Thinking Globally

Preparing students to study abroad

The number of students applying to international universities from the UK has surged in recent years. At Latymer Upper School, 30% of this year’s Lower Sixth are applying to universities abroad - double the number it was five years ago. Colleagues at peer institutions are also reporting significant increases. It’s clear that more and more young people from across the UK are choosing to apply overseas for the next stage of their education.

Last year the number of UK students going to US universities went up by 23%; this could be connected to a ‘Biden Bounce’, but it was no doubt influenced by the relaxing of standardised testing requirements at over 1,000 US colleges. It’s not just the US, however: Trinity College Dublin saw a 26% increase in UK applicants in the last admissions cycle. There are various factors driving this increase. Post-Brexit, UK students have to pay international rates in most EU countries, but in Ireland they enjoy EU rates through the reciprocal Travel Area Agreement. Affordability is definitely a key factor, and the generous financial aid and scholarship opportunities available internationally are a big draw for our many bursary students. Since the introduction of tuition fees, families are comparing the offering at UK universities with those at peer institutions abroad, and there are more English language courses on offer than ever in countries like the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, and of course, Ireland. The pandemic has also encouraged people to think in more global terms than ever before, and deprived of the opportunity to travel for 18 months, students may now be more drawn to foreign study.

It’s all about finding the right ‘fit’

Admissions at hyper-selective US universities are significantly tough. Six universities admitted fewer than 5% of applicants this year (Harvard, Princeton, Yale, MIT, Stanford, and Columbia) which means it is harder to get into the most selective US colleges than Oxbridge. The mistake that most students make when applying, to the US in particular, is to focus too heavily on name brand recognition and rankings and underestimate the importance of academic and cultural “fit”. Latymer students have gone to study at all of the colleges above in the last few years, but in each case the student was a great fit for the college.

At Latymer we recognise that our students are thinking globally about higher education and we facilitate applications from a wide range of students applying abroad, including those with significant financial need, to help them find their best fit. Intellectual breadth is important, but admissions teams, particularly at US colleges, also value personality and leadership,values and character, which is why our Sixth Form offering is so well suited to international university applications. At Latymer, we see learning as more than just academics: students cultivate breadth through our Electives programme; a wider perspective through our Global Goals and World Perspectives programme in the lower years; empathy through

timetabled service in the community; resilience through our Life Skills course; and academic independence through the EPQ or Latymer Research Report. For American universities whose conception of education is the whole character, not just the brain, these additional aspects of the curriculum are of real value.

Timing is everything

We start speaking to students as early as Year 11 as some international universities have specific entry requirements that could affect A level choices. For example, entry to ETH Zurich requires an A Level in Maths, one in Science, and another in a foreign language. For US applicants, Year 11 is also a good time to start thinking about your extracurricular profile, important for the holistic US admissions process.

When planning a US application, start preparing for the SAT or ACT in the first term of Sixth Form ready to sit a first test in December. From January of Lower Sixth, discuss college choices, extracurricular profile and build a college list based on fit. Over the summer holidays students should write their college essays, review and submit it before the application deadlines in November or January.

Where can I find out more?

There are professional organisations that can help: The Fulbright Commission has a helpful website for UK applicants to the US and runs a selective programme for state school students on behalf of the SuttonTrust. Studyinholland.nl is a great resource for students who are looking at the Netherlands. The University Guys and College Essay Guy have banks of free resources. When seeking external help, families should be sure to engage with reputable providers that are regulated by one of the professional associations: the International Association for College Admissions Counselling, IECA, HECA, or CIS.

SIMON LEWIS, Head of International University Applications at Latymer Upper School

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