Three Keys to Success for International University Applications

At this moment in time, high school students in China who are applying to study abroad are undergoing a challenging period of study. Educational institutions throughout China have been impacted by recent campus closures, with most schools moving to online learning programmes instead. Many foreign embassies have suspended the issuing of new visas, and some international education institutes have cancelled their exams – this crisis is hitting pupils hard, especially Sixth Formers with international education aspirations. In light of this, we spoke to our university guidance team here in Tianjin, to hear more about international universities’ responses to this crisis, and how pupils can react to these changes with calmness and ease. 

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TOP UNIVERSITIES MAKING CONCESSIONS FOR CHINESE PUPILS

In higher education, Chinese students represent a huge proportion of all international students studying at foreign universities; in the United Kingdom (UK) Chinese students number over 120,000 and account for around a third of all non-EU students, and in the United States (US) there are more than 350,000 Chinese students who represent about 30% of all foreign students.

These figures alone make it clear that the current situation is a matter of great concern to universities around the world. Many international institutions have recognised the severity of this crisis and are making some concessions to their application procedures as a result. This is an excerpt from an email that we received from Bath University (UK):

“We are aware that schools, language centres and institutions are currently closed in mainland China and Hong Kong and this of course is proving to be a very difficult time for you all, also the students. Understandably the students are becoming very worried with regards missing so much valuable time in preparation for their exams and the opportunity of actually sitting for exams and tests.

We would like to advise you that we will be applying flexibility with regards deadlines and where possible, grades achieved should the need arise, due to the considerable disruption being caused. We would recommend schools to contact the qualification awarding bodies to also enquire if there is going to be adjustments made due to the current situation.”

Our examinations officer (Mr Ogando) is in regular contact with the exam boards and will communicate with you any major changes should they arise. If you have any concerns regarding public exams, please do not hesitate to contact him on felix.ogando@wellingtoncollege.cn

If you have not yet submitted your university applications: 

Some top universities are making certain changes and ‘allowances’ to their admissions processes. Due to the difficulties of the current situation, many universities have been amenable if pupils are unable to send parts of their application on time or if school documents are submitted in a slightly different format. It is still advisable, however to meet any set deadlines and pupils are encouraged to check the online guidance provided by universities or contact the admissions team directly if they are facing any difficulties.

If you have submitted your university applications, and are still waiting to hear back:

The university guidance team have been supporting pupils in this situation by talking directly to institutions about how the disruption and extra stress is impacting pupils’ learning and how this could affect their final results.

Many universities have procedures in place to ensure ‘extenuating circumstances’ are taken into consideration when final admissions decisions are made. The university guidance team is preparing to ensure that these factors are ‘flagged-up’ in advance of pupils taking exams. Those applying to the UK, for example, should be now making decisions regarding which universities they will choose as their firm and insurance choices. Once we know what their firm choice is, the university guidance team can contact the university to explain the difficult situation that the pupil has been facing over recent months. We strongly encourage pupils and parents to communicate regularly with the university guidance team during this time, so that we can offer as much support and advice as possible.

Thus far, the university guidance team have received overwhelmingly supportive and positive responses from universities. Admissions representatives and academics from top universities such as MIT and Harvard in the US, and Cambridge, Imperial, and UCL in the UK have been happy to listen to our concerns and have attempted to reassure us that any disruption pupils face will not disadvantage them in the admissions process.

Most of the 2020 leavers from Wellington College Shanghai and Tianjin have received offers from all of their university choices. A few universities are yet to release their offers and some destinations, such as Australia and Korea, have later application cycles.

The key instruction for all pupils in this situation is ‘don’t panic’. International universities are very aware of the current crisis and they, along with the university guidance teams at Wellington College China, are doing their best to ensure that no pupil application is unfairly affected by the current disruption.

Wellington College Tianjin University Fair 2019

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OUR RESPONSE: THREE KEYS TO SUCCESS

