It has been an incredibly successful year of university admissions for Wellington College Shanghai. This year's leaving cohort of 27 pupils have so far managed an amazing total of 16 offers from universities ranked within the world's top 10 (QS World Rankings 2020). Notable successes include offers from the most selective destinations – including Oxbridge and ‘Ivy League’ universities. With some key results still outstanding, we are hopeful of even more outstanding results. Wellington pupils have been successful in their applications to study a wide range of the most competitive subjects including law, medicine, maths and economics. The offers received also reflect the truly international nature of our pupils and their incredibly high aspirations – with successful responses from world-leading institutions from across the globe such as Cambridge, Imperial, UCL, University of Toronto, Brown, Rice University, UC Berkeley and UCLA. The year 13 pupils clearly have much to celebrate and, on this evidence, even more to look forward to in the near future. Taking time out from their current studies they were eager to reflect and pass on key tips to those Wellington pupils who will follow in their footsteps.  

Katia Considering offers from: Cambridge and Brown

I’ve had my sights set on studying in the US from the beginning, so for me this process started over four years ago. To be honest, I was very shocked by the offers I’ve received. I never expected to get one from either Brown or Cambridge, never mind both. I still can’t make up my mind but I have excellent paths ahead of me either way. Throughout the process, Mr Tippen and Ms Huang were extremely helpful. Their enthusiasm really made me have faith in myself and Mr Tippen’s help with my UCAS essay significantly improved my UK application. I am also very grateful for the amazing recommendation letters that supported my applications. My advice to future Wellingtonians entering year 13 is to believe in yourself; don’t be afraid to try even when the percentages are daunting. Also, start planning early, and remember that SATs and other statistics are never deal-breakers. Finally, applying through both UK and US systems is a very large time commitment, there is no need to apply to a ton of colleges, “just to be safe”.  

Seann Considering offers from: Carnegie Mellon and LSE

The essay writing part of the applications process was particularly rewarding for me. While the UK one is more academically leaning and the US one is much more personal, I have benefited from both, as they have been a process of self exploration. Throughout the whole process, Mr Tippen, Mr McCallum and others have given invaluable advice regarding every aspect of our preparations while guiding us every step of the way. For future year 13s: trust the process, and always, always listen to Mr Tippen and Mr McCallum. They know what they are talking about.  

Emmie Considering offers from: Imperial and UCL

My Uni application process was not quick, but it was thorough and I am pleased I spent the time putting a lot of thought into it. I am very pleased with my offers because it has given me lots of confidence knowing that universities think I deserve a place, and it has also given me another tangible goal to aspire to within my studies. I haven't decided on a firm offer yet and I'm still weighing up the choices. I know that whichever of my offers I choose I will be happy, but I think I am leaning towards Imperial College London. Throughout the entire process, support has been available no matter which path, country or application process we were focusing on. We were given lots of help with writing our personal statements, which was invaluable for me in understanding the correct tone and which information to include to really sell ourselves. I found it very useful that we were also given advice on a timeline to follow so we could manage our application process along with our everyday studies. My advice for new pupils would be to make sure you research your preferred universities; there’s so much information available and it can really help you narrow down the options that are right for you.  

Daniel Considering offers from: NYU, LSE, UCL

Both Mr Tippen and Ms Huang have given me so much support during this application process. Whether I needed the latest information from the admission officers, or had questions about my applications, I was always able to pop into their office and find the answers. My biggest piece of advice is to manage your time wisely, especially if you are applying to US universities. The pressure from both the standardised tests and IB can be really stressful, so always talk to your teachers if you think you cannot handle the workload! They will support and help you every time with everything they have.   Reflecting on these offers, Steve Tippen, Director of Higher Education and Careers, commented: "The university offers that our year 13 pupils have so far received represent a truly outstanding achievement. Gaining a range of offers as impressive as these is not easy. They are the product of years of preparation, forensic research and input from a wide variety of people on a range of topics related to university admissions. Everyone at the school, primarily the pupils themselves, should feel incredibly proud of these results. The fact that our pupils have been recognised by the most selective of global universities, from Oxbridge to the Ivy League, is a real testament to the hard work and ambition of our pupils as well as the dedication of all those people involved in supporting their applications."   View our full list of University Offers 2017 - 2020.