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Beacon Scholarship Information Sessions 2022
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Beacon Information Session 5 November 2022 - recording
Saturday 5th November 2022 12pm EAT (9am UK time)
Privacy
Beacon Scholarship candidates, Scholars, and Alumni: access The Beacon Equity Trust Privacy Notice here.
Past Scholars
To win a Beacon Scholarship candidates must show strong evidence of:
- Exceptional academic ability; and
- Excellence in sport, music or drama; and
- Outstanding interpersonal skills; and
- Model citizenship
Additionally, they should, in their behaviour and outlook, demonstrate that they are a Changemaker:
(a) show the capacity to 'take people with them'; and
(b) already be making a difference now, not at some later point in time.
Our scholars have demonstrated these characteristics, and continue to do so in order to qualify as Beacon Scholars.
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FAQs - University Application
BEACON AMBASSADOR VISITS - QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Beacon Scholars visited several Beacon Partner Schools and responded to questions from students currently considering UK university applications. The questions and answers are taken directly from those conversations and provide a unique insight into the choices and university experience of actual Beacon Scholars.
If you have any additional questions please use the Ask Beacon box below, and the question will either be answered by a member of the Beacon Team or be directed at an appropriate Beacon University Scholar.
- Pre-University Activities
- University Choice
- University and Beacon Scholarship Applications
- The Beacon Scholarship for University
- University Experience
- Post University Prospects
- Ask Beacon Do you have a specific question about The Beacon Scholarship for University that is unanswered below or not in our general FAQs?
1.0 Pre-University Activities
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1. What are your top tips for British Curriculum Year 12/13’s or top years IB?
Another Scholar Response: I have also found the number of extra-curricular activities you engage in is not as important as fewer activities that show the breadth of your skills/talents (i.e quality over quantity). This really helps in choosing which activities to spend your time on when you are not studying.
Another Scholar Response: On the academic side for A-levels, I recommend attempting and revising as many past papers as possible before the exam. The examiners tend to frame questions in the same format and expect your answer to include certain words or steps (unless of course it’s an essay-based paper). Learning these trends can easily help any jump up by at least 1 grade.
Another Scholar Response: I would strongly recommend doing A-levels or IB instead. It keeps your scope of university and course choices much wider. Medicine, for example, can only be pursued in the UK if you’ve done A-levels.2. How important is going to university today?
Another Scholar Response: It is important to also remember that once you leave university, you leave with more than just a degree. Once you shift your perspective you will realise that university has more to offer such as networking, discovering yourself and unlocking hidden potential only you can maximise during your 3+ years at university.3. What are your thoughts on leaving school after Year 11 to do a foundation year at university instead of doing A-Levels or IB?
Another Scholar Response: This goes with consideration of what career you want to pursue in future.4. What is the difference between A-Levels and the IB system in terms of students’ performance in their first year at university?
5. How did schooling at a top A-Level or IB School prepare you for moving to university?
Another Scholar Response: The leadership roles I held in school were all great learning experiences for me. They helped me discover the type of person I want to be and what impacts I wanted to create now, and in the future.
Another Scholar response: Besides what my A-Level subjects pointed me towards, I chose a field I genuinely enjoyed. This partly motivates my studies now.
Another Scholar Response: If you’ve chosen subjects that you will pursue in university, A-levels and IB really strengthen your position when you go to university since you’ll have a strong framework of knowledge that you’ll be able to build on, and you’ll be certain that you will love what you will do.6. Looking back at your time at school, are there any things you did that really shaped you?
Another Scholar Response: Engaging in projects that were targeted at bettering the various communities around me have greatly shaped who I am and who I want to be. I was fortunate to attend a school that ensured that all students took part in some sort of community project and I was able to find my love for giving back to the community even outside school. Being able to connect with people from different walks of life showed me that I want to be an integral part of the positive change that needs to happen within Kenya.7. What subject combinations offer you the widest choice of university course options?
We'd suggest keeping to more conventional subjects since new A Levels such as Engineering/Law are not usually favoured, especially for high-end universities. However, this always depends on the university and the board offering the A Level so it is always better to enquire with admissions offices first in your target universities.8. How important are extracurricular activities for your university application?
