A guidance counsellor helps you make right choice
Print Edition
Choosing a university is an exciting time: a fresh start, studying the subject you love and getting your own independence. It can be, however, a difficult and stressful time: Will I get the grades? Is this the right university? Is this the right course? These questions and many more can plague students and families as they prepare to apply to thousands of choices of great courses and institutions across the globe. Luckily, at Nord Anglia International School Shanghai, Pudong, we have the perfect program and a proven track-record in getting students on to their first-choice courses in world-leading institutions.
Starting early
Kathryn Watson, our experienced and dedicated university guidance counsellor, has over 10 years’ experience in helping students make the right choice of university from a mind-boggling array of options. Her best piece of advice is to start early. That’s why university guidance really begins in Key Stage 3 through our excellent Guidance Program. During this period, students are introduced to the world of higher education and careers.
“Not that students are asked to choose now, but it is hugely important to sow the seed when students are younger as it helps them define what they want and helps toward the important choices to be made at IGCSE in Year 9,” Watson said.
The annual university fair, held at NAIS in March, invites younger students to attend and ask questions through a scavenger-hunt activity that makes it less intimidating, while older students have the time and space to explore options with representatives of universities from around the world. Not only that, every year people from industry come to the school to speak about their professions to all year groups explaining the various pathways to employment in these areas including university options.
The Guidance Program introduces students to the possibility of university choices in an open-minded and accessible way. Students undertake psychometric testing, curriculum vitae and letter-writing courses and learn interview techniques while in Key Stage 3 and 4. Later on, in Year 12, the Bridge-U Program is offered to help refine choices. All along the way, Watson holds university lunchtime talks with representatives from global colleges and spends her days interviewing students about appropriate courses.
“Much of these sessions focus on encouraging students and supporting them while also building independence. We do a great deal of searching through the student’s particular needs and wants and then begin the process of honing down decisions,” she said.
Meetings with parents and students together are also a central aspect of the process and helps in making good choices. It is with great pride that NAIS boasts an enviable sticking rate — very few students drop out of university or decide to transfer, because we ensure the choices are right before they go.
Tailored provision
Because each student is different, the provision for each student is also varied and bespoke. At NAIS, we have a gloriously diverse student body, so university guidance has to be underpinned by expert advice on UK options and the UCAS system as well as US colleges and the SAT/ACT tests, as these are the most popular destinations. However, we also have expert understanding of how to apply to Asian institutions, Indian universities and European colleges.
Watson attends the annual CIS Higher Education Counsellor Conference in order to establish networking links with university admissions officers that also helps put our students in ideal position.
When students enter Year 11, they also have the option to spend a week touring UK universities on the annual university trip. Rather than buy an off-the-shelf tour, Watson makes the tour economical and tailored to the kind of institutions that our families wish to see, so the tour is a perfect way to introduce students to college life and allows them to see what a university looks like. This process is an inspiring opportunity for students to get a face-to-face view of the university system and some of the social aspects of life on campus.
In Year 12, Watson begins the process of teaching how to write a college application essay and personal statement. Students can find this tricky as it requires writing about a wide variety of experiences with a limited word count. This tough process is handled on a one-to-one basis with our students receiving individual feedback and the ability to consult with subject teachers for advice. Throughout life in the IB Academy, students are supported by a highly knowledgeable, professional team.
Medical, art, Oxbridge
We are very proud to have students accepted to a wide range of universities, but some require more dedicated support, such as those students who apply to medicine, Oxbridge, art courses or engineering where interviews are expected. Oxbridge potential is spotted early and supported in the junior years through The Critical Thinking Club but in Year 12 the process is further developed with students being assigned a mentor from the teaching body. The same is true of medicine applicants who are given support through MedSoc, a weekly society that prepares for medical entry, and also through dedicated tutors helping students prepare for the exams and interviews.
Overall, the university process at NAIS Pudong is made easy and enjoyable through a wide range of activities all run by our dedicated university counsellor Watson. We are exceptionally proud of the fantastic university offers achieved by our students and love hearing about their experiences when they come back to visit. It is not uncommon for our alumni to host sessions with our students and also to talk at assembly about their experiences.
Therefore, at NAIS Pudong we are confident that our students have the opportunity to access beneficial courses and this is a result of strong ambition, expertise and tailored support.
(Michael Watson is assistant head of Secondary at NAIS Pudong.)
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