There are amazing options across the globe for everyone, young and old, to gain knowledge, skills, and experiences that will excite and inspire. Some options may be in-person classes while others may be virtual experiences. Some may be held in traditional institutions hosted in great halls, large auditoriums, and lecture theatres whilst other experiences may be found outdoors, high in the mountains, or somewhere on the seven seas.
Gaining acceptance into a program is pretty straightforward. Generally, it is just a matter of filling in an application form, supplying some proof of academic abilities as well as maybe certain skills and attitudes, and then, in more and more cases, pressing a button to submit.
What IS difficult however is finding the specific learning experience that perfectly “fits” your dreams and goals and inspires you to reach for the stars in addition to ensuring that you have everything you need for your application to have the greatest chance of being successful. Applying is the easy part, it’s the lead-up that is more complex and it is this stage in the admissions journey that causes so much confusion, uncertainty, self-doubt, and sleepless nights. No matter where someone decides to head, the journey can generally be split into 3 intertwined phases; Explore, Focus, and Apply.
Explore
From the nursery child singing and dancing to Frozen, the lower primary child playing being a shopkeeper, or the upper primary students playing soldiers in the playground, it is never too early to start to dream, experience, and explore the world of exciting choices that lie ahead.
This exploration phase is the longest of the three phases (maybe for some, never-ending) and encompasses all the activities in which we are involved; subjects learned in both primary and secondary school, summer programs, learning experiences inside and outside of the classroom, travel adventures, part-time jobs, household chores, family and community celebrations… absolutely everything! And each element is equally important in providing opportunities to learn, experience, and reflect upon the range of alternatives for the future.
During this phase, students need to imagine possibilities, try new things, be challenged, and look at not only what they like but also what doesn’t appeal. Every experience has value and each has the potential to ignite a fire that will burn brightly and illuminate the way ahead.
Although focussing upon a particular destination will gain importance in the second phase of the journey, students need to be mindful about not focussing their gaze too early as this will only block their view of alternative possibilities. The 17-year-old who always wanted to be a doctor “since she was 5”, might have inadvertently narrowed her view from her early years and in doing so avoided dreaming, exploring, and experiencing the ever-changing fields in which her skills and talents might be equally valuable and sought after.
Instead, for as long as possible, we need to encourage students, even those who have an eye on a particular destination, to continue exploring widely, experiencing as much as possible and being ready to change directions if an exciting alternative comes into view. The budding engineer who dabbles in the debate club may realize that advocacy for others is where she wants to head and the young science topper, who also plays club cricket, may develop a love for coaching, sports medicine, or sports management. The math enthusiast who volunteers at the local orphanage may learn that he actually leans towards healthcare, teaching, or psychology, and the young lad who dreams of being a soldier, policeman, or fireman while taking responsibility for his pet cocker spaniel, may realize that animal husbandry, veterinary science or even opening a chain of pet stores is where his passion lies.
It must be remembered, however, that on any journey of discovery, there are certain things that need to be managed in addition to dreaming, exploring, and experiencing so that when choices need to be made the necessary requirements have also been met. For this reason, it is important that students should also focus on achieving their best academically as final grades (or some similar measure of competency) will be a very important factor in ensuring that they can head down the path of their choosing.
The key for students is to do both: achieve their best academically as well as explore widely by immersing themselves in all that life has to offer in and out of the classroom.
Focus
As students progress through their primary and middle school years and head into high school they should start to focus their gaze on a particular goal and make some decisions about the direction in which they want to head. Broad decisions at first but as the high school years progress, more and more specific decisions will need to be made until they have finally settled upon where they are heading after secondary school.
Even though defining a path early can help students to know what lies ahead and allows them to devise and implement their plans accordingly, not everyone will be able to gain this clarity at an early age and that is definitely okay. Everyone’s journey will be different and one route definitely does not suit all.
If college becomes the pathway of choice then it is important to understand that there are many routes that can be chosen and students will need to do their research to ensure that their choice not only fits their goals but also that they have everything they need, including timeframes to be followed, for their application to have the greatest chance of being successful.
