The application process is the most important step in getting into the University of your choice. Do all you can to make it reflect the qualities you have to offer. Here are some tips:
To ease the stress of your High School Graduation year, get started on your applications early in the Term. Most schools offer both an online application (http://www.wheretoschool.com.au) and a paper application. Apply online, and make the process easier on yourself! The online applications you'll find on wheretoschool.com.au the process is simple and secure. Regardless of if you're applying with a paper application or online, following are some things to keep in mind so you complete your applications correctly.
Step 1: Review each of your applications
It is a good idea to familiarise yourself with each application you plan to fill out.
• How many pages is the application?
• What are the essay questions?
• What Supplemental Forms are required? (e.g., recommendation forms,
transcript request forms, etc.)
• Read the application instructions!
Know your deadlines! Keep a list of deadlines beside your bed, in your binder, on the refrigerator--anywhere that you will see it often. Missing an application deadline automatically means that you've missed your chance to apply.
You may also want to visit the school's website for more information, or request that you be sent a catalog and any financial aid information you may need.
Step 2: Send your test scores to schools
Most colleges will need a copy of your HSC/VSAT/OP scores from the University Admissions Board (UAC, QTAC etc), the body that administers University Entrances in Australia.
Step 3: Secure your recommendations
Many colleges will require two or three letters of recommendation. They are usually looking for letters from high school teachers, guidance counselors or others who know you in an academic or leadership capacity. Here are some hints:
Start early: Approach your potential letter-writers about two months prior to the actual due-date of the letters with your request. Teachers and guidance counselors are usually swamped with term papers and other college application requests toward the end of the fall semester, so allow them plenty of time to address your needs.
Choose carefully: When requesting a letter of recommendation, pick someone whom you feel knows you well.
Prepare the recommendation letter writer: Give each of your letter-writers one page of information about yourself. This information will help the letter-writer compose a thoughtful and accurate recommendation. Make sure to provide your letter-writers with stamped envelopes addressed to your colleges--don't count on them to take this responsibility!
Keep track of the deadlines: Do not hesitate to remind your letter-writers of deadlines. People do forget, and you don't want the admissions office to be waiting for this last piece of your application. Most colleges will not review your application until all parts have been received.
Step 4: Send your transcripts to schools
All Univsersities will want an official copy of your academic transcripts as part of the application package. As with letters of recommendation, most universities will require that your school send your transcripts directly to their admissions office. To be safe, leave plenty of time for your high school registrar to process your request.
• Most high schools have their own transcript request forms, but some don't. Find out from your school guidance counselor what your school requires to obtain an official transcript.
• Give your high school at least three weeks notice prior to the deadline. This way, you can make sure your transcripts will arrive at your colleges on time. Do not submit your request the day before your college deadline and expect it to be completed!
• Some universities also require a Secondary School Report. Check to see which colleges want these reports and submit a request to your high school at the same time you submit your request for transcripts.
• A number of uni's may request that you send a copy of your official transcript along with your application. In that case, simply enclose the sealed envelope with the rest of your application. Do not break the seal on the envelope or your transcripts will not be accepted!
Step 5: Fill out the application
Apply online and say goodbye to loose sheets of paper, white-out and messy handwriting! Fill out your applications at your own pace, and come back as often as you like until you are finished. Each online application you start will contain your profile information so that you don't have to re-enter it each time!
If you're doing a paper application, remember neatness counts so you'll want to print or type perfectly.
Step 6: Write your essays
This is by far the most time-consuming and difficult part of any application. The personal essay will usually be about 300 to 500 words in length, occasionally longer, depending on the university or admissions centre.
The following tips can help you get started:
• Pick a topic that is unique to you-be original!
• Using dialogue or humorous anecdotes is almost certain to spice up your essay. Instead of just telling what somebody said to you, quote them.
• Write several drafts before preparing your final version. This will help you develop your own voice in your essay and help you organise your thoughts more clearly.
• Have several people look over your drafts and offer their comments and suggestions.
• Always check for spelling and grammar. Take care not to make silly mistakes by proofreading.