Sixth-formers at Wellington College China have been able to react to recent events with relative calmness due to the strong foundation of pupil support and university guidance offered by the school. The College has been guided by three ‘keys’ that ensure success when providing support to its pupils during this time: Our highly organised university guidance team University guidance is always a highly complex and meticulous process. The current cohort of Year 13 pupils at Wellington College China are applying to universities in more than 13 different countries, with many pupils applying to more than one destination. Each country, and often each different university within that country, will have their own application system, their own set of admissions priorities and their own set of deadlines that are strict and need to be met. Those applying for Arts courses have been given one-to-one support with their portfolios and all pupils, regardless of the course they are applying for, have been given help in preparing for their interviews, whether this be face-to-face or online. Thus, we have complex systems in place to track each pupil’s application to ensure that they are met. This process makes sure that pupils not only complete their applications on time – but also ensure that they allow enough time for us, and their teachers, to complete our parts of the application, such as references and recommendation letters, to the highest possible standard. The entire university guidance team need to be highly organised at the best of times, so they are perfectly suited to face this new and peculiar set of challenges. Our 'Higher Education Pathway' In addition to achieving the practical goal of getting university offers, the university guidance team also aims to cultivate pupils' independence. Independence is one the five characteristics that describes the Wellington Identity. In this context, independence is cultivated by encouraging pupils in younger years to start thinking about their options and what they may wish to do in the future.  Getting pupils to consider these matters early on helps them plan for the future and ensures they make clear, considered choices when applying to university. This is why all of our pupils from Years 9 – 13 have BridgeU accounts and are given weekly support via our robust tutorial system. All tutors have been contacting their tutees during the e-learning time to make sure that they are coping well and offering them some moral support. Pupils in Years 7-9 also receive regular guidance on how to best prepare for their futures. This, again is built into our excellent tutorial programme.

Wellington College Tianjin University Fair 2019

Wellington College China’s ‘Higher Education Pathway’ is a specific programme of information, advice, and guidance that supports pupils from Year 9 through to Year 13 to make decisions about their future education. Those who join us in the A Level induction year follow a bespoke 3-year curriculum and receive regular one-to-one support from the very first day at Wellington College Tianjin. We are currently running an accelerated programme of study for our scholars in Year 12 who are being given work way beyond the A Level curriculum in order to help them access places at top universities all over the world. All pupils are informed of all their options through specific sessions, tutorials and university talks, but they are also encouraged to be independent and develop their own individual research.  This begins with pupils in younger years assessing their own strengths and interests, understanding how they relate to their IGCSE options and future careers, and gradually culminating in Year 13 with pupils building up a picture of what and where they wish to study when they leave Wellington. All pupils from Years 7-13 are involved in our annual university fair and are invited to attend presentations given by visiting universities. Our continued guidance for pupils during these special circumstances In response to recent events, our teachers have been providing alternative content and supporting pupils through online classrooms, and the university guidance team have been continuing to provide sessions as part of the ‘Higher Education Pathway’. The university guidance team are well-equipped to support pupils during this time; aside from setting up specific replacement sessions, they are also providing tailored individual advice and guidance to pupils and parents about university admissions.

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CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD FOR UNIVERSITY APPLICANTS IN 2020

Even with the 'three keys' detailed above, the past few weeks of disrupted schooling have not been easy for anyone. We asked the university guidance team for some specific advice for sixth-formers who are dealing with, or preparing for, university applications. For pupils who will be leaving high school in 2020, although they have completed most of the application work, they still need to do the following:

• Based on previous years of research and preparation, pupils should finalise and submit their university applications.
• Pupils will have to decide which of their outstanding university offers to accept. This is not always a straightforward decision, particularly when many will be ‘conditional’ upon them achieving certain grades in their upcoming A-Level exams.
• Pupils in Year 13 should focus on their final exam. This is still the most important part of any university application – ultimately, their final grades will stay with them for life!

  For pupils who will be leaving high school in 2021, this is a critical year:

• Pupils should be researching their options in greater depth and making some final decisions about where and what they wish to study.
• Many pupils in year 12 have already made a good start on their personal statements and/or college essays. We strongly recommend that if you haven’t already done so, you should use this time away from school to write up a first draft and send it to the university guidance team/ upload it onto the writing builder section of BridgeU.
• Pupils should undertake in-depth research into the admission requirements of each of their preferred universities so that they can start tailoring their application appropriately. This includes IELTS/TOEFL scores which are almost as important as the A Level scores.
• Top tip: Undertaking targeted extra-curricular activities and/or super-curricular study (further academic research) into a pupil’s chosen subject will impress a university admissions team and could prove the vital ingredient to produce a successful application.
• By the end of the 2020 school year all pupils should be finalising their test strategy, taking US admissions tests and preparing for potential post-admissions tests at the beginning of Year.

One positive aspect of the current crisis is that pupils are increasingly having to work independently and take responsibility for their own learning. These are precisely the kind of skills that are valued by admissions tutors and will serve our pupils well when studying at top international universities. Although the current situation is not ideal, this experience may help convince a potential university that a pupil is ready to rise to the challenges posed by higher level study. The 2020 school year brings challenges and opportunities to us all. Wellington College Tianjin wishes all pupils who are pursuing overseas education the best of luck with their university applications.