Month: February 2022

Categories
University Admissions

Tips to get the most out of a university open day

Get Organised

You will need to work out your visits in advance, so make sure you know which universities are opening. Useful tools are websites such as opendays.com or the UCAS website. You will also need to get hold of a campus map – most websites will have a PDF version to download to your phone.

 

Work out a schedule for the weeks or months ahead and, when planning each visit, don’t forget to find out about the events and presentations going on around campus and book on if needed – it’s likely the popular ones will fill up fast!

 

Don’t forget to plan your journey so that you’re not flustered, or late arriving to the open day, if travelling by train, prebook your tickets. If you’re driving, research parking on campus or nearby to save time on the day.

Fair Comparison

Work out how you will score each university. If you are torn between similar courses it is important that you judge each establishment on the same criteria and draw up a fair scoring system to better aid your decision. Take notes and photos (especially of things like accommodation and key study areas like the library) during the open day to help record as much information as possible and to refer back to after the day. Input and advice from parents is important, but don’t take a back seat to their questioning – see below for tips and advice on that.

 

It’s also important to see where the university is in relation to the town or city; is it somewhere you’d like to live for a minimum of 3 years? If you have time, get a feel for the area by having a walk around outside of the main campus.

Questions

Think well in-advance about the questions you want to ask of staff and other students. There will be a large number of them there to ensure that the day runs well, so take advantage of this to get a wide variety of insights. The Uni Guide have an excellent selection of questions that can help form part of your investigations.

Accessibility

If you require extra assistance for your visit make sure to contact the university prior to the open day and they can help make your day as easy as possible. You can download or print this handy UCAS guide before you go and take a look at a list of questions here.

University Mentor

If you are interested in the benefits of having a university mentor guide you through an open day and to benefit from their ongoing support through university then connect with Think Tutors. We work with a leading team of mentors and tutors who have graduated from world-class universities who can substantially improve your transition both to and through university.

Categories
University Admissions

University Offers Explained

About University Applications:

In the UK, most university and higher education applications are made via UCAS – the University and College Admission Service. For courses starting in September 2022, the deadline to apply to Oxbridge, medicine, dentistry & veterinary science courses is 15th October 2021. The deadline for the majority of courses is 15th January 2022. However, we always recommend leaving enough time to prepare a quality application and not rushing it.

 

Offer Types:

 

Once you’ve applied to your chosen universities, you will start to hear back from them. There are typically three types of response you will receive from a university or college:

 

  • Unconditional
  • Conditional
  • Unsuccessful or withdrawn

 

So, what do these mean?

Unconditional

This means you have a place and have already met the entry requirements. This is often given to students who have applied to university after receiving their A-Level results and are on a gap year, or, to outstanding students still waiting to take their exams.

 

However, make sure you check the offer fully, in case there are any criteria or things you need to do. The great thing about being made an unconditional offer is that even if you’re still waiting to take your exams, your results won’t affect the offer. It’s also worth bearing in mind, that if you do accept an unconditional offer, you are unable to make an insurance choice, so be certain that you want to study there before committing your response.

Conditional

A conditional offer means that you will have a place at that university, as long as you meet the conditions set out in the letter. This is generally exam results, for example, AAB in specific subjects, a set number of UCAS points, or International Baccalaureate Diploma points.

 

The university will clearly state in your letter what the conditions of your offer are. If you firmly accept the offer, a conditional offer can be changed to an unconditional by the university. For the vast majority of students, conditional offers mean waiting for results day to find out if they are going to their first or insurance choice university.

Unsuccessful or Withdrawn

A withdrawn status indicates that the university has either withdrawn that course choice, or you have withdrawn your application to that university. The exact reason will show up in your UCAS Track account.

 

Unsuccessful is given when a university has unfortunately decided to not offer a place on that course. You may get a reason for this, but if you don’t, you can contact the university to discuss the decision with you.

 

If you’d like to discuss university applications with us, please don’t hesitate to get in touch by emailing [email protected]. We provide numerous resources aimed at helping students succeed. These range from providing mock interviews and drafting assistance for personal statements as well as insights for those applying for Oxford and Cambridge.

Categories
School Admissions

Top 5 Recommended UK Independent Schools

01 Wellington College

Located in Berkshire, a convenient hour from London, Wellington College’s commitment to sport, music, art and drama is unrivalled, with facilities ranging from a golf course, 16 rugby pitches and 9 cricket pitches to a theatre and arts centre. According to the latest ISI Report, academic achievement is well above the national average across all year groups and disciplines in the 2020/2021 academic year.

