University Applications
CLS proudly provides bespoke support to pupils from a range of state schools as they prepare their applications to elite universities. Pupils from across and beyond the Family of Schools are invited to attend a range of Higher Education and Careers events to support their application and to demystify the options open for their future.
Background
CLS proudly provides bespoke support to pupils from a range of state schools as they prepare their applications to elite universities. Pupils from across and beyond the Family of Schools are invited to attend a range of Higher Education and Careers events to support their application and to demystify the options open for their future.
In 2021 CLS provided Oxbridge and Medical School preparation support, including mock interviews, for pupils from a range of schools, including Oasis Academy South Bank and Newham Collegiate. Our US Universities Adviser also delivered well-received workshops at both Newham Collegiate and City of London Academy, Southwark on how to navigate the notoriously complex US university admissions process.
Case Studies:
In 2021, CLS has worked very closely with City of London Academy, Southwark in supporting university applicants. This included:
‘What I did in Year 12’ – a virtual event for pupils from CLS, CLSG, COLA, Southwark and Oasis Academy, South Bank in which alumni from the three schools reflected on what they had done in Year 12 to prepare themselves for applications to university in Year 13.
Invitations to Higher Education events at CLS and CLSG
‘Owning Your Future’ – a virtual event, with a talk given by Elke Edwards from Ivy House.
‘Applying for Medicine’ - a seminar given by a member of the CLS alumni community (currently studying at Cambridge) on how to make a successful application to Medical School.
‘Supra-curricular Commitments’ – a workshop on developing supra-curricular interests.
Mock interviews for Oxbridge and Medical applicants.
What I did in Year 12
In January 2021, during the second full Lockdown, CLS arranged a quite remarkable evening for pupils in Year 12 from CLS, CLSG, COLA, Southwark and Oasis Academy, South Bank. Hosted by Andrew McBroom, (Deputy Head CLS) nine alumni from the four schools came together to talk to over 150 pupils about their experience of Year 12 and to give advice about all aspects of the university applications process. The alumni represented a range of subjects, including Medicine, History and Natural Science. Some were just starting their undergraduate lives; others had already graduated.
Beyond the extensive insights about the importance of supra-curricular commitments, the panel spoke with passion about the importance of young people making their own choices about what to study and resisting fulfilling the expectations of others, be it family or school. The evening finished with a powerful message from Cecille, City of London Academy Southwark about the importance of mental health. This was a particularly apposite, given the context in which the event took place.
Resources
A signficant number of staff contribute to these events and programmes. The majority are planned and delivered at CLS.
Impact
We get extremely positive feedback about the impact of the support we provide.
'The US University support we have received from CLS has been superlative. Our students and staff have benefitted greatly from her expertise and knowledge of the US application system. CLS has run several sessions where she presented to students on how to make a competitive application, provided detailed advice on SAT/ACT preparation and spent a whole day taking students through the US Common Application. Furthermore, the session on how to write an effective US essay was also extremely well received by students. We are all immensely grateful to City of London School for supporting our US University Programme which this year saw four students receive 5 offers to Harvard, Princeton and MIT all on full financial aid. It is not exaggeration to say without support and good counsel from CLS I am not sure whether this would have been possible.' M Ismail, Headteacher, Newham Collegiate Sixth Form
'City of London School has supported students from Oasis Academy South Bank with mock interviews over the last two years to help put them on an even footing with their more advantaged peers at Oxford, Cambridge and Med Schools. The teachers at CLS are both knowledgeable in their subject, savvy about preparing teenagers for university interview techniques, and go out of their way to help others when they can. Our school has a wide spread of academic talent, and the top attainers benefit hugely from being exposed to the mock interviews that they have organised for us – they realise that they are a small fish in a big pond and always come out of the mock interviews with practical tips for how to improve. At a time when resources are stretched and school logistics are more complex and fraught than ever, this collaboration between the private and state sector is a significant aid to us.’ M Slavinsky, Assistant Associate Principal, Oasis Academy South Bank
“Dr Pearce gave me a mock interview for Medicine which helped me hugely. He was kind and encouraging, but he also gave me some really solid advice: I have to stay abreast of the news in medicine beyond just Covid 19! He pushed me on my answers, and he was never satisfied with general points – he made me really think and I had to expand on my answers which is something I can now take into my real interview. He made me defend things from my personal statement and forced me to consider what I would do if the interviews disagreed with my views. I definitely think I know how to prepare for my next interview better – whether it’s how to act on camera or how to talk about my passions in the subject in a more eloquent way.” – J, Year 13 student, Oasis Academy South Bank
Pupil Involvement
Years 11, 12 and 13.
CLS Pupils (Year 12) run the annual Medical Conference.
Frequency
Single and annual events.