Transcript Devising a long-term approach to university applications

Devising a long-term approach
to university applications
The development of application
management strategies
Two main themes …
• A successful approach to finding the “best-fit”
university for your child using ex-student case
examples
• An evaluation of application management
strategies and a recommendation for making a
successful application
Finding the “best-fit” university
involves recognising …
“Dream” university choices versus “real”
application outcomes
University destinations of West Island
School students in 2014 (as of September 2014)
Canada
8%
Hong Kong
17%
UK
38%
Other countries
7%
USA
17%
Gap/Job
8%
Australia
5%
QS RANK
AUSTRALIA
CANADA
HK
UK
2
Cambridge (2)
5
University College London (2)
US
11
Chicago
13
Pennsylvania
14
Columbia
16
Kings College London
17
Edinburgh
19
Cornell
20
Toronto (2)
21
McGill (3)
27
Uni. Of California – Berkeley (2)
28
33
HKU (6)
Melbourne
40
43
46
55
HKUST (4)
British Columbia (5)
CUHK (6)
Glasgow
59
Uni. Of California – San Diego (2)
61
Warwick (6)
64
Birmingham (3)
69
Sheffield
71
London School of Economics
77
Nottingham (3)
Typical WIS student’s preparation
for university/college entry
“Profiling” and “tracking” take place
between Year 10 and Year 13
Year 10 students …
• build e-portfolios using the Fast Tomatoes resource psychometric component (Morrisby) to explore different career
areas
• may be offered the optional opportunity to sit an external
psychometric test with specialist feedback (opportunity is being
investigated)
• use the above information to complement their IB/ID options
selection
• encouraged to attend university /college talks held in school
• register for PSAT test (taken in Y11)
Year 11 students …
• investigate university pathways, destinations and
course entry requirements (if subject is known.) E.g.
specific subjects at a specific level may be a routine
requirement. For Mech. Engineering, HL Maths and HL
Physics normally required by top UK and HK
universities. In Canada, IB HL Chemistry or HL Biology
may be required additionally (depending on
subspeciality)
• offered the PSAT test; investigate SAT/ACT
requirements (for those US bound)
• encouraged to further network with university
representatives
Year 12 students …
• attend the ESF University and Applied Learning Fairs;
also other HE events in and outside of WIS
• advised to register and sit required university/college
entry tests
• introduced to the application systems of the five main
countries most popular with WIS students
• encouraged to “tailor” CAS/summer school/work
experience to complement their extra-curricular
portfolio for application
• are able to access university guidance (supports
academic tracking)
Year 12 students …
• are able to access a US college essay writing workshop
in school. (All students get personal statement writing
support from form tutors and subject teachers)
• are asked to submit a list of universities and
programmes, and choose teachers as subject referees
(if required)
• register their interest for applications to Oxbridge, Ivy
League, medicine, dentistry, vet science, and the US
and HK “early” applications.
• request Upper School assistance in summer school
applications (up to the maximum of three)
Year 13 students …
August – September
• complete personal statement/US college essays
• work on applications for Oxbridge, Ivy League, US and
HK “early” applications, medicine, dentistry and vet
science to meet Oct-Nov deadlines
• (re)sit specific university/college entry tests
• with academic concerns are referred to HE counselling
• review university choices for consistency with their UA
grades
Year 13 students …
October – November
• work on regular applications to UK, Canada, US and
HK to meet Dec-Jan deadlines
• who are short-listed by Oxbridge and HK early invited
to sit tests/interview
December – February
• Work on regular applications continue
• Notification of university decision begins
• Short-listed candidates for interviews continues
Year 13 students …
March - May
• Students are able to access counselling to help
with choosing their university offers
July
• Post-publication of IB and BTEC exam result
counselling available for students who have
missed their university offers
Pre-university application advice offered to
parents
• Contact individual universities about financial aid, domestic vs.
international fee status, scholarships, visits during school holidays
• Contact individual consulates about student visas
• Encourage your child to make realistic university / college choices
• Support your child by accompanying them to university
visits/events - check university events calendar in the WIS weekly
bulletin
• Support your child by understanding their pressure in Term 1 of
Year 13, particularly if they are applying to top universities in
multiple countries
Juggling application pressures-multiple countries
Case study 4: IB student – predicted 44 points (achieved 44 points)
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IB HL subjects: English A Literature, Physics, Maths, Economics
IB SL subjects: Chemistry, Chinese Language B
IGCSEs - 9A*; 2 A
SAT - 2300; SAT subjects: Physics - 800; Maths 2 - 800
Applied for Mathematics – UK and Mathematics and Business - USA
Aug – Oct: Cambridge University application in progress for mid-Oct deadline
Oct – Nov: SAT test and SAT subject tests. US ‘early’ applications for mid-Nov
deadline (UPenn and Chicago). University of California - end of Nov
deadline
Nov-Dec: Princeton, Columbia regular applications in progress for early Jan deadline
Prepare and attend Cambridge interview and tests
X
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Unsuccessful – Cambridge, Columbia, Princeton, UPenn, Chicago
Successful – US: UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, UCLA
UK: London School of Economics, University College London,
Durham, Imperial College London
Scattergun vs. sniper application strategy
Scattergun (random fire)
Sniper (focused/
co-ordinated fire)
Examples of common standardized
university / college entry tests – Y12 and
Y13
Year 12
(US-bound students) – Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SAT) or American College Test (ACT) –
taken at different times during the academic year (resits/subject tests in Term 1 of Year 13)
Year 13
(UK-bound students) – tests taken in Term 1
• Oxbridge: e.g. TSA, EMLAT, HAT, LAT, MAT, PAT or college’s own test
• Biomedicine, Dentistry, Medicine, Vet Science: e.g. BMAT, UKCAT
• Law: e.g. LNAT
(Australia/New Zealand-bound students) – tests taken after publication of exam results
Dentistry, Medicine, Vet Science: e.g. MCAT, UMAT or university’s own aptitude tests
* TOEFL or IELTS (English Language proficiency test) may be an additional university
requirement.
Current WIS policy on the number
of HE-related applications
Worldwide applications
up to the maximum of six – UCAS (UK) counts as one
application; UC (USA) counts as one application
North America (Canada and USA only)
Up to the maximum of eight – UC (USA) counts as one
application
Year 12 students and below
The maximum number of school-supported applications
to Summer School programmes worldwide will be three.
Conclusions
North America
“Undeclared” major
More flexibility, e.g. a liberal arts/“undeclared” pathway enables students more
time to develop skills, maximise different knowledges before deciding on their
major.
VS.
“Declared” major
if a particular major is chosen, e.g. Engineering in Canada: IB Chemistry is an
additional requirement/Engineering Science: IB Maths and two IB sciences are
needed, and in Business in N. America, IB Math Studies might not be considered
as adequate preparation.
Hong Kong
Extremely high entry requirements compared with other systems – should not be
considered as ‘safety’ choices.
Conclusions
UK
Offers “straightforward” access onto degree courses for ID
students.
Early specialization in chosen subject (with some universities
requiring specific subject combinations taken at specific levels)
Australia
Most applications made post-publication of exam results though
some universities (e.g. Monash and Melbourne) willing to make
conditional offers to international applicants based on predicted IB
scores.
WIS Careers team
General email contact: [email protected]
Higher education counsellors:
Catherine Schofield: [email protected]
Ellie Tang: [email protected]
Awing Lui: [email protected]