Blog posts on college admissions by Arjun Seth
IACAC Session: Studying in Germany
Germany is becoming a popular destination for international students. One of the reasons for this is the solid reputation of German universities, but additional appeal comes from the fact that access to public higher education institutions in Germany is free for both domestic and international students. Applying to German universities can be confusing, often involving challenging terminology like “Hochschulzugangsberechtigung,”“Zeugnisanerkennungsstelle” and “Numerus Clausus,”particularly when it comes to admission requirements for international applicants. This session provided a short introduction to the Abitur, a discussion on the secondary school credentials required for successful admission (with case studies for IB, American high school diploma and U.K.A-level applicants), a look at the application process, as well as the different post-secondary school options students can explore.
Presenters of the session are:
- Angolwisye Mwakisu, Jacobs University Bremen
- Annette Gambach, Karlsruhe Institute ofTechnology - Carl Benz School of Engineering
- Scott Loeffler, Frankfurt International School
My takeaways.
Key points.
There are 53 Privates universities which are small and offer personalised advising and career services. Around 50 courses in these universities are taught in English
The popular private schools in Germany are Jacob's, Carl Benz School of Engineering, WHU (business), EBS (general management), KIT (STEM) and Frankfurt School of Finance and Management t
~ 13500 Students from India and make up roughly 5% of the international pool.
100 bachelors programs are taught in English both in public and private schools.
Private schools are not subsidised and there is tuition. Cost of attendance at Jacobs is Euro 26000 per annum
KIT 25000 per annum
Living expenses could be approx euro 1000 per month.
Your go to website for information about programs taught in English is Daad International
Admission requirements for traditional public universities in Germany:
School transcripts and school leaving certificate. Use the
Anabin Database to check evaluation document requirements and translation formalities.
The evaluation is focused on the last two years of school. Only junior and senior years transcripts are sent.
IB students must do Math or a Science course at HL
IB students are required to get a minimum of 4 in all subjects. Minimum of 24. One 3 can be balanced by one in same level.
Students must do a second language at SL or HL. Ab ignitio courses don't qualify.
German Arbitur conversion table has 1.0 at the top equivalent to 42-45 IB points. 4.0 is the lowest qualification 24 points.
Proficiency in German is not a requirement.
They don't consider predicted grades and students have to apply with actual scores in July.
For evaluation of other curriculums like AP, A-levels or national curriculum schools check the Anabin database.
The private schools on the other hand have a more holistic process.
Deadlines for winter semester for public schools:
Applications window 1 June to 15 July
Notifications are sent in August or September
International students must apply through www.uni-assist.de
Career opportunities after graduation.
Students have 18 months to look for a job and on a Job Seeking visa. They have unrestricted access to German labor market. PR is granted once you have a job.
Winning tips to make your college applications strong
College is no matrix. However, there is a lot that goes undiscovered. Here is a comprehensive article pointing out great ways to make your application strong. A free tip- it’s never too early to start! http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/lifestyles/ct-ptb-bradshaw-grades-st-0624-20160622-story.html
Understanding right-fit
Students are often confused about what college admission officers look for while preparing their college lists. This article will help you sort out questions that baffle students: how much do my SAT scores matter? Will applying with aid reduce my chances of being accepted? Should I apply for EA/ED and will that benefit my chances of getting in? You might be able to make a strategic and educated decision. Go on give it a read!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/part-1-statistical-analys_b_10597714.html?section=india
Recording of the Webinar on the redesigned SAT by Lisa Jain and Arjun Seth
Here is the link to the recording of the Webinar hosted by Lisa Jain, CollegeBoard. https://goo.gl/dJe1Y0
Google Science Fair 2016
Google Science Fair is one of the largest science competitions where students showcase their projects. To participate in the competition, interest applicants can submit their projects till May 18, 2016. Regional finalists and community impact winners will be announced on July 18, 2016 while global finalists will be announced on August 11, 2016. Awards to novel and revolutionary ideas will be given away on September 9, 2016.
The competition is free for everyone and all the details related to the Google Science Fair can be found here. https://www.googlesciencefair.com/en/participants/faqs
To know more about finalists from previous years and their projects see https://www.googlesciencefair.com/en/competition/previous-years
Competitions 2016
Participating and winning in International Competitions is a great way to boost your profile for admission to colleges. Check out these links below:
1) http://www.tutor2u.net/economics/blog/res-economics-essay-competition-2016
This is an Economics Essay Writing Competition. The deadline is Thursday 30th June 2016. School students are invited to choose one of the topics mentioned to write an essay of up to 2,500 words, on one of the subjects set by the RES judging panel, calling on key elements of their A Level or International Baccalaureate courses, examples from the world around them and imaginative discussion
2) http://www.ioi2016.ru/pages/Callforpapers?locale=en
https://www.codechef.com/ioi/2016
Find out more about taking part in the Indian Computing Olympiad 2016 by clicking on the link above.
