2014-03-12 applying to university 2014

8/19/2019 2014-03-12 Applying to University 2014

1/28

Applying

to

University

Using

your

time

at

Doha

College

– Mr

J

Conly University application process – Ms Lone

Applying to Oxbridge and medical courses – Ms Vadukul


2/28

What are the issues

•Grade boundaries may have changed

•The work is much harder and more in depth than (I)GCSE

•More freedom to plan your time

•Teachers expect you to be more independent

•As you are older you may have more freedom at home

•You do

not

know

what

you

want

to

do

when

you

leave

school

•You do not listen to advice, what do teachers and parents know?


3/28

Solving the issues.....

•Work hard – AS points count a lot more than people think (predicted grades)

•Work hard

– resits

are

not

a safety

net

•Work hard – get Yr. 12 right and it takes a lot of pressure off your Yr. 13

•Work hard

– if

you

are

busy

you

get

more

things

done

– more

momentum

•Be strong – you don’t get an A level in playing table tennis

Bonus points

‐

• Ms Lone– a treasure chest of information for parents as well as students

• Have a goal – if you know where you want to go then you will work hard to get there


4/28

What the Year 13’s say


5/28

What others say

Your school may have done away with winners and losers,

but life has not. In some schools they have abolished

failing grades and they'll give you as many times as

you want

to get

the

right

answer.

This

doesn't

bear

the

slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

What do others say?


6/28

So what should I be doing?

Preparation for universities begins at year 12 and applications made at the

beginning of year 13

• Researching A level requirements for university choices

• Gaining practical experience

• Reading around subject of interest

• Preparing for

university

admission

tests

• Preparing additional requirements for universities – such as portfolios

• Convincing teachers and tutors that you are awesome


7/28

And finally from me

Writing personal statements –

Limited words and space

Should be original

Highlight your academics (both strengths and skills)

What else have you done that will enhance your application?

Everything should

be

relevant

and

directed

to

your

course

The interview ‐

Are you

passionate

and

interested?

Are you teachable?

Can you take criticism and refine an argument?

What are your soft skills telling us?


8/28

General requirements

SAT or ACT

TOFEL or

IELTS

UK University Admissions Tests

Personal Statements

/

Essays

CV

Transcripts

References


9/28

SAT or ACT

• Designed to measure whether you are academically ready for college or university,

and are a compulsory part of US applications

• SAT: Critical reading, Writing and Mathematics

• Plus 20 SAT Subject Tests to choose from: Literature, US History, World History,

Mathematics Level 1, Mathematics Level 2, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and 12

different language options.

• ACT measures ability in 4 areas: English, maths, reading and science. Plus an

optional 30

minutes

writing

test

in

the

form

of

a short

essay.

Saturday 22nd March 2pm ‐ 6pm

Sunday 23rd March 2pm ‐ 6pm

Ivy

league

score

average

should be

720 out of

800


10/28

TOFEL or IELTS

• If English is not first language

• May be required to provide for visa

application

• Some universities

will

accept

GCSE

English language (first language)grade

instead


11/28

UK University Admissions Tests

BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT)

For entry to medicine, veterinary medicine and biomedical science

courses.

Classics Admissions Tests (CATS)

For entry

to

any

course

including

Classics

at

the

University

of

Oxford.

English Literature Admissions Test (ELAT)

For entry to English courses at the University of Oxford.

Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT)

For graduate entry into medicine and dentistry courses.

History Aptitude

Test

(HAT)

For entry to all degrees involving history at the University of Oxford.

Health Professions Admissions Test (HPAT)

For entry to certain medical courses at the University of Ulster.

The National Admissions Test for Law (LNAT)

For entry to law.

Mathematics Aptitude Test (MAT)

For entry to mathematics or computer science, or a joint honours

degree involving mathematics at the University of Oxford.

Mathematics Aptitude Test (MAT)

For entry to mathematics or computer science, or a joint honours

degree involving mathematics at the University of Oxford.

Modern and Medieval Languages Test (MML)

For entry

to

modern

and

medieval

languages

at

the

University

of

Cambridge.

Modern Languages and Linguistics Aptitude Tests (MLLAT)

For entry to any course including a modern language at the University of

Oxford.

Physics Aptitude Test (PAT)

For entry to physics, or a joint degree involving physics at the University

of Oxford.