 

Inspired, Intellectual, Independent, Individual and Inclusive. Wellington College, founded in 1853, seeks to impart their five values upon every student who walks their 400-acre grounds. Wellington College is a co-educational school with 1080 pupils aged 13-18. Despite its size, the pupils are guided through a holistic pastoral structure, with ‘houses’ at the core, designed to shape students both inside and outside the classroom.

 

See our admissions guide to Wellington College for further details on the process and applying.

02 Harrow School

Harrow School has provided boys between 13 and 18 a world-class education since 1572.

 

Upon visiting the school, families are immediately struck by the tradition. Students, donning straw hats, blue blazers and grey trousers move quickly between the red-brick buildings which were built as a result of a royal charter from Queen Elizabeth I in the late 1600s. Do not be fooled, however, into thinking Harrow is in any way archaic. Modernity lies at the core of their approach and is the primary reason why Harrovians have achieved excellent results in national examinations for as long as they have existed.

 

Outside the classroom, students are excelling in community projects. For example, in 2021, the Shaftesbury Enterprise recorded a baffling donation of 8,000 hours of volunteering by Harrow students. Alongside a full-time, demanding education.

03 Eton College

Over its 600-year history, Eton College, known globally as ‘Eton’, has cultivated a reputation as the most prestigious school in the world; the benchmark for Independent Schools. Originally opened to 70 boys but now home to 1340 students.

 

Eton has an extraordinary reputation befitting its long and storied history. It may therefore come as a surprise that Eton continually moves forward at a staggeringly ambitious pace. 2019 saw the Queen open a new science department and an aquatics centre, for example.

 

Academia is taken very seriously. With staff-student ratios at 8:1, and class sizes between 20 and 25 pupils, students are fortunate enough to receive a perfect balance between tailored education, and the freedom to explore knowledge on their own terms. It is no coincidence that Eton has educated nineteen British Prime Ministers.

 

We’ve also put together a guide about the admissions process to Eton College.

04 Wycombe Abbey

Wycombe Abbey, located in Buckinghamshire, is the premier school for girls between 11 and 18. It is The Carrington Award Programme, which, for us, exemplifies why Wycombe Abbey is one of the leading girls’ schools in the world. Similar to Think Tutors own mantra, non vitae sed scholae discimus, The Carrington Award Programme helps equip students for challenges beyond school, by imparting them with the knowledge and skills to excel. This philosophy is carried forward into all aspects of academic and co-curricular life, where lessons, musical, artistic and sporting endeavours are contextualised by their ‘real life’ uses.

 

Oxbridge and top US universities are common destinations for school leavers, whose grades are remarkably high year on year.

05 Winchester College

Winchester College, simply referred to as ‘Winchester’, is a full-boarding boys only Independent School in Winchester with a world-class reputation. They take pride in the fact that students are consistently challenged, in both academia and co-curricular contexts, to be the best student they can be – living up to their motto “Manners Makyth Man”.

 

With a strong focus on academic development and notorious entrance assessments, it is no surprise that Winchester is ranked as the number 1 for Independent Schools admissions to Oxbridge, and almost unmatched when it comes to academic achievement.

 

Of note, as one of only five full-boarding, boys only schools in the United Kingdom, Winchester college surprised all by planning to admit girls into the sixth-form in 2022 – a decision welcomed by many families who would like their daughter to share in the success and tradition of pupil excellence.

How we can help you achieve your goals?

Think Tutors are specialist providers of private tuition, having helped students excel through highly challenging admissions processes.

 

Throughout each stage of your child’s admissions journey, we can provide expert academic advice and unrivalled private tuition both in-person and online, at a time which suits you. Please contact us to find out more.

 

Categories
Topical

What Can I Do if My Child is Struggling at School?

The extent to which the Covid-19 pandemic has affected children’s education may not be fully recognisable for a number of years. According to research, 49% of parents and guardians felt that their children struggled with their education during the pandemic due to ‘limited parent/carer time to support’, 16% believed a lack of appropriate resources was the cause.

Educational Support

As a result, it is crucial to gain understanding of how to support your child to reduce the effects the pandemic may have had. There are various ways that you can offer academic guidance, from talking to other parents and obtaining advice or hiring a private tutor to help your child with subjects they might be struggling with.

 

As a parent, it can be overwhelming if you are unsure whether your child requires extra academic guidance and how you can guide them. We’ll cover the following topics to help you understand what you can do if you find your child is struggling:

 

  • Signs your child needs academic support
  • How to support your child at school
  • How to support your child at home
  • How can Think Tutors can offer educational guidance

 

At Think Tutors, we offer private tutoring support tailored to your child’s academic needs. You can contact us online to find out more about how we can support your child’s learning with online tuition, homeschooling or mentoring.