Several colleges and departments of the University of Oxford run competitions which are open to students from all schools and colleges.
Preparing an entry for one of these competitions is great practice for any aspiring Oxford applicants. There are also some exciting prizes to be won. Click on the link above.
4) http://www.carnegiecouncil.org/education/003/studentopps - par1
Are you a student looking to become involved in the international affairs community? Carnegie Council offers a variety of opportunities for students of all levels who are located in NYC or abroad! Click on the link above for next student contests in early summer 2016.
5) https://www.fraserinstitute.org/education-programs/students/essay-contest
Showcase your ideas on public policy and the role of markets by entering this essay competition. $9,000 in cash prizes will be awarded this year, and $3,000 of this is designated just for high school students. Winning essays may be published in Fraser Institute journals and authors will have the opportunity to experience the peer review process. Deadline is June 1, 2016
This is an essay contest; there is not an application for this award. To enter, students must write an essay of 600 to 1,200 words on one of the three topics listed on the Ayn Rand Institute website. Deadline is March 25, 2016
Applications are available on the International Bipolar Foundation (IBPF) website. To apply, each student must write an essay of 500 to 1,000 words on the topic on their website. Deadline is March 30, 2016
Are you ready to apply to Oxbridge?
Is the Oxbridge environment right for you? Don’t go just for the brand
Does the Tutorial learning style excite you? Sometimes there are only 2 students to 1 teacher or 1 student to 1 teacher in a tutorial. There is no lecture system. Students are expected to learn on their own. Lots of independence is expected of you. Readings are sometimes not assigned by the teacher. You have to identify your own reading/studying material. Do you want to sit in a room with a world leader in the subject of your choice with maybe 2 other students who are among some of the most motivated in the world and talk about your subject for the next 3 or 4 years? Then Oxbridge is right for you.
Are you ready for the workload?
You will be expected to read many books every week if you are a humanities student and do many hours of Lab every week if Science is your subject. The programs are very intense and you must be very academically driven. Compare the workload of a student of history at Cambridge – 44 hours a week - to a history student at Edinburgh University who studies 23 Hours a week.
Sample Assignment in History - You could be given an essay to write eg – ‘Could the Arab conquests have occurred before Islam?’ Then you will be given a list of books to find in the library and work out the answer by reading through them.
Who is the ideal Oxbridge candidate?
They don’t care if you are nice – just smart. You need to be engaged academically in ONE particular subject. So focus on ONE subject beyond your school curriculum. Can you hold a conversation with a stranger on that subject for 20 minutes? Try that to know if you are right for Oxbridge. That’s what your interview will be like. The books you read, what you watch on TV everything should be focused on that ONE subject.
Application Tips
Submit the UCAS by October 15th
Tips for the Statement of Purpose –
1. Show that you interested in a subject beyond the classroom. Did you read your subject all summer? You should give the impression you are already studying what you want to study in college except not to that high standard as yet. The SOP should be targeted towards independent research – it’s more like a personal convincement rather than a personal statement. You are trying to convince them you are ready for the Oxbridge experience – so give evidence of this – argue why you are ready to study that ONE subject at Oxbridge. Don’t just state things. They will not be impressed with your A in class but what you a reading at night on you own.
2. Be aware of clichéd openings. Avoid “I want to study XYZ because my dad is an XYZ. “
3. Extracurricular Activities –all should be tied back to the subject. Only mention relevant activities that are in some way connected to your subject.
4. Be Precise, Be Intellectual – don’t be quirky
5. Don’t be school specific – this application is going out to all 5 colleges on your UCAS application
6. Don’t give quotations. Don’t just drop names of authors and books you’ve read – What did you think of the book? That’s what they want to know.
After the UCAS application you need to fill out the
COPA – Cambridge Online prelim application – this gives you the opportunity to talk about why you chose Cambridge – it’s an optional question.
