Universities, Life, Journeys, and Roundabouts

Driving in the UK, it is very noticeable  that there is a lot of open space. There is flat land, and hilly land, and  there are wide roads, and narrow roads.  There are two - lane roads, motorways, back roads, side streets, one-way lanes that pretend to be two-lanes and there are many, many roundabouts.

As Pamela is driving we start a conversation about all the roundabouts and link the roundabouts to life in general, and university decisions and life outcomes, more specifically. 

Life is like a roundabout. 

There is always a new path and there is always a way to get back on your original path, if you so need to. There is also always a way to turn around and try a new path or turn around and go back to where you started. 

Students and families may think that there are only a few places (paths/roads) that will lead to the final destination : success and happiness. These few paths generally seem to be known as highly selective universities all around the world. These places are seen as short cuts or "sure cuts" to ensure life outcomes.

We are not saying do not apply to highly selective universities, we are not stating that highly selective universities do not lead to success; what we are trying to convey is : there are also other paths. 

We encourage families and students to explore those paths as well. Also explore the paths that are less travelled. 

It is important for students to recognise all the role models around them and recognise the people they respect. Students should investigate these individuals. They should ask their parents,  aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings, neighbours, grandparents, friends' parents about their life path.  

Some questions to consider:

Did you, oh someone I think is very successful, go to university?  

If not, here's a great place to begin to discuss what makes this role-model successful.

If yes, where did you, successful person, study for your undergraduate degree?

Did you pursue a masters? Where?

The places where these successful people work, did other equally successful individuals they work with attend the same institution? 

Are people in a student's life just as successful if they did not attend a famous institution? 

We would say, for the most part yes.

We say it over and over again, and Frank Bruni has written a whole book about it, Where you Go is Not Who You Will Be. It is not where you go that matters. It is what you do when you are there that really matters.

Travelling in the UK we met many of our former students attending very different institutions. All of them were very happy with their choices, even if it was not their first choice university. All of them were making the most of the opportunities afforded to them at their universities. All of them were creating avenues for success for themselves.

However, despite everything we say, if attending a highly selective institution is a life ambition, know there are many paths to get there:

• be accepted and attend as an undergraduate student 
• complete undergraduate studies somewhere else, do really well, apply to graduate programmes right after your undergraduate degree, at your dream university
  
• apply for PhDs or MBA programmes at dream universities after working for a little while
  

Anything is possible.  There are many paths.

Have many dreams and many first loves when it comes to university choices. 

There will be flat roads, and ups and downs on hilly roads. There will be times when you will be able to see for miles and miles ahead and there will be times when the path is unclear. There will be yet other times, you'll have to stop to let incoming traffic through.  There will be times when you do not see other cars coming your way and times when you just have to rest on the hard shoulder.  There will be times when you keep up with traffic, other times when you slow down, and yet other times when you overtake others.

Just remember there is more than just one path. 

Life in general is like a roundabout: you can keep going on the same path, try new paths, or turn back around. 

There are always possibilities, you have to be open to them to see them and explore them.

That 'Useless' Liberal Arts Degree Has Become Tech's Hottest Ticket - Forbes

As students start thinking about returning to school, we thought we'd share this article with you. Here's an excerpt:

Engineers may still command the biggest salaries, but at disruptive juggernauts such as Facebook and Uber, the war for talent has moved to nontechnical jobs, particularly sales and marketing. The more that audacious coders dream of changing the world, the more they need to fill their companies with social alchemists who can connect with customers–and make progress seem pleasant.

The New SAT Format

Here is a link to an article from the New York Times where the author shares his view of the new format of the SAT exam, which will be adopted as of May, 2016.   The current SAT format will be offered for the last time in January 2016.  The SAT is part of the university admissions process for many, but not all, US colleges and universities.

A preview of the new SAT format will be offered in the October 14, 2015 PSAT (Preliminary SAT) for Grade 10 and Grade 11 students who would like to experience the new format in a no-stakes environment.   The ACT is an alternative to the SAT which is viewed as equivalent by US colleges and universities.   More information about testing options in the US is available on the UAC website.
The Big Problem with the New SAT (NYTimes, May 4, 2015)

East University Advisor Joan Liu's article in NACAC Bulletin

Our very own Joan Liu was featured this month in the National Association for College Admissions Counselling (NACAC) Bulletin.  NACAC is the largest professional organization of college counselors in the world and its readership exceeds 13,000.  Joan's excellent article shows a deep understanding of how international students approach the US college admissions process. Great Work Joan!  

Eight Tips for Counseling International Students at US High Schools by Joan Liu, University Advisor at United World College of South East Asia, East campus and OACAC Vice President for Inclusion, Access and Success. 

