Applying to University Booklet 2019 wcis_ATU_2019 | Page 6

APPLYING TO UNIVERSITY
APPLYING TO
UNIVERSITY
HIGHER
EDUCATION
PATHWAY
Pupils at Wellington College International
Shanghai follow a clear higher education
pathway to ensure that they receive the most
appropriate advice and guidance that will help
them fully consider all their higher education
options. This begins long before they reach the
sixth form, with younger pupils encouraged
to assess their academic strengths, explore
potential career paths and build a portfolio
of activities. All of this helps them to build
the foundations for future applications. Pupils
also receive advice at key transition periods -
particularly in year 9, when they choose their
IGCSE options, and in year 11, when they
choose the subjects that comprise their IB
Diploma Programme. In year 12, a formal
programme of workshops and seminars
encourages pupils to carefully research their
university options, using a variety of sources
of information, such as university rankings and
statistics, to help plan their applications before
making the most informed choices regarding
course and college applications. Before the
end of year 12, pupils are required to submit a
list of potential university options and to have
completed at least one draft of a relevant
university application.
Most university applications will need to be
made in the first term of year 13. Applications
to Oxford or Cambridge, or any medical
course in the UK, must be submitted by early
October, while early applications to the US
generally need to be completed in November.
The school will publish deadlines indicating
when pupils need to complete various different
stages of their application. These will differ
from the official deadlines and are designed to
maximise the chances of a pupil’s application
being successful. Most universities now operate
a rolling admission programme which means
that applications are processed and offers are
made as they are received. This gives an added
incentive for pupils to make their submissions
early. An added and significant bonus to this
approach is that once their applications are
made, pupils can fully concentrate on
achieving the highest possible outcomes in
their IB programme.
At Wellington, pupils are given guidance that
not only helps them decide what they wish
to study and where, but also how to ensure
they make a successful application. We guide
pupils through the nuances of applying to the
United Kingdom through UCAS, the United
States through the Common Application, and
state-specific processes, as well as the specific
requirements for applying to Canada, Hong
Kong, Singapore, Europe, and Australia. We also
ensure that pupils receive targeted guidance
relating specifically to their application. Pupils
wishing to apply to Oxford or Cambridge will
get extra support for subject admissions tests,
advice on subject extension activities and will
undertake mock interview training. For those
looking to apply to the elite US colleges, such
as the Ivy League, specific advice will be given
on the crafting of college essays. Furthermore,
as Wellington is a registered test centre, pupils
are able to take the required SAT/ACT tests
in a familiar environment. All of this support is
further supplemented through the school’s CCA
programme. Activities such as the Medicine
Society ensure pupils can develop the subject-
specific knowledge and awareness necessary to
excel throughout the admissions process.
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