Following that you will fill out the SAQ- Supplementary Application Questionnaire
Entrance Exams & Specimen Papers
Some courses require these. Date is first Wednesday of November for the Tests. You should practice for these. Some tests are hard and you can’t really prepare for it – such as the TSA (Thinking Skills Assessment) exam for the PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economics) course, which is a very popular course, and in high demand. The Specimen papers are supposed to be from your class work so let your teacher’s know they should give you a suitable assignment to match the requirement.
https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/applying-to-oxford/tests?wssl=1
Tips for the Interview
Interview will be in December if selected. It’s 20 minutes long. Statistically it does not matter whether your interview is personal or over skype. But the live interview is also a good learning experience. Check out the interview guidelines on both Oxford and Cambridge websites. You must show “informed enthusiasm” in your interview. They want to know how you think. It’s not important to know the answer to all the questions. Think of it as a conversation with a world expert in your subject. Practice the interview with different people who are knowledgeable in your subject. They are not checking out your character – only your intellectual ability. Be informed on your subject as much as you can.
How do you choose your college within Oxford and Cambridge universities?
Don’t spend too much time on this. Check for colleges that offer the course you want to study. Then look at environment – is it traditional, religious, relaxed? What experience do you want? Look at location. If it’s in the city the rooms will have less space. If it’s a distance away you might need to take the bus to class. The college you choose within the university doesn’t affect your chance for admission. Pick “open application” - don’t choose your college – if you are not sure about which one to pick.
Topics for this years Royal Economic Society - Essay Competition
Entries to the Royal Economic Society essay competition for high school students this year saw an interesting range of writing samples.
The essay topics were:
1. “Countries like Greece caused the Eurozone crisis by running up too much debt, so it is only fair that they should bear most of the burden of fixing it." Discuss.
2. Should the Government support manufacturing? If so, how?
3. Should raising GDP be the primary objective of economic policy?
4. “The rising gap between rich and poor is not just bad for society, it is bad for growth." Discuss.
5. Should “fracking” be allowed? If so, who should benefit?
6. “It is immoral for the drug companies to charge large sums for drugs that are cheap to manufacture.” Discuss.
7. "High saving promotes faster growth. So having more savers in the global economy should be good for our long run prosperity."
8. “Does the economic case favour a new airport runway at Heathrow, Gatwick or elsewhere?”
We wish to encourage our students to apply their knowledge of economics and to participate in our upcoming fall workshops. You could read the 2015 winning entries and discuss this at our workshops.
To know more about participating in our workshop write to contact@edbrand.com
Research papers and Country reports you could submit to International Informatics Olympiad
Here is some useful information about conference papers listed on the IOI website.
CALL FOR PAPERS
The 9th IOI conference will be held concurrently with the 27th International Olympiad in Informatics, taking place in Almaty, July 26th - August 2nd, 2015. The conference focus is in research problems of the national and international informatics contests, and offers an opportunity to bring together the accumulated knowledge and experiences from a number of events on teaching algorithms and programming.
Please submit your proposals (title and abstract) for papers before the end of January 2015 to prof. Valentina Dagiene (valentina.dagiene_at_mii.vu.lt). The full papers are to be submitted by 31st of March 2015.
Like in the previous conferences, papers will be divided into two main groups: research papers(8-15 pages) and country reports(4-8 pages).
Any additional information for the IOI community would be appreciated as well: like review of books, short presentation of national tasks, training curricula, etc.
Papers from the previous IOI conferences can be found on IOI website:
Accepted papers will be published in OLYMPIADS IN INFORMATICS journal. The journal is abstracted / indexed by CEEOL, EBSCO, and Scopus.
Interesting science centric essay questions to think about
Here is a list of six questions posed by the committee for the Kelvin Science Prize 2015.
1. How has Astronomy benefited Society?
2. Suppose you could create a new chemical element. What physical and chemical properties would you ascribe to it, and what uses could this element be put to? Responses to this question should have a good essay structure, concise narrative, creative/novel ideas and be underpinned by sound scientific principles.
3. If you could take one item, which must fit in your pocket, back to the year 1800 with the goal of advancing science or medicine, what would it be and what would you do with it?
4. Is it more important to save tropical forests or the world's oceans? Why?
5. "How far is it to the moon?" This question may be unrelated to the moon. Read what it is really about here: http://www.hep.phy.cam.ac.uk/~lester/essayQuestion.html
6. “Free health care at the point of delivery trivialises the service.” Discuss
We encourage our students to write their response and share their views during writing workshops organised at our office in New Delhi.
Feel free to reach us at contact@edbrand.com