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

 

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.

"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.

Timeline and details for the release of the new SAT

There has been a bit of buzz surrounding the CollegeBoard's decision to release a new version of the SAT.  Grade 10 students take note, this will affect the Class of 2017.  At a recent conference the CollegeBoard announced that they would be releasing revised practice tests that will be in line with the new SAT so students can prep for the new exam.

Here is a quick article from our friends at ArborBridge who provide online test prep:

CollegeBoard Reveals Details of SAT Redesign 

Also, here is a link from the CollegeBoard explaining the difference between the current SAT and the new redesigned SAT:   

College Board Comparison of Old SAT and NEW SAT 

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.  

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.

Applications: Hard Work and then the Waiting Game

Jamie Buitelaar, Grade 12 student, describes the "Waiting Game" in the college admissions process. Read on and wish her luck:


It's December and my application has been submitted. I wrote my essays myself, checked off all my references and wore a nice skirt to my interview. 

Now what?

Now, I wait. 

I have to say, it is excruciating. There is a deadline looming and I've been counting the days since I left that Starbucks table in my nice skirt and sweaty palms. I am consistently revisiting my application in my head. There are some things I know I should have done - I should have taken the "additional details" section a little more seriously. Who knows? Maybe something someone else says creates the tipping point. Maybe all the things I wanted to say but couldn't find the space to could find their way into my application through that little "upload" button. 

Memories of my interview are never far behind. Was my skirt nice enough? Did I say what the interviewer was looking to hear? Did I smile enough? Did I fidget? Despite the fact that I was sufficiently prepped-up by the UAC office, and the welcoming air of the interviewer, I was much more nervous than I suppose I had the right to be. Even now, I can't help wondering, did I, did I, did I? 

At the same time, however, it's very comforting to know that I've gotten through it, and this last stretch is no longer in my control. Applying to a liberal arts college is interesting in that sense - it gives you control over so many aspects of the application. Your essays. Your short answers. Your interview. You can sculpt your application however you want. The thing is, there comes a time after that "submit" button has been pressed when that is no longer the case. It is the neater of the beast, and it must be accepted. 

Having gone through the process of application even once leaves me with a feeling of completion. I am so thankful to my teachers and counsellor and parents - oh my gosh, my parents - for the megaton of help they've given me. Now all that's left is to focus on my studies and wait. 

And hope. 

Oh, and wish. Wish on every star, eyelash and 11:11. Let's not forget the wishing. 

Amukelani, Grade 12, on Supplementary Essays

Supplementary essays are coming out of my friends’ ears!

Living in the boarding house, we are in each others’ space a lot of the time so, more often than not, we know exactly what’s on each others’ plates. My dear friends have no space for dessert because the Common App (and all its glitches) have taken up all the space. It’s a little amusing to watch everyone channel their creative juices as they attempt to fit in how awesome they are while sounding humble into 650 words.

I have had to do the same and I must say, having something to say really helps. Filling in my Common App has been a relatively hassle-free process for me, which I am grateful for. I do wish I had some more exciting supplementary essay topics, though!

One friend has to respond to the prompt, “If you were a professor teaching a university course, what course would you teach and why?” I can think of so many. One is “How to come to the terms with the fact that university is closer and closer everyday 101.”

The closeness of graduation and university is an exciting prospect for me and one that I think we are all going to be more than ready for, whether we believe that to be so right now or not. UWC has taught each of us so much and in different ways and thus has given us plenty to write about in those wonderful supplementary essays. The direction you take your essays in must reflect what you see yourself doing in university and, potentially, your life. Like CAS reflections, this is making us think of how far we’ve come and how far we want to go and looking at my peers, I’m proud to report: very far.

My university list is very different to that of many of my friends and we’re realising that this is going to scatter us all over the globe. That’s OK, though, because that’s the extent to which we’re needed.

