The Application Journey

Every student is different and your pathway will be unique to you. In general, the following timelines give an outline of what you can expect and the preparations and questions you can be asking at each step of your educational journey. There is also a selection of questions that can help your parents to assist you as you move through the process of applying to universities.

Grade 6 to 9

As a student - What should I be doing? As a parent - What questions can I be asking?

• Enjoying life to the full • Discovering what makes you feel fully alive • What are you best at? How can you be better at it? • How do you learn best?

Grade 10

As a student - What should I be doing? As a parent - What questions can I be asking?

Term 1 • Complete Interest Survey on Careers Portal • Identify and articulate your strengths • Talk to staff about the subjects to choose for your Diploma Programme journey • Ask your teachers which Diploma Programme choices will help you to achieve your best • Attend Higher Education launch workshop • Research the university courses you would like to study • Find out the subjects and points requirements for your chosen university course. • What are you best at? • What sort of university system do you think is right for you? Ireland, the UK or the US? A hybrid?

Other places? • What are your criteria for choosing the right university for you?

Term 2 • Teachers will give an overview of DP subjects during a review session. Remember to ask questions to help decide which are the best subjects and levels for you. • Decide if you are going to apply for US universities using SATs or ACTs • Decide if you want to apply to elite academic universities, ex. Ivy League or Russell Group • Organise your SAT | ACT exams. Remember that you can take these exams a number of times.

Most students take these exams at least twice. • Information gather from professionals in your desired field. Use our NAIS Dublin network! • What subjects are you choosing? Do these choices play to your strengths? • Are you choosing subjects which enable you to get the highest point scores? • Is an American university right for you? • Do you need to prepare for ACTs or SATs? • Are you attending the extra support sessions to support elite applications? What have you found interesting at these sessions? • What other support do you need to do well in your standardised US tests?

Term 3 • Organise visits to universities on your long list, if possible

July and August • Visit universities • Ensure NAIS Dublin has all your school transcripts • If applying to US universities, start putting your resume and list of successes together • If you are considering applying for medicine, veterinary science or hospitality courses, volunteering or work experience may be pertinent • How can we help you arrange the visit? (Where possible young people should visit unaccompanied)

• How has visiting universities changed your criteria as to what is the “best fit” university for you?

Grade 11

As a student - What should I be doing? As a parent - What questions can I be asking?

September, October and November • Make a great start on your courses and generate the best grades you can • If intending applying to highly competitive Ivy and Russell Group universities research these and the courses in which you are interested. • What are you doing best at? • How can you build on your successes?

December • Review your progress • Given your start to the Diploma Programme what is a set of realistic choices for you?

January and February • If applying to the US, decide on your shortlist of nine US universities and make good links with them • Finalise the list of countries that you wish to apply to • Decide on whether you are going to take a gap year • Take SATs | ACTs if necessary • Attend university events in school as appropriate • Remind your teachers and class tutor of all of your successes so that they can mention these in your references and recommendation letters

March and April • Formulate your application plan, drawing together all the school and university deadlines.

Be clear about what you want to achieve • Take English language proficiency tests where necessary

May and June • Meet with the Higher Education Counsellor • Review your grades and reports with your teachers • UCAS (UK) portal opens for students to begin process • Attend university events in schools or virtually with your parents when you can • Training on BridgeU

July and August • Visit any universities that you are going to apply to that you have not already visited • Write and review your applications • How are you building relationships with the US universities that you are applying to? • What university events have you attended in school? • What has been useful in helping you decide on the best fit university for you?

• Have you reduced your short list of universities? • Can I have a copy of your action plan so that we can put the dates in the family diary?

• Do you have the grades and reports you need for your applications?

Grade 12

As a student - What should I be doing? As a parent - What questions can I be asking?

September • Finalise all applications that can be completed at this point

October • Deadline for completing all university applications that you can • Application deadline for UK Medicine and

Oxbridge November • Organise your gap year if you are taking one • Retake language proficiency test if necessary • CAO portal opens - make choices

December • Start to receive offers (non-Irish and UK universities)

January • Final UCAS applications are due • Review offers and academic progress. Are you on track? February and March • CAO portal closes - 1 February • Review all offers and finalise decisions, communicating these with the Higher Education

Counselling team • Make additional applications if necessary April and May • Concentrate on enjoying your last few months at

NAIS Dublin and gaining the GPAs that you need • Enjoy your final NAIS Dublin activities and graduation

June • School Graduation

July • Get your IB results • Results get entered into the CAO and UCAS • Review your choices and offers • Make new applications if necessary • Have you finished your university applications?

• Congratulations!

• How can your gap year be as stimulating as possible?

• Celebrate with your child when they receive offers!

• Are you on track to achieve the results that you need?

• Where are you planning on going to university next year? • Are you on track for this?

• Congratulations!