Another Scholar Response: Everybody who applies for a course would at least be able to meet the grade requirements. Since there will always be more applicants than positions available in the course, the University looks for ways differentiate between applicants and decide who gets a position. This is where extracurriculars come in as they make you stand out from the competition by displaying what you could do outside of your lectures.9. What should you consider when choosing your A-Level subjects after GCSEs?
Another Scholar Response: Do not limit yourself to a certain group of subjects if you aren’t certain what you want to do in the future e.g. just doing humanities. Choose subjects you're passionate about, and don’t let other people’s choice of subjects influence yours.
2.0 University Choice
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1. Why did you choose your current university?
Another Scholar Response: I decided to apply to Cardiff because it was oriented towards my interests and what I wanted to do. I had always been fascinated about the workings of the brain and Cardiff university was one of the few universities that offered a course solely based on Neuroscience. Rank was equally important. Cardiff is a Russell Group university so I knew I would be getting a top quality education studying there.
Another Scholar response: I decided to apply to Bristol as it is part of the Russell Group and the university has a very highly ranked engineering department. For my course (Aerospace engineering) there aren’t many places that are better to study it in the UK.
Another Scholar Response: I chose Cambridge after doing immense research. Apart from being one of the top universities in the world and ensuring some of the best education and career prospects, there are several factors that make it stand out: (1) We have a College system, where you live and work. Each College is about the size of a high school, and it becomes a sort of family, with its own college teams. Colleges aren’t particularly different from each other. (2) We do exams every year, unlike Oxford, which does one exam after three years. (3) A lot of fun traditions like rowing, College marriages and families, formals, balls etc. (4) The College system ensures closer contact with supervisors and better quality of education.2. When choosing university courses, how do you balance doing a course you like and doing one where your strengths lie?
Another Scholar Response: It’s important to be realistic and do research on where such a course will take you in the next few years and how the subject area is advancing in the world. While doing well in a course is of utmost importance it is also important to have interest, or at least be willing to learn and discover new things, in the course you plan to study. This will help you in keeping determined even when certain aspects of your course don’t exactly seem to be your strong suit.
Another Scholar Response: Regardless of the course you choose there will be some form of workload that gets harder each year. Due to this, it's important to choose a course that you have genuine interest in as you really do not want to research a topic that puts you to sleep. That said it would just be self-sabotage to join a course for which you have low aptitude as this will lead to unbelievable frustration despite any interest you had. The most important thing to do is research all the options you have and choose the best combination between your interest and skill. Also don’t sell yourself short; skills can often be acquired through consistent effort.3. For top universities, e.g. LSE, is it advisable to apply to some of their less popular courses (i.e. not law or economics) to increase your chances of getting in?
Another Scholar Response: You must be very realistic with yourself when thinking of applying to competitive courses in a competitive university, especially being an international student. You must not only meet the standard but also surpass it which can be a tough task for anyone. It is important to note with top universities all ranges of courses have the same high-level quality education. Therefore, your decision is based more on the university and not the course. It is advisable to apply for a less popular course (in line with your future career path) in order to increase your chances of getting in.4. What is the difference in the experiences between a campus and non-campus university?
Another Scholar Response: Studying at a non-campus university allows you to immerse yourself in the culture of the city that you live in. More often than not, you can sometimes feel as if you aren't a university student at all as you interact with the different types of people living in your city, from businesspersons, lawyers and the occasional street performer on your walk home. Being in a campus based university has a stronger sense of community and is less daunting whereas being in a city, there is a certain thrill and adrenaline that comes complementary to your university experience.
Another Scholar Response: Oxbridge and Durham are college-based universities, which have aspects of both campus and non-campus universities. You live in a college, which is like a small campus, with your accommodation, hall etc, but you leave to study in your respective subject’s faculty.5. What guided your university choices to study the subject you are studying?
