What do universities look for in students?
Even the most outstanding students need a guide
The writer is a consulting counsellor at LACAS, LLB (University of London), LLM (SOAS) and an advocate high court
One of the most common queries students ask guidance counsellors is about the ‘best’ subject combinations that one can apply to a university. A decade ago, GCE O-level students would simply study A-level subjects which would complement the future professions they had in mind. However, the situation and the mentality of students has changed drastically as students applying to top-tier colleges are now realising that a challenging course load and stellar grades are both integral to their chances of admission. Students who enjoy the arts increasingly have to take courses which consist of humanities as well when applying abroad. Of course, local universities are flexible and we are presently not in a situation where students applying to the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) or Forman Christian College are being told to take tougher subject combinations to increase their admission chances.
While enrolled at the College of Law in London for a solicitor’s course, I remember a classmate asked what degree I had studied at the undergraduate level. “The LLB, of course,” was my reply, which was greeted with puzzled expressions. I gradually learned that my friends at the college had undergraduate degrees in subjects as varied as music, French and English literature. Britain seemed to look at students differently to what I had experienced in Pakistan. Recently, I was told by a colleague that he hired a student who achieved a first-class degree in geography in a prominent accountancy firm in London. Clearly it was more important to determine whether the student had a consistent record of success in his career and why he was keen to take up accountancy now. For students contemplating a career in law, chartered accountancy, banking or education, my advice would be to pick subjects that you enjoy. Sounds simple, right? However, it’s different for science students who would most certainly have to study the subjects linked to their area of specialty.
When I study the profiles of my students who are currently enrolled at ‘Ivy League’ colleges, it’s clear that even those studying degrees in subjects such as engineering and computer science always had a healthy mix of humanities in their A-level courses. Simply put, prospective applicants to top colleges need to demonstrate they have the ability to tackle a demanding course load. Most students seem to realise this too late. Not every student has the ability to take a large number of subjects and excel in terms of results. In that case, they should restrict their courses to a number that makes them comfortable. This was the strategy I employed with my students at Lahore College of Arts and Sciences (LACAS).
With the demanding schedules in place at most private schools in Lahore, students quickly realise life in high school is an exercise in learning the art of prioritising and pursuing those activities that lead to better chances of admission. Academics, however, always should be the priority. Most schools will consider your high school transcript as the most important indicator of whether you can succeed on their campus.
When it comes to extra-curricular activities, universities are keen to see whether students are committed to serving the communities they come from, who they are as human beings and whether their passion for the A-level subjects goes beyond the A-level curriculum. It’s recommended that students pursue those activities which represent who they are rather than forcing themselves to fit a particular profile.
Students should start meeting their guidance counsellors at the earliest, establish a rapport with their teachers who will be writing their recommendations, grasp the opportunities provided by their schools on and off campus and have an established objective in terms of the colleges they wish to apply to. Even the most outstanding students need a guide to walk them through.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 4th, 2017.
While enrolled at the College of Law in London for a solicitor’s course, I remember a classmate asked what degree I had studied at the undergraduate level. “The LLB, of course,” was my reply, which was greeted with puzzled expressions. I gradually learned that my friends at the college had undergraduate degrees in subjects as varied as music, French and English literature. Britain seemed to look at students differently to what I had experienced in Pakistan. Recently, I was told by a colleague that he hired a student who achieved a first-class degree in geography in a prominent accountancy firm in London. Clearly it was more important to determine whether the student had a consistent record of success in his career and why he was keen to take up accountancy now. For students contemplating a career in law, chartered accountancy, banking or education, my advice would be to pick subjects that you enjoy. Sounds simple, right? However, it’s different for science students who would most certainly have to study the subjects linked to their area of specialty.
When I study the profiles of my students who are currently enrolled at ‘Ivy League’ colleges, it’s clear that even those studying degrees in subjects such as engineering and computer science always had a healthy mix of humanities in their A-level courses. Simply put, prospective applicants to top colleges need to demonstrate they have the ability to tackle a demanding course load. Most students seem to realise this too late. Not every student has the ability to take a large number of subjects and excel in terms of results. In that case, they should restrict their courses to a number that makes them comfortable. This was the strategy I employed with my students at Lahore College of Arts and Sciences (LACAS).
With the demanding schedules in place at most private schools in Lahore, students quickly realise life in high school is an exercise in learning the art of prioritising and pursuing those activities that lead to better chances of admission. Academics, however, always should be the priority. Most schools will consider your high school transcript as the most important indicator of whether you can succeed on their campus.
When it comes to extra-curricular activities, universities are keen to see whether students are committed to serving the communities they come from, who they are as human beings and whether their passion for the A-level subjects goes beyond the A-level curriculum. It’s recommended that students pursue those activities which represent who they are rather than forcing themselves to fit a particular profile.
Students should start meeting their guidance counsellors at the earliest, establish a rapport with their teachers who will be writing their recommendations, grasp the opportunities provided by their schools on and off campus and have an established objective in terms of the colleges they wish to apply to. Even the most outstanding students need a guide to walk them through.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 4th, 2017.