Step 7: Submit your application
You will receive two e-mail confirmations after you submit your application:
1. wheretoschool.com.au will immediately send you an e-mail to confirm that your application was successfully submitted
If you're submitting by mail, you'll want to refer back to the instructions to ensure all of the proper forms are in the envelope. You'll also want to make sure you put the correct amount of postage on the envelope since most application packets will cost more than a single stamp.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Howard pumps up Sydney's private schools
The Howard government pumped more than $30 million in funding last year into 60 NSW private schools and many of these are in marginal seats, it has been reported.
News Limited said documents obtained under Freedom of Information (FoI) laws showed Prime Minister John Howard had embarked on a grant handout spree ahead of this year's election.
"Many of the schools, which include low-fee independent and religious colleges, are situated in seats that could determine the outcome of the election later this year," the report reads.
It also said the money was handed out "despite NSW public schools having a $112 million maintenance backlog".
The FoI documents show $31,981,475 was paid to the schools in grants last year.
In one example, Catholic school Xavier College at Penrith received $2.3 million for a building program.
The FOI documents also show the taxpayer grants for private and independent schools across the country total $489 million over four years.
©AAP 2007
News Limited said documents obtained under Freedom of Information (FoI) laws showed Prime Minister John Howard had embarked on a grant handout spree ahead of this year's election.
"Many of the schools, which include low-fee independent and religious colleges, are situated in seats that could determine the outcome of the election later this year," the report reads.
It also said the money was handed out "despite NSW public schools having a $112 million maintenance backlog".
The FoI documents show $31,981,475 was paid to the schools in grants last year.
In one example, Catholic school Xavier College at Penrith received $2.3 million for a building program.
The FOI documents also show the taxpayer grants for private and independent schools across the country total $489 million over four years.
©AAP 2007
Business-sponsored schools plan floated
Australia's education crisis will deepen unless England's system of business-sponsored schools is adopted to properly equip students for the workforce, an education expert says.
Professor Brian Caldwell, who made headlines last year when he said thousands of government-funded schools should be bulldozed because they were in disrepair, is now targeting public school curriculums, saying schools should take private sector funds to overhaul their teaching programs and specialise in specific teaching areas.
The career education expert, once Melbourne University's dean of education, said Australia's public schools were no longer producing students with skills that business often needed.
"What's happening in Australia is unbelievable," Prof Caldwell said in a statement.
"We have practically no focus in developing links between business and schools and I just don't why."
Prof Caldwell has championed a system in England where 2,700 of the 3,100 state secondary schools have partnerships with business entities to specialise in areas such as sport, engineering, business, technology and language.
"The data is showing specialist schools in England outperform non-specialist schools," he said.
"We're talking about building bridges and linking business and schools up."
Many schools are getting the equivalent of $A117,000 in cash or in-kind donations if they produce a three-year plan on how their curriculum change will enhance overall student performance.
Each school offers at least one of 11 specialisations, which may involve more than one business partnership, while continuing to offer a general school curriculum.
Prof Caldwell said the change to England's school system took less than two decades, proving Australia could easily adopt a similar program.
"Business must help build the financial, intellectual, social and spiritual capital of schools," he said.
Prof Caldwell said the political blame game and minor changes would not benefit students or the economy.
He challenged federal Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd's proposed "education revolution", which Labor says it will introduce if it wins this year's election.
He wants Mr Rudd to plan a "serious education revolution", saying there were false starts by Labor in the lead-up to both the 2001 and 2004 elections on its education policies.
Before those elections, he said Labor's ideas for dramatic changes in education were dropped in favour of a battle with the government over funding of public and private schools.
"These new approaches need high level support from the government and the business community," Prof Caldwell said.
©AAP 2007
Professor Brian Caldwell, who made headlines last year when he said thousands of government-funded schools should be bulldozed because they were in disrepair, is now targeting public school curriculums, saying schools should take private sector funds to overhaul their teaching programs and specialise in specific teaching areas.
The career education expert, once Melbourne University's dean of education, said Australia's public schools were no longer producing students with skills that business often needed.