Signs your Child Needs Academic Support

It is also important to support your child’s learning at home, especially if they don’t enjoy school or don’t respond well to their teachers. You can offer them academic guidance outside the confines of school with the following:

 

  • Tutoring support – One of the most valuable ways to support your child’s learning is to complement their schooling with private tuition. From online tutoring to Summer classes, Think Tutors provides bespoke academic support for all subjects at every level. Our exceptional tutors will improve upon problem areas, and can adapt their sessions depending on what suits your child best, whether that means developing time management skills or breaking down algebra equations. Contact us to learn more about how we can provide your child with the educational help they need.
  • Homeschooling – If you are concerned that your child is struggling in school, you might decide that homeschooling is the best option for them. There are many benefits of homeschooling as it is convenient and tailored to your child’s academic strengths and weaknesses. At Think Tutors, our homeschool tutors are happy to travel around the world with your family to ensure they can support your child in the best way possible.
  • Educational resources – There is a plethora of academic resources available to students, both online and physically. From practice exam papers to educational games, video tutorials to workbooks, there are so many opportunities to support your child outside of the classroom. You will also find many apps designed to provide additional learning support, whether it be with organisational and developmental skills, or offer educational guidance on specific subjects.
  • Build their confidence – Children who are struggling at school may lack the confidence to improve and thrive. If you are wondering how to build confidence in children, start by talking positively about education and share examples of when you overcame obstacles. At Think Tutors, we offer mentoring support to help students achieve academic success in a happy and healthy manner and, in doing so, build their confidence. If your child is struggling with a creative subject at school, developing confidence is also a great way to nurture creativity.

 

Bring school to life – Using real world examples can give your child the educational guidance they need to understand a topic. It can put their learning into context and provide them with a new way of understanding it. You could take them to the supermarket to learn about percentages or to a museum to consolidate their knowledge on the Victorian era.

Contact Think Tutors for Academic Support

It is not unusual for children to struggle with school at different times in their life, particularly with the impact of the pandemic being especially hard on students. From talking to teachers, to building confidence, utilising educational resources and understanding the syllabus, there are many ways that you, as a parent or guardian, can support your child with academic guidance.

 

If you are wondering how to support your child at school in the best way possible, you might consider private tuition, such as online tutoring, homeschooling, or mentoring. Whether your child is studying for their GCSEs, A Levels or is in their younger years, we offer tailored tutoring services to provide your child with the academic learning support they need to thrive.

 

If you have an enquiry about educational support for your child, and you want to find out more about our private tuition services and mentoring, then please contact us and we will be in touch shortly.

Categories
University Admissions

Series – Oxbridge Admissions: A Tutor’s Guide

Applying for Oxford and Cambridge

Every year thousands of students across the world—from Shanghai and Soho to New Delhi and New York—apply to study at either Oxford or Cambridge (or to both if they are applying for masters or doctoral degrees). For many they will be blazing a new trail, attempting to be the first in their family, school, or community to gain admission to one of the coveted Oxbridge colleges. For others it may be a long-held tradition to take a place at colleges like Trinity or St. Johns (and funnily enough, both Oxford and Cambridge have colleges with those names); but that does not necessarily make it any easier for such students in this day and age.

Oxbridge Applications

Simply put, it does not matter who you are or where you come from, admissions to Oxford and Cambridge are academically demanding and highly competitive. In fact, just getting to grips with all the medieval and mind-boggling traditions and structures at these two universities can be hard to get your head around—and that’s coming from a tutor who has done an MPhil in Political Thought and Intellectual History at Cambridge and is completing his DPhil in History at Oxford! But as demanding as it may be, the experience of applying (let alone gaining admittance) is more than worth it. That’s because there’s nowhere else quite like Oxford and Cambridge.

 

This is also where Think Tutors can help. This series of blogs is intended to provide a sampling of sorts for those interested in studying at Oxbridge. In my ‘Elite Tutor’s Guide to Oxford and Cambridge’ I will explore various aspects about what it’s like to live and study at both institutions. Here is a preview of the topics that I’ll cover in the following weeks and months:

 

  • Oxford or Cambridge?
  • Studying at Cambridge
  • Studying at Oxford
  • How to approach your application
  • Study skills
  • Undergraduate life
  • Graduate life
  • Postgraduate life
  • If at first you don’t succeed, should you try again?

 

In the meantime, feel free to talk to us at Think Tutors if Oxbridge applications are something that you are considering. While this blog series will answer some of your questions, our experienced team has even more to offer: ranging from one-on-one consultations to application assistance and mock-interview training.