Sixth Term Examination Papers (STEP)

For entry to mathematics at the University of Cambridge and University

of Warwick.

Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA Cambridge)

For entry to computer science, natural sciences, engineering,

economics,

land

economy

and

politics,

psychology

and

sociology

(PPS)

at a number of University of Cambridge colleges.

Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA Oxford)

For entry to philosophy, politics and economics (PPE), economics and

management (E&M), experimental psychology (EP) or psychology and

philosophy at the University of Oxford.

Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA) UCL

For entry

to

European

social

and

political

studies

at

University

College

London (UCL).


12/28

Personal Statements & Essays

Measure of motivation for course and or university

• UK more academic

“English literature has allowed me to explore different contexts of several texts,

learning about the history, politics, culture and religion at the time. Furthermore, the subject has enhanced my writing and research skills. For example, while

studying E.M Forster's 'A Passage to India' I became aware of how communication

and tolerance is essential in bridging relationships between two different

communities”

• US very personal

“When high school started, I turned my back on my best friend. He did nothing

wrong. He was the same person from before. But in the eyes of our classmates, he

wasn’t cool. And I didn’t have the courage to remain loyal.”

MIT:

Qualities

of

true

friends

What qualities do you seek in your true friends, those who will

support you in your thoughts, words, and deeds? Why have you

sought these

people

as

companions?


13/28

Transcripts

• Official document from Doha College

• States accomplishments in higher

education and

detail

about

performance.

D50C8366.pdf Transcript Template.pdf


14/28

References

• Combination of subject teachers, Form Tutor, ECA Leader and work experience

• Confirming student’s ability for course and or university chosen

• Some universities ask for separate subject teacher and tutor references

• Some ask

for

one

overall

reference

• Some universities do not request references


15/28

Timeline for Applications

September October November December January February March May June

UK Complete research and

UCAS PS

15/10 Applicants

request Reference and

Transcript to Student

Services

Register for

Oxford tests

Post transcript

and reference,

COPA and SAQ

for Cambridge

15/10 UCAS

deadline

Post portfolios

& written work

to Oxford

Take Oxford

tests

Oxford &

Cambridge

interviews

Decisions from

Oxford &

Cambridge

15/01 UCAS

deadline

Start of Extra

choices

24/03 Art and

design courses

deadline

Decisions from

15 January

applications

Reply to offers

Outstanding

choices become

unsuccessful

UCAS will

decline offers if

not replied

Qatar Research universities

attend relevant

events

SATS or ACT

IELTS or

TOEFLS

Complete PS/

Essay/CV

Request

Reference and

Transcript to

Student

Services

No application

fee for

early

submission to

Georgetown &

Northwestern

Deadline for all

01/03

Decisions

announced

31/05

Apply to

Academic

Bridge

Programme if

no offers made

USA SATS or ACT

IELTS or TOEFLS

Complete research and

PS/ Essay

Request

Reference and

Transcript to

Student

Services

Early Action

Application

Early Decisions

Most other

Application

deadlines

Most decisions

made

Canada

Research universities

attend relevant events

Applications

open

IELTS or TOEFLS

Complete

research and

PS/ Essay

Request

Reference and

Transcript to

Student

Services

Submit

application

before Equal

Consideration

date

Equal

Consideration

date

Early

conditional

offers made

Decisions

Offers

Refusals

Deferral

Response to

offers


16/28

Australia

Deadline

for

submission

August/September

(December

for

international)

Offers

made

in

January/

February

Start date late February

Requirement: Transcript and English tests

• Two AS Level subjects can only be considered as one A Level subject

• A level grades are scored: A=5, B=4, C=3, D=2, E=1

Universities specify what scores are required for each course

• Applications are made to the State central body e.g. QTAC in Queensland and VTAC in Victoria

• International students often require slightly lower grades than Australian domestic students. (Domestic students pay domestic fees

even if they live abroad.)

• Personal Statement is not essential when applying to university (but will enhance an application) but they often do need one when

applying for accommodation.

• For international students after graduation visa allows for 2 years employment in Australia


17/28

Canada

Requirements: Transcripts, sometimes essays

• A‐level = usually one transfer credit (equivalent to 6 credit hours, or 20% of a first year program).