Nupur, a Grade 12 Student,Writes for a Second Time with Application Advice

Nupur, in Grade 12, has completed her UK applications and is about to complete an Early Application to the US. She has some advice for Grade 11 students on the process. Read on because this whole experience is so fresh in her mind.

Dear Grade 11 students:

I hope you had a good and restful holiday, because Grade 12 has really taken off, snapping at our heels with deadlines for Extended Essays, university applications and numerous pieces of classwork. The best I can do right now is provide a plethora of advice that will hopefully help you during your own process. Here goes: It is absolutely imperative to adhere to each of the deadlines. My suggestion is to make a spreadsheet listing each of the colleges that you would like to apply to, their external application deadlines and your personal deadlines (these should be at least two weeks before the external deadline to account for any administrative issues). Having encountered credit card problems myself, while submitting UCAS, I was glad to have some leeway in terms of time.

If the universities are not part of the UCAS or Common App system, it is best to independently find out relevant deadlines and notify your advisor well in advance. Quite often, universities that are not affiliated with these systems run their own application website – they require candidates to self-report grades and other information so be completely honest (as there may be verification) and keep a copy of your transcripts and achievements with you as you fill in the details.

Once you start applying to universities, even if it is through the comprehensive system of UCAS system, there may be many accounts that you will need to keep track of. The universities tend to send you an acknowledgement of receipt of your application, and simultaneously enroll you for their personal online system. Try to organize all these login details in a comprehensive way.

During one-on-one university meetings, be open with your advisor – let her know of any concerns. If you have something in mind, any changes in application plans, queries regarding the process, ask her.  I have found this to be very useful not only to stay on top of everything that needs to be done, but also as a way of communicating my progress through the process.

As the number of university representatives visiting our campus steadily increases, it is highly likely that someone from a university that you are applying to will come to visit. Make sure you sign up for these events on Naviance (and now you can keep track of them on the new Facebook site and Follow the office on Twitter as well).

Ask the representative questions that are not necessarily available on the website, reconfirm pre-requisites for specific courses (one of my friends experienced a horrifying situation in which the university had not updated its website, but had changed its requirements). Be engaged throughout these meetings, as representative do tend to remember who had turned up. I hope these tips give you some insight as to what to expect, and how to handle it when the time comes. As I increasingly realize, it is crucial to stay calm and be organized in your thoughts and actions. 

Good luck!

Interview Soon? Here's some advice from a Student

How To Get Into University 101: Alumni Interviews

By Mathilde Ooi

As Grade 12 students, one of the many big questions floating around in our minds is “what do I have to do to present myself as the best candidate I can be for the universities I am applying to?” Especially for those of us who are applying to schools around the United States, we have to prepare ourselves for what we see as the daunting alumni/university interviews. To help us anticipate what is coming our way, we were given the opportunity to practice as interviewees and to gain constructive feedback from our interviewers who were UWCSEA alumni, parents, and teachers.

 The evening allowed each of us three 15 minutes one-to-one interviews followed by time after to reflect on what went well and what did not.  Going in the evening, I felt extremely anxious: unsure of what to expect and unsure of what I would even say. I was particularly frustrated about the outcome of my first interview because there were many instances where I fumbled and I was unable express my points clearly. However, with each interview I felt more and more confident and the interviews began to feel more natural and conversational.

            The most challenging part about the night was being thrown questions that were extremely broad such as "tell me more about yourself." What was difficult to do for broader questions was sticking to a couple important points and then keeping my answers crisp and concise because you could potentially talk about anything. For example: I wanted share my Project Week experiences, my SEASAC experiences and so on.

            On the other hand, there were also many positive outcomes from the evening such as gaining valuable advice from our alumni, getting a better idea of how to structure my answers and being able to think faster on my feet each time. I felt more and more prepared for whatever question that was coming my way each time. Overall, this experience was especially informative and worthwhile because not only did I learn more about how I could improve my interview skills but also more about my most prominent qualities and myself. 

