and a playful day with their child.

We know it must go both ways; thus, we promote spaces for the relations with teachers, directors and administrative staff, for there to be a multicultural environment, in a way such, that it is the families themselves who confirm that our value promise is a real one. Likewise, we visit the day care centers to know, within a natural environment, the process that our candidates and their families have undergone.

Therefore, we understand our process as one in which we admit students as integral beings. One in which, not only do we receive the candidates, but also welcome the universe behind him/her, including parents, families, and the surrounding in which they interact. It is then, essential that the families understand our model and that it lines up with their life project.