The IB is temporary, but what UWC leaves you with is forever : Amu's Reflections on UWC and University

"I'm in a state of relative calm right now as I write this as my toughest exams of my first semester at university are behind me. I have just one left (beginner level Kiswahili) and then I'm off to sunny, beautiful South Africa for Christmas break. Shoutout to everyone reading this - I miss UWC and Singapore so much! I digress. The first semester of university has been similar to my first one ever at UWC - a massive jumble of trying to figure things out. Where classes are, where is it cheap to eat; how little homework can I get away with doing and still keep a solid GPA (they do GPAs in America!) ... I came to uni with this in mind: before anything else - I'm going to have a fun first semester. Putting that in the front of my mind meant I was not killing myself trying to do every piece of reading, going to every extra credit lesson, sleeping at 2am every night and passing up getting to know new people. Deciding from the get-go to seek balance made it come a lot easier than it did when I was in the tumultuous beast we lovingly refer to as the IB. Don't get me wrong - I have been working hard - haha! It hasn't all been meeting new people and seeing new places. In terms of academics, I'm so thankful for the intense training of IB. Three papers, a presentation and two midterm exams in five days? Is that all? Are you sure? No problem! My time at UWC has taught me invaluable time management skills. Most importantly - don't multitask! Do one thing at a time, focus and do it well. Then pick up the next thing and repeat. Shout out to Mr O'Connor for that life lesson.

My favourite thing about uni is the total control I have over my time. No more curfews! Woohoo! Time in between classes is in abundance and so there really is no excuse for unproductivity. Plus, there is plenty more time to do things that interest you, as well. Uni classes are like a buffet - so many different options. So, everybody's academic experience is really different. A lot of my courses this semester were to do with development, trade and humanitarianism and they overlapped well, which I suggest. Next semester, I've set up a completely different set-up with a focus on creative writing. How cool is that?!

One of my greatest frustrations was being in class with many people who have not experienced cultures other than their own and take offense when you bring up a different perspective rather than respect and think about it. I think coming from a UWC inevitably places that curse on us. But if I had to pick a curse, it would be this one! My suggestion? Patience. I have had to keep reminding myself how privileged I am to have gone to a school as phenomenal as UWC and that it is unfair of me to hold it against others that they have not had the same privilege.

There's so much more to write but I could go on for days!

My overall advice to you all as you decide what university you're going to, is to think with your heart. Gather all you can about what it will feel like to live there and be a part of that community. Prioritise what's important to you: diversity? a particular range of courses? the opportunity to study abroad? extracurriculars? and go to a university that fits that rather than one with a fancy reputation. You need to be happy, or else everything will suck. For four years. That's 48 months.

Have a great rest of your year and soak it all in - you are in one of the most magical places in the universe. Every time I (or any of the other UWCers here) explain what UWC is, the usual reaction is, "What?! That is the coolest thing I've ever heard! I'm so jealous!" 

The IB is temporary, but what UWC leaves you with is forever.

"All I know is in retrospect.." Jamie looks back and discusses life at Yale - NUS

Jamie Buitelaar on Life at Yale - NUS

It's been - what, eleven months? - since I sent in my application, ten since I was accepted, and two since I moved in to college. 

Frankly, I have no idea how to respond to this information, now that it's laid out in front of me. All I know is in retrospect, the process seems incredibly short - applying, getting in, getting to know other admits, moving in, starting college life...this all seems to have happened over the course of about a week.

Now that I'm actually studying, there are other things to think about. How do you explain a parallax angle in a single, uncomplicated sentence? Should I sign up for ballroom or bhangra? What would Confucius' fanboy Xunzi say to Socrates if he came over for tea? 

And yes, that last one was actually a real assignment.

The readjustment has happened and while I am still in close contact with old friends, I am also having heaps of fun with the new environment I'm in. 

As someone who applied to all of one university, I can't say whether I ultimately "chose" the right school out of my offers. What I do know is that I'm in the right place - or, at least, the place that seemed like home three weeks in. 

To close, let me be cheesy and thank, with utter sincerity, the East UAC, because I would NEVER have gotten here without them. To the teachers who wrote my recommendations - woah, you guys must've really worked some word-magic. Either way, thank you so much, to UWCSEA, for not only supporting me while I was on campus, but helping ensure I was taken care of afterwards as well. 

I'm out of cheese - see you guys later! For those of you starting the applications process (early action/decision people, hats off to you), best of luck, and please don't worry - the other side is 100% worth it.

How Can Parents Best Support Their Child Through The University Application Process? - Dr Mallika Ramdas

Our Guest Blogger is Dr Mallika Ramdas, Head of University Advising, UWCSEA Dover Campus.  Mallika looks at the role of parents in the University Application Process.

