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.

Running a Flawless Campaign

This week the entire nation of Singapore will take the day off and vote. This is simply awesome!  In this bustling hub of commerce, the nation will stop what they are doing  and head to the polls and vote.  This made me consider my days from the not so distant past, when I lived in Washington D.C., a city packed with lawyers, politicians, lobbyists, ambassadors, and journalists.  The buzz in “the district” was palpable and you couldn’t help but follow what was happening in Congress, at the White House, or the World Bank.  I was glued to CNN during the Obama election and watched from the Washington Monument when he was inaugurated.  How quickly I became infatuated with politics and the real guts it took to run for office. It’s not easy, and you really have to put yourself out on a limb and “stick your neck out”.   

It was during this time that I met a very wise College Counselor from the St. George’s School in Rhode Island, who told me his theory. He said for a student applying to college is like running for a political office.  Oh yeah, I thought,  Well I love politics… so this ought to be good.  

He kindly broke it down for me piece by piece.

The student is the candidate who needs to go out into the world and impress the voters. Each candidate should have their platform in which they are running on.  The platform may focus on a specific talent, an overall contribution you will make for the voters, or perhaps your academic prowess. Your platform may also include your unique background and skills.

The voters are the universities, and as we know, the voters often have different priorities and opinions. Do the voters value your commitment to service? Do they value very high academic scores? Do the voters really care about the arts or sports, or outdoor education pursuits? Do they care what type of roommate you will be?  

Will the voters see your candidacy as authentic? Can they see your real desire to get their vote, or is your candidacy a last minute decision made on December 31st (The application deadline).  Will the voters see a fit between your values and theirs?    

Ugh.. but these voters can really be very fickle changing their mind from year to year!  One year they want trombone playing scientists,  the next year they want a mathematician who can tap dance.   

Now of course, every candidate needs donors. You guessed it Mom and Dad, you are the donors!  The donors are a necessary part of every campaign whether you like it or not. The donors will often have influence towards which votes the candidate should go out and get, and how far and wide the net is cast.  The major risk is that the  donors have TOO MUCH influence on the candidate, and the voters can see it!  (ie. don’t let your dad write your college essay!)   The voters want independent candidates who can speak for themselves and express ideas freely, unhampered by their donors.  

Finally, every candidate needs a good campaign manager and that’s your University Advisor. Don’t worry about this part, you have some of the best in the business at UWCSEA!  The campaign manager is your biggest supporter, your biggest cheerleader, and your biggest advocate. They’ll spend the late nights helping you craft your platform and finding the voters that will love to hear your message!  The campaign manager will also have to be brutally honest with you sometimes. They’ll tell you when your platform is weak. They’ll tell you when you’re aiming towards the wrong voters and they’ll tell you when your messaging has gone astray. You may be tempted to fire your campaign manager after an early defeat in the primary elections; but stick with them and trust their judgement, they’re in it for the love, not the money.   

If you do this right you will take time to think about  your platform, and  REALLY think about the voters who share your values and interests. If you take the time to craft your message and listen to your campaign manager, your election will be flawless and you will have the most  amazing three (or four) years in office!    

Robbie Jefferiss

University Advisor

UWCSEA - East Campus