Second Guest Blogger: Thinking About University

Here our second guest blogger, Jamie Buitelaar (Grade 11), shares her journey:

At the start of 11th grade, I was quite scared about universities. The only thing I knew was that I didn't know anything, and I didn't want to major in anything "professional" - ie. law, engineering, etc. I had one - and only one - university in mind and I thought applications were ages away.

Right now, they're closer than ever. It's crunch time, and I have to admit, I'm a little bit scared. 

Despite all that, though, I'm looking forward to 12th grade and university applications. Throughout the year, I've been researching some universities and struggling with the decision whether or not to apply to the U.S. I realized just how important it is to consider where I'll be living and the kind of community I'll be in. 

Also, about universities themselves - who knew the U.S and the U.K were so different! And then there's smaller vs. larger classes, liberal arts vs. professional degrees and even on-campus or off-campus living! Some of these decisions are easy to make, others require some thought - mainly because I hadn't given them much thought before - but all are important.

Another thing I learned is just how much there is in a university application - references, grades, personal reflections, resumes…they are MASSIVE! But I'm glad to know about it so I can be prepared for the process of applying. 

Heading into grade 12, I'm mentally preparing myself for the guaranteed insanity that will come with applications. I'm worried, but more than that, I'm excited, because I'll have a chance to actually show off what I've done in my high school career. During an average school day, the thought "what have I really achieved so far" doesn't tend to come to my mind very often. Through these applications, though, I'm not only trying to make myself look good for a university, I'll also be giving myself a major confidence booster. 

I know I'll end up in a university where I can have a great time while studying what I love. I can't wait!

First Guest Blogger: University Applications Experience

We asked a few students to share their experiences of the application process. Here's our first entry. Nupur Chatterji, (Grade 11) writes about her journey:

I admit, I am not one of those lucky ones who know exactly what they want to study at university, but at the same time, I am not someone who has absolutely no idea – let me tell you a bit more. My name is Nupur Chatterji, and I am drawing to the close of Grade 11. Before moving to Singapore and UWCSEA, I was based in Hong Kong, so, added to the pressure of starting IB, and getting ready for college, I was also moving countries and adjusting to a new life. All this made me very apprehensive about the process of applying to universities. Ever since the start of Grade 11, I have been working with my university advisor, Ms. Shruti Tewari, to focus my ideas and narrow down on the possible higher education options for me – the journey has been one of self-discovery: very rewarding and very informative.

Being someone interested in science and maths (I take Maths, Physics and Chemistry as higher level subjects), I knew that I would remain within this domain for further studies. The main challenge was to decide which doors to close (I realised that medicine was not my forte) and which doors to leave open (Engineering seemed the ample option for my combination of subjects and interests). As easy as it is for me to preach through a computer screen, I have learnt that it is best to start eliminating options as soon as possible – if this means you become bent upon studying law, then so be it, if it means that you are sure that you still want to explore, then liberal arts may be the option for you.

With my field of study slightly more focussed, I remember discussing possible destinations for higher education. During this phase (but frankly throughout the entire process), I found it imperative to keep my parents in the know, and discussed tiny details with them whenever possible. The USA, UK, Hong Kong and Singapore were the top destinations. The freedom of choice and collegiate experience of the USA appeals to me, especially because I am still contemplating between different possible engineering majors. Then again, the rigour and focus on academics in the UK, in Hong Kong and Singapore is also highly desirable. It is a dilemma which I have to overcome, however by applying to all these destinations I have kept my options flexible. Apart from the academic aspect, I have realised that it is important to consider culture as well. Having lived in Asia all my life, I identify with the customs, traditions and way of life – keeping this in mind, destinations like Hong Kong and Singapore offer more ‘social security’ and eliminate the possibility of a culture shock.

Over the past year, I have come to understand more about the general process of applying to universities after interacting with everyone at the University Advising Centre (or the UAC as you will fondly come to know it as). UWCSEA sets a maximum quota of applying to 10 universities around the world. This might come as a surprise to some (as it did to me initially), but I have come to realise that it is necessary to curtail the possibilities or students will go berserk applying all around the world. The restriction has made me more selective about which universities to consider, so I focus my energy and spend my time only researching relevant places.

If you are completely clueless about the difference between universities and colleges or are unsure of what liberal arts means, do not panic. The best thing to do is to attend the sessions, which are usually held at lunchtimes, during which representatives from various universities come to give information about their respective universities – do not forget to take a brochure and contact details, especially if you are interested in the destination. These sessions really helped me to form a perspective on what type of university (big or small; liberal arts or not; in the city or in the suburbs) would be ideal for me. On a larger scale, the university fair and careers fair are options to talk to even more people who are experienced in the field. From these, the most important thing I learnt is that choosing subjects for the IB is not the end of the world – there will always be education paths or career choices available based on the skills acquired. For more individualised attention, the one-on-one meetings with your advisor are scheduled in regular intervals. I’ve been able to accomplish tons during these meetings – there are always little things which slip your mind, which your advisor gently reminds you of. I find it convenient to drop into the UAC whenever I have a quick question – the more I ask, the more confident I feel.

There is always a stigma against the testing and essay-writing for universities. By planning out a schedule for testing (I need to take the SATs since I am applying to the USA), I have found it easier to bring about a balance to my timetable. My friends who are interested in medicine have a different set of tests to face, so make sure that you know what kinds of tests are required for your course of study.

