My name is Yee Kwan and I’ll be heading towards Tonbridge School in the UK in September 2015. One word of advice to prospective students heading abroad for higher education – start early, and seek professional help. Otherwise, you’ll be lost within a large amount of filling in forms, and befuddled with all the offers that might be made to you.
While it was the first and only time that I would apply for a boarding school in the United Kingdom, the experiences that I had during the application process were extremely memorable and would contribute greatly to future applications. For this process to run smoothly, I received indispensable help from a third party – namely Britannia StudyLink. From just having someone to talk to at troubling times to offering last-minute interview, they offered me all the help that I needed during the otherwise arduous application process. My profound thanks to all the members of staff there – to list a few, Samuel, Mabel, Carson, Kirsty, and many others.
I was unassuming when I first received an email from Cardiff Sixth Form College (CSFC), one of the schools that I applied to. As such, they asked me to refer any questions to a member of staff at the company, Samuel. Due to my inexperience with the application process and what to expect of the schools, I approached their office in Causeway Bay on a Friday afternoon. From the moment that I entered, I realized that the services that they offered was indeed unrivalled by any other company aiding students to transit from a school in Hong Kong to one in the UK.
Firstly, one of the reasons that I had relative ease seeking help from this particular company was that it had a variety of eager individuals who had a wealth of experience. Because of the numerous applications that they oversee, they have a wealth of experience and maintain great links with the schools that applicants would soon apply to. They are co-organizers of the Oxbridge Preparation Course along with CSFC, a leading school that specializes in getting students into Russell Group universities. Despite the sheer number of applications, they maintain high efficiency. An example of this was during an application to another school of my choice. Not knowing what to do, I called Samuel. I was swiftly handed a quick placement test, which was handled by the school on the very same day. The interview arrangements were sorted out within two days, and after a successful interview, I was given an unconditional offer.
However, at this point, I had some problems to deal with. Because I was in the midst of applications to other schools, the only resource that I had was the Internet to search up rankings of different schools. Apparently, they have alumni from different schools that form a broad network. With a detailed breakdown of the different facilities offered by the school and their academic excellence, they made me suitable recommendations for other schools that were worth further consideration. It was this factor that caused me to feel relaxed and talk to the members of staff there – not only were they alumni of boarding schools in the UK, they also frequently visited other schools and met with admissions staff. Up to now, I still maintain contact with them via messaging and plan to continue communications even while in the UK.
Every single aspect regarding my transfer to the U.K. was taken care of. From the meticulous details of the application forms to the pre-departure arrangements such as the visa applications or uniform/booklist confirmations, there was a patient member of staff who was waiting to attend to my needs. Not to mention, they did not charge me a handling fee for handling my application – in contrast, I was smacked with a fee of $1000 for sitting the entrance exams at another agency.
The application to Cardiff Sixth Form College included another entrance examination and interview that I did at their offices, and if any prospective students are planning to apply next year, I highly recommend them consulting with the company beforehand and making arrangements. Because I was under immense time pressure at the time, due to the deadline for accepting another offer at my current school, they had to make exceptions for me. Not only did I hoard one of their offices for 4 consecutive hours, from 4.45 – 8.45, because of my rush to complete their entrance papers, Mabel, another consultant at the company, also helped to streamline the interview list and let me go first with the interviewer. They also kept me informed about the progress of my application throughout the next week, sending any acceptance letters without further delay, and allowing me to make my decision more easily.
My concluding remarks are that Britannia StudyLink shows true passion for every student who passes through their doors and they will keep on top of your application for you, reducing any worries and allowing the student to focus on their otherwise very hectic lifestyle. After calling them, just sit back and enjoy the process – after all, it is not every day that you apply for a leading boarding school abroad!