"What's happening in Australia is unbelievable," Prof Caldwell said in a statement.
"We have practically no focus in developing links between business and schools and I just don't why."
Prof Caldwell has championed a system in England where 2,700 of the 3,100 state secondary schools have partnerships with business entities to specialise in areas such as sport, engineering, business, technology and language.
"The data is showing specialist schools in England outperform non-specialist schools," he said.
"We're talking about building bridges and linking business and schools up."
Many schools are getting the equivalent of $A117,000 in cash or in-kind donations if they produce a three-year plan on how their curriculum change will enhance overall student performance.
Each school offers at least one of 11 specialisations, which may involve more than one business partnership, while continuing to offer a general school curriculum.
Prof Caldwell said the change to England's school system took less than two decades, proving Australia could easily adopt a similar program.
"Business must help build the financial, intellectual, social and spiritual capital of schools," he said.
Prof Caldwell said the political blame game and minor changes would not benefit students or the economy.
He challenged federal Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd's proposed "education revolution", which Labor says it will introduce if it wins this year's election.
He wants Mr Rudd to plan a "serious education revolution", saying there were false starts by Labor in the lead-up to both the 2001 and 2004 elections on its education policies.
Before those elections, he said Labor's ideas for dramatic changes in education were dropped in favour of a battle with the government over funding of public and private schools.
"These new approaches need high level support from the government and the business community," Prof Caldwell said.
©AAP 2007
Labor wants to rank schools on scores
All states will be asked to rank their schools, so the performance of students in literacy and numeracy tests can be compared and assessed, if Labor wins the federal election.
Fairfax newspapers have reported that most state Labor governments oppose school ranking tables but opposition education spokesman Stephen Smith said the results of standardised tests in years 3, 5, 7 and 9 should be made public.
This would identify struggling schools, assist public policy decisions and identify the need for early intervention, Mr Smith said.
"If we can improve those kids' outcomes, we can improve our secondary school retention rates, and then ultimately we'll reduce the number of kids who eventually fall into unemployment or low-skilled jobs, which subsequently disappear."
In February, federal Education Minister Julie Bishop said the states had a wealth of data about individual schools but refused to publish it, and that parents had a right to know which schools were performing.
Western Australia is the only state to publish school rankings.
A spokesman for Victorian Education Minister John Lenders said any suggestion on how to improve the way information was used to benefit students, parents and schools would be examined on merit.
In NSW, legislation was introduced to prevent the publication of school league tables after one school, Mount Druitt High, was branded a failure in the media in a comparison of university admissions in 1996.
Australian Education Union federal president Pat Byrne said literacy and numeracy tests provided only a tiny indication of how a school was performing.
Results could be skewed by factors such as high numbers of children from non-English-speaking backgrounds, for example, Ms Byrne said.
©AAP 2007
Fairfax newspapers have reported that most state Labor governments oppose school ranking tables but opposition education spokesman Stephen Smith said the results of standardised tests in years 3, 5, 7 and 9 should be made public.
This would identify struggling schools, assist public policy decisions and identify the need for early intervention, Mr Smith said.
"If we can improve those kids' outcomes, we can improve our secondary school retention rates, and then ultimately we'll reduce the number of kids who eventually fall into unemployment or low-skilled jobs, which subsequently disappear."
In February, federal Education Minister Julie Bishop said the states had a wealth of data about individual schools but refused to publish it, and that parents had a right to know which schools were performing.
Western Australia is the only state to publish school rankings.
A spokesman for Victorian Education Minister John Lenders said any suggestion on how to improve the way information was used to benefit students, parents and schools would be examined on merit.
In NSW, legislation was introduced to prevent the publication of school league tables after one school, Mount Druitt High, was branded a failure in the media in a comparison of university admissions in 1996.
Australian Education Union federal president Pat Byrne said literacy and numeracy tests provided only a tiny indication of how a school was performing.
Results could be skewed by factors such as high numbers of children from non-English-speaking backgrounds, for example, Ms Byrne said.
©AAP 2007
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