5 pieces of advice that I would give:

1.     Rule of thumb:

Be yourself and treat the interviewer as a friend. You want them to love who you are and they also want to love you.

2. Don't be afraid to clarify:

If you are asked a specific question such as "what do you think about Bradley Manning's sentence", for those of you like myself who do not know who Bradley Manning is just ask.

3.     Be concise with your answers.

Make your point, then back it up with evidence, what have you done that exemplifies what you just said.

4.     Try to relax and make good eye contact with your interviewer

It sets up a better environment for them to interview you and for you to be interviewed if you're both comfortable

5.     Lastly, be specific.

If giving an anecdote, be specific. If talking about your qualities, be specific; why are you drawn to these qualities, how have they helped you along high school.

Third Guest Blogger: The University Advising Centre and the Application Journey

Amukelani Muyanga, writes about her journey from South Africa to Singapore; from thinking about UWC applications to now thinking about University applications:

The day I’m submitting this column of sorts is significant because exactly a year ago today (23^rd May), I found out that I’d been awarded a scholarship to study at UWCSEA. I had no idea of the journey ahead that’s about to come full circle in a few weeks when I return home for a month and a half in summer.

The last thing I was thinking about when I arrived was university. I was too excited to be in a school as big as one! (The school has since shrunk, as large things do when you become used to them). I, like many other IB students, was a bit perplexed about the massive amount of university talk coming our way when we were just trying to get a grip on our Diploma. Most of us assumed that university was a long way off but the months just kept rolling past and university is now a lot closer than when we began. I also think the reason we’re so reluctant to think about university is because beginning that journey will mean end of our UWC one. The University Advising Centre (UAC) has made our views on that a little less dismaying, though. There is a constant stream of university representatives floating in and out of the UAC doors that have made my peers and me a lot more aware about the myriad of possibilities ready for us.

Before I came to Singapore, I thought my options of universities in South Africa were plentiful: more than 30 to choose from. The realization that the number in South Africa was a mere drop in the ocean compared to the rest of the world was an incredibly liberating, exciting and daunting. The paradox of choice became very real. Personality and career aptitude tests, numerous talks with the advisors, help with SAT preparation as well as testing, and honest assessments of our strengths and weaknesses encouraged by the UAC have helped a lot of us tremendously.

The UAC always has something new to help us with our journey and one of them was the “Finding Your Voice” writing sessions that doubled up as therapy ones. The free writing helped us think individually about why our progressions came about. Mine, for example, was from doctor to psychologist to sculptor and perhaps back again. Even so, I’m secure in the awareness that even if I decide to pursue the most bizarre and unheard of career path in existence, the UAC will have a 3-page list of universities they think would be great. “Ain’t nobody got time” for 3 pages, though, which is where the one-on-one sessions with the uni advisors really help.

I speak for most of the IB students when I say that we really feel supported by the UAC, and even though we take ages to fill in their surveys, we’re really thankful they’re there. The UAC has forced us to think about things a lot of us would have left for the last minute and have made us pretty excited about the future, too. Who knows, maybe we’ll register for a degree in university counseling in their honour.

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.

Campus Visits

We wrote previously that Grade 11 students should attend university presentations. In addition to that,  we would like to recommend that students in Grades 9, 10, and 11, (if they are able), should take campus tours.

Visiting a campus, stepping on the lawns, seeing a stream of students walk to and from classes, really goes a long way in finding a "right fit" university.  Each campus has a different vibe to it and by visiting a campus students will gain a better understanding of it and assess if that school is a good match.

When going on campus tours be sure to include various types of schools: big, small, urban, rural, and suburban to name a few categories.

Be prepared for the campus visit. Here is a checklist of things for you to do. Remember to ask the right questions. Here are some suggestions for questions to ask and what not to ask!

Students in Grades 9, 10 and 11 should make the most of their summer holidays. They could attend summer programs, get some work experience, and visit various campuses.

We hope that early planning and campus visits will help students learn more about themselves and in turn, help them make informed decisions.