It must be understood that timelines and requirements differ from country to country, often state to state, and even college to college. For some universities, the final scores from a student’s senior year will be of high importance whereas for others, in addition to academics, the journey outside the classroom will be of great interest. Admissions departments may want to find out more about this journey of self-discovery; how an applicant not only faced but pushed through challenges and adversity, where they took risks and found themselves out of their comfort zones, where they were successful, and what they learned through defeat. There will be even other universities that will not only require a focus on academic scores as well as the learnings from life outside the classroom but they will also be interested in how an applicant can demonstrate understanding and skills developed pertaining to a particular course of study.
The path to college varies considerably and if students start planning early in their high school career (with a flexible mindset that is open to change as they develop and mature) they will ensure that they have everything in place when they finally make the more focussed decisions about their future pathways.
Apply
Once a student focuses on a particular goal they will need to put in place all the necessary steps to actually apply. But be warned, this final phase can be a little confusing and somewhat intimidating at times, not because it is particularly difficult, but simply because there is an overabundance of information available.
Completing an application, although often time-consuming, is definitely not “rocket science”. Once a decision has been made concerning which university to apply to, it is a matter of going to their website and proceeding, in a step-by-step manner, to submit all the necessary requirements. Some documents might need to be sent from schools, others from teachers or supervisors, online forms might need to be filled, passages and essays might need to be written and in some cases, examinations might need to be sat and scores sent. And that’s really about it!
The process is very achievable if one has completed their research thoughtfully, if they have focussed carefully on the task at hand, prepared effectively, and submitted all requirements in a timely manner. To be perfectly honest, anyone can mix the college admissions cocktail… It just takes a double shot of patience, a dash of dedication, a pinch of perseverance, and a good measure of self-confidence!
To be perfectly honest, anyone can mix the college admissions cocktail… It just takes a double shot of patience, a dash of dedication, a pinch of perseverance and a good measure of self-confidence!
Students across the world graduate from high school and take their first steps to work, college, or university without too much help from parents, school counselors and independent educational consultants. University websites are user-friendly and admissions representatives are super helpful. Online portals such as Collegeboard (for the US) and UCAS (for the UK) are but two of the many super informative and easy-to-use online resources that can be of great assistance when someone might need to reach out when help is needed.
But not everyone wants to tackle this journey alone and fortunately, more and more students have access to fantastic college counselors in their schools and whose services are usually covered in their school fees. Such counselors implement career and college exploration programs, arrange college and career fairs, host student and parent presentations and give access to college exploration platforms that help students, parents, and counselors communicate and keep organized every step of the way. School counselors are invaluable resources who help students explore possibilities and outline the steps and requirements needed to reach their intended goals. They help with the planning, the preparation, and the submission of all necessary documentation and allow students to feel that they have put their best foot forward as they journey off to wherever it is that they choose to head.
Not all students, however, are fortunate enough to have school counselors at their disposal who are able to provide them with the information, support, and advice that they need but rest assured that support is available outside of the school setting and in the wider community. Wonderful options can be found in the form of Independent Education Consultants (IECs) who, for a fee, can provide the assistance students need as they make decisions about their future. Without a doubt there are wonderful IECs in the market who are scrupulous, ethical, moral, and “above board” and like their counterparts employed in schools, they offer great advice, arrange college fairs and programs, and offer fantastic support services that help students to enhance and refine their college applications and make decisions about the future.
But buyer beware! Know that there are huge profits to be made in the college admissions industry and this business can be a monster that feeds on students’ and parents’ fears, anxieties, and lack of understanding of the different systems and the many options that are available. The less someone knows, the more funds they can wring out of unsuspecting clients and so be wary of those IECs who make their money (and often large sums of it) by offering unethical shortcuts to the “best” universities and services endangering the authenticity of an application. Be wary of those less than “above board” consultants who write admissions essays for clients, pad resumes with ghost activities, and suggests that they have some secret formula for success or a “side door” into a particular institution, for an additional “donation”.
“You’re off to great places. Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting.
Dr Seuss
No matter whether you head to work, embark upon a Gap year, or head to college, you should “own” your journey and rest easy with the knowledge that you have reached your destination on your own merits. Gaining advice, feedback, and support, whether from a school counselor, IEC, family members, friends, or an online forum, is a wonderful choice but never lose your authenticity, honesty, or ethics in doing so. Be proud of your journey and as Dr Seuss once wrote in his book, Oh, The Places You’ll Go!…
Oh, the places you’ll go!