Another Scholar Response: The 'rank' heavily guided my choices especially because my course was science based. A further consideration was the amount of research the university was doing and the connections the university could provide me with when starting my career. For example, Cardiff university is one of the few universities that have a neuroimaging center with world leading facilities. Therefore, I know what I learn there will not only benefit me while I’m in university but also when I leave. Also research what activities the university is engaged in with regards to your particular course. It is important to look outside just 'learning' at the university; you must also think about what edge a degree from that university will give you.6. How do you finally narrow down to one thing to study at university?
It is also worth noting that when you are doing one subject at university, you are still covering various areas in it so you still have a wide variety of options to choose from - wouldn't say it is monotonous at all!
Another Scholar Response: Do your research. Before narrowing down, I found that I had lots of stereotypes about what certain courses were and what career they would lead me to. I researched the university, the course at the university I was interested in (including the modules of the course), how the course was assessed, and finally the qualifications at the end. When I paired all this with my interests and views on my own capabilities it really gave me a complete view of what I would be studying, enabling me then to make a realistic decision.
Another Scholar Response: Talk to friends who have done the subjects you’re interested in. Don’t take their opinions as law, but use them to get an insight into what studying a certain subject will be like. Engage in internships in fields that interest you.7. Does your university choice determine your likelihood of finding a job?
Another Scholar Response: To an extent it does. The defining variable in the equation of degrees, apart from the level of achievement of the degree, is the university from which you attained the degree. It is the reason why rankings exist. While this can make little difference with regards to universities of the same calibre it will count heavily in other cases. For example, if you’re looking to study a science degree going to a Russell Group university is always the better option.8. Are you happy to study at a UK university or would you change it given a choice?
Another Scholar Response: I am happy to study at a UK university I believe it provides a different experience from any other place not only in terms of the teaching style and qualifications it offers but also in terms of culture, food, and different landscapes and locations. I study in Cardiff Wales and therefore I experience Welsh culture, food, language, and landscapes such as the Brecon Beacons.
3.0 University and Beacon Scholarship Applications
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1. How difficult is the application process?
2. When do you know you have got The Beacon Scholarship?
3. Once at university, are you able to switch courses? Are the subjects you studied at A-Levels still relevant then?
You must also remember that the Beacon only supports three to four years of undergraduate education and you will have to fully pay for any difference. You will also not be able to switch to a course like Medicine, which the Beacon does not support, if you want to retain the scholarship.4. What is UCAS clearing and how useful is it?
You can obtain more information on this from: https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/results-confirmation-and-clearing/what-clearing5. What should you include in your personal statement and how can you prepare the best personal statement?
A good personal statement shows evidence that the writer has really thought about their choice of degree programme and has a feeling of excitement about it; a feeling of intellectual curiosity. It is not just a list of things that you’ve done or experiences that you’ve had but something about how they set you thinking; the questions that were raised in your mind by visiting a museum or going to Greece or Italy. Admissions teams are looking for convincing statements, academic interest in the future, their future, the future of the world. The personal statement should also talk about yourself, a little bit about the work experience that you have, the things that you do. Show the admissions team that you’re a person that is concerned for society at large, not just the financial benefits that your course can offer. Always keep the personal statement very specific rather than general. 6. When should you start working on your university application?
Another Scholar Response: What I found helpful is to start early. Having a couple of drafts of your personal statement written in the summer before year 13 will put you in a good position; especially for those who are applying for Oxbridge as their deadline is always earlier than the general UCAS deadline. Not only does starting early help with dealing with the tension and stress that comes with the process but it also allows you to get your application sent out early and you can then put your head down and work towards achieving the grades to which you aspire.7. What do I need to do to get an unconditional offer?
8. If one doesn’t get the required grades after receiving an offer from the university, what happens?
9. If one writes in their personal statement that they have participated in something, do they need proof?
10. Is it possible that one can be rejected from all five choices of university because of their grades?
11. Can one change their course after application?
4.0 The Beacon Scholarship for University
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1. What is the process of getting a Beacon Scholarship for University?
2. Is the Beacon Scholarship only for those who want to study in the UK?
3. What do you need to qualify for The Beacon Scholarship?
- Exceptional academic ability; and
- Excellence in sport, music or drama; and
- Outstanding interpersonal skills; and
- Model citizenship.
