How to Get Students Started With Their University Application
There’s one common theme that we’ve returned to again and again in all of our chapters so far: students ultimately have to be the authors and masters of their own guidance process.
This is especially true of university application essays and personal statements. There’s no agent, education consultant or guidance counselor who can magically unlock the secrets of a truly stand out application essay. This is a task that ultimately falls to the student.
But a good guidance counselor can really empower a student.
What do we mean by this?
You create a guidance strategy that enables your students to be self- reflective and self-critical in their approach to university application. They begin the process fully aware of their own strengths and weaknesses.
You encourage students to be diligent and detailed with their university research. This will ensure they have a more realistic understanding of what they can expect from their chosen university/degree.
- You challenge students to look beyond their academic grades, and ensure they have a good portfolio of extracurricular activities
These are all qualities that will ensure your students are more likely to stand out when universities review their applications.
In this chapter, we’re going to take a brief look at application essays, and what universities are looking for.
Application essays & personal statements explained
Most universities and courses will ask students to submit some form of application essay, personal statement or statement of purpose in support of their applications. In some countries, like the United Kingdom and the United States, it’s pretty much compulsory. In other countries, such as Australia, there’s more variation from university to university and only certain courses and degrees will require students to write an application essay.
But regardless of which country your students end up applying to, there are a number of criteria that students should be mindful of as they set about planning potential essays and personal statements.
In the next section, we’ll discuss them in more detail.
Application writing: what are universities looking for?
Formative interest in their subject;
Many university application systems will want students to explain when, why and how they became interested in studying a particular subject or discipline. Was there a book that sparked student’s interest in his/her chosen degree? Were they inspired by a teacher at school? Is their desire to study this course motivated by personal ambition, or a sense of public service?
Extra-curricular activities;
This is another common component of an application that almost every university will ask for. From a strategy perspective, extra-curricular activities stand out for a few reasons. These include:
Proof of subject interest outside of the classroom.
Showcasing a student’s softer skills - e.g. leadership, teamwork, project management, entrepreneurial spirit.
Earning other qualifications/ credentials outside of school life.
A good university application strategy involves a student looking at their extra- curricular portfolio, and thinking about how this can link up with their academic pathway. Are there any after-school clubs, sports teams or out of school activities that can bolster their application?
Formative experience/background;
Some universities want to know about a formative moment or experience in an applicant’s life that has informed the student’s ambitions and world-view.
These formative experiences don’t need to be something the applicant has done - they can even be something relating to a student’s family history, culture or ethnicity. It could also be a time when they have been forced to question a pre-existing belief or preconception about the world.
University fit;
Some university application essays will ask a student to reflect on their suitability for a particular course or campus. They want to know why an applicant is a good fit with that university’s culture, worldview or even historical traditions. This is why researching individual university destinations thoroughly is essential!
Leadership/entrepreneurial skills;
The ability to lead a team is often a demonstration of other valuable skills such as critical thinking, decision making and managing money. Entrepreneurial spirit is even more invaluable. The ability to start a new project or venture from scratch demonstrates creative thinking and real ingenuity. Students who can demonstrate these attributes are likely to really stand out with admissions departments!
Start application planning early;
The factors cited above aren’t a magical solution to help your students ace every university application. But they can help students to focus their thinking as they prepare for university.
But don’t wait until university application season to work on these criteria with students. Get students thinking about their university application in earlier years, and how they can demonstrate the attributes we’ve listed. Are there any core skills or extra-curricular activities that could bolster their applications?
A great university application is about more than grades. It’s about students demonstrating that they have the drive, ambition to excel in both a curricular and extracurricular context.
