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.
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