Additionally, they should, in their behaviour and outlook, demonstrate that they are a Change-maker:
(a) show the capacity to 'take people with them'; and
(b) already be making a difference now, not at some later point in time.
For more information look in general FAQs and on the University Scholarship Application Page4. Can someone who has gone through the Kenyan 8-4-4 system still apply for the scholarship after the IFY programme?
5. What does being a Beacon Scholar involve?
6. Can you go to Beacon universities e.g. Cambridge without being a Beacon Scholar?
7. What are the key advantages you have as a Beacon Scholar compared to other university students?
8. Does being a Beacon Scholar give you a better chance of getting into a Beacon Partner University?
5.0 University Experience
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1. What are the main challenges have you've faced at your university?
Another Scholar Response: My biggest challenge was effectively utilizing my free time. The first year is a bit unique, as the things you cover are only slightly more complex than A-Level. This means you may find yourself with a bit of free time once studying is done. Growing up, my childhood was a bit restrictive. So once I got to campus, on my own, I spent a lot of time indulging myself in things that were purely recreational. Getting myself involved in activities that would develop me as an individual and actively socializing were difficult. If you find yourself in a similar situation, you need to remember to always preserve time for shaping yourself. Have fun in measured quantities, make time to go to the Gym, get involved in your SU, read outside your field. Whatever it is, work on yourself.
Another Scholar Response: Managing my time during my first semester proved quite challenging. Everything moves by so fast. Between settling in into a new environment and the many activities that go on on-campus, it was very easy to lose track of time and fall behind on the targets I set for myself. I have found that planning in advance e.g. through making timetables goes a long way in making me more accountable for the time I spend.2. Does the university help you with work placements?
Another Scholar Response: The university helps every student by letting them know of the work opportunities available in their field. There are CV writing workshops and Interview preparation sit-down classes as well. Nonetheless, the bulky of the work e.g. writing to different companies is done by you.3. What is the culture of the student body at your particular university like?
Another Scholar Response: Due to the fact that there are so many students from such different backgrounds, it is hard to define a single ‘culture’. Your view of the culture of the students may also be dependent on the social groups, year-group or course group you are in. From my experience, there was a large, close-knit, family-like culture for the first year student body, but it turned more competitive whilst in the classroom.
Another Scholar Response: At Cambridge, I live in a College system, and it has become like a sort of family to me. Apart from being diverse, the people are incredibly friendly. I found that it was easy to find people who related to my interests, and they were happy to incorporate me into their friendship circles. In universities like Cambridge, there tend to not be a lot of students from Africa, but I’ve found that university students are willing to learn more about your culture and don’t treat you any differently because of it.4. What is the diversity in a UK university like?
Another Scholar Response: From the perspective of a campus university just outside London (Surrey), a large number of the student population comes from within London. London itself is a multicultural hub and hence Surrey attracts quite a diverse range of people from all over the world. Nonetheless, you’ll be sure to meet people with a background similar to yourself through the university societies.5. Besides just doing your degree at university, what other things can you do to really stand out?
Another Scholar Response: Besides taking part in a number of societies, experience in the particular career can help you stand out as well. This means taking part in internships or similar opportunities as much as you can.6. What were your biggest challenges in your first year?
Another Scholar Response: My biggest challenge in first year was finding out what worked for me and what did not. I feel like time-management in Uni is crucial and it did take a while to find out my balance!
Another Scholar Response: Getting used to the amount of freedom and responsibility of university life took time. I stayed in self-catered accommodation and in Bristol attendance in lectures is not checked in any way. This meant I now had to cook all my meals, or I would go hungry and that if I did not attend a lecture there would be absolutely no one to call me out for it. After few hungry nights and reviewing lecture recordings, I gradually gained the discipline needed and formed a routine that suited me.7. How do you balance your workload, social life and other activities at university?
Get involved in things you enjoy doing. This can be anything, sports, debate, volunteering, or even working in the library! Doing this means your university experience will stand out for you. It means you will look back at the three or four years fondly, and not just as a generic academic blur. 8. Compared to A-Levels, what is the workload at university like?
