# Job interview & International schools



## kristinrae (Mar 11, 2015)

Hello everyone! I have an interview for a job in Berlin. I'm American from Minnesota. Does anyone have any etiquette advice or anything I should know for my interview? My job would be in Friedrichshain. My son will be in 8th grade this fall. Is it too late to get him in a school? What are the options for English speaking schools no more than $5000/year?


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## vronchen (Jan 26, 2012)

kristinrae said:


> What are the options for English speaking schools no more than $5000/year?


What about the Kennedy school. It is public so there is no tuition.


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## ALKB (Jan 20, 2012)

kristinrae said:


> Hello everyone! I have an interview for a job in Berlin. I'm American from Minnesota. Does anyone have any etiquette advice or anything I should know for my interview? My job would be in Friedrichshain. My son will be in 8th grade this fall. Is it too late to get him in a school? What are the options for English speaking schools no more than $5000/year?


Well, etiquette depends a bit on what kind of job you are applying for but generally... dress neatly, be polite, don't call anybody by their first names unless invited to do so and don't invite the interviewer to call you by your first name unless they are a fellow American and it would be alright to do so in America?

I might do better with school advice.

Schooling in Germany is not a federal matter, so every Bundesland has its own system.

In Berlin, high school/secondary school starts at 7th grade.

Depending on ability, pupils can leave school after 10th grade or go on to do Abitur which qualifies for direct entry to university. 

If you are opting for a German school, that is.

As far as I can remember, all the private international schools cost way more than 5000 US Dollars, so I'll stick with the free state options.

Starting with John F. Kennedy High School, you can opt to follow an American curriculum there and either opt for American High School Diploma or German Abitur. Very hard to get into:

John F. Kennedy School Berlin | John F Kennedy School Berlin

Then there is Nelson Mandela International school, an English medium state school aimed at highly mobile families. They have compulsory entry exams twice a year, I think:

Home - NMS - Nelson Mandela School, Berlin

Last but not least, Schiller Oberschule, a bilingual Europa School with a really good reputation:

Schiller Oberschule

You might want to make appointments with all of these schools for when you are in Berlin for your interview (hopefully not during Easter School Holidays?) and have a look around. Officially you can only apply for a school place in a state school once you have an address in Berlin but getting a preliminary opinion about whether they might have a place and seeing for yourself how you like the location, the building and atmosphere is always worth the effort.

As schooling is compulsory until the age of 16, he will get a school place in any case. It might just not be where you want it to be, so best to start your enquiries now. Regular applications fora start in August were due in February but as far as I know, the bilingual schools usually _make space_ for native speakers.

EDIT:

These private ones actually look affordable:

http://www.cosmopolitanschool.de/berlin-cosmopolitan-school.html

http://berlin-bilingual-school.de/secondary-school/welcome

They also look more convenient for your commute to Friedrichshain. I hadn't heard of the schoosl before and can't say anything about how hard it is to get in or anything else.


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## kristinrae (Mar 11, 2015)

Thank you so much! You are immensely helpful! I will follow your advice for my interview and check out these schools. I really appreciate it!


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## ALKB (Jan 20, 2012)

kristinrae said:


> Thank you so much! You are immensely helpful! I will follow your advice for my interview and check out these schools. I really appreciate it!


Good luck for the interview!

I'd also love to hear your opinion on all/any of the schools you visit. We'll be moving home at some point in the next six years and I'll have one child without any prior exposure to the German school system, so would probably try for a bilingual school.


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## kristinrae (Mar 11, 2015)

I will do that! Thanks!


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