Alberto Albertos of DPF: “What matters most to us is that both the students and their parents feel they have had the best year of their lives” 
Deaquíparafuera is a company that works with students who want to study in high schools in the United States. Since 2001 they have helped more than 4,000 young people to study in American institutions. Alberto Albertos, DPF’s educational consultant, tells us today how they work, what types of high schools exist and when is the best time to study in a high school in the United States. Let’s get started!
How did DPF come about?
DPF was created in 2001 with the idea of helping international students and athletes get a better education and life experience through sports in the United States. The goal was to leverage that effort both in class and in their sports and to be able to get a scholarship to American universities.
What is the best year to do a year of high school in the USA and why?
In the last few years we have seen a big increase in students wanting to go to 9th and 10th grade in the USA. Some of the advantages of going younger are the ease of adaptation, learning the language faster and taking advantage of the interest of the schools in younger students.
- What types of high schools are there and how do they differ?
There are public high schools, private high schools and boarding schools. Public high schools are government funded schools where there is a lot of variety in terms of facilities, academic level, areas, etc. On the other hand, private high schools tend to increase the number of subjects offered and reduce the number of students per class. Boarding Schools are schools that function very similar to an American university. All facilities are on campus and students share a room with a teammate or classmate. Students have all meals included, tuition, classes and tutoring, sports and athletic expenses. The faculty lives on campus for the safety of the students.
What are the requirements to study in an American high school?
The most important aspects to be evaluated by the High Schools are: the academic average, the level of English, if the student practices any extracurricular activity or sport, their letters of recommendation and personal interviews.
What is the whole process like?
At Deaquiparafuera we create a profile for each student on which we work hand in hand with the families during the entire process. We have a team in the United States, where all of them have lived, studied and/or worked in Boarding Schools, so that they also get to know our students. First, we make a selection of several schools for our families so that they can get to know them before applying, and once the destination school is selected, we prepare all the documentation for the visa. We accompany the family and the student during their stay in the United States. And one of the most important things: all the Boarding Schools we work with we have personally visited before working with them.
When is the best time to start the process?
The ideal is to prepare the process at least 1 year in advance. This way we can better prepare the student’s profile, have more school options, and get better admission conditions.
What are some recommendations you give to the kids?
During the process, to prepare themselves as well as possible, both with the language and with their studies. And once they are there, they should enjoy themselves! Time flies by and it is important to sign up for all the activities and sports that the schools offer to get the most out of the experience.
Are there any cases that have made a special impression on you?
We have many. Thanks to the great work done by our schools, we have worked with many boys and girls who have gone on to great universities such as Missouri State, Connecticut College, Michigan State, FIU, etc. But what matters most to us is that both the students and their parents feel that they have had the best year of their lives.
In the following interview, Alberto talks to Hope, director of admissions at Brook Hill School about the school and how the process works.
In conclussion, studying one year in an American high school can be a great experience. If you also want to live it, do not hesitate to ask for information.
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