Another Scholar Response: I am in my first year and I have found that it is true that the workload is significantly higher in university. You are able to have more free-time i.e. fewer lecture hours, but, more individual study is expected from you.
Another Scholar Response: In university, it is up to you to manage your time well and study. No one will be there to push you to finish something. A lot of independent study is required, and the drastic increase in workload from A-levels to university will demand effective planning and commitment to study if you want to succeed.9. Do you enjoy your life at university?
Another Scholar Response: Yes. I am in my first year and so far, I am growing and learning so much, especially about myself. There are so many people and activities on campus to not only enjoy, but also learn from.
Another Scholar Response: Absolutely! There is nothing more amazing than university that I have experienced. You really flourish as a person in university. The environment of open-mindedness really allows you to play to your strengths and try out all sorts of activities without fearing failure, and you end up becoming more confident and self-assured. Also, you’ll definitely find someone similar to the way you are, and you will form some of the tightest friendships you will ever make.10. How do you cope with going from being the top of your class in school to being average at university?
There is no one perfect balance. It is more important to find the balance you are comfortable with and find joy in. You will find yourself doing more of one thing naturally, and it will be okay. I think as individuals it is perfectly natural to have preferences. It is worth repeating: it is okay to hand in your level best given the circumstances. You do not always have to hand in your absolute best, or even worse, 100%.
Another Scholar Response: I love this question. It is important to realise that the fact that you’re feeling this is proof that you’ve made it somewhere in life since you’re now being compared to such intelligent people. You cope by learning from them. Don’t look at it as a negative. Use it to challenge yourself to work even harder.11. What do you do/who do you go to when you are really feeling under pressure at university?
First, pause, breathe and think. There are so many types of pressure. Internal (“I have to improve my writing skills by X”), external (“The deadline for that application is X”), social (“Everyone is doing X and getting Y, so I must do so as well”) and all the others in between. It is always important to understand the pressures facing you. Who is giving me the pressure, what is the nature of the pressure, what are my personal opinions on the pressure, how would I go about achieving what is outlined in the pressure, and should I succeed, what impact will it have on me, and how will I feel? You may not have answers to all the questions, but just knowing them has really helped me deal with them. After I understand them, I can then decide, decisively, whether or not I want to follow through with them, or whether they are not worth pursuing personally. Understanding also allows me to make action plans, and sensible timelines with which I can check progress against. Should you find it too much, never be afraid to seek help from the school, which will have structures specifically in place for dealing with different types of stress. 12. How do you cope with winter?
Another Scholar Response: I try to drink more warm beverages to encourage myself to stay hydrated. Keeping active also helps ward-off the winter blues. In the winter, it is not only cold, but it is also very rainy and windy. I found that having a good, long, waterproof coat with a hood, went a long way. Layering your clothing is also important so that when you go indoors you can remove layers.
Another Scholar Response: For quite a few people, especially for those who have moved from sunny countries like ours in East Africa, the winter can come with 'seasonal affective disorder' or 'seasonal depression'. The lack of sun can greatly affect your mood and a lot of research is beneficial to see how you can prevent it. My tips are Vitamin D supplements, exercising regularly and staying hydrated. Moving to a different country can take a toll on your body especially during winter and it is important to look after yourself at all costs. Keep warm of course and make sure you are equipped with medicine (Lemsip, strepsils etc) to combat the inevitable flu or even better yet, get a flu shot at the beginning of Fresher's week.13. What do you wish you had known when you started university?
Another Scholar Response: I wish I had known more about the workload. Personally, I like being mentally prepared before I start anything new and for me the workload threw me off at first. There is a rampant rumour that says 'first year is easier than A Levels' and having heard this a lot, I went in with this mentality. I would like to say that first year is definitely not easier than A Levels, not only is the workload more but the expectations from you as a student are very different and incomparable. Besides the academics, you are also dealing with moving to a new country and beginning a new phase of your life and being aware of this beforehand can help smoothen the transition between year 13 and your first year of university.14. How much contact do you still have with your friends from school and how important are they in your university life?
