in grades 34 (J3-J4), and 21 in middle and high school (M1-T4). Emphasis is placed on preparation for the IB exams during High School, for which virtually all seniors sit (full Diploma or Certificate). Children whose parents transfer from abroad to work for the United Nations, Missions to the UN, and Consulates enjoy priority in terms of admission, but admission is not necessarily automatic. All children are required to be interviewed and assessed in person at UNIS, in addition to consideration of official school reports. The AEFE categorizes this school as a French international school. University and college attendance Nearly all UNIS graduates matriculate at four-year colleges in the semester following graduation, with a small number choosing a gap year program. A typical year will see 75% to 85% of graduates enrolling at colleges in the United States with remaining graduates attending 20 different universities in thirteen countries outside the U.S. Events and programs Each year, high schoolers organize a conference in the General Assembly Hall of the United Nations and invite other schools. This activity allows students to improve their public speaking and diplomacy skills. It also allows students to engage with real world issues. Campus history UNIS was founded in 1947. It was previously located in a former school building at 1311 First Avenue, on East 70th Street, in Lenox Hill, Manhattan. In 1964, the Ford Foundation offered a conditional donation of $7 million for a new school building at the headquarters of the United Nations, near an existing playground; Sweden and Libya also contributed funds. UNIS had acquired a site at York Avenue and 89th Street in Yorkville, but sold it in 1965. Two years later, an alternate site south of the UN headquarters was proposed for UNIS. UNIS moved around 1970 into two premises on 51st (the Junior School) and 54th streets. The senior school was housed on East 11th Street. The main building on 25th Street opened in January 1973, marking the first permanent location for UNIS in its history. Notable alumni Ishmael Beah, writer Byrdie Bell, actress Yasmine Bleeth, actress Kate Burton, actress Suleiman Braimoh (born 1989), Nigerian-American basketball player in the Israel Basketball Premier League Andrea Brand, biologist Dorothy Bush, daughter of George H. W. Bush Vikram Chatwal, socialite and business tycoon Sant Singh Chatwal Gary Cohen, TV sports broadcaster Radhika Coomaraswamy, lawyer and former United Nations Under-Secretary-General Stéphane Dujarric de la Rivière,