We (the USA applicants) have just submitted forms to our subject teachers for recommendation letters. This really provides a transition that will facilitate us into Grade 12. It is the first ‘real’ step towards writing applications that we have taken, and quite frankly it is exciting. Over summer, I intend to develop my thoughts and ideas and orientate them towards prospective college essay topics, as this will help to write effectively. Being as informed as possible about my prospective universities is also a must – the more you know about the college, the more your enthusiasm shines. I plan to scour through the university websites picking up details that the university wants me to know.

I hope this gave you an inside scoop on what is going on in my brain regarding universities, check back again next year (when I will be in Grade 12) to see how I have progressed.

London Universities Visit: Video

The week of February 18th was a busy one for Grade 11 students. They were involved in TOK Day on February 20th, Shelby Davis visited our campus on February 21st, and on February 22nd we had representatives from four London Universities visit.

Representatives from Imperial College, Kings College, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), and University College London (UCL) spoke with students from 9:50-11:00am. As the representatives could only meet during class time, not all students were able to attend the event.

All the representatives kindly agreed to have the session recorded.  Miles Beasley (Grade 6 Mentor and Teacher) and Marius Smit (Grade 8 student)  recorded the event and painstakingly edited the video. Marius did a fantastic job. We broke the video up into sections:

1. Part One: Introduction
2. Part Two: London as A Global Academic Capital
3. Part Three: London Life
4. Part Four: Location of London Universities and Imperial College
5. Part Five: King's College, London
6. Part Six: SOAS
7. Part Seven: UCL
8. Part Eight: Question and Answer Session
 and here is the introduction:

Here's the introduction:

You can watch the rest of the presentation too.

Predicted Grades and Developing a Balanced List of Universities

Grade 11 students have completed their exams and are nearing the end of their first year of the rigorous IB program.   Everyone in Grade 11 will be invited to meet their University Advisor in the last few weeks of Term 3 to discuss their university research and go over a checklist for the summer.  Parents who would like to attend this second meeting should ask their child after May 17th for the date of their appointment and have him or her inform the University Advisor that parents would like to join.

Given UWCSEA’s limit of 10 university applications per student, it is not a good strategy to apply indiscriminately. We recommend that students develop a balanced list of universities, with 1-2 in the “reach” category, 2 or more in the “likely” category and the rest in the “match” range.   How do students determine whether a particular university is a reach, match or likely option for them?

In the UK, Canada, Hong Kong and a few other destinations, universities publish the minimum IB requirements for particular courses of study and make offers based on the school’s submission of students’ Predicted Grades, the professional judgment of teachers regarding the grade in each subject a student is likely to achieve as a final result in the IB Diploma Program (this is not the case in the US, as discussed below, or in Australia where students apply after final IB results, or where offers are portfolio or audition-based).  UWCSEA keeps Predicted Grades confidential so that universities can be assured that they are the teachers’ most accurate prediction.  However, Predicted Grades are usually closely aligned with assessed grades, so students should develop their list of reach, match and safety schools based on their assessed grades from their report cards.   The most recent Grade 11 exams are merely one component of the Predicted Grade and should not be considered a proxy for Predicted Grades.

As an example, for an international student to study Mechanical Engineering at Bath University in the UK, an applicant would need a minimum of 36 IB points overall (including core points) with at least a 6 each in HL Mathematics and HL Physics and a 5 in English.  If a student’s most recent assessed grades added up to 34 points with the required grades in these specific subjects, a student should consider Bath a match (assuming he would earn at least two core points from TOK and the Extended Essay).

UK applicants need to pay careful attention to the fee status category they apply in.  Students who are considered residents for home fee status in most cases put themselves in a more competitive applicant pool, particularly in Scotland, where Scottish and EU residents attend university tuition-free.  For example, for those wishing to study Business at the University of Edinburgh, a Korean student would need to earn 34 points whereas a French (EU resident) student would need to earn more like 41 points to enter the same course.  In this case, university websites may have the most accurate information about entry requirements.

In Canada, international and Canadian students are treated the same, and offers of admission made on Predicted Grades are unconditional.   For example, either a Canadian or an Indian student who would like to study a Bachelor of Commerce at McGill University in Canada would need to be predicted at least 35 IB points (not including core points) with either a 5 in HL Mathematics or a 6 in SL Mathematics.  A student who has achieved above these grades in her latest assessment should feel that McGill is likely to make her an offer.   

Because US institutions consider students holistically, it is much more difficult to gauge how likely students are to receive offers from particular colleges and universities.   US universities do not publish minimum grades or scores, but often share averages based on Grade Point Average (GPA) and SAT scores.  GPA doesn’t translate easily to IB scores so is not a reliable source of information.  SAT scores alone should never be considered as minimum entry qualifications.  US universities consider the entire transcript of assessed grades starting in Grade 9 and may put less weight on Predicted Grades, as most American high schools do not predict grades for their students.

It is possible to organize US universities into reach, match and likely categories based on academic qualifications, but harder to predict outcomes, because decisions often hinge on subjective factors, like a student’s ability to write and her teachers opinions of her, as well as factors outside of a student’s control, such as her citizenship, ethnicity, gender and family’s ability to pay.  Based on published statistics regarding averages and data from past applicants at UWCSEA’s Dover campus, University Advisors can help guide students in arranging their US university list into “reach,” “match” and “likely” categories, with the caveat that being academically qualified is a necessary but not sufficient condition for success at many US universities.

Students should give some serious thought to whether they would really be happy to attend every school on their list.  A “likely” choice is not a meaningful one if students are listing it only to appease their University Advisor or their parents.   For each university on their list, students should be able to give a thoughtful answer to the question “Why are you applying to this university?”   The more research a student has done prior to his or her appointment, the more productive our meeting will be.  In the meantime, students are welcome to drop by or email with any questions.