Another Scholar Response: It is really important to keep in touch with old friends. I still speak with my closest friends every once in a while. Finding an avenue of communication, and frequency you are comfortable with, then sticking with it is key. Everyone has their own style. Some like meme groups on WhatsApp, some will Skype on weekends, and others somehow keep in touch using only Snapchat! Since we are all doing such different courses, we are often of very little help to each other academically. They are still important in my university life as they provide emotional support, and some stories are better told with someone you spent 10 years of your life with.
Another Scholar Response: With some, I have very little contact e.g. once a month or every other month, whilst with others, we communicate almost every other day. Most times, it is difficult to keep up with everything in each other’s lives. Nonetheless, there is something emotionally motivating about knowing that you are all going through the same experience. Despite not communicating often with my good friends, when we talk, it is like nothing has changed, and we even give each other advice if we are going through particularly similar experiences. 15. How does accommodation/catering/laundry services work at university?
16. What fun activities can you engage in at your university?
17. As an international student, can you get a job while studying to supplement your allowances?
Generally, the Beacon prefers that you focus on your studies and extracurricular activities in order to make the most of your time at university. You receive a generaous stipend as part of your Beacon Scholarship, so you don't actually need to work to sustain a good living standard. However, it is a good idea to try to secure a paid internship in the holidays to gain work experience.18. What determines the final year grade at university?
Another Scholar Response: In my course and other quantitative courses, your final year is determined by exams at the end of the year and computational modelling projects, also submitted at the end of the year. As far as weightings across the three years, at LSE for my course it is 10%,40%,40% for first, second and third year respectively.19. If you had to go back to your school years, what would you do differently?
20. Was the the University you ended up in your first choice?
Another Scholar Response: Yes and no. Initially, my first choice was a university outside the UK. My decision to study in the UK was to some extent influenced by the university’s reputation, the placement Year offered by the university for my specific course, as well as the Beacon and the great opportunity it offered.21. Did you find difficulty interacting with people in such an environment as the LSE?
22. Are extracurricular activities taken seriously at University?
Another Scholar Response: This is also true at the University of Surrey. The university directs a lot of funding towards societies in order to engage the student body outside academics.23. How is the LSE experience in general regarding learning and other aspects?
Another Scholar Response: LSE is known for constantly getting their students to actively engage with current issues in the world. This is not only in your degree of choice but also in the compulsory course that all undergraduate and general course students have to take which is called LSE100. There is always an opportunity to learn outside the classroom as there are a wide range of public lectures and seminars and even conferences that, as an LSE student, you can attend and learn about things that you may not necessarily cover in your degree but are still interested in.
Socially, studying at LSE can be daunting at first due to the reputation that it has built of having very career oriented students. This is true but I feel like you shouldn't let the constant talk of spring weeks and summer internships get in the way of discovering your own career path. Don't feel pressured to conform to the norm.
My advice would be to make the most of the opportunities you have and go out and meet new people as making new friends isn't as easy as it may be for those studying in campus-based universities.24. What is the experience of having contact with lecturers at University, is it a big shift from your experiences in Kenya?
Another Scholar Response: Due to the difference in size i.e. between school and university, the contact you have with your lecturer is more detached. Nonetheless, lecturers and professors do have office hours when you can reach them and ask questions. Furthermore, unlike school, there are also many more teaching resources; teaching assistants, personal tutors, mentors and fellowship students are also there to help you.25. What other universities offer actuarial science courses?
26. Of what you have heard, how are UCL and Warwick in comparison to the LSE for Economics?
6.0 Post University Prospects
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1. How does getting a Master's degree or further education increase your chances of getting a job?
Another Scholar Response: This depends on your field of study and what opportunities are available to you at your time of graduation. Usually but not always, a postgraduate degree is valued higher in the job-market; it may come at the expense of gaining work experience. You must research keenly before making the decision.2. After graduation, will you go into the world of work immediately or do a Masters degree?
3. Is it possible to get a job in the UK after university?