Parent Information Fair Higher Education Presented by Susie Blomfield and Amanda Yan Discovery College 20 August 2015
PRESENTATION RUN-DOWN 1. University destinations of DC students 2. Aim and role of the HEO 3. Overview of different admissions systems 4. Limiting applications 5. Strategies and advice 6. Q & A
Destination of 2015 Class Australia# 8%# HK# 10%# Japan# 2%# UK# 36%# US# 22%# Canada# 22%#
Cambridge UCL Durham Manchester Loughborough Exeter Queen Mary York Warwick Goldsmiths UCA
UC Santa Barbara Syracuse Umass Amherst Columbia College of Design Wash U Seattle
University of British Columbia (UBC) University of Toronto Simon Fraser University Vancouver Film School
University of Hong Kong Ritsumeikan University
OUR AIM To find a pathway that is the right fit for YOU academically, socially and culturally.
How we achieve that aim We start early Career and personality profiles Work closely with student, teachers and parents Group sessions Individual counselling sessions Workshops Site visits/university fairs Summer programmes/participation in ECAs, CAS
OUR ROLE To maximize students opportunities of getting good university offers To guide students through the whole application process To provide the tools for students to research and identify possible career options To implement a set of deadlines in order for university applications to be submitted in a timely and effective manner
Years 9-11 Group presentations on careers Naviance Individual advice on subject selection Self assessment: Personality Self assessment: Academic Self assessment: Activities, interests and aspirations
Years 12-13 Help select universities and programmes Advise on testing Assist in writing admission essays Conduct mock interviews Discuss applications with uni admission officers Writing & co-ordination of references Collate and process all university applications
Years 12-13 Meet with every student individually and in large groups Host universities visiting DC to speak to students Conduct Information sessions for parents Visit universities to establish relationships with admission officers
Research 1. What is it like? Size, location, internships, accommodation, safety, social/cultural environment 2. Can I get in? Entry requirements: IB scores, SATs, TOEFL, IELTS, BMAT, LNAT, UKCAT, what else? Be realistic and keep your options open 3. Cost implications Scholarships and financial aid
Research 4. What will become of me? What do the graduates do? How many go on to graduate school? What kinds of jobs do the students get when they graduate? How many companies recruit on campus? How many graduates go into start-up companies?
Choosing a Major Follow your interests and discover what you love to do Steps: 1. Consider which courses you have done well in be practical and realistic! 2. Research and investigate these courses. 3. Get volunteer work or holiday jobs in these fields. 4. Is the field expanding? Are graduates walking straight into jobs? 5. Be flexible; you have time to change your major if your are unhappy with it.
OVERVIEW OF DIFFERENT ADMISSIONS SYSTEMS
UK SELECTION CRITERIA
Choosing a Course Location campus/city Reputation Ranking Teaching (Quality Assurance Agency) Research Graduate satisfaction Graduate destination Accommodation
UK Admissions Apply through a centralized system: UCAS www.ucas.com 5 choices: one online application form, one essay fits all More focused degrees than US: however growing flexibility Firm/Insurance Results Day confirmation and clearing
Tuition Costs University of Sheffield 2015-2016 King s College London Arts, Law, Social Science 14,500 per year Classroom based programmes 2015-2016 15,200 per year Archeology, Architecture, Geography, Journalism, Maths 16,500 per year Sciences, Engineering Non-clinical Medicine and Dentistry 18,750 per year All Lab based programmes 19,750 per year Clinical years of Medicine (last 3 years) and Dentistry (last 4 years) 34,000 per year Clinically based programmes 36,000 per year
Home Status Fee code should be 02 Student needs to know their Local Authority Family should be ordinarily resident in the UK Parents should be able to show ties to the UK Having a home there or a renewable contract may help. A UK address is essential. Many forms to complete
US SELECTION CRITERIA
Features of the US Education System A best fit for the institution is key The all round student is crucial Bachelor degree usually takes 4 years to complete, associate degree 2 years Credit system Plenty of choice 5,000 institutions and 900 majors Liberal Arts colleges (Claremont McKenna, Amherst, Bowdoin) Highly specialized institutions (Embry Riddle Aeronautical University - Engineering)
