While our university counsellors often talk about a university application season, the truth is that the university application process stretches across the entirety of our pupils’ final academic year. Many pupils will not make their first application until Second or even Third term. But the majority of Wellington College China pupils will make at least one application during Michaelmas/First term. The most common reason for that is the pupils are choosing a competitive university or programme that offers or requires applications by an early deadline. Here are some of the reasons for those early deadlines and how our university counsellors prepare pupils to make such applications.
US UNIVERSITIES
There are many universities in the US that have such an early deadline. Some are labelled ‘early action’ or ‘early decision’. But for some schools, like those in the University of California system, this early deadline is the only one for pupils seeking admission for the following academic year. No matter which type of early deadline a pupil is facing, it is important they put forward the strongest application possible, because the competition for places at those universities tends to be very strong.
These applications typically require:
Either a full essay, a series of lengthy short answer responses (or both);
A list of activities in which the pupil has had some impact or demonstrated leadership;
Strong test scores on either the SAT or ACT;
Several letters of recommendation from faculty members who know the pupil well;
In addition, the strongest applicants will often submit additional materials demonstrating artistic skills or experience doing high-level research.
We begin talking with pupils who are applying to US universities more than a year in advance. Then, during their penultimate year in school, we do a thorough investigation of each component and how the pupils can complete it in such a way that it will create the clearest, most compelling picture of them as an applicant. We also provide advice on things like which activities they should engage in during and outside the school year as well as what testing strategy they should pursue.
During grade their final year, pupils can submit any writing or other application components for review by our university counsellors. We will provide detailed feedback about how those pieces can be improved to best reflect the pupil's achievements and unique characteristics to the university admissions officers who will review their application.
OXBRIDGE
Every year, many Wellington College China pupils will apply to UK schools. The deadline for those is towards the end of January. But a smaller number will make a special application in mid-October, and this deadline applies to all applications to courses at Oxford and Cambridge — commonly referred to as Oxbridge — as well as courses in medicine, dentistry and veterinary sciences.
The application process for these universities and courses is similar to those of other UK courses. Pupils, for instance, must submit a personal statement, an academic reference from school faculty and a set of predicted grades. However, these highly selective universities and courses typically require additional components, most notably admissions assessments and interviews, which are used to distinguish the very best applicants among pool of extremely strong candidates.
Top pupils at Wellington College China schools who are interested in applying to the UK are provided with a faculty mentor who will help them explore their subject of interest beyond the typical curriculum. This is a key process for selection to these universities. In addition to this mentorship, these pupils will also receive additional support in preparing for the assessments associated with their chosen course as well as extensive interview prep. For those pupils applying to medicine courses, this interview prep is modelled after the specialised interviews associated with medical schools in the UK. These are more complex and rigorous than even the typical Oxbridge interview.
Our university counsellors provide excellent, thorough support for every application of every pupil to every destination, but when it comes to these early applications, they will go above and beyond to ensure that such applications are as strong as possible, given the highly competitive nature of the process.
We look forward to sharing the good results of many of those applications in the coming New Year!
