The key to a successful university application is preparation. That preparation takes a great deal of time and effort. One of our current grade 11 students, Namping, worked very hard with Prem’s university guidance counsellor to apply for a competitive summer school place at Imperial College London. This is her journey.

 For many high school students, the summer holidays are a period of time when they can choose to take a break from schoolwork and lie around doing nothing or spend the time doing something they like that will benefit them in the future. For those who plan on entering a competitive university’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths) course, attending a specialised summer school is very important to make your application stand out.  It will also help to improve your knowledge and experience in a particular subject area. Those planning to study engineering; the physical sciences; life sciences or medicine, should consider applying for the Imperial College Global Summer School.

Imperial College’s global summer school is an intensive STEM course that lasts for 2 full weeks where you can choose a specific study stream. There are 3 different study streams: Engineering, the Physical sciences, or Medicine and Life Sciences. As I am interested in studying Medicine in the future, I chose the Medicine and Life Sciences stream. 

 To apply for the course, you have to complete a UCAS-like process where, along with your school transcript and school recommendation letter, you also have to submit a 150-word personal statement specific to your “study stream” of choice. Because I was interested in the Medicine course, and studying medicine in general, I had to write 150 words explaining my interest in medicine and why I chose this course specifically. This opportunity allowed me to practice my Personal Statement writing skills and also to become more confident when I have to make my UCAS application. Also, attending the course itself will also improve your Personal Statement by demonstrating a commitment to the degree that you want to study. 

The most crucial part of attending a summer school has got to be the quality of the lectures. Although, because of the pandemic, the course had to be online, Imperial still delivered quality live lectures throughout the 2-week programme. The lectures are packed with great content as well as interactive sections to check your understanding of the subject. In the Medicine and Life sciences “stream” this year, I had lectures about many interesting topics such as diabetes and obesity; the urinary system; Cancer biology and Infectious diseases; Clinical skills; endocrinology, Cloning Genes, Stem cells and many more. All of the lectures were very informative and easy to follow and also gave a small taste of the style of lectures that will be taught in the 1st year of studying a medicine or life science undergraduate course.

 However, the most unforgettable experience of attending the Imperial Global Summer School for me was getting to connect with experienced Professors who are currently working in the field. This allowed me to build connections for my future career as they are all prominent figures in their fields. Perhaps, I might get to work with them in the future, or I might need their help on a project. Having connections is always an asset to your success and building them earlier does no harm. Furthermore, we were assigned a “student mentor” to talk to throughout the course. The “student mentor” is a current Imperial student studying in your chosen study stream. My “student mentor” was in the 3rd year of her intercalated MBBS degree (medicine). Not only did she help further extend my understanding of the lectures, but she also answered my questions about studying medicine at Imperial which made me sure about my decision to also study medicine.

 In conclusion, the Imperial Global Summer School is a very worthy investment for your future career. From quality lectures by top professors at Imperial to connections with like-minded people, the summer course will surely be an unforgettable experience that will prepare you for your future career.

Dawn Parry
University Guidance Counsellor
SAT Coordinator