For many students like myself, entering a polytechnic school is a dream that is hard to reach.
Students have to ensure that they have the right grades to match the requirements of the polytechnic school they want to reach. Once they do have these grades, they have to ensure that the rest of the application is flawless.
If you are currently preparing to apply for a polytechnic school, you need to be careful in preparing your application. These days, having good academic grades may not be enough to secure admission to good polytechnics.
If you do not know where to start, here are some polytechnic admission tips you should do to help you get your dream course.
Don’t neglect Co-Curricular Activities (CCA)
Academics is not the only thing schools often look for in a prospective student.
Polytechnics are increasingly looking at a student’s co-curricular activities (CCA) records to determine whether the student is a pure bookworm or is actually a well-rounded student. With this in mind, you should definitely join co-curricular clubs be active in those CCAs.
These activities can do wonders for you. If you manage to rise up the ranks of your club or even win a competition, it will do wonders for your polytechnic admission and scholarship.
Polytechnic schools may also look into your community service history to determine admission. Taking part in more community projects to rack up your CIP hours never hurts.
Prepare a relevant portfolio (and start early)
One of the reasons polytechnics are getting more popular over Junior Colleges is because you get to study technical courses that can translate directly into careers in those fields.
Hence, if you’ve already decided on your field of interest, why not start developing your talents in that area?
Your chances of getting into your dream polytechnic school will be so much higher if you prepare your portfolio early. For example, if you are applying for a music course, you can start creating audio samples or music sheets on your own.
Having a teechnical portfolio will surely impress polytechnic interviewers as it shows just how passionate you truly are for the field you are applying to and it’ll set you apart from the crowd.
Narrow your focus to key courses
Picking just one course for your application is not really ideal.
If you just applied for one, there is a chance you may not be accepted. When deciding on which schools you want to apply, pick 2 back up courses in case you can’t get in your dream course.
Check each course carefully and pick related courses that can help you develop your passion.
For example, if you want to take up Business, you can pick courses like Business Information System or Business Economics as a backup course. Polytechnics have a lot of courses to offer and each is taught by experts.
Don’t forget to check the Minimum Entry Requirement scores required for these courses. This can help you prepare beforehand to get to these courses.
Prep your interview skills
Your portfolio is not always enough to help you get in your dream course. You also have to do well in the interview and giving simple answers may affect your chances.
Interviews have two types of questions: standard and creative questions.
Standard questions are questions that ask you about your background and why you want to get into your chosen course. When you prepare for these questions, think your answers carefully and think of ways to improve it.
You should also take some time in thinking other questions that may be asked in the interview. When you think of the answers for these questions, do not list them down and memorize from there. It may sound scripted if you answer straight from your answer sheet.
Creative questions, on the other hand, will challenge your knowledge and see if you can answer under pressure. It will also see how well you can answer. When preparing for these questions, review your school notes and think of possible questions that may be asked.
It is also important to use the interview to ask questions about the course. Not all information about your dream course is found online and the best place to ask is through school.
You should also practice how to answer before a panel to remove the signs of nervousness from appearing on your expression. Be confident and show how much you want to get into your dream course. Get someone to stand in as the interviewer to help you prepare.
Make sure the 600 character write-up is relevant and concise
Polytechnic schools often ask for a character write-up to get a summary of your background.
Be mindful of the punctuations and word count. You need to also ensure that your love for the subject is seen in your write-up. You can support it by citing your school achievements and club membership. If you do not have this, you can recall related experiences to support your write-up.
Have someone review your write-up after you finish it. They can point out which parts you need to revise and how you can revise it. You can ask your teacher or your tutor to help you out for this one.
Go for events like talks and open houses
If you do not have any background about the school you want to enrol into or want to see what it is like in the campus, check if the school has open houses or talks on their calendar.
Attending these events can help you meet up with current students and have a chance to ask them about their experience. It will also help you see the school from a different perspective and be familiar with the school map.
You can also discover what other things the school offers which is not described fully in the school admissions brochure.
Conclusion
Getting in your dream course and dream school can open a lot of opportunities for you in the future. It can help you secure the job you want and open more opportunities for you to grow.
If you wish to get into your dream school, your application should be flawless and prepare everything that will support your claim. These tips above will help you get started and hopefully give you an idea on how you can improve your application.
Good luck!
For other poly related articles, check these out:
What to Do After O Levels – JC, Poly, or Retake?
JC vs. Poly: The Pros and Cons
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