How Can Parents Best Support Their Child Through The University Application Process?

The answer to this question is actually quite a simple one: by letting their child be in the driver's seat of the exploration and decision-making process, by respecting their child's choices, and by engaging in honest and mutually respectful conversations about any constraints (such as financial ones) that may limit the young person's range of options. Happily, universities around the world now offer a wide selection of courses or educational models (single subject, combination courses, liberal arts and sciences, and other variants) to enable students who do have cost, climate, family proximity, or other considerations to find options that would be a good fit for them. 

Most importantly, we believe that parents should be 'a cheer squad, not a nag squad,' in their child's university application process, to quote renowned adolescent expert, Michael Carr-Gregg.  Celebrate your child's aptitudes, abilities, and passions; understand your child's cultural and social preferences and values, or help him or her to explore what those may be; and allow these to shape your child's university selection process.  Sadly, too many young people are made to feel that they simply don't match up to their parents' very high expectations, or even worse, to some external (and often highly questionable) measure of success - the name and fame or ranking of the universities they get into. 

On this note, you may be interested to read a hard-hitting but powerful blog post written by a former ivy-league US university admissions officer and mother, titled 'Parents: let Harvard go.' 

We would also encourage you to read a thought-provoking article written by our very own colleague, Johanna Fishbein, in the forthcoming edition of the College magazineDunia, titled 'Don't Take it Personally: Thought on the Holistic Admissions Process.'

Happy reading, and enjoy supporting your children as they begin the journey towards life beyond school - they're counting on it.

Admissions Advice from Tufts

Looking for advice from experienced admissions officers about your US application?  Follow Tufts University's Inside Admissions blog for tips on choosing courses, writing essays and more.  

University Acceptances and Success : TedX

Our colleague at UWC Dilijan addressed the UWC Costa Rica community in a powerful TedX Talk. 

Grade 12 is for celebrating achievements, saying goodbye to high school…and college applications. Brian seeks to change the way you think about college admissions by answering the age-old question : "Why didn't I get in?"

Brian worked at United World College Cost Rica as a University for three years and is now working at United World College Dilijan.  He has seen every type of college application: the great … and the not-so-great. His job has given him perspective into what colleges are looking for and the concept of institutional priorities. 

We encourage our community to watch the video. Please also let us know what you think.

Learn How to Cook : Transitioning from UWCSEA - East to a Gap Year

LEARN HOW TO COOK!! PLEASE! For your own good (and survival)!

 The very first thing I realized when coming to China was: I am hungry. The second thing I realized was that one cannot go to restaurants everyday, for three meals a day. It is simply not smart in terms of finances and health - nor for personal growth. I contacted my mum, cousins, aunts, friends and more, asking for easy recipes. Problem solved! 

It is all about learning, and solving the (many) obstacles you might encounter. It also about having the best time possible. Work hard, push your limits - do further research. I am currently working in a school in the outskirts of Beijing, China; and I am really enjoying the challenges.  

Contrary to the misconception of Gap Years being lazy years, I always find myself busy. If I am not at work, doing household duties, exploring the country or meeting friends…….I would be reflecting! 

I honestly reckon that when we fall into the routine of just following schedules, we do not stop to just THINK! 

So my suggestion would be to take breaks, read a good book, eat good and healthy food, sit down at parks, watch people interacting, make plans, travel, create stories. And more importantly, create your own story :-) 

Take care, and Happy UWC Day! 

Miguel Angel

Transitions: Goodbye! Good luck! Keep in Touch!

Today is the last day of classes for our Grade 12 students.  We have had the immense pleasure of working with the closely. We are sad to see them go.  Our final transitions assembly was one filled with  loads of advice. We've whittled it down to a few bullet points:

1. Be kind to yourself

2. Make time for yourself

3. Be safe

4. Be  a good bystander

5. Keep in touch


There's also a great Buzzfeed article on leaving school. Please check it out here. 

Finally here is the video of Grade 12 Mentors giving Grade 12 students advice. (Thank you to Joan Liu for running around getting the mentors to record the advice, to the Grade 12 mentors for taking the time, and finally to Grade 11 student Shukri for putting it all together for our department).

College Acceptances and Making the Right Decision

Here's a great article for families to read on College Acceptances and Making the Right Decision. Thanks to Grade 12 student Dylan Sparks for sharing it with us.

An excerpt from the article :

CONGRATULATIONS. You’ve been accepted to more than one college. Now comes the hard part: deciding which to go to. Make a mistake and you could be repeating the whole application process again next year — to transfer out. 

Let’s say the cost is similar. How to choose between two good options?

Read on to find out more.