Depending on

university

and

course

• Most universities waive the requirement for an English language proficiency test if GCSE or GCE English

achieved

• Some universities

will

allow

admission

for

students

completing

only

AS

‐level

courses

usually

substitute

one A‐level for two AS‐level courses. (AS level courses are usually not eligible for transfer credits)

• Admission into Engineering programs is quite competitive, so these programs normally demand the

highest academic rigour, and will often not permit AS‐levels only for entry.

• For international students after graduation visa allows for 3 years employment in Canada


18/28

USA

Requirements: Transcripts, recommendation letters, personal essays, SAT/ACT and ILETS/TOFEL

• The US degree is a cumulative degree, so is earned through each class you take – much like in the UK. Most majors

require 120

credits

to

graduate

and

generally

you

will

aim

to

earn

30

credits

each

year.

• It is possible to end up with more than 120 credits but this is the minimum, and it is always possible to graduate

early by attending classes during summer.

• Many similarities between the UK and US undergraduate systems, major differences is in medicine or law is not

taught at undergraduate level in the US.

• A‐level results may count towards a US undergraduate degree

• GPA is another mainstay of American education which

UK students

are

not

be

used

to.


19/28

United Kingdom

• Requirements: Personal statement, reference, some admission tests and

sometimes transcript

• Apply through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service)

• 9/10 offers are conditional mainly based on predicted three A‐level results

• Some universities will formally interview students

• Deadlines for applications October – January


20/28

Applying to Oxford and Cambridge

A guide to the application process


21/28

•

Deadline

for

applications

is

October

15th

2014

• Applications are sent through UCAS

• Requires

a

personal

statement

and

reference

(as

with

all

UK

applications)

• Application must show a real passion for the subject

• 80% of applicants with A grades at AS level will be

interviewed


22/28

Scary but true

•In 2012, more than 95% of those holding Trinity offers achieved at least A*AA

•The average number of A* grades achieved by successful applicants to Trinity in

general last year was 3

•The ratio of applications at Trinity to places is about five to one, much the same as for

Cambridge as

a whole

•The average AS UMS score for successful applicants was 95% ‐ Trinity

•It is not just about the grades. The interview and any tests will also count e.g TSA.

Have you researched these?

•

Have you

researched

how

many

places

there

are

on

the

course

for

international

students?


23/28

How to prepare

•

Start early

– you

should

have

already

begun

preparing your application.

• Research – there has never been an easier time to get information about courses and universities and

colleges. Which

college

do

you

want

to

go

to?

Why?

• Get involved in work experience and courses. At Oxbridge it is all about your academic potential.

• Get involved in extra curricular activities – it makes for

a stronger

application.


24/28

The Grades

• Applications to

these

universities

are

very

academic

and grades will be closely looked at

• A lot of emphasis will be placed on (I)GCSE grades

• Target AS

scores

should

be

at

least

90%

• Previous winners of the outstanding student award

who have gone to Oxbridge have average AS and

early entry

A2

scores

of

over

95%

with

around

half

the results being 100%


25/28

The Outcome

•From the start of January you will hear about

the result

of

your

application.

•Remember on average only 20% of applicants

are successful.

In

some

cases

it

may

be

lower

•How good is your plan B? You must have other

choices that you would be just as happy going

to.


26/28

Let’s hear

from

two

Year

13 Oxbridge applicants…


27/28

Tisal

GCE Advanced Level (predicted)

A* Biology

A* Further Mathematics

A*

MathematicsA* Chemistry

A* Physics

GCE Advanced Subsidiary

A Biology

A Chemistry

A Further Mathematics

A Physics

GCSE

A* Design & Technology

A* English Language

A* English

LiteratureA* Geography

A* Biology

A* Chemistry

A* ICT

A* PhysicsA* Mathematics

University of Cambridge – Engineering

Conditional offer: GCE A level Grades A*A*A in Mathematics Further Mathematics and

Physics


28/28

28

Presentation Information and Date

Kushagra

GCE

Advanced

Level

(predictions )A* Further Mathematics

A* Mathematics

A* Chemistry

A*

Physics

GCE

Advanced

Subsidiary

A Chemistry

A Further Mathematics

A Geography

A Physics

A Mathematics

GCSE

A* Business Studies

B English Language

B English Literature

A* Geography

A* Biology

A* Chemistry

A* ICT

A* Physics

A* Mathematics

Oxford University – Geology

Conditional offer: A‐level grades AAAA including Mathematics and either Physics or Chemistry

2014-03-12 applying to university 2014

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