TIRANA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

2018-2019 SCHOOL PROFILE

Director: Mr. Robert Jackson
Director of Instruction: Mrs. Carla Grossman
School Counselor: Mrs. Stephanie Smith

CEEB Code: 704000 THE SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY

QUALITY SCHOOLS INTERNATIONAL
Tirana International School (TIS) is a member of Quality
Schools International (QSI), a consortium of nonprofit
college-preparatory schools following an American-style,
international curriculum. Quality Schools International
has 37 schools in 31 countries, with headquarters in
Ljubljana, Slovenia. TIS embraces the mastery learning
educational philosophy, leading to appropriately
challenging instruction within a positive and
enjoyable learning environment.
Tirana International School (TIS) is a private,
nonprofit Preschool-Secondary IV (Grade 12)
coeducational, American curriculum, college
preparatory institution with a total of 300 students
enrolled this year.
TIS was founded in 1991 by Quality Schools
International (QSI) in order to provide a quality education
for expatriates living in Tirana, Albania. Parents of our
students are primarily employed by large corporations,
governments, and NGOs; it is a highly mobile community.
Students at TIS represent over 30 nationalities with a
majority of students coming from the United States of
America, Albania, and countries of the European Union. This
year there are 60+ students in the Secondary program and 13
students in the 2019 graduating class.
ACCREDITATION
TIS is fully accredited by the Middle States Association of
Colleges and Schools (MSA). It is a member of the Association for
the Advancement of International Education (AAIE) and the Central
and Eastern European Schools Association (CEESA) and is affiliated
with the Department of State Office of Overseas Schools (AOS).

CLASS RANK AND GPA

Due to the nature of our school and the small
class sizes, TIS does not rank students. The
cumulative GPA on the student’s transcript only
reflects courses taken at QSI and is on a 4.0
scale. Grades from previous schools are not
included in the GPA but they are listed on
student transcripts.

SAT SCORES
The SAT was administered to 18 students
from classes of 2016-2020. All scores,
including those from non-native English
speakers, are included.
TIS Mean SAT score: 1170
World Mean 2015: 1090
85% of students from the TIS Class of
2019 have taken or plan to take the
SAT.
MASTERY LEARNING AND GRADING
Mastery of each essential unit is evaluated with an A or B (mastery grades). B
denotes mastery of learning outcomes at a high level of understanding. A
represents mastery where the student demonstrates higher order thinking skills.
Mediocre or poor work, resulting in Cs and Ds, is not acceptable, and students will
re-engage until they demonstrate mastery. Students who master a unit with a B
evaluation may attempt to demonstrate a higher level of mastery at a later time,
within that current school year, to change the evaluation to an A. Time periods
(quarters, semesters, and terms) are not evaluated. Assessment is continuous and
student performance is assessed on learning outcomes and units of study.
THE ADVANCED PLACEMENT PROGRAM GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
TIS offers a robust Advanced Placement (AP) program with 20+ courses Academic Diploma-24 Carnegie Units (240
offered on a rotational schedule. Students also may take additional AP QSI Unit Credits):
courses through the QSI Virtual School or other online programs. English (70), Sciences (20), Technology (10),
Mathematics (20), Creative Arts (10), Personal
In May 2018, TIS had 30 Secondary students take 53 exams. Health (20), Foreign Language (20), Cultural Studies
Percent of Students with scores of 3 or Higher: 96% (40), Electives (25)
Percent of Students with scores of 4 or 5: 68% Academic Diploma with Honors-24 Carnegie Units
(240 QSI Unit Credits):
2018-2019 COURSE OFFERINGS Requirements are the same as The Academic Diploma
English: Literature I & II, Writing I & II, American Literature, with the added condition that accumulated credits include
British Literature, Research Project, Genre Studies, Media & at least two Advanced Placement (AP) courses.
Publications, Creative Writing, AP English Lang. & Comp., General Diploma-22 Carnegie Units (220 QSI Unit Credits)
AP English Literature (online), AP Seminar *Available to students who experience English language
Mathematics: Algebra, Geometry, Adv. Mathematics I difficulties, time restraints, or other challenges that make it
Adv. Mathematics II, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC impractical to pursue an academic diploma.
(online), AP Statistics The AP Capstone Diploma will be an option for students
Science & Technology: Physical Science, Science graduating in the Class of 2020.
Applications, Biology, Chemistry, AP Biology, AP
Physics I, Technology EXTRACURRICULAR OPPORTUNITIES
Cultural Studies: World Geography, Modern Students enjoy after-school sports (Soccer, Basketball, Cross-Country
World History, U.S. History, Government, Running, Swimming, Volleyball, Karate), musical and theater productions,
Economics, AP Gov. & Politics, AP Human and various club activities (Robotics, Knowledge Bowl, Model United
Geography, AP Psychology, AP World Nations, Arts Festival, Community Service, NHS, Language Clubs). We offer
History international travel opportunities through CEESA as well as competing in a
Languages: French I-AP, German I-IV, local international school sports league.
Russian I-V, Spanish I-AP
Fine Arts: Art I-IV, Documentary Film,
Photography, AP Art History, AP
Studio Art-Drawing
Health & PE: Fitness & Health,
Team/Lifetime Sports

UNIVERSITY ACCEPTANCES
Almost all graduates of TIS attend university upon completion of their studies. Previous graduates have been very successful in
obtaining admittance to the colleges and universities of their choice. The first graduating class was in 2001. The following is a list
of some of the schools where the graduating students from recent years received offers of acceptance:

CANADA Maastricht University University of Edinburgh* George Washington St. John’s University
Ryerson University Munich Business School University of Glasgow* University Stetson University
Simon Fraser University* University College Dublin University of Kent Georgia Institute of Stony Brook University
University of Guelph University College Utrecht University of Leeds Technology* Stonehill College
University of Victoria University of Groningen University of Lincoln Green Mountain College* Syracuse University
University of Waterloo* Vesalius College University of the Arts Hult Business School* SUNY Buffalo
University of Toronto* Vita-Salute San Raffaele London Lynn University Texas A&M University
Western University University University of St. Andrews Marist University University of California at
EUROPE Webster University - Vienna University of Westminster Marquette University Davis, Irvine, Riverside, San
Bard College Berlin UNITED KINGDOM University of York Michigan State University Diego*, Santa Cruz
Bocconi University Brunel University London* UNITED STATES New York Institute of University of Massachusetts
Erasmus University* Cardiff University Babson College* Technology Boston*, Lowell
ESADE Business School* City University London* Bentley University New York University University of Mississippi
Freie Universität Berlin Durham University* Boston University Northeastern University* University of Puget Sound
The Hague University Goldsmiths, University of Brandeis University Ohio State University University of Rochester
HAN University London College of William and Mary Pace University Vassar College*
Jacobs University* King's College London* CSU - Long Beach Penn State University
John Cabot University* Nottingham Trent Drexel University Providence College *Matriculation of
Karlshochschule University* Eckerd College Quinnipiac University students in the
International University Richmond University Emerson College Regis College Classes of 2015-2018
KU Leuven University of Bath Fordham University Salem State University
Lauder Business School* University of Birmingham* George Mason University St. John's College