How to help your children secure placement at their dream university

Taking the step from Sixth Form to university is an exciting challenge for students, but there are many big decisions which sit between these two milestones.

It is the role of NAIS Manila's Exams & Careers Coordinator to provide support and guidance to students so that these decisions are informed, manageable, and ultimately lead our students to secure a place at a university which suits their ambitions for the future.

Making decisions about future pathways

At the very beginning of a student's journey to university, there should be a considered research and decision-making process.

Our Exams & Careers Coordinator plays an important role in guiding them through this and signposting the important factors they should consider when making their decision. For example, does the student have a firm understanding of how their degree of choice is taught at their potential university destination, what they will learn and how the style of teaching differs from a university elsewhere?

Often university ranking plays a leading role in the decision making process for students. In reality, there will be a number of criteria which shape the university experience. Our Exams & Careers Coordinator encourages students to be aware of the diversity of choice available to them. They also help students to understand the locations of their potential universities and what it would be like to live and study there, helping them to choose a location based on knowledge rather than assumption.

Understanding the application system

It is not uncommon for our students to apply to a selection of universities in numerous countries. Popular destinations include anywhere from the UK, America, and Europe. This ideally gives students a number of options when it comes to choosing their university destination, but it also requires them to navigate a variety of application systems for which the requirements and structure may vary significantly between countries.

As well as providing a new challenge to students, the application process is often unfamiliar to families too. The Exams & Careers Coordinator plays a key part in guiding students and parents through this. They have experience and knowledge of international application processes and are equipped to steer students through this system, ensuring that they are prepared rather than overwhelmed by the challenge.

Preparing to impress

The written application process is typically only the first step in securing a place at a top university. At this stage and beyond it, our Exams & Careers Coordinator is an ally for students and ensures they are prepared for each of the challenges presented. From writing references and recommendation letters, providing feedback on applications, and holding practice interviews which are appropriate to the university and country in consideration, our counsellor helps every student to put their best foot forward and to have a clear understanding of what is required of them to produce a successful application.

Student wellbeing

We recognise that our students have big ambitions and as a result are often tasked with numerous challenges to focus on simultaneously.

In Year 13/A Level, particularly, students will juggle a variety of demands. In Term 1 students will be submitting their IPQ (Individual Project Qualification) as well as engaging in a range of school-based assessments.  This is also when the majority of university applications take place, many of which are very time consuming - a typical application to a US university takes 15-20 hours, for example.

The combination of workload and applying to university is the most demanding task students will have faced in the academic journey to date. Paying close attention to student wellbeing and their handling of these commitments is a top priority during this process. Our Exams & Careers Coordinator takes a holistic view of everything students are juggling and helps them to understand and prepare in advance for what the demands of university applications are, where these fall in the school year so they can time manage effectively, and the support available to them if they are struggling.

Our Exams & Careers Coordinator oversees and guides the entire process from research and decision making, to applying and securing a place at university. For more information into the future academic pathways of students at Nord Anglia International School Manila visit our Secondary School page by clicking the link below.