We looked at what students should consider when choosing their universities such as location, size, programme, familiarity and reputation. Gap years and other such plans may call for deferred entry and, even if plans may change for the student, it can be a good idea for them to take a trial run through the application process so that they are familiar with the terminology. Lists should be compiled of possible universities that reflect a range of possible outcomes such as unexpected success at IB to falling short of expectation.
We highly recommend attending Open Days where possible as this gives students considerable motivation and helps them choose the right university for them; however, we do ask parents to refrain from using term time to avoid missing valuable tuition. Finally, we discussed SAT and IELTS test which should be factored into the year’s plans and different ways that students can bolster their applications and CVs.
Parents have been provided with the PowerPoint so that they can use some of the links made available and there will be follow up sessions in the near future.
By Mrs Kathryn Watson
IB Pastoral and Higher Education