Undergraduate Degrees Bachelor s degree - 4 years Associate degree 2 years Not standardized/no central ranking body Flexibility: emphasize a broad, well rounded education Maths, science, the arts, social sciences and language all need to be studied before choosing a specialization
Undergraduate Programme Major& Arts&&&Le2ers& Social&Science& Science& Wri+ng& Math&&& Foreign& Language& General Education Elec+ves& Mul+cultural& courses&
The Application Components Application forms Ø Common Application (www.commonapp.org) Ø University of California High School transcript English language proficiency Standardized tests (SAT/ACT) Letters of recommendation Essays Evidence of financial support
Total Fees Examples: Harvard: $US 62,250 68,050 per annum source: https://college.harvard.edu/financial-aid/how-aid-works/cost-attendance U of California: $US 55,978 (non-residents) $US 33,100 (California residents) Source: http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/paying-for-uc/tuition-and-cost/
HONG KONG ADMISSIONS Highly competitive For Medicine/Law/Business, 45/45 IB scores No quota for Non-JUPAS local students One application: three choices, must be similar as one essay fits all Fast Track (early admission) : Must be sure
Hong Kong Universities and World Rankings University Asia World Hong Kong University of Science and Technology 5 40 University of Hong Kong Chinese University of Hong Kong City University of Hong Kong Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hong Kong Baptist University 3 6 11 27 45 28 46 104 161 288
Some Typical Offers Received by DC students Degree Course University IB points Medicine CUHK 42 Economics Global Business Psychology HKU CUHK HKU 36 40 36
AUSTRALIA ADMISSIONS Different systems for international and domestic students International apply direct to universities Domestic apply through TACs (Tertiary Admissions Centres) ALL students will have their IB scores calculated using the ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) No essays, no recommendations Apply after IB results are released
Australian Universities and World Rankings University Australia World University of Melbourne 1 32 University of Sydney University of Queensland Australian National University Monash University University of New South Wales 2 3 4 5 6 45 47 72 88 94
CANADA ADMISSIONS Canadian passport holders are eligible to pay local fees No recommendations, few essays but this is slowly changing Very supportive and open to the IB Co-op programmes
Canadian Universities and World Rankings University University of Toronto University of British Columbia McGill University McMaster University Waterloo World Ranking 20 33 33 140 180
Applying to Ontario Universities - OUAC Students register online with OUAC www.ouac.on.ca to create an account to apply to universities in the province of Ontario Can apply up to 3 courses for each university except University of Toronto
Tuition Fees (UBC) Degree Canadian student (C$) Applied Science 5,593 27,183 Arts 4,794 23,300 Commerce 7,104 26,107 Law 11,224 24,138 Dentistry/Medicine 16,403 N/A International student (C$)
HOW MANY UNIVERSITIES CAN I APPLY TO? 8 applications only (but do the maths!) Example: UCAS (5 choices) University of California (10 campuses) Canada-Ontario province (multiple) Canada-British Columbia (multiple) USA (individual) Hong Kong (individual) Australia (individual) Others (individual)
OUR STRATEGY & ADVICE 1. Begin with a wide selection of choices Narrow your choices to fit your own profile and needs Make a final selection of 8 2. Use the Classic Selection Formula Two reach universities Two match universities Two safety-net universities
Remember. Read the rankings with a critical eye The main point of this research is to find the right match for YOU Each country has a different and unique system Know yourself and be realistic Identify your strengths and weaknesses Different institutions are right for different people
Reasons NOT to Select a University 1. My parents want me to go there 2. My parents told me I should study this course 3. My friends are all applying to the same university 4. It s the most well known university. It s high in the rankings and its name brand! 5. Where else should I go? 6. I think it s the right one for me
Reasons to Select a University 1. This school matches my interests, needs, and academic goals. It s right for me! 2. This school offers what I am looking for. I can bring something special to this school.
Remember There is rarely a clear or straight answer The university application process is complex: each system is different All respect and value the IB The process is very much a partnership between the student, the parent, the HE counsellor and the school
Communicating with HEO The HEO resource centre and noticeboard! Naviance Ding! Newsletter Handbook Dedicated HEO website (coming soon) Email Meetings